The evening world., 1912-01-31
X ange Riders
Another Great Cowboy Romance
By {. A. Sehxer Author of"THE TWO.CUN MAN,

Didn't know but what you might
Rave hough Of . place you liked bet
ter" ~delicately observed Hitler.
Ono place 10 as good as another to
hang In" commented Lanky. II reckon
the cottonwoods won't know the differ
ence."
Then wen TO-" said Hitler.
five minutes later seven horsemsn
passed out Of La Junta. riding slowly
In the direction OF the cotton woods.
frank to hank the horses of Hitler and
Lanky Hoped companionably. Miles away
the cottonwood ciump fringed the rag
ged SKYLINE For an hour nothing broke
the silence except the dun drumming OF
.he iight hoofs on the matted alfalfa.
Then Hitler threw an Experimental
glance at Lanky which the latter
caught.
Two thought" said Lanky, quite
casually. that II I'd been married and
Kept out OF bad company I might have
been different. I never heard Of q mar.
ried man setun' In the habit OF rustlins
cattle"
They're too busy Winding the k,d..-
returned Hitler. thinking Of tina ,oys Of
his early fatherhood.
~ amt mushing.' remarked Lanxv
AFTER . pause. during which Hillsr'a
thoughts dwelt upon the possibility Of
his son Tuck ever meeting the END vhios
was destined for Lanky. but I've won.
dered how II felt to be the father Of a
Soy,-a good. travs-hearted boy. like
Tuck. for instance"
Hitler gulpcd. A thrilling pride sursed
coldly down his spine a. his eyes met
LAnky's.
IT'S like having a good year with
cattle jumping to SO = h~eAd-only more
so.' he said.
"siust w." replied Lanky.
They rode In silence.
1t Amt hard to keep q boy straisht.,
commented Lanky then. That 10 n YOU
watch him. l never had any one 70
watch me-|ik yo: watch Tuck. 70. In.
stance"
Hitler reddened slightly. and then.
moved to speech. he said:
II reckon ! can't plead guilty to watch.
Ing Tuck much. Never thought he need
Cd II. He's kind OF drlftsd along Ana
mad q ma, OF himself. There's been
times. though. when I thought hi
wouldn't"
Lanky smiled sadly into Hilier's eyes.
Il expect. II I had been Tuck's father,
I would have Ioticed 1t BEFORE he oh.
served. staring meditatively at the other
members Of h committee, who we're
riding far ahead.
Hitler stiffened in his saddle.
Noticed whatf" he questioned sharply.
THAT Tuck had got into bad com.
pany." responded Lanky without looking
at Hitler.
Killers face pAisd With The vague fear
that had crspt into HE heart
Look here. LAnky." he said abrupt.
ly. you don't mean that Tuck has done
anything in your liner
Lanky kept his face averted. mis- eyes
dropping under Killers tense gaxs.
II mean" no said with reluctant
pauses. that Tuck helped me TO DO the
Daniels Job. It was him that bored the
Colonel!"
You damned iiar!"
One of Killers big pistols was out-,s
lay against the pommei Of his saddle,
It's muzzle threatening Lanky.
you damned Hart ne said again, his
face t%witohing convulsively.
"Of course you can call mo what you
~iike-now." returned LAnky with q Ain
tlveness that grated oddly: you Got me.
and you've got my guns. But that don't
make It right. Tuck sot . . hole IN
his side rom the foreman's an. and I
helped him get away. He's over In Trim.
idad now getting Il fixed up. That's
why I told you back In town that Tuck
wouldn't get tho rustier o said had
got away. A man can't very well cap.
ture himself. can her"
Hitler dld not answer. but taking id.
vantage OF Lsnky's apparent preoccu.
patton he covertly sheathed his weapon
"of course" said Lanky presently, II
expect II would be Embarrassing for
you II the boys knew Tuck had killed
the Colonel. DO you recko II would
make much difference to them that
Tuck Is your boyr"
Hitler did no. answer. He was think
ing OF many things that chilled his
blood with horror. He shuddered over
tn. imaginary picture of his boy
swinging at the end OF a rope in thu
cotton woods toward which tasy we're
now riding. lie caught Lanky looking
at him pltyingly and he bowel his heal
over his horses name.
IT'S hard 20 know hat your bow has
got 70 be strung up as a cattle thief"
smoke Lanky with sympathetic t.,ler.
ness; especial when you hough All
along that he was making q man OF
himself. | aln't IN no way to blame.
though," he went IN palliat!veiy. for
ne Nv the Are OF accusation in UllIer's
ewes. Il told him We didn't want him
,oollng around with other peoples cat.
Ne. and | tried To keep him from shoot.
Ing the Colonel. But he wouldn't listen.
He'll tell you that when You see him."
he concluded.
Hitler turned 10 bonhys MS race Set
with a sudden resolution.
Does any ono else know OF this?" hs
questioned. hoarsely.
mot that l know Of" said Lanky.
Except a man In Trinidad. You see. I
kept the Colonel's foreman from gett!ng
too close ~ Tuck. and I took him 10
Trinidad q 's"t and left him With .
friend"
"put Of CO.., +. thsya taev now" 10
1870 hsstta Tin Riv.