The evening world., 1912-02-01

lures. Seldom were there 81
teen. Often there were four.
- teen. Yet whom the number
reached the lower ngure some rooanin6
c~owpuncher always turned up - MI
the vacancy
II tho number reached sixteen to-day.
tomorrow the putat became minus one
by reason of soma dissA;isheA Duncher
asking for his time. Because Tuckaro
efforts 70 ain the Lazy J compie
mont had failed he had grown hopeless
ly cynical; his confidence In che men Of
tho outht was nAasfosted By Q readiness
TO hlro any nan who chancS1 70 stum.
bla on the ranchhouse In sear1h % w3rh.
The manage might have been more
pleased had his men bssn less s6d2eted
to tho reckless misconduct that had
given the Lazy J ranch i,s reputation
Tor downright law1essness Fro the
Canadian to Two Butte. and from Taos
to the Mexican border. castssnsn
Stunned the Lazy J ~ though Il wurs
the centre OF a plague district and IL
punchers blackened devils who Went
about inocuiating the innocent with dire
disease.
Yet Tucker was not convinced that the
Lazy J outft differed much from Other
outfts. Association with the men Of
Lazy J had duiled his senses to the ptint
where ne accepted their vices with
Grurnbling tolerance. View cd from 0far
vice 10 iniquity psrsoninsd. II may BE-
only moral Indifference. And -. ssn.
sidsring ell thinss. Tucker thought dis
men maliyned.
The men themselves were ouqy oroi.
had calmly snuRed out the life Of De-
veny. a former boss. to settle an
old grudye. down to HUBBARD. the gun
fighter. who had worksd for the Lazy
J Just two wssks. the men were o( ths
Irresponsible. unfearful class thai fovnd
q oongenaai trasnping ground IN New
Mexico In ne early "eiShtieA"
Tucker cared very little for h span-
lon OF the outside world. The LAsy J
company had ssisctsd him to mamss
the ranch. and he VA doing Il % The
problem was chat Of keeping The som
Der Of men In the outft Up to the re-
Quirsd sixteen. Just now. ct the be-
ginning Of the aprfnG ROUNDUP. he had
hfteen. and he sighed With 04fgeAc.
ton a. he glanced ss~archfngiy over Me
dssk At the man who had Just syDeled
for the sixteenth position.
My nance McNamasN," sail eAs
stranger quietly. "An' TN from 6oOr-
80 as = v4DS0kA
ago to-day. workin' W the Rio q Al
buaucrque. Lookin' for . job. Cou1dn't
get none in Albuquerque. II appoaru
the oovntry's goin to the 6o0D. Ranch
gangs all full: railroads iayin' Oh mAn
A swab named Pig Da.' Duty ovse IA
Las Vegas ssi0 I was too srAessui 20
shoot biscuit In his hash foundry.
u don't know what ever made him
say that" he said to the word IN gsn-
,r,t ssDhdust ~it ehA tn thnsN6 ~ NJ
continued presently; AN tho boss bis.
cult shooter had . sign in the window
sa YIN he wanted . man. I reckon shat
fellow wouldn't know . man II 10 seen
one"
You couldn't get q Job nowherss?"
mo. I reckon not. ] wouldn't be here
otherwise. Stage company man told me-
folks wasn't ridin'. Too dry; but %.
dry enough for the saloons. Ru6 Bs-
gers OF the Dead Eye said he wasn't
sellin' enough drinks to get drunk on
the profits"
"You took the east fork from Las
vegasT"
mo. Kept right on to Mora and
landed In Cimarron the day before yss-
terday. No Job. 80 I came on to Aa-
ton. Norhin' doin'. I ~ & 10 and !
want II mighty bad. II you don't need
a man I reckon I'll Light out for Tr1ni
! dad"-
Were shy Of COW hands" saia
Tucker. I'VE might take you on y
thirty a month an'"-
Correct" said Mcnamara. u rsck.
on I'll work here"
Tho name "McNamara" aid not 0tiok.
At the instant he bargain between
Tucker and the new man vas struck
the RANCE boss stuck his head In tbs
doorway 10 report.
Duncan" said Tucker. 1--WE hired
the sixteenth m~an-agaln."
The range man repeated this IN the
bunkhouse In the presence Of b man
OF the outfit. They looked up from
their meal Of freshly cooked beet and
black coffee TO greet the new MAJ
sixteen" said Webb Bali. gsstur!ng
raveiy with his tin cup. you are .
mineral. Therefore you ere q Of us."
The other men snickersd. Bail was
known to have his periods Of humor.
y (Te Be Continusd)