The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-22

stand.
Ogden looks black as eamp-eoHee for mine
seconds and then he laughs, amused
you'll do, Saint Clair says he. IF l was
Black Bill wouldn't be afraid to trust you Let's
have game two of seven-up tonight. That is.
if you don't mind playing with tran-robber.'
Give told you says I, my oral sentiments. and
there's no. strings to en-
while l shutting after the first hand,
asks Ogden. as if the idea was kind of cas-
ualty, where he was from
ooh says he, from the Mississippi Valley
That's nice little place says /. I've often
stopped over there But didn't you hnd the sheets
little damp and the food poor Now, hail. says
l, from the Pacific Slope Ever put up there:'
TOO draughty, says Ogden But if you're ever
in the Middle West just mention my name, and
you'll get foot-warmers and dripped coffee
"'Well,' says I, wasn't exactly fishing for your
private telephone number and the middle name of
your aunt that carried off the Cumberland Presby-
teran minister. 1t don't matter. l just want you
to know you are safe in the hands of your shepherd
Now, don't play hearts spades, and don't get
nervous
"'Stll harping, says Ogden, laughing again.
Don't you suppose that if ! was Black Bill and
thought you suspected me: Id put Winchester
bullet into you and stop my nervousness. if had
any?'
"'Not any, was l. a man who's got the nerve
to hold up a train sngle-handed wouldn't do a
trick like that I've knocked about enough to
know that them are the kind of men who put a
value on friend. Not that l can claim being a
friend OF yours, Mr.. Ogden says l, being only
your sheep-herder; but under expeditions Cir
cumstances might have been
Forget the sheep temporarily l beg says
Ogden, and cut for deal
About four days afterward, while my muttons
was incoming on the water-hoe and l deep in the
nterstces of making pot of coffee. up rides softly
the grass mysterious person in the garb of the
being he wished to represent He dressed
somewhere between a Kansas City detective, Buff
falo Bill and the town dog catcher of Baton Rouge.
His chin and wasn't nodded fighting lines, so
l knew he only scout.
"'Herdn' sheep he asks me
"'Well.' says l. to a of your evident
gumptonal endowments, wouldn't have the nerve
to state that l engaged in decorating old
bronzes oiling bicycle sprockets.'
"'You don't talk or look like a sheep-herder
to me- says he.
but you talk like what you look like to me,
says l.
And then he asks me who I was working for
and shows him Rancho Chiquito, two miles away,
in the shadow of low HILL and he tells me he's
a deputy sheriff.
"'Theres a train-robber called Black Bill sup
posed to be somewhere in these parts says the
scout. He's been traced as far as San Antonio, and
maybe farther. Have you heard OF any
strangers around here during the past month";
al have not says I. except a report of one
over at the Mexican quarters of LOOMS RANCH
on the Frio.
"What do you know about him. asks the
deputy.
"'He's three days old says l.
"'What kind of looking is the you
work for?' he asks. Docs old George Ramey
this place yet? He's run sheep here for the last
ten years. but never had no success
1.-The old man has sold out and gone West, tells
him. Another sheep-fancier bought him out about
a month ago
What kind of looking is he asks the
deputy again.
"'Oh,' says l. "a big, fat kind of Dutchnan
with long whiskers and blue specs. I don't think
he knows sheep from ground-squrrel l guess
old George soaked him pretty we'll on the DEAL
says l.
"After ndulging himself in lot nonconl-
muncative information and two-thirds of my din
ner, the deputy rides away.
That night mentions the matter to Ogden.
"'Theyre drawing the tendrils of the octopus
around Black Bill says l. And then l told him
about the deputy sheriff. and how I'd described him
to the deputy, and what the deputy said about the
matter
"'Oh. WE'LL says Ogden, let's don't borrow any
of Black Bills troubles. We've few of our own.
Get the Bourbon out of the cupboard and we'll
drink to his health-unless' he with his little