Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1914-06-05

"All right" he said, as he passed Il
back, "and while we're talking, what's
the matter with cutting 1t out on booze
for this trip?"
What are you going to drink.
them" cried De Lancey In feigned
alarm, "water?"
well, something like that" admit
ted Bud. Come on-what do you
say? We might get lit up and tell
something"
Nov lookee here, Bud" clamored
Phil, who had had a few drinks al
ready, you don't mean to insinuate,
do you? Next thing know you'll be
asking me to cut it out on the hay
might talk in my sleep, you know. and
give the whole snap away"
mo, you're good boy when you're
asleep, Phil" responded Bud, 'but
when you get about half shot it's diff
| ferent. Come on, now-I1l quit If you
| will. That's fair, amt it?''
What? No little toots around
town? No serenading the senoritas and
giving tbs rurales the hotfoot? Well,
what's the use Of living, Bud, If you
can't have little fun? Drinking don't
make any difference, as long as we
stick together. What's the use Of
swearing off-going on record in ad-
vance? We may find some fellow that
we can't work any other wayne may
have to go on a drunk with him in or
der to get his goat! But will you
stick? That's the point
Bud glanced at him and gruneed, and
for long time he rode on in silence.
Before them lay a rolling plain, dip
ping by broad gulches and dwindling
ridges to the lower levels of Old Mex
stood the knifelike edges of the For
: tunas miles away.
With desert-trained eyes he noted
= the landmarks, San Juan mountain to
the right, Old Niggerhead to the left.
| and the feather-edge of mountains far
below; and as he looked he stored 1t
away in his mind in case he should
come back on the run some night.
), 1t was not foreboding, but the
, training of his kind to note the lay Of
the ground, and he planned just where
t he would ride to keep under cover if
e he ever made dash for the line. But
d all the time his pardner was talking OF
r friendship and of the necessity of their
sticking together.
" I'll tell you, Bud" he said at last.
), his voice trembling with sentiment,
e whether we win or lose, won't have
D. a single regret as long as know we've
s been true to one another. You may
e. know Texas and Arizona, Bud, but l
g know Old Mexico, the land of manana
Lp and broken promises. know the coun-
s. try, Bud-and the climate-and the
women!
d, "They play the devil with the best
ut Of us, Bud, these dark-eyed senoritas
til That's what makes all the trouble
down here between man and man, it's
30 these women and their ways. They're
ed not satisfied to win a mans heart
ne they want him to kill somebody to
as show that he really loves them. By
Jove, they're a tickle lot, and nothing
re pleases 'em more than setting mar
m against man, one pardner against an
of other
ne 1--WE never had any trouble yet" oh
served Bud sententiously.
IN mo, but we're likely to-" proteste,
ey De Lancey. "These Indian women vi
ID in the Sierras wouldn't turn anybody
l head, but we're going down into tn
cd hot country now, where the girls ar
pretty, tara, tara, and we talk throug
ey the windows at midnight"
well, if you'll cut out the booze,
e." said Hooker shortly. you can hav
he em all, for all of me-"
Ter "Sure, that's what you say, but wal
of till you see them! Oh, la, Ia la''-h
ua kissed his fingers ecstatically-"I1l b
'as glad to see 'em myself! But lister
Ssh Bud, here's the proposition, let's tax
6" an oath right now, while we're star
his ing out, that whatever comes up we
per always be true to each other. II on
cal of us is wounded, the other stays wit
er- him; If he's in prison, he gets him out
sht if he's killed, he avenges his"
wn "Say," broke in Bud, jostling hi
d." rudely as he reached into the saddl
b." bags, slet me carry that bottle for
60 while"
He took big drink out of it to pr
s." vent De Lancey from getting it all ar
ook showed it inside his overalls.
Cali right, pardner," he continue
an with hooking smile, anything yt
on say. l never use oaths myself niue
a but anything to oblige."