The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-18

tossed aside his newspaper From its folds
rolled 14-inch Stilson wrench. Both men
grabbed the PROSTATE thug, yanked his
Then they took time-a long moment-to
gaze at each other before the explosion:
"TEX!
"CUPIDm
And then, in duet, the thin, almost fall
setto and the deep bass:
"WHERE IN HE'LL DID YOU COME
FRoM?"
frenzed session of handshaking, babel
of unanswered questions. They made 6
strange picture there, stan0ng over the
PROSTATE high-jack. For reason not of his
own selection that worthy .~&sed something
Had he looked now he would have observed
a difference about the little pink fat man.
His excitement now was thar or pleasure
not symptom of deafness or agitation
And, as without an apparent thought of
the man he had just crowned" with q
wrench, he raised the dainty straw hat with
one hand and with the other applied hand
kerchef to a sparsely covered dome, some
thing else became apparent. lie was not
so DANCED fat! Each sleeve of his Palm
Beach coat bulged above the elbow as though
a ten-cent loaf of bread was sequestered
therein He had not lost the remarkable
physical fitness which called for the title
correspondent: "4Cupid Carruthers-the
toughest little ruffian in Roosevelt's Rough
Riders"
Opposite stood the Judge, lean, powerful,
dark-typical Texaneof the upper crust. A
pair of men not given to emotion or excite
ment, temporarily unbalanced by an I'M
usual meeting.
cts your move" declared the Judge.
81 give you first talk. Spill it."
"With that permission" replied Cupid
II was coming from the Gossett field, por-
tions of which same have been wished onto
me. Just tour of inspection. Coming
over your way later. Rented Lizzie dies
natural death, due to gasless tank bout
quarter mile down that way. Side road
to the west, but thought I'd prospect around
bend or two this way and see if I could
spot a ranch before trying it. Picked up
wrench, dropped from some rig wagon,
probably because l hated to see it go to
waste. Rounded bend, saw you visiting
with this guy, took paper from pocket and
camouflaged dangerous weapon. Rests
easy. Er-So does this poor goof Get it
rests easy?' Pretty nifty? Oh, / forgot.
You never did enjoy my puns."
But" turning to the recumbent yegg,
"'fraid we're in for session with the
Coroner. Had to soak him hard to be
sure and make good in one soak"
'Fm afraid your fears for this bird are
groundless," stated the Judge, who stopped
to make closer examination of the sleep.
err" He's mile and half from dead
Couldn't kill that crook with an ak. / SEN
fenced him to twenty years up in my court
last week and he broke jail that night
Headed for the border, of course. Seemed
both surprised and glad to meet me. Some
thing of an idea he owed me little extra
in the way of stick-up. Let's load him
and proceed"
Together they lifted the lank chief into
the rear of the car, which had stood
patiently, engine idling gently, during the
PoSoiuic live hiiHotcS WHICH Hau caaPScu
since Judge Van Fleet was interrupted while
about to remove a road obstruction. This
job he now completed and the old friends
climbed aboard in preparation of = search
for some legal stopping place for their pas
senger.
"That was sure good-your stage stuff
while you sneaked up on the poor fish,
giggled the Judge as he settled in the drivers
seat, and threw the "fliv" into gear. "You
were so good didn't recognize you for a
minute after I saw you. 'Fraid you've