The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-02-26

riner outen the country with tar an
feathers on him. Furthermore. I'm IN
favor Of %cleanin' out the HollmAnB. I
was Jest a-sayin' ter Bill"
Never mind what ye wal test
a-sayin'." interrupted the boy, flushing
redly to his cheekbones, but con
trolling his voice, "Ye've done said
enough already. Ye're a right old man,
Caleb, an / reckon tibet gives 20 some
license ter shoot on yore face. but ef
any Of them ~no-count. shif'less boys Of
yores wants ter back up what ye says,
I'm ready ter 90 out thar an make em
eat hit | hain't a-goin' ter answe no
more questions"
There was a commotion Of argu-
ment, until BLACK Dave" Jasper. a sat
urnine giant, whose hair was no black
err than his expression, rose. and a
semblance of quiet greeted him as he
spoke.
"Mebby. Samson. we've got a right
ter take the studs this away, an ter
refuse ter answer our questions. but
we've got a right ter say who kin stay
AZ AAAA hghA NhuhAAgs III 10 A0hn w
quit us. / reckon we kin quit you
and, II we quits ye. ye hain't nothin'
more ter us then no other boy thet'a
gettln' too big fer his breeches. This
furriner Is a visitor here today, an
We don't low ter hurt him-but he's
got ter go. We don't want him round
hyar no longer" He turned TO Les
colt. We're a-givin' ye fair warnin'.
stranger. We hain't our breed. After
this, We stays on Misery at yore own
risk-an' hits a-goin' ter be plumb
risky. That thar's final"
This man." blazed the boy, before
Lescott could speak, lis a-visitin' me
an Unc' Spicer. When ye wants him
ye kin come up thar an git him. Every
damned man Of ye kin come. hain't
a.sayin' how many OF ven go back.
He was lowin' that he'd leave hyar ter
morrer mornin', hut after this I'm
a~-teilin' ye he hain't a-goin' ter do hit.
He's a-goin' ter stay es long es he
likes, an nobody haint a-goin' ter run
him on" Samson took HIS stand be.
fore the painter, and swept the group
with his eyes. AN what's more" he
added, "ITl tell We another thing.
hadn't plumb made up my mind ter
leave the mountings, but we've done
settled hit fer me. I'm a%-goin'."
There was q low murmur OF anger,
and a voice cried out from the rear:
Let him go. We hain't got no use
fer damn towards"
Whoever said thet's a liarl" shout.
ed the boy. Lescott, standing at his
side, felt that the situation was more
than parlous, But, before the storm
could break, some one rushed in, and
whispered to VILE McCager n message
that caused him to raise both hands
above his head, and thunder for at.
t%ention.
Men," he roared, listen ter mel
This here hain't no time fer squad.
blin' amongst ourselves. We're all
Souths. Tamarack South has done
gone ter Hixon. an got inter trouble
He's locked up I'm the jailhouse."
We're all hyar." screamed old Ca.
leb's high, broken voice. Lets go an
take him out"
Samson's anger had died. He turned,
and held a whispered conversation
with McCager, and. at IFS end, the host
Of the day announced briefly:
"Samson's got Bomethln' ter say ter
ye. So long as he's wlllin' ter stand
by US. | reckon we're willin' ter listen
ter Henry South's boy"
81 hain't got no use for Tam'racl
Spioer," said the boy, succinctly, but
! don't low ter let him lay in no Jail
house, unlessen he's got a right ter be
thar. What's he charged With"
But no n knew that, A man up
posedly close to the HOllmans, but In
reality an informer for the Souths, had
seen him led into the iailyard by a
posse Of a ~half-dozen men, and had
seen the iron.barred doors close on
him. That was all, except that the
HOLMAN forces were gathering In
Hixon. and. II the Souths went there
en- masse, a pitched battle must be the
inevitable result. The first step was