Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-12-21
CHAPTER IN.
JuDsoN's JOKE.


X of Illicit whisky In the Tennes-
see mountains, eX-welsher turn
H. ed informcr and betraying his
neighbor lawbreakers to the United
States revenue officers, eX-everything
which made his continued stay In the
Cumberands impossible. was n man of
distinction in the Red desert.
In the wider field of the west he had
been successfully claim jumper,
rustcr OF unbranded cattle, a tele-
graph operator in collision with a
gang of train robbers and finally a
faro lookout, the armed guard who
sits ut the head Of the gaming table in
the untamed regions to kill, and kill
quickly, If a dispute arises.
Angels acknowledged his citizenship
without joy. He tyrannized the town
when the humor was on him, and as
yet no counter bully had come to chase
him into Oblivion.
For Lidgerwood to have earned the
enmity of this man was considered
equivalent to one OF three things-the
superintendent would throw up his job
and leave the Red desert, preferably
by the first train, or Rufford would
kill him. or he must kill Rufford. In
the Angels roundhouse on the second
morning following the attempt upon
Lidgerwood's life Mt the gate of the
Dawson cottage the discussion was
spirited, not to say acrimonious.
I'm telling you hycnas that Collars
and Cuffs amt going to run away"
insisted Williams. who was just In
from the all night trip TO Red Butte
and return. "IIe amt built that way"
Lester, the roundhouse foreman.
himself man queller of no mean re-
pute, thought differently. Lidgerwood
would most likely take to the high
grass and the tall timber. The alter
native was 10 pack n gum for Ruff
ford, an alternative quite inconceiva-
Bile to Lester when it was predcated
of the superintendent,
Il don't know about that" said Jud-
son. the discharged and consequently
momentarily SohcrCd engineer Of the
271. Hes fooled everybody more
than once since he lii down in the Red
desert don't know but ne might
even run n bluff on Bart Rufford if he
felt like H."
",oE,c on, John" growlcd the big
foreman You needn't be afraid 10
lalk straight over here He hit You
when you was down. and we all know
you're only waitn' for a chance to bit
back
Judson was n red headed man effu
siyely good naturcd when he was In
liquor and quick tempered fighter
of battles when he was not
Don't you make any such mistake"'
he snapped. That's what McCloskey
said when he handed me the 'goodby.'
You'll be one more 10 . round feelin'
for MIR. Iidgcrw0od's throat. / sup
pose SAYS he BY cripcs, what
said 10 Mac I'm sayin' 70 you. Bob
Lester. ! know good and well a-plenty
when I've earned my blue envelope.
II I'd been IN the supcr's place the
FL would have had a new runner a
long time ago.
II say he'll chase his feet" pulled
Broadbent. the fat machinist, who was
truing off the valve seats Of the 1915
II RuffOrd doesn't make him there's
some others that will"
Judson fared up again.
who you quotin' now, Fatty-one
Of the shop 'prenticesf Or maybe It's
Rank HallOckt Say. what's he dom
monkeyin' round the back shop so
much lately; I'm goin' to stay round
here till ! get chance 10 lick that
scrub"
You rail FOUNDERS d better get next