The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-10-24
CHAPTER III-Continued


switch will be three weeks from to-
day. Send me a front-seat ticket,
Shep." Quantrell's voice drawled on
insolently. did you say you had to
light a shuck outa here? Well. 50
long, Shep. We mustn't keep you from
any pressin' engagement that's shout
in for you. Adios, compadre."
Sanderson slouched out. u r
The boy turned to O'Hara. you've
done wished on yoreself a man-size
job. If you asked me personal I'd
say you were gonna camp with Old
Man Trouble"
GLOW long will itstake me to learn
to shoot?' O'Hara asked.
'If you practice real constant you'd
ought to be medium good shot in
maybe twenty years. That is, If ever
Some fellows jest naturally never
could be-"
''But you're not that old, and they
say"
'Tve got a gift thataway," Guam
trell admitted modestly.
Smith, eresford cut into the con-
versation: "Will you tell me, laddie,
how you cut the crest of that big
turkey cock? He's big enough to eat
you in two mouthfuls."
"I've heard it said the Lord made
us in many sizes but Colonel Colt
made us all equal" the youngster re-
piled. "Only some Of us more equal
than others, you might say"
"If this Sanderson is just bully
who won't fight"
Don't make any mistake about that.
sir. He'll fight" Quantrell said care
lessly.
The bartender leaned forward and
spoke to Smith-Beresford. "He's killed
two-three men,"
"But bless my soul, If he's so dam
gerous, why did he take that talk from
you, my lad?" the Englishman asked.
much perplexed. "After all you
know, you're only boy"
The man behind the bar coughed
warningly. This was dangerous ground.
But Quantrell only laughed.
"Oh, reckon he didn't have his
fightin' clothes on today" he said.
"What have his clothes got to do
with it? I'm dashed If I understand
you"
O'Hara laughed. "That's only an ex-
preston, Mr. Smith-Beresford. What
Mr.. Quantrell could tell you, If he
were not too modest, is that Sanderson
does not want to fight with him. The
fellow would probably have killed us
both If it hadn't been for Mr.. Guam
trell's interference. We both owe him
our lives"
The young desperate shrugged this
aside. little annoyed, a good deal
embarrassed. "Babes In the wood
both of you. An anyhow, I happened
to want to ride Shep some. He's toe
biggity. Let's drink"
This ceremony concluded, the lad
sauntered out Of the place. Then
everybody began to speak to the Eng.
1ishman at once. He learned that
eighteen-year-old Bob Quantrell was
the most notorious killer in the ter.
ritory.
Next morning the two tenderfeet
bought some shells, saddled theil
horses, and rode out Of town to q
wooded draw where they used up fifty
rounds of ammunition each.
After that, O'Hara and the English
man packed their saddlebags. They
rode with rifles strapped beside them
1t was still wild country. Occa
sionally Apaches left the reservation
and went raiding. Others as bad as
Indians had come in recently. But ths
real reason they carried rifles was
that they expected to go hunting while
at the ranch.
They struck Dead Horse creek ant
turned up it. following wagon roat
that meandered back and forth will
the winding of the stream. The rancf
houses lay below them, a cluster of {
dozen buildings set back fifty yard!
from the stream. Two or three mer
were in a corral working a dozeI
calves that blatted protest. At tn,
blacksmith shop, which was outdoor:
under tree, young fellow was shoe
ing horse.
The main house was a thick walled
Spanish house built of adobe bricks
A young woman was standing on tn,
porch. She called greeting to them
Smith-Beresford swung to the grount
and went forward with the peculia
strut that characterized his walk.
swell, we're here. Miss Steelman,
he beamed. "All ready for the fatte,
calf, don't you know?"
'Are you the prodigal son-or MI
OHaraT she asked.