Nogales international., 1931-07-04
Ninth InstaIlrnent

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Bob Reeves, the Kid, was nicknarnec
Tiger Eye by his friends down in the Brazo'
When his father, "Killer Reeves" died the
Kid left Texas to avoid continuing his
1 fathers feuds Reaching Montana he i!
forced to draw on Nate Wheeler, an irate
hester. In the exchange of shots Wheeler
drops dead, the Kid later learning that
same time, really killed Wheeler.
Garner gets the Kid to Join the Poole
outfit as rim rider The Kid succors
Wheeler's widow and is interrupted by
| Pete Gorham and some other nesters. He
shoots Gorham through both ears for
coupling his name with Wheeler's widow.
Later he rescues a girl, Nellie. and her
i dad from Gorham, -wounding Pete again.
The girl, in spite Of her belief the Kid is
an imported Texas killer, warns him the
nesters will kill him. The Kid warns Gar
ner the nesters are planning an attack on
Texan who is boss of the Poole wagon
crew and shoots HIM through both hands.
Nelle's dad is shot from ambush and
suspects Babe against his wish The latter
thinks another hester killed the old man.
Babe is wounded by hidden enemies, who
also shoot at Tiger Eye but miss. The
Kid pulls Babe back into the cabin and
wounds one of the attackers.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY.
Reckon I could. Babe"
"Well, damn it, do it, then! When
yuh draw bead on hester, git i'm
right. There amt no comeback from
dead man. You got 'ern out there
before yuh, Tiger Eye : any jury in
the world would make it self-defe1se.
Yuh don't have to worry a damned bit.
Now's your chance-git 'em, kid
Damn it, don't yuh know there's a
bounty on nesters? You can collect
five hundred apiece for 'em, and no
questions askedr
THAT the price on ole Pappy Muir
ray, Babe?"
iHell, it's the price on any damn
hester! Didn't the Old Man tell yuh
SOP"
"Nevah did tell me that, Babe.
Mistah Bell taken my name and wheah
I'm from and all, and asked right
smaht questions. Nevah did tell me
anything, 'cepting I was to get my
o'dahs from yo'all."
Damn right, you git your orders
from me! I order yuh right now to
lay 'em cold! Kill every damn hester
you can draw a bead on, out there
Save goin' after 'e1n in the valley.
He'll, they're out to kill you, amt
they? You and me both! Git 'em, or
they'll git you. Git the damned"
Babe trailed off into a meaningless
humble.
The kid sighed and gouged at the
dried mud and tried to think of some
thing else.
why, dammit, you come here with
the dead list in your pocketl" Babe
cried suddenly from the bunk, his sick
brain seizing anew upon his grievance.
II knowed you was lynn when you
said you found that map where the
wind had blowed it into bush. You
was headin' straight for the nesters
with that dead list, and you knowed
what you had to do.
"You made slip-up with me when
you said you was goin' to Wheeler's
place because Nate Wheeler come first
on the map. I like yuh, Kid, and I've
let yuh make out like you're nice
little lad that wouldn't kill m'skeeter.
I amt never asked no questions, but
amt damn fool. You had the dead
list and that was all I needed to know,
A man amt expected to go around
shootin' off his mouth about what he's
1oin'. Nobody wants yuh to advertise
yourself.
"But, damn it, you've crippled one
of the best shots the Poole has got,
and you've been runnin' on me about
beefn' old Murray, and yuh claim you
won't kill a hester yourself for love er
money. Looks pretty damn scaley to
me, Kid-damned if it don't. Looks
like they've got you workin' for 'em.
Damn spy, for all I know"
Once more the kid tried not to lis
ten. In one ear and out the other
that was the only way to do with
fever talk. Plumb foolish. Babe was
shoah a sick man, all right.
He took up Babes rife and sent
shot over to where the little blue
smoke clouds betrayed the position of
the nesters. 1t wasn't much of tar
get whether he wanted to hit man
or not, it was unsatisfactory shooting.
"How's the water holdin' out ?"
That meant Babe wanted another
drink. The kid filled the tin dipper,
hoping Babe would not notice how he
had to scrape the bottom of the bucket
to DO so. He hadn't thought of the
water problem, but it loomed rather
large now. Couldn't get to the spring
while the daylight held, and Babes
thirst was growing. If the nesters
stayed where they were, they had him
trapped.
About noon, now. Seven hours and
more till dark.
Think you can git out through the
roof" Babe tried to prop himself
on one elbow and watch, but the pain
turned him dizzy and sick, and he lay
parting and, cursing his helplessness.
"Shoah going to try" said the kid
grirly.
They'll shoot yuh like a rabbitp
The kid shook his head and stepped
up on the foot of the bunk where he
could bring his full strength into
action, prying and pushing at the dirt
covered poles of the roof.
Had the ridge beyond the little fiat
been higher, the nesters over there
would have seen him when, at last,
with final avalanche of clods and