The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-01-04


which he wound round and round his
finger.
Il guess his money was all gone, !"
resumed the boy. Anyhow. bout q
rear after, Overland Red comes along.
He comes to the saloon where was
stayin'-they give me job cleanin'
out every day-and he got to talkin'
lot of stuff about scenery and livin' the
simple life and all that guff. The bar
tender got to jawin' with him, and
laughed, and the bartender hits ne
lick side the head Red, he hits the
bartender lick side Of his head-and
the bartender don't get up right away.
I'll learn him to hit KIDS said Red
II you learn him to hit 'em rs hard -
that l says to Red. then 1t win be
all Off with me the next time
Does he hit yon very OfteRr sad
Red.
Whenever he feels Hike IT, ] told
him.
"Red laughed and said to come on.
l. was sick OF there. so run away
with Red. We tried It on freight
and got put of. Rod had some water
in canteen he swipcd. It was lucky
for US he did. We kept wslkin' and
goin' nights and mebby ridin' ON
freights In the daytime II We could.
One day, long time after that, We
was crossin' the desert again. We got
put or freight that time too. We
was walkin' along when we found .
guy layin' beside the track. Red said
he wasn't dead. but was dyin'. We
give him some water. Then he kind
Of come to and wanted to drink It all.
Red said No Then tue guy got kind
OF crazy. He got up and grabbed Red
was scared.
"Red. he passed me the canteen and
told me to keep 1t away from the guy
because more water. would Kill him.
Then the guy went for Red. He's dy-
In on his feet said Red. Its his
last fash. And he tried to hold the
guy quiet, tallin' decent to him all the
time. They was staggerin' avonad
whes the guy tripped backward oves
the rail. His head hit on the othel
rail. and Red fell on top Of him. Any.
way. the guy was dead"
Walter Stone shifted his position
turning to gaze at the boys white face
"Yes-go on" he said quietly.
"Red was for searchin' the guy. bu'
says to come OH before We 60
caught. Red. he laughed kind Of Quee'
and asked me, Caught at what
Then said I dunno, but l was scared
Anyway, he went through the dea,
guys clothes and found some paper
and old letters and a little leather ba,
with whole lot of gold dust in it-Rel
said. mebby $5O0r'
Gold dust T.
"Uhuh! Then Red was scared 81
buried the. bag and the papers wa
out in the sand and made mark d
the ties to find it BY"
| did you find out the dead man
name" asked Stone. glancing curious
~ at the boy.
4 Nope. We Just beat It for the mex
station. was feelin' sick. give on,
and Red he lugged me to the mex
water tank. He was pourin' weter o.
me when the limited come along an
stopped. and she throwed the rose {
us. Red told me about It after. 70
wouldn't so back on a pal. Ike thal
would your
mo, I don't know that should
/ That's mel" said the boy. '.The
they went to work and pinched as a
Barstow; said we killed the guy b
cause his head was smashed In wher
he hit the rails. They tried to max
Red say that he robbed the guy afte
KILN him. but Red told everythin,
except he didn't tell about the letter
and the gold dust. They tried to max
me say 1t, but dassent I knowe
they would fix Red sure II did. an
he told me not to tell about the gol
If they did pinch us"
They let you go-after the polio
examination. Then how Is 1t that th
authorities are after you againT
Its the bunch" replied the bo,
Them guys out there knowed the dea
guy had mine or ledge or somcthiI
where he got the gold. Nobody wa
wise to where. They told at the ja
how lie used to come in once IN awhil
and send his dust to Los Angeles b
the express company. All them guy,
like the sheriff and the station ageI
and all the people in that town. NJ
worLin' tryfn' to find out where th
gold come from. They think becaus
Red and mo Is trnmps that they ca
make us tell and arrest US wheneve
they like. But even Red don't know
unless It's in the papers he hid in th
sand"
THAT sounds like a pretty strnigf
story" said Stone. $50 you intend
stick to this man RedY'
"Sure! Would you quit him mo-
when they're after him worst?''
. "They will get him finally"
. "Mebby. But Reds pretty slick .
getaway. n they do pinch hIl
again that's where come In. I'm IL
, only witness and the only friend he
I got"
"Of course, But don't you see, n
boy, that your way Of living is 80 mut
. against you that you couldn't real
, help him? A mans naked word
: worth just what his friends and neig
bors will allow him for it and i
more"
"But amt guy got no rights In th
countryY'
Certainly he has. But he has
.. prove that be IL entitled to them
.. his way Of living"