The evening world., 1911-12-20
Two-Gun Man
The Best Couboy Story IN Ten Years


, IN. I've been In this country : TN.
smart while an ] amt never seen ~
other man that could bore a can six
times while IT'S In the ir."
1seviatts lips droope1. lite could do
that an not have nerve enough 10 shoot
a coyote. Him I slashin' with Ben
Rsdford proves he ain't got nerve
stafford smiled. The story OF how the
stray-man had closed Leviat's youth
was s,ili fresh In his ! .mory. II, UPS
wcnde sing w.ether Loviatt rev that
lie had bea l about the n dent
Suppose you try hlm7" he suggested.
"rhat'd he ss good a way as any 70
fnd out II he's got nerve"
Leviatts face blostsd poisonously. but
he made no answer. Apparently unaware
that he had touched a tender SPOT. Stss-
ford continued.
"Stebbo his game r. 10 get In with the
girl, niggcrin' that he'll be more Liable
that way to get a chancst at Ben Rad.
ford. Hut whatever his game Is, I amt
interterln'. He's got a season contract
an | Amt brcakin' my word with tss
cuss, I amt takin' no chances ~ith
him"
Lcviat, rose abruptly. his face swelling
with an anger that he was trying hard
to suppress. He'd better not. 80 -
foolin' with Mary R1dford. damn him;"
he snn ppcd.
Il reckon tina wind is b%iow,n~in tvo
directions" grinpcd stafford. Wien I
see hlm I'll tel, him \ claticr %
hoofs reached the ears OF the two men.
and stafford turned to. the window
Here's the stray-man now" he said
gravcly.
Both men we're silent when Ferguspa
reached the door. Ho stood just lnside.
looking at stafford and Leviatt with cold
alert eyes. lie nodded shortly to stafford.
not removing his gaze from the range
boss. Tho latter deliberately turned hls
back and looked out OF the Window.
There was Iascicncc In tho movement.
but apparently 1t mad no effect upoa tie
stray-man. beyond bringing a queer
witch Into the corners OF his mouth. lie
smiled a. stafford.
Anything ncw?" questioned the latter.
as he had questioned Leviatt.
"Nothin' dom" returned Ferguson.
Ievlatt now turned from the window.
lie spoke to StanordA sneering. Ben
/, ,Iiadford's quito Il piece away from wherv
he's hangin' OUT he said lie again
turned To- tho window.
:. Fcrguson's lips smiled. but his eyes
narrowed II stifcned In his
chair. lie watched the stray-man's hands
fdrtivsly. fearing the outcome OF this
meeting. But Ferguson's hands were
nowhere near his guns. They were
folded over his chcst-lightly-the finger,
OF his right hand caresslng his chin.
. you ridin' up the crick to-dayT' hs
, questioned OF Leviatt. Ills tone vas
I mild. yet there was y peculiar quality
In II that limited at hardness.
No. answered Levlatt. without turn.
ing.
Ferguson began rolling q cigarette.
When he had done this he lighted Il n
? puncd slowly. well. now" he said.
. that's mighty peculiar. I'd swore that
] saw sou over In Bear Flat" 80
~ Ley,att turned. You've been pickln'
pos,cs too long with Nary -Rstford.' hs
0 sn..ered. .
he returned. There's them that shell
= let pick posies with her. an them that
she WON'T"
Le,iatt's face crimsoned with angev
~ reckon II you hadn't been monkeyin'
around too much with the girl. o
have run across that dead Two Diamond
! COW an tive dOgie that She le't."Fts
y sneered.
Ferguson's lips straightenef.
How far of was you standin' whea
: that COW died?' he draw''d. >
: A curse writhed through Leviaets
lips, why YOU
! "Don't!" warned Ferguson. liz cooliy
stepped toward Leviatt. holding BY the
thongs the leather tobacco pouch from
which he had obtained the tobacco 70
; make his cigarette. When he had ap-
! preached close TO tho range boss he held
the pouch up before his eyes.
. Il reckon you'd hotter have q smoke."
he said quietly; they say Its good for
the nerves." He took q long pull &c
the cigarette. It's pretty fair tobacco
he continued. Il found II about Hn
/, miles up the crlck. on a ridge abox01sj
dry arroyo. reckon it's your'n. rs,
got your initials Of It." -
Tho eyes Of the two men met in ,at
: silent battle. I.sviatt's were the first 10
Haver. Then he reached out and took
the pouch.
ITS mine" he said shortly. S@L.
. Again he looked straight at Ferguson.
his eyes carving a silent message. ,
you see anything elscl' he Qlss-
toned.
Ferguson smiled. II aln't sayin' any.-
thing about anything else" he re-
: turned. ~ 2
Thus. unsuspectlngly. did Siaffosd
1 watch and listen While these two men
arranged to carry on their war man to
- man. neither asking any favor from tho
man. who, with "A word, might have set
tied It. With his reply that he WASN'T
Il 'sayin' anything about anything else
Ferguson had - Lcviatt that he had
n no Intention OF -.ling his suspicious To
any man.
Nor from this moment would Levia,t
= dare whisper IA derogatory word into the
Managers ear concerning Ferguson.