Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-10-14
81.

you IeilOWS BettinS away with any
thing. I noticed tracked you through
the desert two days and landed YOU"
Now you're losin' your temper"
grinned Jim. That's somethin' sher-
IFS oughtn't to do. Run on an get
your horse, Willie. An don't forget to
be careful Of your water. You may
need It worse'n you think"
The sheriff hesitated moment, and
then walked quickly away.
For few minutes Jim stood where
he was. grinning after Martins re-
treating form. When the form disap-
peared from sight, he got up and
walked over to where his canteen stood
against rock. Backing up to the
canteen, he picked It up with his i'm
prisoned hands and slowly, with
great deal OF dificuIy, unscrewed the
lid. He then turned the canteen up
side down and emptied the water from
II onto the ground.
TIL show that doggone tenderfoot!"
he exclaimed, as he dropped the emp
ty. canteen and sat down beside II.
Gonna take me back an put me In
jail cause killed q man in self-de-
Tense, eh? Oh, guess not. Not as
long as they send a tenderfoot sheriff
after me, anyhow"
Presently the sheriff came back
leading a saddled horse.
II see you haven't escaped" he
grinned. "Pn saddle your horse for
you. and then well be ready to go. You
can put your canteen
He broke of with an exclamation,
His eyes had fallen on the telltale wet
streak on the hot ground
did you-did you empty that cam
teen?" he demanded Of Jim. =
-Don't 1t look like it3'' inquired jim
Think I was gonna sit by an. let o
tenderfoot like you take me back to be
hung by a jury Of Perkinses2 Not on
your life!"
"Yor fool!" cried Martin. Don't you
know what It means for a man to be
eighty miles from water on the des-
ert?'
"Sure-but that beats hangin'."
The sheriff stared at Jim In wonder
Say. you've got nerve! I'd share my
water with you, butt"
Keep your water, Willie, an run
along. You amt got drop too much
to last you, II that canteen full Is all
you've GOT. g, ~ Z,
IT'S all I've got-every DROP" said
the sheriff. A moment later he mount
ed his horse.
"so-long, Jim" he said. ''Fll tell the
Perkins outfit you died of thirst out
here ThatTl satisfy them. Wen send
a wagon out to bring In your body and
give you a decent burial. You haven't
any idea just where they'd better
look .or you, have your
Jim spat carefully at a nearby stone.
Look for me? On, sure::, but won't
tell. Its q secret" .s
The sheriff swung his horses head
about and rode of.
Jim waited until the horse and rid
er had disappeared into a sand wash.
and then got to his feet. sIHe took q
hitch at the belt of his overalls and
walked over to the pot Of beans, that
was still boiling over the fire.
Burned to cinders!" he muttered
disgustedly, as he stirred in the pot.
"Oh, well, don't guess got time to
eat any breakfast now, anyhow. Nope.
II I'm gonna make that twenty miles
before noon, I sure can't waste any
time on breakfast" f
He turned away from the fire and
went over to where his horse stood.
The horse had eaten all the barley In
the nose bag and was tossing It impa-
tiently.
Don't get nervous, Pinto" said Jim.
'I'll have that nose bag on In a jiffy.
Then wen get started. Remember !
was tellin' you before that tenderfoot
sheriff butted in that we'd have to
make twenty miles before noon. an
VIC " hhciy iucit uOil htF $50.
He took OF the nose bag and patted
the horses neck. 'f.as9
Pinto he went on. what do you
know about that fellow aslxin, me where
they'd be likely to find me II they sent
out a wagon for me! Golly! he'd been
surprised II I'd told him. They'd find
me twenty miles south Of here in my
home, that's where they'd find me!
With my own wife an kid; yes, si-.
Nope, there amt no danger OF me dy-
in Of thrist Pinto. Not on your life!
II he'd known the country as sheriff
oughta know It, he'd known tnat Chol-
la Springs is right over on the other
side OF Vulture Peak. not half mile
from here. The Perkins OUTFIT know
It's there, an maybe they won't light
into Willie when he tells 'em T. died Of
thirst within half-mile OF Cholla
Springs! They'll know he's lyin' right
off. an his job'll be about as safe as
chunk of iced be on this desert Oh,
well, 1t serves him right for tryin' to
arrest me for KILN a man in self-de-
fense."-Kenneth Carlyle Beatson.
SOUTH CAROLINA COTTON