The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-11
Oaprtnuada

/ lD&e~~>~~~e e~->~~>~~~>~~-~>|>~~~~~ VIA ICeprnuada Do you think I'm packin' these here fo guns and this belt jest to reduce e shape?" Quoried Williams in a
 her hurt tone.
 whoop-ee for Brandr' they chorus and the tethered ponies shied and kled.
 Ez4 never rode out loolzin' for trou- IR" said Williams, 'and never shied
 I'm lookin' at 1t when it come my "" Y 5sWho said anything about troubleY' keried Billy Dime innocently. "1m 1. want a drink. I'm goin' over \ stfophertown to get 1t I'll treat the Inch"
 EtWe1l be there when you call our Imbers. sister. You comin'?" asked tSfs Long, holding toward Overland. s9de7 Nope. I'm goin'. I'm goin fo ask you boys to kindly allow me Hhe privilege of gettin' my drink first and by my lonesome. There win be < q gent there with sore eyes. He got ere eyes waitin' and watchin' for me sto call. I expect to cure him of his seve trouble. After that you will be ' &6 welcome as Mary's little lamb frIed."
 r1Bur-rie me not on the lo-o-ne prai- 1ee 1" sang Bud Light. #ssNot while you got the fastest hoss & the outfit" said Williams. @Collie's hoss is here," said Over Ind. I'm ridin' her this trip. I Ind of like the idea of usin' his hoss ! this here errand of mercy"
 sThree tomorrow mornin'" called i bialy Dime as Overland disappeared MI the shadows.
 Brand Williams. the taciturn, the si- E3snt, stepped from the fire and strode kcross the meadow He paused op- |snosite the Yuma colt and gazed at her n the moonlight He Jerked up his tfn1n and laughed noiselessly. Two < nm Jack Summers on that red Yuma i. 10ss ridin' into Gophertown with both lands filled and loolkin' for trouble Hod! He was bad enough when he Nas dodgin' trouble. We'll I'm glad I'm Twin Ito see 1t. was commencin' ttp think they wasn't any moro men \ Tkft in the country. I'm forty-seven lear old. Tomorrow I'll be twenty &gain--or nothin'."
 Some towns nestle on the plain. 9th. 6Fs, more aspiring, rqost high in the kiIls. Gophertown squatted on the des- 1Et at the very edge of range of bar m koothills. Its principal street was Npt mach more than a brfd1e trail that X I'd past eleven ramshackle cabins, depe lets of the old mining days when Gophertown knew gold. Train robbery kas certain passport to Gophertown's < Protection. Man Killing lent an added
 distinction to an applicant for hurried
 Admission Cattle and horse thievins was mere industry not to be con founded with these higher professions
 Saunders, coming from the saloon
 vas not . little surprised to see bant of horsemen far out on the desert. H' !felt that their presence in his ecinit! had something to do with hinself. H' scounted the horses, There were si, iof them. He knew instantly that tn, sfiders were cowmen, although he coul, not distinguish one from another. H 7 beckoned to the saloon keeper.
 We could "a stopped that" he said
 pointing toward the desert.
 Big bunch. One, two, three-six o
 lem. Big bunch to come visit1n' here.
 Saunders gestured toward the can yon behind Gophertown.
 The saloon keeper shook bis head
 Don't think most of our boys will b back this week. Brandin' that bunc ' of new stock. Takes time to do z right"
 well. here comes Parks and sant
 Fe Smith," said Saunders. ''Tha
 makes four of us.Y
 Z "Nebby-and mebby not" said tn
 saleon keeper. "That depends-de
 pends on the party that's callin' an who they're callin' on"
 There's Sago-just ridin' the ledg
 trail. That's i've"
 "TAge and Jo6 Kennedy are up a
 the corrals," said the saloon keeper They would A 5e to miss anythin "A like this" '.febby they won't if that bunc ,getg past us," said Saunders.
 'Seen the time when you could iaan de them alone, didn't you, SiT' "Yes, ard can now" "Nix, Si! Your gun arms ain't wha they was, sence Overland Red winge,
 you"
 How do you know he didT'
 T could tell you more. But come 0, in and have one on the house. If vas you I'd set with my back to tn s. door and be takin' drink. Red Sum
 mers never shot man in the back vel \ If he's playin' for you-why, that give you a chance to pull gun" "How about youT queried Saun uers.
 "Me? None of my business. Tn there to push the booze"
 Saunders drummed on the table witt
 his fingers The drink of liquor ha, restored his nerve. Perhaps the rider { vere not coming to visit him after all He rose and stepped to the door, Tn cncoming horses were near enough fo hfm to distinguish the roan outlay