Gunnison news-champion., 1916-08-04

u OF mansl4ugh-
ter to Mexicanx.
But the Kid was
past twenty, sAd
TO have only Mexicans to ones credit
at twenty b TO blush unseen on the
Rio Grande border.
II happened in old Justo vaidos'
gambling house. There was q poker
game At which sat players who were
mot all friends. rs happens often where
men ride In from afar to shoot Folly
n she gallops. There was q row over
% small a matter n q pair Of queens.
and when the smoke had cleared away
Il was found that the Kid had COM
mitted an indIscretion and his ad-
versary had been guilty Of q blunder.
for the unfortunate combatant. instead
Of being q greaser. was q high blooded
youth from the COW ranches. Of about
the Kids own age and possessed Of
friends and champions. His blunder
IN missing the Kids right ear only q
sixteenth OF an inch when be pulled
his gun did not lessen the indiscretion
Of the better marksman.
y
retinue nor bountifully supplied with
personal admirers and supporters-on
account OF a rather outrageous repu-
tation. even for the border-considered
II not incompatible with his indisputa-
BILE gameness to perform that judicious
fractional act known rs pulling his
freight"
Outctt~ tho .vor~~rs. ~xy,oro.p 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 insolence
and 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 epithets impossible
for q gentleman to brook that had
passed between the two. The Kid had
rather liked the slim. naughty, brown
faced young chap whom his bullet had
cut on in the nrst pride Of manhood
And now he wanted no more blood
He wanted to get away and have n
good long sleep somewhere In the sun
on the mesqu!t grass. with his hand
kerchief over his face. Even Mexi-
can might have crossed his path In
safety while he was In this mood.
The Kid openly boarded the north
bound passenger train that departed
I'VE minutes later. But at Webb. .
few miles out. where II was tagged to
take on traveller. he abandoned that
manner of escape. There were tele-
graph stations ahead. and the Kid look
ed askance at electricity and steam.
Saddle and spur were his rocks Of
safety.
The man whom he had shot was
stranger to him. But the Kid knew
that he was Of the Coralitos outfit from
Hidalgo and that the punchers from
that ranch were more relentless and
vengeful than Kentucky feudists 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 AZ many leagues
NJ possible Of chaparral and pear be-
tween himself and the retaliation Of
the Coralitos bunch.
Near the station was a store, and
near the store. scattered among the
mesQuits and elms, stood the saddled
horses Of the customer. Most Of them
waited. half asleep. with sagging limbs
and dropping heads. But one, q long
legged roam with q curved neck.
snorted and paved the turf. Him the
Kid mounted, gripped with his knees
and slapped gently with the owners
own quirt.
II the staying Of the temerarsous
card player had cast 4 cloud over the
Kids standing ~ 4 good and true citi-
zen this last act Of his yelled his fig-
ure in the darkest shadows Of dispute.
On the Rio Grande border II you take
mans life you sometimes take trash.
but II you take his horse you take
thing the loss Of which renders him
poor. indeed. and which enriches you
pot-if you are caught. For the Kid
Mere was no turning hack now.
With the springing roam under him
he felt little care or uneasiness. After
. nve mile gallop he drew In to the
plainsman's jogging trot and rode
northeastward toward the Nueces riv-
er bottoms. He knew the country well
Its most toffuous and obscure trails
through the great wilderness Of brush
and pear and its camps and lonesome
ranches where one might ind safe en-
tertainment Always he bore to the
east. for the KID had never seen the
ocean, and be had Z fancy to lay his
hand upon the mane Of the great Gulf.
ths samesome colt Of the greater wa
ters
90 after three days b. stood on the
shore at Corpus Christi and hooked ont
across the gentle fippIes Of . quiet ~
Captain Boone Of ths schooner Eiy-
nWny af0nd mar M kin. Wh1eh 0ne