The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-03-18

come home, he lowed ter git ye plumb
shore"
Tamarack scowled.
Much o%bleeged." he replied.
At Hixon Tamarack Spicer strolled
along the street toward the court.
house. He wished to be seen. SO long
as 1t was broad daylight and he dis.
played NO hostility. he knew he was
safe-and he had plans.
Standing before the HOLMAN store
were Jim Asberry and several com
panions. They greeted Tamarack az.
fably and he paused to talk.
"RidIn' over ter Misery?" inquired
Asberry.
Lowed | mout as we'll"
Mind ef I rides with ye es fur es
Jesse's placer"
plumb glad ter have company"
drawled Tamarack.
They chatted OF many things. and
travelled slowly. but. when they came
to those narrows where they could not
ride stirrup to stirrup each jockeyed
for the rear position. and the mar who
found himself forced into the lead
t'rned In his saddle and talked back
over his shoulder, with wary, though
seemingly careless. eyes. Each knew
the other was bent on his murder.
At Purvy's gate Asberry waved fare.
we'll and turned In. Tamarack rode
on, but shortly he hitched his horse
In the ~concealment OF a hollow. walled
with huge rocks. and disappeared into
the laurel.
He began climbing. In a crouched
position. bringing each foot down
noiselessly and pausing often TO listen.
Jim Asborry had not been outwardly
armed when he left Spicer. But. soon,
the brakeman's dellcately c:tuned ears
caught n sound that made him lie fiat
In the lee of n great log, where he was
masked In clumps Of towering rho.
dodendron. Presently Asberry passed
him. also walking cautiously. but hur.
riedly. and grading a Winchester rifle
In the hollow Of his arm. Then Tama.
rack knew that Asberry was taking
this cut TO head him of and waylay
him In the gorge a mile away by road
but a short distance only owe the hill.
Spicer held his heavy revolver cooked
In his hand. but II was too near the
Purvy house TO risk a shot. He waited
a moment, and tlren. rising. went on
noiselessly with a snarling grin. stalk.
ing the man who was stalking him.
Asberry found a place at the foot
OF n huge pine where the underground
would cloak him. Twenty yards below
ran the creek.bed road. returning from
It's long horseshoe deviation. When
he had taken his position his faded
butternut clothing matched the earth
as inconspicuously ~ a quail matches
dead leaves. and he settled himself to
walt. Slowly ard with infinite eau.
ton his intended victim stole down.
guarding each step. until he was in
short and certain range. but. instead
OF being ct the front, he came from
the back. lie, also. lay fiat on his
stomach and raised the already cooked
pistol. lie steadied II I'm n two.handed
grip against n tree trunk and trained
II with deliberate care on n point TO
Nv NflN vi III wv lAlhll " EDlit Iu0l
below the shoulder blades.
Then he pulled the trigger! He did
o go down to inspect his work. II
was not necessary. The instantaneous
fashion with which the head OF the
Ambassador settled forward on its
face told him all he wanted to know.
He slipped back to his horse. mounted
,.l .al, fuu, 10 tha hAt,g. 90 G.l..-
South, demanding asylum.
The next day came word that II
Tamarack Spicer would surrender and
stand trial in a court dominated by
the Hollmans the truce would COZ
tinue. Otherwise the war was on"
The Souths flung back this message:
Come and git him"
But HOLMAN and Purvy, hypocriti.
cally clamoring for the sanctity of the
law, made no effor, TO come and git
him." They knew that Spicer South's
house was now Il fortress. prepared for
siege. They knew that every trail
thither was picketed. Also, they knew
a better way. This time they had the
color OF the law OH their side. The
circuit Judge. through the sheriff,
/ asked for troops and troops came,
Their tents dotted the river bank be.
low the Hixon bridge. A detail un
der n white flag wen out after Tama-
rack Spicer. The militia captain In
command. who feared neither feudist
nor death, was ~courteously received
He had brains, and he assured them
that he acted under orders which
could not be ~disobeyed, Unless they
surrendered the prisoner, gatling guns
would follow. II necessary they would
be dragged behind OK leans. Many
%militiamen might be killed, but for
each Of them the state had another.
II Splcer would surrender, the officer
would guarantee him personal protec'
ton. and. II It seemed necessary. a
change OF venue would secure him
trial In another circuit. For hours the
clan deliberated. For the soldiers they
felt no enmity. For the young cap
tain they felt mn instinctiye liking.