Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-29

$500. ~. stewart Ed
ordinary prob
lens of lean and dry years. Their
were also the extraordinary problem
of devastating Apaches. rivals TO
early and ill-def1ned range rights
and cattle-rustlers.
For Senior Buck Johnson lived jus
north of that terra incognita fillet
with the mystery of double chanc
OF death from man or the flaming
desert known as the Mexican Dor
der. There by natural gravitatioi
gathered all the desperate character
of three states and two republics, il
who rode into Ii took good care tina
no one should get behind him, lived
warily, slept light. and bresthed dee
when once he had again sighted thu
familiar peaks OF Cochise's Strong
hold.
or cattIe-rustling there are various
forms. The boidest consists quite
simply OF running off a bunch of stool
hhstling 1t over the Mexican line. and
there selling 1t to some OF the bis
Sonora ranch owners Generally thii
sort means war. Also are there snbt''
means. grading in skill from the re-
branding through wet blanket
through the crafty refashioning OF
q brand. TO the various methods o.
separating the COW from her I'M
branded calf. In the course OF his
task Senior Buck Johnson would have
TO do with them all, but at present he
existed In q state of warfare, hght-
ing an enemy who stole as the In
dams used to steal. :,
Buck johnson did his best, but II
was like stopping with sand the IN.
Vulnerable little leaks of dam. DIG
his riders watch toward tht
Chiracahuas. then score of beef
steers disappeared from Grants Pass
forty miles away. Pursuit here meant
leaving cattle unguarded there. II
was useless. and the senior soon per-
ceiyed that sooner or later he must
strike in offense.
For this purpose he began SLOWLY
TO strengthen the forces OF his rid
ers, Men were coming in from Texas
They were good men, addicted tC
the grass-rope. the double cinch. ano
the ox-bow stirrup. Senior Johnson
wanted men who could shoot and
he got them
"Jed." said Senior Johnson to his
foreman. "the next son of gun that
rustIes anv Of our cows Is sure load
ing himself full of trouble. Wen
hit his trail and we'll stav with 1t,
and we'll reach his cattle-rustling
conscience with n rope.'
So n came about that a little army
crossed the drift fences and entered
the border country. Two DAYS later
H. came out and mighty pleased TO
be able to do so. The rope had not
been used.
mo use. Buck" said Jed, wed
any of US come in on a gun pay pay;
but we can't buck the desert Wen
have to get some one who knows the
"Thats all right--but whereT'
quer'ed Johnson
'.There's Pereza," suggested Par
ker: cts the only town down near
that country"
"N'eNt get some one there" agreed
the Senior.
Next dav he rode away in search
of guide.
The third evening he was back
agein. much discouraged
"The country's no good, he ex-
nlained "The regular inhahitant $
4 sci of Mexican huns and old soaks.
THE cowmen's all from north and
don't know nothing more than we
do, | found lots who claimed 70
lSnow that country. hut when ] TOTO
'em what I wanted they SHE'D like q
colt. ] couldn't hire EN- for no
money to go down In that country
They ART got the nerve.
That night bunch of steers was
stolen from the very corrais Oh the
home ranch.
lost his head and his dignity He
ordered the horses.
"pm going to follow that - into
sonora he shouted to Jed Parker.
This things got to ston!"
"Yo,i can't make her. Bnck.' OBJ
.iected the foreman. you'll get held
i'm by the desert: and II that don't
finish YOU. they'll tangle you up In
ali those mountains down there. and
ambush YOU and massacre you
~ don't give a expiooeo
can slap my face and not get q run
Jed Parker communed with him
asenor," said he at last, ITS nc
rood. YOU can't do IL. You got to
have a guide. You wait three dayf
: and I'll get you one"
johnson pulled loose his latigo
Ifis first anger had cooled.
"All right" he agreed, and you
can say for me that I'll pay five thou
sand dollars In gold and give all the
who has the nerve TO get back that
bunch of cattle and bring in the mar
who rustled them"
So Jed Parker set out to discover
his man with nerve.
u.-The Man with Nerve.
At about 10 o'clock on the Fourth
81 July a rider topped the summit
Of the last swell of land and Hoped
hia animal down into the single
street of Pereza. The buildings or
either side were fiat-roofed and coat.
ed with plaster. over the sidewalk
extended wooden awnings, beneath
which opened very wide doors into
the GOODNESS OF saloons. Each o.
these places ran a bar. ano else
games of roulette, faro, craps ant
stud poker.
The day was already hot with thu
dry. GREATNESS, but exhilarating
heat of the desert. A throng of mel
idiing at the edge of the sidewalks
iostiing up and down their centre
or eddying into the places Of amuse
ment, acknowledged the power o
summer by loosening their collars
and carrying their coats on thei
arms. They were as yet busily en-
gagged in recognizing acquaintances
Later they would drink freely ant
gamble and perhaps fight
As the rider entered one street
however a more definite cause of ex
citement drew the loose population
toward the centre Of the road. I'm
rnediately their mass blotted on
what had interested them.
The stranger had pushed ms hors