Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-01-04
CHAPTER XIV.

| south along the Rio Grande. A rail-
| road marked an undertaking course
| across FIVE hundred miles of this
| towns lay on or near this line of STEEL
| Unsettled as was this western Texas,
and despite the acknowledged domi-
| nance Of the outlaw bands, the
pioneers pushed steadily into it.
The Rio Grande flowed almost due
| south along the western boundary for
| a thousand miles, and then, weary of
It's course, turned abruptly north, to
make what was called the Big Bend.
| The railroad, running west, cut across
| this bend, and all that country bound
| ed on the north by the railroad and
| on the south by the river was as wild
as the Staked Plains. Across the face
| of this Big Bend, as if to isolate it,
| stretched the Ord mountain range. In
| the valleys of the foothills and out
| across the plains were ranches, and
| farther north, villages, and the towns
| of Alpine and Maria.
| Like other parts Of the great Lone
| Star State, this section of Texas was
world in itself-a world where the
| riches Of the rancher were ever en-
| riching the outlaw. The village closest
| to the gateway of this outlaw-infested
region was little place called Ord,
named after the dark peak that doomed
| some miles to the south.
Toward the close of day in Sep
| TENDER q stranger rode into Ord, and
| in community where all men were
remarkable for one reason or another
| he excited interest. His horse, per-
| haps, received the first and most en-
| gaging observation-disclosures in that region
| being apparently more important than
| men. This particular horse at first
| glance seemed ugly. But he was a
| giant, black as coal, huge in every
way. A bystander remarked that he
| had grand head. His face was solid
| black, except in the middle of his fore
| head, where there was a round spot
| of white.
The rider, like his horse. was a giant
| in stature, but RANGER, not so heavily
| thing about him was his somber face
| with its piercing eyes, and hair white
| over the temples. He packed two
| guns, both low down-but that was
| too common a thing to attract notice
| in the Big Bend. A close observer,
however, would have noted a singular
| fact-thfs riders right hand was
more bronzed, more weather beaten
than his left. He never wore a glove
on that right hand!
He had dismounted before ram
| shackle structure that bore upon its
wide, high-boarded front the sign,
'Hotel." The hotel had a wide plat
| form in front, and this did duty as
porch and sidewalk. Upon it, and
leaning against a hitching-rail, were
men of varying ages, most of them
SlOvenly in old jeans and slouched
sombrerOs- Some were booted, belted,
and spurred. No man there wore a
coat, but all wore vests. The guns
in that group would have outnumbered
the men.
:
to be curious. These men were idlers
what else, perhaps, was easy to con-
lecture. Certainly to this arriving
stranger, who flashed a keen eye over
them, they wore an atmosphere never
associated with work.
Presently a tall man, with a droop-
ing sandy mustache, leisurely detach-
ed himself from the crowd.
"Howdy, stranger" he said.
The stranger had bent over to
loosen the cinches; he Strengthened up
and nodded. Then: I'm thirsty"
That brought broad smile to faces.
1t was characteristic greeting. One
and all troOped after the stranger into
the hotel. 1t was a dark, ill-smelling
barn of place, with bar as high as
short mans head. A bartender with
SCARED face was serving drinks.
Zine up, gents" said the stranger.
They piled over one another to get
to the bar, with coarse jests and Oaths
and laughter. None of them noted
that the stranger did not appear so
thirsty as he claimed to be. In fact,
though he went through the motions,
he did not drink at all.
MY names Jim Fletcher" said the
tall man with the dropping, sandy
mustache. He spoke laconically, never
theless there was a tone that
showed he expected to be known.
Something went with that name. The
stranger did not appear to be i'm
pressed.
MY name might be Blazes, but it
amt" he replied. "What do you call
this burg?"
Stranger, this heah metropolis
bears the handle Ord. Is thet new to
you?"
He leaned back against the bar, and
now his little yellow eyes. clear as
crystal, fawless as a hawks, fixed on
the stranger. Other men crowded
close, forming circle, curious, ready
to be friendly or otherwise. according
to how the tall interrogation marked
the newcomer.
Sure, Ord's G little strange 70 me. |
Off the railroad some, amt it? Funny |
trails hereabOuts."
How fur was you goin'?'
81 reckon I was goin' as far as | |
could" replied the stranger, with a |
hard laugh.
His reply had subtle reaction on that /
listening circle. Some Of the men ex-
abonCod oIa1aoa EIorobor sfrokQd !