The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-07

tectives was on the boat. He had
pfushed against my arm. Before he had
opportunity To renew old acquaintance
L saunteredy over to Frank and Porter.
Wehs Fargo had many uncollected
claims against me. / was not ready for
E settlement. Captain Dodge was
probably unaware OF my presence. We
could not afford to take any chances.
We stayed on the boat and 1t brought
US back to Oakland,
Bill was a trifle upset. He insisted on
stalking us all TO q drink, alt&nugh he
a TO borrow the money from me TO
pay Tor the treat. Texas seemed to be
the only safe camping ground for US.
Win about $l7 left from our capital
OF sSo,OO0, we landed in San Antonio,
SUI hankering for the joys of simple
range life. There / met an old cowman
friend OF mine and he took us out to
MS ranch. Fifty miles from the town il
ran into low hills and valleys, prairies
n timber a finer strip or country,
" peeieF would ask. The cowman Of
SIS, 900. WIS., :"
i was 2 bargain. Frank and I de-
clded TO snap II up. Financial arrange
ments, the cowman assured us. could be
made with the bank In New Rochelle
severai hundred miles distant. In the
! saIe tnefe was at least SIS, 900 and 1t
could be easily removed. This was a
straight tip.
It was a peculiar situation. Frank
had both decided to quit the out
law life. But we hadn't a cent and
mere vas but one way to gather a
ton had lost its early ardour. Neces-
slty completed the cooling process.
But we We're a little worried about
Porter, Whatever may have been his
reasons for staying with us we were
soniident that Bin was not a law
The very thing that decided us to
take him into U confidence was his
pride. We knew he needed the money.
We knew It Inundated him to borrow.
had, given him many and various
sums since Y fight from Honduras.
We didn't want Bill to be under an OBJ
hgation TO us. We wanted him to earn
his Interest In the ranch.
The square thing was to invite him
TO go into the banking venture with
us, II you had seen Bill Porter's face
then ana the helpless surprise that
scooted across II, you would believe as
DO that he was q guilty Of the
theft which sent him for nearly four
years OF his life to the Ohio peniten-
tiary, He had neither recklessness nor
the sangfroid OF the lawbreaker.
Proposal to Buy Is Pleasing.
Just about evening I went down to
me corral. Porter was sitting there
enjoying the quiet peace. He was roll
ing a corn shuck cigarette.
he looked happier and more at ease
\ at any time since the shooting Of
the DON: ! suppose I should have
preached the subject mildly. The salts
lying droariness, of this October night
But the gentleness of the Madonna
would not have lured Bill Porter into
the scheme.
BILL" / SAID we're going to buy
the ranch for $4,000 and we want you
10 come IN with us on the deal"
rolled.
Colonel" he said, Il would like
nothing better than to settle in this
magnificent country, and to live there
nnafraia ana unmolested. But l have
That's just IT,. Neither have we.
We're about to get them. Down there
In New Rochelle, there's a bank with
$4,000 in Its vaults. That money ought
to b put into circulation, With us
The tobacco dropped from the paper;
Porter looked up quickly and searched
my face. He saw that / was in earnest.
He was not with us, but not for a
fortune would be wound US or even
permit me to think that he judged us.
Colonel" this time his large eyes
twinkled. 1t was seldom that he
smiled. never heard him laugh but
twice. I'd like a. share In this range.
But tell me. would ! have to shoot any
body
"6h, perhaps so, but most likely
"Weil, give me the gun. II / 60 on
the job, | want to act like an expert.
I'll practice shooting"
No outlaw would ever ask another
for his forty-five, The greatest COM
pliment a o~owpuncher can give the
man he trusts Is to hand over his six
shooter for inspection.
Porter took tho honor lightly. He
handed the gun as though 1t were a live
scorpion. / forgot TO warn him that !
had removed the trigger and the gun
would not stay cooked. BY this device
| could shoot faster at close range,
gaining a speed almost equal to the
modern drop action guns.
Watching Bad as Cunning.
Like all amateurs, Bill put his
thumb on the hammer and pulled 1t
back, Then he started walking back
and forth with the forty-five in his
hand and his hand dropped to his side.
without intending to, he shifted his
grip. releasing his thumb from the
hammer
There was a sudden, sharp explosion,
a little geyser OF earth spouted up
ward, When 1t cleared there was a
hole as big as a cows head scooped In
the ground. My forty-five lay In the