The evening world., 1912-01-22
CHAPTER ".
tContinu~tl
The Messenger From COnejOs.

ONtr INC OlHtE . enoutdeF ny |
tho sheriff. who was In earn
est conversation with some
- mon grouped togther near tho
OF tho High Card.
You don't happen TO know who brung
him that ews7" he said evenly.
II reckon you could put your hand
on the man right now" returned the
other quietly.
Santa Fe folded his arms over his
chest n surveyed the other with cnig-
matte eyes.
well. now he said. slowly. 81
reckon that's right entorprisln' Of you"
lie rocked slowly back and forth on his
heels and toes. gravely mcditating. AN
so you're the man as brought tho news
of this here boss thief'' Again he med
itated. something very near to humor
slumbertnE in his eyes. d you reckon
him.
The man stinci something and glanced
slowly from Santa re to the sheriff.
Il shore do" he said. presently. An
when the thno comes the sheriff. know
him. too"
Santa Fc kicked with his boot tip at .
mound Of dust. his face q mask OF In
noccncc. well. now" he returned. let.
ting his hands fail to his sides. ave
| nu1uT GU uolifTS " ~ npSH 'i'ttAt III
| all the sherir's got to do Is to take him
to Conejos ~County-arve. reckon
that's like havin' somebody hand you
i've hundred dollars"
lie turned and walked away from the
man. brushing shoulders with the sheriff
~ he pushed his way into the High
Card. The man outside had stood per-
fectly quiet watching Santa Fc until he
disappeared within the door Of the sa-
loon. Then he grinned. broadly and ad-
miringly.
Ties the same oil Santa Fe.' ne said.
mot a hit different. Even the sheriff
OF Conejos don't scare him none"
II.
For a few moments the man stood,
while the smile fingered on his face and
then died away. leaving an expression
THAT might have been taken for salts
faction. When ono by one the men SUR
rounding the Sheriff had departed the
tall man stepped slowly over toward
him.
II reckon Jigss Is hSserin' pretty So
rious on bein' Sheriff Of this here coun.
ty,' he said. bracing himselfs with a
shoulder against the front OF the High
card. -.
Webster brlstled angriiy. There AIM
no law ag'in fggerin'." he said rrunly.
I"Howsomever. hRHerin' amt xoih 10
win this election"
The tall man smiled. II reckon that's
right he said. And then. admiringiy.
II say. this town has shore got a Sheriff
now!" -,
Tn. peacock nuttered It's feathers. II
reckon there Amt nothin' h~ereabouts
en- tell Jim Webster how to run a bang
I'm law shcbang. Not even Jisgs LEM
ham," he added v~enomously.
"Them's my sentiments exactly re-
turned the tall man. gently. Niue 81
I'yo seem" ne added, you're ace mig
In tho deck with only one card 70 draw.
It'd be a mighty biz th'ns for you u
WON was to ketch this boss thief that
,he sheriff OF Conejos wrote about"
webster glanced quickly at tho man.
81, sure would" he returned seriously
"J,gx, wouldn't have "A ghost OF a
chancst."
Tho ,,il man folded HIS arms over
nj. chest and gazcd at Webster with
level. .teady eyes. Something unusual
shone In them. and Webster watched
him Sreathlessly.
"f reckon I could tell % romethin'
about that boss thief" said the TALL
man presently.
Webster snapped himself erect, lean
,nv forward with n new interest
"%shucks!" he exclaimed with suodan
~cIf.rrproaoh; you sure ought to-you
beln' the man pfousn' ,"e ~
.,ye from the Sheriff Of Coneios. why
JIdn,t 7 think %. that before' why,
n. added. suddenly chngrined over nv
,n,,yht,essnssp Il didn't even thlnN
Ia ask what your nlne Isl
"I,,. Denver" returned the tan ma'
ou,.,iy "lus, Denver. ! couldn't never
s,and for a bigger handle than tha.h.
pu, ,ha, admit got nothln To 90 WI"
ko,chin' that boss thief YOU r'cNo"'
.No." returned the sheriff ms mr.,
cs, Thoroughly aroused. II am l. Hna :.
g., wan TO do II ketch tha, ho's ~" A..
81 ,eckon you've got mat wIohs,
,,,s newer. ''kotchin' that boss TIMER u
,.o,, husiness. amt got noth4n' to d,
,,t,h a, Tnless"-- And he stoppe'
shnor, and gazed mei!t,tlvoly toward IN,
Lien lnto which Jugs Ien"han ana
his friends had disappeared uh'es'
s., r,If the reward. That's sh're
spe,kln' pretty plain u,,o,
'r,no SHERIFF griinaced, but Immediately
MIS- face grew s"i!ouH al.
"po Won reckon 20 know "h're '"'
hoes talor isH" no dueslloh'u'
b Denver amlled craftily.
'Tn,, hess tAI,f is pretty saf" untl
. ,h. vord. I reckon two hundred
49, o,,y would make me TAX WlB'''
The shcr.r grew suddenly 'ynlca';
-, ,.ckon. Il would-if YOU got H. ne
ro,,rn.l with cold sirca'in' n'' W.
,nv aln't handin' out i"o h'hd'e'
"n, a. pnlcsy kuow there's u GOO
ch,nrst II gettln' II back m's"''
quick ,,,n nj, nl,
hre'. and toes. his face t"ilinE n''N'"i