The evening world., 1911-12-28
The Two-Gun NJ an
The Best Couboy Story in Ten Years
By Charles Alden Settler

to see hat Ferguson amt . half ~
sort OF u man"
An evil light ieapcd into Leviatt'o
eyes. lie turned and faced Radfoe0,
words coming from his lips coldly aao
incislvely.
when you interrupted me-" he aS6.
II was goin' to tell your sister abOus
I was goln' to tell her it'li make 30
see things some different. A VINE
ago stafford was wanttn' to hire .
gunfighter.'
lie shot a significant siance at Ra1.
ford. who returned 1t steadily.
II reckon you know what he waneo0(
a gunfghter for. lie got one. H1o
names Ferguson. HES gcttin' ~
hundred dollars a mont for the 0oo-
ness" ~.
The smile had gone from Radfoe6
face: his lips were tightly closed. y
eyes cold and alert.
You lying about Ferguson 6scauDe
you think he's friendly with xasyTf
he questioned quietly.
Leviatts right hand dropped sWil8
TO HIS hostlsr. but Radford laug1y
harshly.
quit it.' he said sharply. II
sayin' YOU'RE a liar. but what yous
said makes you liable to be called u
until you've proved you Amt.
do you know Ferguson's been hired q
put mo out of business?"
IRvlatt laughted. n
stafford an ma went to Dry ~
tom to get IA gunfghter. I shot . -
In the street In front Of the silver DE-
lar SOS Stafford would be able to ~
game. Ferguson done 1t n Sta6og0
hired him"
Radford's gaze was level stealv.
Then you've knowed right along
that he was lookin' for me-" he 0a11
coldly. why didn't you say nome
thing about It before. You've 49,
claiming to be my friend"
Leaviatt flushed, shifting unea0f1
from one foot TO the other. but watc1p
Ing Radford with alert n suspiclsuD
glances.
why" he returned shortly. "yW
range boss for the Two Diamond A. (
amt hired to tell what I know. !
reckon you'd think I was a deuce e .
man to be tellin' things that I ANA ~
no right to tell"
but you're telling It now.'' returne1
Radford. his eyes narrowing . little.
Yes" returned Leviatt quietly. =
am. An you're calm me = har for q
But I'm tellin' you to walt. Nsbho
you'll tumble. / reckon you amt head
how Ferguson's been tellln' the b0yo
that he went down to your cabin one
night claimin' to rave been bit By .
RATHER. because he wanted to get -
quainted with you an pot you sonO
day when you wasn't expectin' Il. An
then, after he'd stayed all night In your
cabin. he was braggin' to the boys that
he reckoned on havin' n Irritation with
your sister. oh. he's some slick.' -
concluded. a note OF triumph In oto
voice.
Radford started. his face paline
little. He had thought II strange ~
an experienced plalnsman-as Ferguooo
appeared to be-should have been bitten
by "A rittler in the manner he had -
scribcd. And then he had been hangtnn
around the
"Aebbe q might think It's Onus1a1
for Stafford to hire a two-gun man q
look after strays." broke Levlatt ~
this point. "Two-gun men aip't tahsns
such Jobs regular" he insinuat6d.
"Stray-men Is usual low-down. man,
ornery cusses which aln't much goo4
for anything else, an so they epond
their time mopin' around. dom work
that Amt 1T for any puncher to d."
Radford had snapped himself crest
his lips strengthening. He suddealy
held out a hand to Leviatt.
I'm thanking you" he said steadily.
IT'S rather late for YOU to be telliA9
me. but | think us come In time any
way. I'm watching him for q little
while. and II things are as you say"-
lie broke OF. his voice filled with .
significant gr!mness.
"So-long." he added.
lie turned and descended the slope Of
the hill. An instant later Levlatt eow
him looping his pony toward the cabin
For "A few minutes Levtatt gazsd After
MIN, his eyes allght with Satisfaction.
Then he. too. descended the slope q
che hill and mounted his pony.