The Washington herald., 1920-06-13

no waiter never came. When I
got to sweating good and hard.
goes out again.
did you get. what you want
edr says she.
bite.
"'Then there's no charge says
she.
Thanky. ma'am.' say I, and I
take up the trail again.
by and by l thinks I'll shed
etiquette; and 1 picks up one of
them boys with blue clothes and
yellow buttons in front, and he
leads me to what he calls the caf-
fay breakfast room. And the first
thing / lays my eyes on when I
go in is that boy that had shot
Pedro Johnson. He was setting
all alone at a little table, hitting
a egg with a spoon like he was
afraid he'd break IT.
I takes the chair across the ia
Bile from him: and he looks in
suited. and makes a move like he
was going to get up.
Keep still, son. says I. You're
apprehended. arrested, and in
charge OF the Texas authorities.
GO on and hammer that egg some
more, II it's the inside of 1t you
want. Now. what did you shoot Mr..
Johnson, of Bildad, for?
And may / ask who you are?'
says he.
You may. says /. Go ahead
suppose you're on says this
KID, without batting his eyes. But
what are you eating? Here, wait
er" he calls out. raising his finger.
Take this gentleman's order
A beefsteak,' says !, and some
fried eggs and a can of peaches
and a quart of coffee will about
suffice
I'VE talk awhile. about the sun
dries of life. and then he saws;
What are you going to do
about that shooting? had a right
to shoot that man. says he. He
called me names that / couldn't
overlook. and then he struck me.
He carried a gun, too. What else
could I do?"
Well have to take you back
to Texas says /.
I'D like to go back says the
boy. with a kind of a grin-if it
wasn't on an occasion of this kind
It's the life l like. I've always
wanted to ride and shoot and live
in the open ever since 1 can re-
member
WHO was this gang Of stout
parties you took this trip with?
! asks.
MY stepfather.' says he. and
some business partners of his in
some Mexican mining and land
schemes
~ saw you shoot Pedro John
son. says l, and took that little
popgun away from you that you
did IL with. And when / did so
noticed three or four little scars
in row over your right eyebrow.
You've been in rookus before.
haven't you"
I've had these scars ever since
/ can remember says he. I don't
know how they came there
Was you ever in Texas be-
fore?' says l.
Not that I remember Of says
he. But l thought 1 had when we
struck the prairie country. But /
guess / hadn't
Have you got a mother I
asks.
"'She died five years ago. says
he.
skipping over the most of
what followed-when Luke came
back ] turned the kid over to him.
He had seen Scudder and told him
what he wanted; and il seems that
Scudder got active with one of
these telephones as soon as he left.
For in about an hour afterward
these city rangers in everyday
clothes that they call detectives.
and marches the whole outfit of US
to what they call a magistrates
court. They accuse Luke of at
tempted kidnapping, and ask him
what he has to say.
This snipe.' says Luke to the
Judge, shot and wilfully pune
tured with malice and forethought
one of the most respected and
prominent citizens of the town of
Bildad. Texas. Your Honor. And
in so doing laid himself liable to
the penitence of law and order.
And l hereby make claim and de-
mand restitution of the State of
New York City for the said al
legged criminal; and l know he
done it
Have you the usual and nee