Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-04-22


past twenty, and
to have only Mexicans to ones credit
al twenty is to blush unseen on the
RIO Grande border.
II happened In old Justo YaldOs
gambling house. There was poker
game at which sat players who were
not all friends, as happens often where
men ride In from afar to shoot Folly
as she gallops. There was a row over
so small matter as a pair Of queens,
aud when the smoke had cleared away
it was found that the Kid had com
mitted an indlscretlon and his ad-
yersary had been guilty of a blunder,
for the unfortunate combatant, instead
Of being a greaser, was high blooded
youth from the COW ranches, Of about
the Kids own age and possessed Of
friends and champions. His blunder
ia missing the Kids right ear only
sixteenth OF an inch when he pulled
his gun did not lessen the indiscretlOn
Of the better marksman.
The Kid, not being equipped with
retinue nor bountlfuly supplied with
personal admirers and supporters-on
account Of rather outrageous repu-
tatiOn, even for the border-cOnsldered
II not Incompatible with his lndisputa-
bic gameness to perform that judlelOus
fractional act known as pulling his
freight"
Quickly the avengers gathered and
sought him. Three Of them overlook
him within a rod Of the station. The
Kid turned and showed his teeth In
that brilliant but mirthless smile that
usually preceded his deeds Of nsolence
aud violence, and his pursuers fell back
without making It necessary for him
even to reach for his weapon.
But in this affair the Kid had not
felt the grim thirst for encounter that
usually urged him on to battle. 1t had
been a purely chance row, born Of the
cards and certain eplthets impossible
FOR gentleman to brook that had
passed between the two. The Kid had
ruther liked the slim, naughty brown
fuced young chap whom his bullet had
cut Off In the first pride Of manhood
Aud now he wanted no more blood
He wanted to get away and have a
good long sleep somewhere In the sun
on the mesqult grass, with his hand
kerchlef over his face. Even a Mexi.
can might have crossed his path In
saeety while he was IN this mood.
The Kid openly boarded the north
bound passenger train that departed
five minutes later. But at Webb, a
few miles out, where It was tagged to
tNke on traveller, he abandoned that
manner Of escape. There were telc
graph stations ahead, and the Kid look
OF asllance at electricity and steam
Saddle and spur were his rocks Of
safety.
The man whom he had shot was a
stranger to him. But the Kid knew
that he was OF the Coralltos outfit from
EIIdago and that the punchers from
that ranch We're more relentless aud
vengeful than Kentucky feudsts when
wrong or harm was done to one of
them So, with the wisdom that has
characterized many great fighters the
KID decided to pile up as many leagues
as possible OF chaparral and pear be
tween himself and the retaliation Of
the COralltos bunch.
Near the station was a store, and
near the store, scattered among the
mesqults and elms, stood the sadlled
horses OF the customers. Most Of them
waited, half asleep, with sagglng limbs
and dropping heads, But one, long
legged roam with curved neck.
suorted and paved the turf. Him the
Kid mounted, grlpped with his knees
aud slapped gently with the owners
own qulrt,
lr the Staying Of the tcmerarlous
card player had east cloud over the
KIDS standing as a good and true cltl.
zen this last act OF his yelled his llg.
ure IN the darkest shadows OF dispute
0n the Rio Grande border IL you take
mans life you sometimes take trash.
but II you take his horse you take a
ti,ng the loss Of which renders him
poor indeed and which eurlches you
not II you are caught For the Kid
there was no turning back now.
With the springlng roam under him
he felt little care or uneaslness. After
Eve mile gallop he drew IN TO the
plalnsman's jogging trot and rode
norlheastward toward the Nueces rly.
er bottoms. He knew the country well
lls most tortuous and obscure trails
through the great wilderness Of brush
aud pear and its camps ana lonesome
ranches where one might find safe en-
tertainment Always he bore to the
cast Tor the Kid had never seen the
ocean and he had a fancy to lay his
hand upon the name Of the great Gulf
tue gameSome colt Of the greater wat
tyrs
SO after three days he stood on %,
shore At Corpus Christi aud looked out
across the gentle Ilpples Of a quiet sen
Captaln Hoone Of the schooner Fly
away stood near hts skin, which one