The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-09-19

amt got no call to quarrel so fur a.
I kin see."
Maybe not, stranger" and Ham
liz leaned back against the table, low
ering his weapon slightly. as he
slanced ~watchfully about the room.
'but I'll keep the gun handy just the
same until we understand each other.
Anybody else in this neighborhood?"
Not unless It's lie Fevre. an his
outfit"
Then I freckon you did the shoot
ing out there a bit ago."
The man shuffled uneasily. but the
s~ergeant's right hand came to a level
Did your"
i s'pose thar amt no use O. deny
In It," reluctantly, cycling the gu in
the corner, but | didn't mean to
shoot up no outfit but lie Fevre's. So
help me. l didn't! The DANCED SNOW
was so thick l couldn't see nohow. but
| never s'posed any one was on the
trail 'cept him. Thar amt been no
white man long yere In three months.
Didn't hit none of yer, did II"
Yes. you did," returned Hamlin
slowly, striving to hold himself in
check. You killed one OF the best
fellows that ever rode these plains.
you sneaking coward. you. Shot him
dead, with his back to you. Now, see
here. It's a throw Of the dice with
me whether I fill you full Of lead. or
let you go. I came In here intending
to kill you. II you were the cur who
shot US up. But I'm willing to listen
to what you have got to say. I'm some
on the fight. but plain murder don't
ready to talk? Spit It out, mani"
I'll tell yer jest how It was"
DO 1t my way then; answer
straight what I ask you. Who are
you? What are you doing herer'
kin I sit DOWN."
Yes; make 1t short now; all I
want is facts"
Wal. my name is Hughes-Jed
Hughes; l ulster hang out around San
Antoine. an hev been mostly In the
COW business. The last five years lie
Fevre an l hev been grain cattle in
between yere an Buffalo Creek"
"Partners?"
Wal by God. l thought SO. till just
lately" his voice rising. Anyhow. !
he'd a bunch O money in on the deal,
though I'll be darned II I know just
what's become O. It. Yer see. stranger,
Gene he'd the inside O. this Iniun
business. bein' as he's sorter a squaw
ian
What" interrupted the other
sharply. DO you mean he married
into one OF the tribes?"
"Sorter left-handed-yep; a Chey-
enne woman Little thing like that
didn't faze Gene none. II he did have
a white wife-a blamed good-looker
she was too. She was out here onc't,
three years ago, bout a week maybe.
Course she didn't know nothin' bout
the squaw, an the Injuns was all
huntin' down in the Wichitas. Blu,
as l was sayin', Gene caught on tc
this yere Iniun war last spring
! reckon oil Koleta. his Injun father-in
| law, likely told him what wus brewin
he's sorter a war-chief. Anyhow he
hAt NltN Atl n2I ~ Ray Gil 81 w
materially gathered up our long-horns
an drove EN- east whar they wouldn'
be raided. We didn't git all the crit
ers rounded up, as We WIS In
hurry, an they wus scattered sone
} cause OF a hard winter. So I come
back yere to round up the rest o
= Their bunch"
And brand q few outsiders"
He grinned.
Maybe | wasn't over-particular
but anyhow / got a thousand heaC
together BY the last O. June, an hi
the trail with EN-. Then hell sur.
broke loose. Fore we'd got tina
bunch O. cattle twenty mile dowi
the Cimarron We wus rounded up b,
a gang o. Cheyenne lniuns, headed b,
that ornery Koleta, and every horn 0
EN- drove or. Thar want no fight
the damn bucks just laughed at US. an
left US sittin' thar out on the prairie
They hogged HOSES an all"
He wiped his face, and spat int
the fire. while Hamlin sat silent, gu
in hand.
Il reckon now as how lie Feyre Do
oil koleta wise to that game. but
was plum innocent then" he went o.
regretfully. Wall, ve.-thar WI
four O. us,-hoofed 1t east till v
struck some ranchers on Cow CricE
and got the loan O. some ponies. The,
| struck out TO locate the main herd
II didn't take ne long. stranger, .
discover thar want no herd to locate
But / struck their trail. whar L
= Fevre had driven EN- up into Missouri
and cashed in fer a pot o. money
. Then the damn cuss just natch'a ali
vanished. / plugged bout fer two G
o three months hopin' ter ketch up xit
him, but | never did. | heerd tell {
: him onc't or twice, an caught on b
was travelin' under 'nuther name
some durn French eontraction-bu
thet's as much as | eve did find on
Finally. up In Independence l vus s
L durn near broke | reckoned I'd bette