The log cabin Democrat., 1909-09-23

where he was working, and was in- troduced to me ny his comrade whom had known for several months.
 From the beginning of things I did not take to Fordham. In the first place he had Greaser blood in his veins, his mother having been native of Mexico. and never cared much for the products O that particular cross strain. Not that I have anything against Mericans in general but merely prefer their room to their com pany. The feeling is not an uncom- mon one among Americans residing near the border, and has frequently manifested itself in display of hard ware and impromptu fireworks when some of the white men, overloaded with ardent and animal spirits, have happened to clash with their darker skinned brethren. But Fordham, al though a half breed, was tolerated if not admired by his working mates, probably because he was not only ready to fight when occasion demand ed 1t, but could put up a very fair ar ticle of scrap into the bargain. He was tall fellow, well knit, broad shouldered and as active as cat, had been a COW puncher in his time, and carried the reputation of man who could shoot accurately and wasn't adverse to unlimbering his artillery on slight provocation.
 These were handy qualities to pos
 hO I speak of when conditions of life in the territory were much rougher than at present But here Fordham's good points may be said to have ended. For the rest, he was of a quarrelsome disposition and, although not 30 years of age, was said to have chalked up a pretty black record behind him. What tho exact facts of his early history wero I never learned There were hints of an ugly affair in which he was said to be concerned when em- ployed as a cowboy in Wyoming. with q rancher's daughter as one of the central figures of the drama. The gossips averred that Fordham ran away with and later deserted the girl, who afterwards committed suicide, and her father, following the faithless lover to avenge her death, was drowned while fording a river. Sus- picions were not wanting to the eff feet that Fordham and the injured parent had engaged in hand-to-hand struggle on the banks of the stream which resulted in the death of the older man. But there was no positive evidence as to this and although Fordham was arrested he managed to prove an alibi and obtained his free dom.
 Such was the tale, vague, and for the most part bolstered up by the mutterings of Dame Rumor, that fol. lowed Fordham into Arizona. But in our part of the world, whither men of unknown antecedents drifted from all parts of the compass it was not con- sidered etiquette to inquire too closly into a neghbor's private affairs. The past concerned nobody but yourself or the officers of the law, supposng them to have cause for following your trail, and the present was what man built his reputation on Therefore Fordham was received without i'm pertinent questions at the Great Gait mine, where he did his work well and kept his mouth shut regarding his past.
 To a great extent I believe In early impressions and can say truthfully that l have seldom been deceived in my first estimates of chance acquaint ances. Perhaps long contact with the criminal classes may have tended to make me unduly suspicious, but even with this handicap I have generally found 1t safe to trust my munitions.