Gunnison news-champion., 1916-08-04

expeFieace. His complexion was nat
urally aark. and the sun and wind Of
an outdoor life had burned IL TO . cof-
fee brown His hair was n black and
straight m an Indians: his face had
not yet been upturned to the humilia-
ton Of Q razor: his eyes were q cold
and steady blue. He carried his left
arm somewhat away from his body.
for pearl handled ASS are frowned
upon by town marshals and are
little bulky when packed In the ieft
Vrmhole Of ones vest He looked BE-
yond Captain Boone at the gulf with
the irnpersonal and expressioniess dig
nifty Of Chinese emperor.
'-Thinkin' Of buyin' thatar gulf. bod
dyy' asked the captain. made sarcastic
By his narrow escape from . tobacco
less voyage.
why, no." said the kid gently. 81
reckon not. I never saw It before. l
was Just looking at H. Not thinking
Of selling It. are your
mot this trip" said the captain. "rl
send It to you C. O. d. when get back
to Buenas TierTas. Here comes that
capstan footed lubber with the chew
In. ought to've weighed anchor an
hour ago"
''Is that your ship out therer' asked
the kid.
why. yes." answered the captain.
III you want to call q schooner shin.
and don't mind lynn. But you better
say Miller 4 Gonzales. owners. and
ordinary. plain Billy be damned old
Samuel X. Boone. skipper"
where are you going tor asked the
refugee.
"Buenas Tieras, coast Of South
America-I forgot what they called the
country the last time was there. Car
60 lumber. corrugated iron and ma
chetes."
what kind of a country Is it." asked
the kid-"hot or cold?''
"Warmish, buddy" said the captain.
But a regular Paradise Lost for ele-
gence Of scenery and be-yooty Of geo.
grapky. Ye're wakened every morn
Ing by the sweet singin' OF red birds
with seven purple tails and the sighin'
Of breezcs In the posies and roses. And
tnc hCNCI AOA thCy
can reach out and pick steamer has.
kets Of the choicest dollhouse fruit with
out gettin' out Of bed. And there's no
Sunday and no fee and no rent and no
troubles and no use and no nOthin'.
It's a great country for a man to go
to sleep with and wait for somethin'
to turn up. The bannnys and oranges
and hurricanes and pineapples that ye
eat comes from there"
THAT sounds to mel" said the kid. at
last betraying interest "what'n. the
expressage be to take me out there
with your"
"Twenty.four dollars" said Captain
Boone: grub and transportation. Sec
ond cabin. haven't got a flrst cabin
You've got my company" said the
kid. pulling out buckskin bag.
With $500 he had gone to Laredo for
his regular blowout" The duel In
valdos' had cut short his season Of
hilarity, but 1t had left him with near
ly 800 for aid In the night that Il had
made necessary.
"All right. buddy" said the captain.
Il hope your ma won't blame me for
this little childish escapade Of yours" :"
He beckoned to one Of the boats crew.
LET Sanchez lift you out to the skin
10 you won't get your feet wet"
Thacker. the United States consul at
Buenas Tierras. was not yet drunk.
1t was only II o'clock. and he never
arrived at his desired state Of beati-
tude-a state wherein he sang ancient
maudlin vaudeville songs and pelted
his screaming parrot with banana
peels-until the middle Of the after
noon. So when be looked up from his
hammock at the sound Of a slight
cough and saw the Kid standing in the
door Of the consulate he was still in q
condition to extend the hospitality and
courtesy due from the representative
Of great nation. Don't disturb your
SELF" said the Kid easily. II Just
dropped In. They told me It was Gus
tomary to light at your camp before
starting In to round up the town. !
Just came in on a ship from Texas"
'Glad to see you. Mr.. -" said de
consul
The Kid laughed.
'Spragus Dalton" he said. TT
sounds funny to me to hear It. I'm
called the Llano Kid In the Rio Grande
country"
I'm Thacker." said the consul.
Take that cane bottom chair. Now,
II you've come to invest you want
somebody to advise you. These din
gies will cheat you out OF the gold In
your teeth II you don't understand
their ways. Try cigarr'
'.Much Obliged" said the Kid, but
u It wasn't for my corn shucks and the
little bag in my back pocket couldn't
live minute" He took out his ''mak.
ings" and rolled Z cigarette.
They speak Spanish here" said the
consul You'll need an interpreter.
II there's anything I can do why, I'd
be delighted. II you're buying fruit
0A~ H. =