The Coolidge examiner., 1931-01-02


the walls with big game heads,
! trophies of the chase to be brought
| by himself AM his partner. He had
! come to the West to enjoy himself
/ If he could make money at the same
! time that was all to the good. but
| he did not intend to take business
| too seriously.
O'Hara passed the bunk house
and stopped a moment. Did Mr..
Steelman say anything about that
bunch of Bar L Y cows?" he asked
| Quantrell.
"Said he'd buy at a whack NJ
! if he could, but he wouldn't pay
any big price. It's a sorry herd.
| cutbacks most of 'em. The Ola
Man said he wouldn't look at 'em
twice if they weren't here already
clutterin' up the range. At that.
! there's some good cows wearin the
Bar B Y. Kinda uneven, scrubs
an nice stock mixed. You'd he
buyin' a bone yard to start with
but they'll take on flesh if they're
put on a good range"
More trouble than they're worth.
! I'd think"
"Maybeso," Quantrell showed his
prominent teeth in a grin. "Up
to you an the Old Man. | amt pHid
to do the buyin' My forty per
comes to me for forkin' broncs an
being an alleged top hand with
cows"
''In about an hour I'm ridin' into
Concho. Want to go alOng?"
"Sure do" The cowboy got to
his feet with one 1.-the twist of his
body.
The two men saddled and dropped
down out of the hills. AS they rode
Quantrell Unexpectedly began to
| talk about himself.
He blamed the law for startin2
him on his troublOus career. From
his infancy he had fought his own
way in the world. His father he
| had never known, and he had lost
his mother when he was seven. Al
the age of eleven he had been ~
rested for breaking into a store and
stealing gun.
Didn't have thing to do with
it. Wasn't anywheres near there
when it took place. But the Kid
who did it got scared an traded ne
the gun. The marshal found | had
it an the prosecutin' attorney
wished the burglary on me right of
Why not? | was only a kid an
had no parents who could v"te
SO he aimed TO send me TO a re
form school. Got me in his office
an tried to bully me into sayn
| did it. Grabbed me an shock
me. | cut him with my pockel
knife an lit out leavin' him yelpin
for help.
1.-TWO years ago | met that fellow
in a saloon in FL Paso. an | went
right up to him an asked him #
he remembered me. Didn't know
me, of course. Didn't want to. |
was only kid cowboy who had
drifted TO town outa the barranca
SO | kinda reminded him."
Quantrells eyes took on a far
away reminiscent look of satsfac-
tion. He relapsed into silence.
| what did you do? asked Gar
rett, not sure how far interest
should be pushed.
| The killer looked at him out OF
| bleak, unfathomable eyes. 81 decid-
ed Ell Paso was no place for me"
That was all. O'Hara was left
to guess what had made him so
decide.
They rode down the dusty main
street of ConchO to the. Steelman
store. Pat Mccarthy came for
ward TO meet them, his face as
usual hard and wooden. He Of
fered them liquor. Quantrell took
a drink and departed. There was
a Mexican girl in town he wanted
to see.
He turned before he left the Of
flee TO say, Better stick around
here till get back, O'Hara. saw
Shep headin' into the Gold Nugget
as we passed"
Il saw him, too, Bob. Pm not
looking for him. My business won't
take me into the Gold Nugget"
''Td stay right in this office till l
get hack. Won't be gone more'n a
couple hours" Quantrell was
plainly little uneasy about leav-
ing him.
Don't worry, Bob. I'll be here
when you come back" his employ
er promised.
Into the store presently came
Steve Worrall. He sat down in the
office and chatted with Mccarthy
and O'Hara. The proprietor was
called out by clerk.
At once WOrrall freed his mind.
You armed, O'Hara?"
Eyes. Any reason for asking me
that right now?"
81 just came from the Gold Mug
get. Shep Sanderson an the Tex
as Kiu were in there drinkin'. I'd
be careful if | were you. The Kids
been mean ever since you shot him
up"
whats the Kid like?
"Got a bad rep. I've heard say
he's a killer but yellow. May be
nothin' to that. I'd lay off him
an Shep, too. Thought I'd drop in
an tell you. Better stay here in
the store. Where's Bob Guam
trell?"
81 don't know" There was a
flicker of a sardOnic smile in Gar
rett's eyes. IF that boy wants me
to look after him he'd better stay