The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1906-02-16

brush between Shockiey and the cow
boys. Even Peg Leg Reynolds let him
alone. Hes the luckiest fellow on
McCloud in reply to a question from
Bucks about Shockley There hasn't
a shot been fired at him al winter"
He wasn't always lucky comment
ed Bucks, signing Il batch of letters.
Tile came from Chicago Bucks
went on after d silence. He was
switching there on the @ at the time OF
the stoclzyards riots. Shockley used to
drink like a pirate. | never knew just
the right Of it. I understood it was i'll
a brawl Anyway, he killed a man
there-shot him and had to get away
in hurry. | was traiunaster. Shock
ley was a striker, but I'd always found
him decent, and when his wife came to
me about it | helped her out Il little.
She's dead since. His record isn't just
right back there yet. There's some
thing about the shooting hanging over
him. | never set eyes on the fellow
again till he struck Inc for q job at
McCloud; then / sent him up to you.
He claimed he'd quit drinking. Guess
he had. Long as he's behaving himself
| I believe in giving him chance, h'mY
It really wasn't any longer a case of,
giving him a chance; rather Of whether
they could get ON without him. When
the Colorado Pacific began racing us
into Denver that summer it began to
crowd even Shockley to keep the yard
clean. He saw he would have to have
help.
Chris, what do they give you for
tinkering up the ties?" asked Shockley
one day
'Dollar an a half"
''Why don't you take hold Of switch
ing with me and get $3?'
Chris was thunderstruck. First he
said Callahan wouldn't let him, but
Shockley guessed yes Then Chris
1 figured. To save the last Of the hun
bred dollars necessary to get the Wom-
an and the babies over-it could be
done in three months instead of six If
only Callahan would listen. But when
Shockley talked Callahan always lis
tened, and when he asked for a new
switchman he got him. And Chris got
his 49, to him sum unspeakabe.
By the time the woman and the chill
dren arrived in the fall Chris would
have died for Shockley.
The fall that saw the woman and the
stunted subjects of the czar slowed
away under the bench in Little Russia
brought also the cowboys down from
Montana to bait the Russians.
One stormy night, when Chris thought
it was perfectly safe to venture up to
Rubedo's after groceries, the cowboys
caught him and dragged him over to
Pat Barles.
1t was when they caught him and
by 8 they had put him through every
pace that civilization could suggest
Peg Leg Reynolds, as always, master
of ceremonies, then ordered him tied tc
the stove. When it was done the COW
boys got into big circle for a dance
The fur on Chris's coat had already be
gun to sizzle, when the front door open
ed. Shockley walked in.
Straight, in his ambling, hurried way
he walked past the deserted bar through
the ring Of cowboys at the rear to Chris
frying against the stove and began cut
ting him loose. Through every kno
that his knife slit he sent very LOUD
and very bad word, and no sooner hat
, he freed Chris than he jerked him By
the collar, as if quarreling with him
toward the back door, which was
handy, and before the cowboys go
wind he had showed him through it.
''Hold on there!'' cried Peg Leg Reyn
; olds when it was just too late. Chris
was out of it, and Shockley turned
alone.
"All right. partner; what is it?' HI
asked amiably.
"You've got q ripping nerve"
81 know it."
whats your name?'
''Shockley."
"Can you dance?"
'No"
1t was Peg Legs opportunity. FL
drew his gun. 81 reckon maybe VOL
can. Try it," he added. pointing thu
suggestion with the pistol. Shockley
= looked foolish. He didn't begin trip
ping soon enough and a bullet from tht
cowboys gun splintered the DASHBOARD
at his feet. Shockley attempted tt
shuttle. To any one who didn't know
him it looked funny. But Peg Leg wa
: a rough dancing master and before h.
} said Enough" an ordinary man would
have dropped exhausted. Shockley
breathing good bit quicker onl!
steadied himself against the bar.
'"Take off your hat before gentlemen,
, cried the cowboy. Shockley hesitated
but he did pull off his cap.
| THAT'S more like it. What's your
, name?"
"Shockley."
, "Shockley" echoed Reynolds with ;
| burst of range amenities. "WelI
shockley. you can't help your name
Drink for once in your life with mar
, Of breeding-my names Reynolds. Pat