Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-28

snd innocent, in . gale Of wind. which It
blew OK her hat"
"fes, nia'am; and naturally the hat being
pinned. her hair was blown OF, too"
ut blew orr
Perhaps. ma'am. this ha'r doesn't ut,
and the best thing would be to shoot the
party who made-the ornament. The young
lady, Of co'se was In no way to blame II
It few down the street and she after It. ]
rise to observe that Deputy Marshal Peder-
sen, being modest man, was shocked most
dreadful, and
"ohl ohl'' Miss Blossom went white as
the tablecloth.
60 on" said I, lets know the worst at
once
And he couldn't stay to help the young
lady, cause he was running to eaten the
midnight train.'
THANK goodness
Yes, ma'am, he was due in Lordsburgh
this mawning to collect hoss-thief.
And nobody else saw the wig?''
No, ma am, only Petersen. He came
whirling down on me this mawning at
Lordsburgh with dreams and visions about
robber chasing wig, and lady holed
up III yo' home, and the same being dis
guised as woman, but really a man, AMI
wanting two thousand dollars daid or alive
for the wig which its name was Curly. He
seemed heap confused and unreliable.
This Petersen man." says Miss Blossom,
is coming here to arrest her-I mean him.
Speak,
Deputy Marshal Petersen. ma am. is
now in prison
Arrested
why, sheriff." says I, what has he
done to get arrested?''
Il dunno Dick shook his gray head
mournful. II forget l had to exceed my
authority whole lot, SO the first thing l
thought of was 'bigamy and confusion of
mind reckon I'll have to apologize, and
he's low-fiung crawler to beg pardon to-.
You'll have to let him out?"
II shorely WILL meanwhile he's thinking
of all his sins, and he certainly looks like
a Mormon. He never combs his ha'r. But
then, you see, I had to keep his paws off
these honorable ladies until L could bring
some sort of warning heah Besides, IL
this pusson with wig is really pore Curly
McCalmont, L feel that done right"
What makes you think that, Bryant?"
Wall 1 happen to know that them
witnesses In the Ryan inquest here was
prioed to swear away the life of old Bal
snannons son. The null blamed business
sfinks OF perjury. l may be wrong, you
.one-eyed fraud but when Curly punched
COWS with you at Holy Crawss I sort of
hungered for him. You see, my missus and
me couldn't compass son of our own, and
we just wanted Curly. When he quit out
from you-all, we tried to catch him, but
he broke away Then came the big shoot
Ing match, six weeks ago, and it broke my
ole womans heart. Thar was the lady
GAVIN daid, and Balshannon quits out in the
gun smoke, and you and the two youngsters
outlawed for trying to save him. That's
how L reads the signs on this big war trail,
and being only crazy old plainsman, l
takes the weaker side
He reached out his paw.
Put her thar, you one-eyed hoss-thief
and you'll know that there's official in
this hull corrupt and filthy outfit who cares
for justice more'n he cares for law
With warrants out against me on various
charges, and the Grave City Strangers
a rtai n 4 n To n hrH
on this visit feeling plenty bashful, SO It
was good to have a genuine county sheriff
acting chaDeron The ladies gave us a
great sutficiency of supper, and then We
made Curly swear faithfully not to go hunt
Ing wigs in the moonlit streets. Afterward
the ladies went to roost and we two men,
having tracked out to tend the horses, made
down beds in the barn loft
Next morning my natural modeSty, and
certain remarks from the sheriff, made me
hide up out of sight, but Bryant went to
town and did my shopping. He bought ma
an iron-gray gelding, which I'd always
longed to steal, because he was much too
good for the tenderfoot doctor who owned
him. 1t shocked my frugal mind to pay
hundred dollars cash, but Bryant was lib
eral with my money, and the horse was
worth hundred and fifty, anyhow. He got
me a second-handed saddle, snaffle, rope.
blanket, dandy pair of snaps Qeather ar
NOR for the legs, spurs, belt shirt, over
ais, boots, -Sombrero, and all COWBOY fix
ings. If l was to take young Curly back TO
Robbers Roost, she needed a proper trous-
seau, specially being due to meet Jim.
l hate to put up dull particulars, but
ought to mention that Mutiny Robertson
had located a good showing of silver, the
second east extension of the Contention
mine, on my land at Las Salinas. That is
cash for my water spring, fencing and
adobe house, getting clear title to the
land, which held his mineral rights 1t
grieves to think of Mutiny grabbing all
hiu hno 7 nj o'+ hoIl
down that place without being iynched.
Such Is the fruits of getting unpopular,
and might preach plenty improving ser
mon on the uncertainties of business the
immortality Of being found out, the deprav
ity of things in general, the cussedness Of
fate. Mutiny waited Sly while 1 plunged
around conspicuous SO now he's rich, set
ting good example, while I'm as poor as
a fox.
What with my bank deposit and the sale
of my home Dick brought me back nine
thousand dollars in cash. Likewise l had
in my warbags the money which Mccall
mont had trusted to my care for Curiy's
dowry. 1 gave Dick charge of all this
wealth, taking only thousand dollars for
present expenses and stuffed the same in
the treasure-be which L carry next my
skin. These proceedings were a comfort to
me, for I'm here to remark, and ready TO
back my statements with money, argu-
ments or guns, that the handling of wealth
is more encouraging to the heart than such
lonesome games as the pursuit of virtue.
Besides the plumber and Curly's trouSseau
Dick brought me chocolate creams, n new
breed of rim-fire cigars just strong enough
to buck, a quart of pickles and some med-
cine for our thirst. The Old drunkard
knows what is good, and before supper we
sat In the barn with these comforts talking
business
1t needs such surroundings of luxury to
get my thoughts down to any manner OF
business, for l hold that office work is
adapted to town sharps only, and not to
men. Bryant and l had the misfortune to
be named in Lord Balshannons will as his
executors, to ride herd on his Jim until
such time as the colt could run alone. In
this business my co-robber had taken ac-
ton already, anneXing the trainload or
breeding cattle which had been stolen by
Jabez Y. Stone. These cattle were sold by
auction, and Dick held the money, swear
ing that nobody else but jim should get so
much as a smell
With regard to. Holy Cross, Dick, as
sheriff had seized the old hacienda, and
the same must be sold to pay Balshan-
mons debts to the Ryan estate. 1t seems
that Michael Ryan claimed this plumber,
and that Jim, the natural heir, had stolen
Michael Thar it stands" says Dick, who
has a legal mind, until Jim skins his
meat"
np Ia