New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-03-29
CHAPTER X.
so Ruck!u

the dishpan on the stove will
water to heat. lie remade his DUNK
spreading on the army blanket winch
he took from the saddle on Rather
He swept the floor as neatly as an!
woman could have done it and laid
two wolf skins down in their places
where they did duty as rugs. lie
washed and wiped his few dishes
keeping Bucks knife always within
reach and sending an inquiring glance
toward Buck whenever that unhappy
man made the slightest movement,
though, truth to tell, Buck did moi
make many. He brought two pals OF
water and set them OH the bench in
side. and in the meantime he had o
ed a mess of prunes and set them in a
bowl on the window sill beside his
bunk, where the air was coolest, He
stroppcd his razor painstakingly and
shaved himself in leisurely fashion and
sent an occasional glance toward his
prisoner from the looking glass, which
made Buck swallow hard at his Adj
ans apple.
And Buck during all this time eve
once opened his lips, except to lick his
tongue across them. and never once
took his eyes off Ward.
i've sure put the fear of the Lord
into you, haven't |, BuckT Ward OBJ
served maliciously, wiping a blob OF
hairy lather upon Il page torn from an
old mail-order catalogue. Il va
kind "A hoping you had more nerve. |
wanted to get a whack at you just to
prove I'm not %joshing.'
Buck swallowed again, but lie made
no reply.
Ward washed his face in u basin of
steaming water. got a a OF talcum
out Of the dish cupboard and took the
soap shine off his cheeks and chin. He
combed his hair before the little mir
ror. trying unavailingly to take the
wave out of it with water and leaving
it more crinkly over his temples than
it had been in the first place. and re-
tied the four-in-hand under the soft
collar of his shirt.
Il wish you'd talk, Buck" he said,
turning toward the other. He looked
very bOyish and almost handsome, ex-
cept for the expression Of his eyes,
which gave Buck the sllivers. and the
set of his lips, which was cruel. I've
read how the Chinks hand out what
they call the death-of-a-thousand-cuts
u-n, fhinEtpO I'll 1iEn TO try ~ nrt ON
you. Butch, well, this is Friday. 1t
may as well go as a hanging" He
made Il poor job of his calm irony. but
Buck was not in the mental condition
to he critical.
The main facts were sufficiently
ominous to offset Wards attempt at
Righteousness. Indeed, the very weak
ness Of the attempt was in itself Omi-
nous. Ward might try to be coldly
maleyolent. but the light that burned
in his eyes and the rage that frightened
his lips gave the lie to his forced CON-
posture.
He went out and led up the horses
to the door. He came back and started
to unite Buck Olney's feet, then be-
thought him Of the statement he had
promised to write. He got a magazine
and tore out the frontispiece-which,
oddly enough, was a somber picture of
Death lowering with Outstretched
wings over a bat~tlefield-and wrote
several lines In pencil on the back Of it,
where the paper was smooth and
white.
"How's that" he asked, holding up
the paper so that Buck could read
what he had written. Il amt in the
mood to sit down and write a whole
book, SO | had to boil down your pedi-
gree. But that will do the business all
right. don't You Think"
Buck read with staring eyes, looked
into Wards face and opened his lips
for protest or pleading. Then he fol-
lowed Wards glance to the knife on
the table and shut his mouth with a
snap. Ward laughed grimly. picked
up the knife and ran his thumb lightly
over the edge to test its keenness.
Put a fresh edge on it for me, huh?"
he commented. well, we may as well
get started, l reckon. I'm getting al
mighty sick of seeing you around"
He loosened the rope that bound
Buck to the chair and stood scowling
down at him, drawing in o corner of
his lip and biting it thoughtfully. Then
he took his revolver and held it in his
left hand. while with his right he un-
did the rope which bound Bucks
hands.
stick your hands out IN front Of