The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-05-06
CUPID
VALIANT
Copyright, by Shortstory Pub. Coz
Nv SWIFT ADAMS.

| tdlH DARTS Vi NohehhcS, Sou wa P'~D
ably put up at one of those little edl'
| fees that are twothirds saloon and
the rest hotel. There are usually two
| in town, and if you stop at one you
wish you had stopped at the other. II
you have a genial disposition, after
| supper YOU will sit around and smoke
| in the large room that serves as lobby,
barroom and office, besides containing
| the appurtenances for billiards, cards
and such other games as are popular
on that section of the map
When the house becomes hot and
| smoke-filled beyond federation you and
others 90 outside and lounge on the
stoop, or on the exceedingly hard
ground, and very likely you swap
stories.
Seven or eight of us had reached
that point in trying to forget an ever
lastingly hot night. Cowhands, farm
ers and some hard to classify, strag-
gled out of the barroom OF the ma
liciously named Hotel Comfort. and lis
tened to the highly favored tales, and
contributed their own of the same
quality.
Il being a stranger, was little
timid about breaking into the talk, but
during a lull | hazarded a remark:
Il don't want to be curious about
things ! shouldn't" / said, but | saw
dignihed old man inside playing
solitaire. and he had a bullet hole in
his left ear. | have been wondering
ever since how he got it,
There was a general laugh, and a
drawing, high.pitched voice spoke.
You're stranger here, amt your
my first trip in this piece of coun-
try" l replied.
That old man is ledge Buck" said
the voice. Most of us know how he
get that there dent " his ear. But as
there amt been new story sprung
here in over two years, | guess the
boys can stand for me telling you
about it.
Nobody objected, probably because
of lack of energy, and the DRAWER
lighted another cigarette. The flare
of the match showed tanned, lined
face and keen eyes.
"A daredevil gang used to stamp
hereabouts," the speaker continued
They were mostly fresh young
ropers, one or two horse traders, few
no-account chaps-and me. We used
to hunt trouble for the love OF It,
When we couldn't find any we manu-
featured it. There wasn't law or man
we were afraid Of
1--WE had a leader called Red Mike
He had forgotten the word fear was IN
the language. He was strong, too, and
lightning with his shooter. But all OF
us were those things about as much as
Red Mike. 1t was his master mind
that let him hold his job.
when the rest of us were shooting
up a saloon, or such trife, and wishing
for bit of real hell, Red would work
up doings juicy with excitement. He
could smell opportunities, and you bet
he always steered us into the hottest
action.
I'VE generally used to cluster eve
nings in Yellow Grass Gulch, and ask
Red if anything was doing likely to
tear a hole in the calm. Sometimes
Red had only middling good plans
such as turning loose the prisoners in
the county Jail, just for the fun OF
rounding 'em up.
But one night he sprang a scheme
that had even us swearing with ad-
miration.
Brace up, boys he said, there's
going to be doings tonight. Old Jedge
Buck sold 5000 head of cattle to-day.
He's got the cash locked up in his
store at Browns Corners. The old
tightfist is sitting over the wad with
a shotgun.
Were going to make him break a
record and loosen up. Well kindly
provide him with a generosity. Our
part is to grab the coin and then have
a feast at Hud Hinkey's boozery.'
That was little stiff, even for us.
We had SHE'D away from the swiping
game. But do you suppose We hest
tated? We whooped and shouted that
Red was a great man and ought to be
president of the United States
1T was moonlight, and as nice and
cool as you could ask for, with not a
mite of wind-a very devil of night
for making a man feel he could wallop
the universe with his hands tied. The
horses felt it, too, and as we galloped
along, singing and laughing, we sud
den-like heard noise.
Hands up
"Them words snapped out in voice
that brought us sitting up stiff. Every
man of us raised his fists. A score OF
guns went up too and spit toward the
sound.
Then, by gum, into the moonlight
with a gun in each hand, rode Slim
Johnson. Slim wasn't so much-but
we knew he could shoot the eyebrows
off Won with either hand, and didn't
want no better fun than to try it.
Hang it, Slim, Red Mike yelled
what do you think you're doing hold
ing us up this way? Holding us up!
or all the COMPOUNDED nerve
"'You-all will turn around and sc
back the way you came, Slim said
keeping his guns leveled.
We'll, now, | guess not, Slim,
Red answered. We wouldn't let many
ueople talk to us like that. Before
ANYTHING worse happens, tell US wha
your game is