The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-04-28

the rest hotel There are usually two
In town. and II 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 tbc house becomes hot and
smokefilled beyond federation you and
others go outside and lounge on the
stoop. or on the exceedingly hard
ground. and very likely you swap
stories
Seven or eight Of MS had reached
that point In trying 70 forget an ever
lastingiy hot night Cowhands, farm
ers and some hard 10 classify. strag'
gled out OF the barroom Of the ma.
liclousIy named Hotel Comfort. and lis
tened to the highly Favored tales. and
contributed their own Of the same
quality.
i being a stranger. was a little
timid about breaking into The talk but
during a lull hazarded a remaIk:
= don't want 20 be curious about
things ! shouldn't" ] said, but ! saw
a 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
drawling. high-pltched voice spoke.
You're a stranger here. aln't youg"
My first trip In this piece OF coun-
try" replied.
That old man Is Jedge Buck. said
the voice. Most OF us know how he
get that there dent IN his ear. But as
there amt been a new story sprung
here In over two years. I guess the
boys can stand for me telling you
about e."
Nobody objected, probably because
Of lack OF energy. and the drawler
lighted another cigarette. The fare
of the match showed a 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-
factured II. There wasn't law or man
We were afraid Of.
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. Il was his master mind
that let him hold his job.
When the rest OF us were shooting
up saloon. or such triie, and wishing
for a 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.
we generally used to cluster eve
nings In Yellow Grass Gulch. and ask
Red IL anything was doing likely tC
tear hole in the calm. Sometime:
Red had only middIing good plans
such as turning loose the prisoners in
the county jail, just for the fun o.
rounding EN- up
But one night he sprang scheme
that had even us swearing with ad
miration.
"'Brace up. boys he said. there's
going to be doings tonight. Old Jedg,
Buck sold 5000 head of cattle to-day
He's got the cash locked up in hi
store at Browns Corners. The ok
tightfist is sitting over the wad Will
shotgun
"We're going TO make him break
record and loosen up. Wen kindll
provide him with a generosity. Gu
pare is 10 grab the coin and then hav'
a feast at Hud Hinkey's boozerys
THAT was little stiff, even for us
We had SHE'D away from the swipinl
game. But do you suppose we hesi
tated? We whooped and shouted tina
Red was a great man and ought to b
president of the United States
1T was moonlight, and as nice ani
cool as you could ask for. with not
mite of wind-a very devil Of nigh
for making a man feel he could wallo
the universe with his hands tied Th
horses felt it, too, and as we gallope
along, singing and laughing, we sue
den-like heard noise.
Hands up.
Them words snapped out in voic
that brought us sitting up stin. Ever
man of us raised his fists. A score d
guns went up too and spit toward tn
sound.
Then, by gum, into the moonlight
with a gun in each hand. rode Sir
Johnson. Slim wasn't so much-bu
we knew he could shoot the eyebrow
off you with either hand, and didn'
want no better s-n than to try 1t.
"Hang Il. Slim Red Mike yellet
what do you think you're doing hole
ing us up this way? Holding us up
OF all the confounded nerve
"'You-all will turn around and z
back the way you came Slim sale
keeping his guns leveled.