The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1917-05-17
CHAPTER vi.
Blaze Jones and His Neiohbors

oiaze Jones and His Neiqhbors,
b!;'Z" Jones rode up to his front gate
ana ulSmountcd in the shade of Tie hi.
epohE lree. He stepped back and ram
an approving eye over another animal
'''n"rru there. or course tho youths
OF TINS day We're nothing like The
youths of his own. and yet-Blnzc lr,
his gaze lingrr fun,lly on the highbred
! mare ana her cquipmcnt-hrrr nt leost
WAS Il person who knew Il good horse.
good saddle and good gun.
AS he came up the walk he heard
iaiolha laugh. and his own face light
eird for his daughters merriment was
contagious. Then as he mounted thr
steps and turned the corner of rho
gallery he uttered Il hearty greeting.
Dave Law! Where in the world
did YOU drop from?"
Law mcoiled himself and took the
ranchman's hand. "Hello, Blaze!
been ordered down here to keep YOU
straight"
"Pshaw! Now who's been giving
YOU orders, Dave?"
why, I'm with the Rangers"
Never knew word Of it. Last I
heard you was filibustering around
with the Mnderistas."
Blaze seated himself with II grateful
sigh where the breeze played over him.
lie was big, bcarlikc, swarthy man
with the sQunre-hcwn. dccp-lined face
OF trngedian, and head of long.
curly hair, which he wore parted in a
line over his left ear. Jones was a
character, II local landmark. This part
Of Texas had grown up with Blaze,
ard he possessed splendid indiifcr-
cncc to the artificial fads Of dress
and manners. He was plainly IN out
| door man.
so you're Ranger and got notches
on your gun" Blaze rolled and lit a
tiny cigarette, scarcely larger than a
wheat straw. "Well, you'd ought to
make right able thief-cntcher, Dave,
only for your size-you're too long for
Il man and YOU aln't long enough for n
snake. Still I reckon thief would
nave trouble getting out Of your reach
ANA once YOU got close to him How
many men have YOU killed?"
Counting Mexicans? Law inquired
with IL smile.
NobouS counts them"
"Not many"
That's good" Blaze nodded and
, rent his cigarette, which he had per-
United promptly to smoldcr out. "The
l"rc" amt what 1t was. Most of the
oo!S nowadays join so they can ride
horse cross-lots, pack pair of
guns ana give rein to the predictions
: "l vicious ancestry They're bad
! rams most Of EN-"
There aren't many" said pnlomo.
= 'l'nNe tells me the whole force bns
:. been cut down to sixteen"
! THAT'S plenty" her father nverred.
ITS like when Cnp'n Bill Mcdonald
!. was sent to stop Il riot in Dallas. He
! came TO town alone, and when the citi.
"chs asked him where his men was
/ he said Amt enough2 There's only
$ ON" riot Are you workin' up n case
Davc?"
g "Um-m--yes! People are missing q
$. lot Of stock hcreabouts."
l. ITS these blamed refugees from tn,
war! Mexican has to steal some
10 thing or he gets run down and pore
u. lf 1t amt stock, It's something else.
III Dave Laws duties as q Ranger resi-
'S cd lightly upon him; his instruction
IT. were vague, and he had lcisurel
~ method of working up" his evidence
nv since he knew that Blaze possessed
M -, thorough knowledge Of this section an,
y" ,'s people. 1t was partly business whlcl
""o brought him to the Jones hom
'ss 'hls AFTERNOON.
~. ".,'cuS speaking, Blaze was not
""'ner' lie had speculntcd heavily il
hS ~" h'nos, and for several years pas
re he had devoted his energies to n g,
gantic colonization scheme II was h
- ,'o iie"hs Il small operation in whic
nc nc ""s engaged. The venture ha
mt taken foresight courage, infinite har
NJ WORK; bla|e was burdened with re
spohslDiiities that would have broke
ad down man Of weaker fiber.