The San Francisco call., 1908-09-27


\ 10 man. dead or alive. could
touch him, no man afoot or on
boss. for that matter. At his
own style, mind you, which was a free
for all, go as you please, road or cross
country. 'twixt two given points. The
weapons was yer own. You could choose
bronco or g blackboard, a bike or a
balloon-didn't make no difference to
him. Puss'nly he always preferred TO
go afoot Said yer feet was the only
things you could depend upon in a long
race. and as fer short ones, he didn't
care to be bothered with EN- Couldn't
get warmed up enough to make it in
teresting. I've heard him say over and
over agin that any one could beat him
on stretch OF Iess'n five miles, cause
he couldn't git beyond his second wind
in that distance. And he depended on
HIS fifth and sixth wind to bring in the
winning ncks- Could go middlin' fast
on third wind, 'nuf to beat an or
dinary bronco. p'raps, but fer a bike or
a tandem such as they rung in on him
at Tonopah he needed more speed.
IL Up fer emergencies.
No m'son, he didn't look like he was
a racer. Warn't built on any the usual
long, lean plans, as you might say.
Which was mighty good pint in his
favor on the bettin' end. Why when he
first struck here he was a 40 to l shot,
and everything in sight covered soon's
IL appeared. A stranger would saunter
up. give just one look at him an dig
Frr L..
not KNOWN, you see, bout these other
winds he had slowed away UP his
sleeve. An they felt kinder sheepish
bout takin his money. too, like they
was takin' advantage of some one who
was working a petered out old claim.
But as Sandy said, If he didn't get his
money some other feller from one of
the nearby pike towns would Might
as well keep il in the family he saws
He strolled in here to the bar one
afternoon when il was so quiet yer
could hear every ny within a mile
5uzzin, and leanin' careless like agin
the mahogany wanted 10 know if there
was any sportin' blood in camp.
Wheel or faro upstairs" says I.
He shook his head.
don't buck no games" says he,
but II there's any gents interested in
real sports I've got a proposition fer
them"
looked z bit suspicious. I guess, as I
reached fer a bottle, seem Sandy com
Ing, but I didn't say nothin'. When YER
see the end Of tail in a hole. m son.
It's better TO wait fer it to crawl out
oy itself than TO try to pull il out
I've proposition" he says kinder
THROWN out his chest and speakin'
louder. so Sandy could hear. IAN that
is that can beat any man in this camp
In race between this bar and MacIn-
tires, at Crows gulch"
/ saw Sandy pick up his ears. cause
that distance measures over 25 miles.
and this stranger, as I remarked, warn't
bullt on no racin' plan He was a little
mite Of a feller an looked all shriveled
up from what he even might have been
wunst. He looked like what a hungry
oull purp might look 'longside a grey
hound on sech q proposition as this
he olont have no more color than a
pertater and his chest was kinder
caved in Ike tn fellers that come ont
mere with a cough. His face was all
covered with whiskers. which made him
look 40 year old. He wears clothes
that was some gay maybe 10 wears
back, but he hadn't improved them env
with grease along the front of tn
speckled vest an the long coat like th'
Undertaken wears when on a swell lob.
ID have bet he couldn't run q mile
sfore ] seen what I seed
/ call that" said Sandy, Skin him
Up an thinkin' Of Garvin. who was six
ieet high and built like splinter.
The stranger reaches in his nocket
and draws out $500 IN bills, shown IL
over 10 me, but keepin' his hand on It
The only conditions is" he saws.
that the race starts at 10 prompt. rain
or shine. or money is forfeit, an that
the pile goes TO tn feller who shows up
st Maclntire's bar fust"
"Huh?" says Sandy, suspicious like at
mention OF conditions. What's th'
last?"
Money to the man who gets there
fust Yer can keep 70 the road or go
cross. lots-anyway to git there"
Sandy thinks a minute.
That sounds all right" he saws.
The stranger takes his hand off the
money Sandy looks at him once more.