Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-13
N r. L 7 n c. II, j. p.

Pleased to meet you, gentlemen" he said cere
moniousy, "Forshaw is my name. trust
that"
Nice hammered kid" observed the Mulligan
easily
"Yaas.' assented Whispering johnson, gravely
Don't look as If he knowed any too much"
Forshaw squirmed These men we're speaking
as though he were not present and discussing him
with unflatteriug freedom. It was a novel situa.
ton to him, and he could find nothing TO say
He knew his face was red and he suspected the
visitors Of amusing themselves at his expense
Well said Bert, breaking the silence, "I
dunno's want any smart Alecks round yere
nohow. Now Mr.. Fanshaw--"
"Forshaw."
Jest so. Well Mr.. Forshaw, the camp has sent
us up yere to see who We are an what yer bust.
ness is"
why" said Forshaw, slightly surprised at the
question, "Pm attomey--a lawyer, you
know"
"A lawyer--en come TO Cayote"
The committee rose and went swiftly out.
The news that the newcomer was lawyer spread
through the camp and startled it thoroughly.
At the mass meeting held that night, the wis
dom of running Forshaw out of camp was dis
cussed. But after a warm debate it was decided
to give him trial of thirty days Cayote had
custom of taking immigrants on trial If at the
end of one month the novice had not won the
approval of the camp he was waited upon by a
deputation and given twenty-four hours to leave
If the undesirable person showed disposition
to debate the question they buried him. In For
shaws distinct concession was made,
mainly think because of his surprising polite
ness. The only other reason was that advanced
by Whispering johnson:
"Now look yere, boys. He's on'y kid an in
IL A
then don't want it to get around that we're
scared of threeyear-olds Ef he gets too nu.
merous we kin fix him plenty"
Forshaws first act. electrified the camp. He
went down to the barroom and asked the mixolo
gist-who also acted as hotel cerk--for 'Hkey"
"a Sey? echoed the in wonder, "for
which?"
Forshaw explained He did not intend to i'm
pugn the honesty Of the camp at all, but he had
some valuable things in his room that could hard
ly be replaced. and by locking the door
ooh, that's all right" interrupted the barkeep
er cheerfully. "They won't nobody steal nothin'
They don't dare to-
Which was strictly true. The manners and
morals of Cayote were not immaculate, but the
eighth Commandment was not violated The
camp would make common against thief
There were few thefts Men will not steal when
there is a certainty of detection, conviction and
execution This being a rule, has an exception
A half-breed diversely known as Klamath Joe,
"Afumps, and Chat id Swash" was the ex-
ception. There no good in this guileful child
of Nature, and his harbreadth escapes from sud :
den death at the hands of brittle-tempered com
munity had been numerous and startling II
was generally understood that he would steal if
he had opportunity and the camp was on the
watch to catch him red-handed.
The opportunity came. The Mulligan consid
erably under the influence of Cayotes favorte
had stumbled away from the
saloon and sought sobriety in slumber beneath
clump of dwarf pines near the edge of the camp
klamath Joe saw the sleeper and understood the
situation. To turn the unresistng inebriate over
was easy to rife his pockets the work of min