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, So
long Shep. We mustn't keep you from
any pressin' engagement that's shout
in for you. Adios, compadre."
Sanderson slouched out. 1 g
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"
elbow long will IT. take me to learn
to shoot?" O'Hara asked.
''If you practice real constant you'd
ought to be a 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"
'Ive got a gift thataway," Guam
trell admitted modestly.
Smith-Beresford 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, I reckon he didn't have his
fightin' clothes on today" he said.
"What have his clothes got to do
with it? Pm 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, happened
to want to ride Shep some. He's too
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 their
horses. and rode out Of town to a
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.
slonally Apaches left the reservation
and went raiding. Others as bad as
Indians had come in recently. But the
real reason they carried rifles was
that they expected to go hunting while
at the ranch.
They struck Dead Horse creek anG
turned up it, following a wagon road
that meandered back and forth with
the winding of the stream. The ranch
houses lay below them, cluster of 8
dozen buildings set back fifty yard.
from the stream. Two or three mer
were in a corral working a dozer
calves that blatted protest. At the
blacksmith shop, which was outdoor:
under tree, young fellow was shoe
ing a horse.
The main house was a thick-walle(
Spanish house built of adobe bricks
A young woman was standing on tn,
porch. She called greeting to them
Smith-Beresford swung to the grounC
and went forward with the peculiar
strut that characterized his walk.
"Well, we're here, Miss Steelman,
ne beamed. "All ready for the fattet
calf. don't you known"
''Are you the prodigal son-or Mr.
OHaraT" she asked.