Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-05

The train gathered Roadway.
Wheeler ran alongside. red-faced. and
shouted up to Spud.
who bought it?'
Spud looked down at him benevo-
lently.
II did" he said.
The wagon road ran beside the
track across the Bend. Spud wa,
gratified, where the desert road left
the river. to observe a touring car
toiling up the sandy slope that led to
the desert.
At Rincor Spud hunted up Charlie
Simpson. his particular crony. When
the train started again both were
passengers. Simpson carried a long
repeating rife tucked under his arm.
At Rincon the railroad leaves the
river, climbs painfully up Lookout
Hill, and strikes across the desert.
Spud got off at Hess, the second sid
ing; Simpson waved joyous farewell
from the car window.
The Tumble-Tee wagon was in plain
sight on the mesa beyond Lookout
Draw. q great dust rose from the cut
ting ground beyond. Spud set out for
a two.mile walk to the wagon.
Where the first curve of the road
hid them from Wheeler's Messrs.
Dwyer and Whalen drove the car un-
der an overhanging cottonwood and
halted. They opened the tool-box and
laid the tools on the running board
in business-like fashion; but they
spread robes out in the shade and
Pol
sleep. !!
Long afterward a man on foot came
mp the railroad track through the
quivering heat. He was roughly clad
and bore q little bundle on a stick.
He clambered down the embankment
and thrust a coarsely shod, plebeian
foot into Mr. Whalen's Immaculate
ribs.
Wake up, bo." be said gruffiy,
land pay for your nights lodgin'!"
whalen sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Ugh-aah-Aoah!" ne said. well.
Bill. did the hicks come through"
Two hundred-hundred and eighty
net" said Bill Grossly II tried to rib
'em for more, but the young one made
such a squeal that took what could
get. Come now, let's get out Of this. !"
That's not so worse" said Dwyer.
Makes about twenty one hundred.
Parrish cleanup for q boob country
like this, starting from shoe string"
Dwyer removed the number plate,
Ill. 41s72. and. substituted KY. 1896.
Its just as WE'LL" he said. We've
worked that gag for all the traffic
will bear 'Twon't be safe to work
1t again till we get, up In Oklahoma"
"v ell. get a wiggle." admonished
Bill. He climbed into the tonneau.
cases and q goodly hamper.
You fellows drive awhile. I'm go.
ing to try some beer and little sleep.
Take the first right-hand road. It's
fifteen miles shorter than following
along the railroad, they say. and no
worse" -
y &x*
THEY were a long hour climbing
L the sandy slope to the level of the
desert. Then they enjoyed substan-
tial luncheon from the hamper Bill
opened his suitcase, shaved carefully.
and attired himself in joyous apparel
His spirits rose accordingly.
"Blooie." he said, throwing the dis
carded garments into a mesquite
bush. Home, Jeems"
1t was past mid-afternoon when
they drew near to Hess. At the round
up wagon, half q mile to the right.
the cooks fire blazed brightly; beyond
| il few riders held a bunch OF cattle
near the trampled roundup. The
horse herd grazed beside the road,
guarded by a youthful wrangler.
seemingly asleep in the saddle. A
| hundred yards farther on the car
came to the rim of Lookout Draw
and turned down the steep and sandy
| slope. -
l HALFWAY down Bill threw the