Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-11-30
CHAPTER Iv-contlnued.

~
"Tm afraid he'd have TO loosen up
on his record a little before we could
bring him in here. Badly as we're
needing a money man, we can hardly
AFFORD to put a John Smith into the
saddle-at least not without knowing
what his other name used to be-"
mo; OF course not. l guess. after
all, he's only a lame duck like a good
many Of the rest Of them. Day before
yesterday, Burdell, the deputy sheriff,
was out at the camp looking the gangs
ove for the fellow who broke into
Lannigan's place last Saturday night.
When he came into the office Smith
was busy with an estimate, and Bur
dell went up and touched him on the
shoulder, just to let him know that 1t
was time to wake up. Suffering cats
It took three of us to keep him from
breaking Burdell in two and throwing
him out Of the Window"
''That looks rather bad" was the
presidents comment. Col. Dexter Bald
win had been the FIRST regularly elect
ed sheriff Of Timnnyoni county In the
GAIiy uugh ulu ht hAGM AhG hgluBlOllo
"Was Burdell wearing his star where
1t could be seen2"
The engineer nodded.
"What explanation did Smith maker
"Oh, he a~pologized like a gentleman,
and said he was subject to little nerv-
GUS attacks like that when anybody
touched him Unexpectedly. He took
Burdell wei to Pete Slmm's shack sa,
loon and bought him a drink. Perkins
the tlmekeeper. says he's going to gel
a megaphone so he can give due notice
in advance when he wants to cal
Smiths attention.
The colonel pulled out a drawer In
the desk, found his box Of diplomatic
cigars and passed II to the engineer
saying: Light up d s%ure-enough goot
one, and tell me what you think Smitl
has been doing back yonder In thu
other country"
Williams took the cigar but he shlet
at the conundrum.
ASK me something easy" he said
i've stacked up a few guesses. He
from the middle West-as the Blbl'
says, his speech betrayeth' him-an'
he's had a good Job Of some kind TN,
kind that required him to keep abreas
of things. II there's anything In looks
you'd say he wasn't a thief or an EN-
bezzler, and yet It's pretty apparen
that he's been used to handling none.
in chunks and making It work for 1t
living. I've put It up that there's
woman in It. Perhaps the other feI
low got in his way, or came up benin
him and touched him unexpectedly, o
something OF that sort. Anyway, III
not going to believe he's a crooke
crook until I have TO-"
Colonel Baldwin helped himself I
one OF his own cigars, and the tai
went back to business IN the irrI
CATION project, Williams was u stocl
holder rs well as chief Of construction
and Baldwin had more than ono
found him a safe adviser. There wa
need for counsel. The Timanyor
Ditch cOmp0ny was In a rather hazard
condition financially. and the pres
dent and Williams rarely met withou
coming sooner or later to a threshln
out OF the situation.
The difficulties were those which ar
apt to confront a small and local entel
prise when Il Is so unfortunate ms I
get In the way Of larger undertaking
Colonel Baldwin. and a group Of hi
nelghhOrs on the north side OF tn
river. were reformed cattlemen an
horse breeders. Instead OF drlftin
farther west In advance OF the lncon
ing tide OF population following th
coming OF the railroad, they ha
avalled themselves OF their homestea
rights and had taken up much Of III
grass land In the favorable valleys, /
rigatlng II at first with wnter take
out Of the river In private or nelghbo
hood bitches.
Later on came the sheep-feedln
period. and after that the utlllzatio
Of larger crop-raislng areas. The sma