Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-02

and plays of western life.
/ brought up in Coconino county at |
q small town from which l proposed 4
to make an observation tour through I
the surrounding country. l found the /
region much as it has been depicted |
in theatricals, barring the stage eff
fects. 1 got into a little play of my
own, and it came very near being a
tragedy.
1 was riding through the country one
day when 1 met a man on horseback,
of whom l asked the way. He was a
quiet looking, quiet spoken young fell
low and cheerfuHy gave me the direc-
tons l asked for. We were about to
part when noticed him looking at
me critically. He seemed to be TAX
ing note of my height, weight. the col
or Of my hair and eyes and the shape
of my face
"You look like me-" he said
"Do IT.
Except the clothes"
II haven't got an Arizona outfit vet.
If stay here I'll probably adopt the
costume of the country" "A -
81 reckon we'll swap" "a
"Swap whatT'
''Well, Wen trade hats first
There was something in that cold
gray eye of his as he spoke the last
words that rendered any enforcement
of them unnecessary. Though they
were a command, he did not even put
his hand to his pistol. He carried also
pair Of revolvers in holsters slung
across his saddlebow, either Of which
| he could have grasped and used long
before l could have got my own re-
volver out of its case, cooked it and
brought it to bear upon him. I under
stood that l was to change hats with
| him and, taking off mine, handed it
! to him. Then l took off my coat and
| gave him that and such other articles
of clothing as he demanded. Lastly,
| he called for my belt and pistol and
gave me all his extensive armament in
return. The exchange having been
| finished, he rode on.
Never in my life have l felt so con-
| temptible. / had submitted to his will
without resistance, and now was rid
| ing away armed TO the teeth, while he
possessed one small pistol that / had
brought from the east and considered
/ n plaything in Arizona without making
any attempt to regain my own. Was
| it my being unused to the ways OF the
region was in, or the domination of
superior will, or feeling that my man
could kill me as quick with my tiny
revolver as with all the various
weapons he had transferred TO me?
don't know myself, but l suspect l
was deferred from putting up a fight
by all these reasons.
| rode on as mild hammered a man
as the one had met. but with weap-
ons innumerable. What the fellow
wanted with my clothes, why he had
given me his arms, WAS to me an in
soluble mystery. But it didn't re-
quire a long time to find out After
awhile met several men riding on the
road together. They were chatting
and paid no attention to me till came
very near them. Then one of them
looked at me and started. We made
the usual salute of strangers meeting
in a new country. and I thought no
1
gone fifty feet before l heard q sharp
command from behind:
Hands up"' 81"
I put my hands above my head and
waited. The men who had passed me
returned and relieved me of my arma-
ment
Dead easy, wasn't it?" said one of
them TO the others.
You let. 1 never thought he'd be
taken without blood splitting"
MY friends" said l, will you kindly
inform me what all this means?"
And will you kindly inform US what
you mean by being thus taken un
awaresP'
81 wonder If you don't think I'm
some one else"
1--WE don't think you're any one. We
know you're Jimmy the Kid ose OF
the most notorious desperadoes IN
Arizona, and Wen see that you dom
do any more murders. What do you
say, boys? Shall we string him W
right here or take him in and let the
sheriff do the jobi"
l told them of the man had met ant
how he had forced me to change clothes
and arms with him. The story affect
ed one Of the three. but the other twt
laughed at it. Nevertheless since on
Of them doubted MY identity the othe
two gave in and consented to turn m
over 70 the sheriff.
Within an hour / was lodged in Jai
In small town built on the bank of
stream. The sheriff told my captor
that I-or, rather, the man l had bee
mistaken for-was full OF tricks an
was doubtless now engaged in pIayin
one Of them. He would call the Wig
lance committee together and have n
, tried and hanged as soon as it coul
be reached. Meanwhile he thought L
be safe in the stone jail back of hI
house. If / tried to escape he woul
D save the committee the trouble.
heard him say this. Indeed, he Intend
ed that / should.
+ He soon left the place. and / CAV
myself over to thoughts Of no pleasar
character. II made no effort to e
D out and away when the committee a
! rived l had every chance OF bein