New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-03-29
ride . ways. There isn't any gallows
tree In walking distance"


ed him practice on tin cans long ago
when the two were friends.
You know what l told you Ward
reminded him grimly and took M the
knife with a deadly air that made the
other suck in his breath. Hold still.
I'm liable to cut your throat If | make
II mislick."
Really. 1t was the way he did ii that
made it terrible. The thing itself was
nothing, He merely drew the back of
the blade down alongside Bucks ear
and permitted the point to scratch
through the skin barely enough to let
out u thin trickle OF blood. A pin
would have hurt worse. But Buck
groaned and believed he had lost an
ear. He breathed in gasps, but did not
say a word.
go ahead. Talk all you want to.
Buck" Ward invited, and wiped the
knife blade on Bucks shoulder before
he returned the weapon to its sheath
in his inside coat pocket.
Buck hinched from the touch and set
his teeth.
Ward tied his hands before him and
told him to get up and go out to his
horse. Buck obeyed with abject sub
missiyeness, and Wards lip curled
again as he walked behind him to the
door. He had not the slightest twinge
of pity for the man. He was glOating-
~ glad that he could make him suffer,
and he inwardly cursed his w hui
mainly for being so merriful. lie
o"ght to have cut Bucks ear off slick
and clean instead of making a bluff ut
1t. he told himself disgustedly. Buck
deserved it and more.
lie helped Buck into the saddle. took
the short rope in his hands and hobbled
Bucks feet under the horse, grasped
the bride reins and mounted Rather.
Without Il word he sci off up the rough
trail toward IIardup, leading Bucks
horse behind him.
"i;cfOre you go, Buck. l want to tell
you that you needn't jolly yourself into
thinking your death will be avenged.
1t won't. You noticed what | wrote.
and there isn't a scrap OF my writing
anywhere in the country to catch me
UP" Wards thoughts went to Billy
Louise. who had some very good sam
pies, and he stopped suddenly. He
was trying not to think of Billy Louise
today. Also when somebody happens
to ride this way and sees you i won't
be anywhere around"
This is the tree" he added. stopping
under a cottonwood that flung a big
branch out over the narrow COW trail
they were travelling. The chances are
friend Floyd will be ambling around
this way in a day or two" he said
hearteningly, "IIe can tend to the last
sad rites and take charge of your
horse. He's liable to be sore when he
reads your pedigree, but | don't reckon
that will make a great deal of differ
ence. You'n get buried, all right,
Buck"
Ward dismounted with a most bust
nesslike manner and united Buck o.
ney's rope from the saddle. Il can't
spare mine" he explained laconically.
He had some trouble in ~fashiOning a
hangman's moose. He had not had
much practice, he remarked to Buck
after the first attempt.
How do you do it, Buck? You know
more about these things than | do" lie
tainted. You've helped hang lots of
poor devils that will be glad to meet
yuh with the devil today"
Buck Olney moistened his dry lips.
Ward glanced at his face and looked
quickly away. Staring, abject terror
is not nice to look upon, even though
the man Is your worst enemy and Is
suffering justly for his sins. Wards
fingers fumbled the rope as though his
determination were weakening. Then
he remembered some things, hunched
his shoulders, impatient Of the merci-
full impulse, and began the knot again.
An old prospector had shown him once
how it was done.
'Of course a plain sllpknot would do
the business all right" he said. But
III try and give you the genuine thing,
same as you gave the other fellows"
Ward, for Gods sake. let me go!"
Ward started. He did moi know that
a mans voice could change so much In
so short a time. He never would have
recognized the tones as coming from
Buck Olpey's loose, complacent lips.
Ward, III never-Ill leave the III
try-Ill go to South America or Aus
tralia or"
You'll go to a hotter climate. Buck
Ward cut in inexorably. You've got
your ticket"
I'll own up to everything. I'll tell
you where some of the moneys cached
we got In that Hardup deal, Ward.
There's enough to put you OF Easy
street. I'll tel you who helped"
You'd better not" advised Ward
h .rshly. "Or I'll make hanging a relief
to you. | know pretty well right now
all you could tell. And II l wanted to
send your PARTNERS up l wouldn't need
your help. It's partly to give them a
chance that I'm sending you out this
way myself. l don't call this murder,
Buck. I'm saving the state a lot Of
time and trouble, that's all. and your
pardners the black eye they'd get for
throwing In with you. l heap sabe
who was the head push. You got them
in to take whatever dropped, so you
could get of slick and clean, just as
you've done before, yOu-you-"
Buck Olney got 1t then hot from the
fires Of Wards wrath. \ MAJ does
not brood over treachery and wrong
and a blackened future for years with
out storing up a good many things that