The Washington herald., 1920-09-14

risin' right above the fur. end %
the fat"
You nave verrce good eyes.
senior" said Gregorio, smiling
Two miles away they saw
faint cloud dimming the green
ripples of she mesquites. In
twenty minutes they heard the
Clattcr of the horses hOofs, in
five minutes more the gray plugs
dashed out Of the thiCkct. whick
ering for oats and drawing the
light wagon behind them like a
toy.
From the jacals came a cry OF
Eel Amo, El Amo," Four Mex
lean youths raced to unharness
the gTays. The CowpUnChers
gave yell Of greeting and de-
light
It's under the wagon sheet.
boys" he said. u know what
you're waitin' for. II Sam let's it
run out again we'll use them yell
how shoes of his for a target
There's two cases. Pull EN- out
and light up. l know you all
want smoke.
After striking dry country
Ranse had removed the wagon
sheet from the bows and thrown
it over the goods in the wagon.
Six pairs of hasty hands dragged
it off and grabbed beneath the
sacks and blankets for the cases
of tobacco.
Long Collins. tobacco messen-
ger from the San Gabriel outfit.
hn .,Is l. 81 h.. 10 fgFt NJ
west OF the Mississippi, delved
with an arm like the tongue OF
a wagon. He caught something
harder than a blanket and pulled
out a fearful thing-a shapeless.
muddy burch of leather tied to-
gether with wire and twIne.
From its ragged end, like the
head and claws of disturbed
turtle, prOtruded human toes.
"Who-ee," yelled Long Collins.
"Ranse. are you a-packin' around
Of corpuscs? Here's a-howlin'
grasshoppers"
Up from his long slumber pop
ped Curly. like some vile worm
from its burrOw He Clawed his
way out and sat blinking like
disrcputablc. drunken owl His
face was as bluish-red and puffed
and scanned and crosslined as
the cheapest round steak of the
butcher. His eyes were swollen
Sits, his nose picked beet;
his hair would have made
ne widest thatch ofs jack in
the-hoN look like the satin poll
Of Cleo de Merode. The rest of
him was scareCrow done to the
life.
Ranse jumped down from his
seat and looked at his strange
cargo with wide-open eyes.
Here, you maverick. what are
you doing in my wagon? How
did you get in there"
The punchers gathered around
in delight. For the time they
had forgotten tobacco.
Curly looked around him
slowly in every direction. He
snarled like a Scotch TERROR
through his ragged beard.
where is this?" he rasped
through his parched throat. It's
damn farm in an ,old field.
Whatd you bring me here for
say? Did 1 say l wanted to
come here? What are you Reubs
rubberin' at-hey? G'wan or I'll
punch some of yer faces"
Drag him out, Collins" said
Ransc.
Curly took a slide and felt the
ground rise up and collide with
his shoulder blades. He got up
and sat on the steps of the store
shiVering from outraged nerves,
hugging his knees and sneering.
Taylor lifted out a case of to-
bacco and wrenched off its top.
Six cigarettes began to glow,
bringing peace and forgiveness
to Sam.
How'd you come in my wag
on?' repeated Ranse, this time
In voice that drew a reply.
Curly recognized the tone. He
had heard it used by freight
brakemen and large persons in
blue carrying clubs.
Me- he growled. "Oh. was
you talkin' to me? Why.NI was
on my way to the Menger but
my valet had forgot to pack my
pajamas. So l crawled into that
wagon in the wagon-yard-see?
l never told you to bring me out
TO this bloomin' farm-see?"
What is it, Mustang" asked
Poky Rodgers, almost forgetting
to smoke in his ecstasy. What
do it live on?"
It's. gilliwampus. Poky."
said Mustang. ITS the thing
that hollers 'willi-wailo' up in
ellum trees in the low grounds
of nights. 1 don't know IL it
bites"
No, it amt Mustang" volun-
teered Long Collins. Them gal
ilwampuses has fins on their
backs, and eighteen toes. Thiss