Nogales international., 1931-06-05
Second Installnlent

barrel His father was killer" Reeves, but
the boy did not want to kill. 1t he stayed
home he would have to carry on his fatner
feuds, so he headed his horse, Pecos. north
ward and encountered Nate Wheeler, who
drew his AS and fred just as Tiger Eye
did The Kid didn't want to kill Nate. only
TO cripple him, but his aim must have been
wild, for Wheeler dropped from his horse
Babe GARNER came riding up. Wheeler was
'nester," he said, and had it coming to
him. Tiger Eye rede to Wheeler's cabin to
notify the dead mans widow.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
"No'm. yo'all bettah stay right heah.
I'll 90 tote him in, Mis- Wheelah.
I'll tote him on his hawse."
The mother stood upon the step and
watched him go, her hand shielding
her eyes from the last direct sunrayss.
Her face was white and her mouth
was grim.
He knew there was murder in her
heart; not for him who brought the
message-for the man who had shot
her husband.
A bleak sense Of being somehow
tricked by circumstance swept over the
kid. 1t wasn't fair. He wasn't killer,
he hadn't wanted to kill, but man lay
dead because of the kids bungllng
shot
Shoah funny, Babe Garner being
right there close where he could see
and hear the whole thing. Never
needed any explaining took 1t
for granted the kid only did what ne
had to do. Never said word, either,
about that poor shooting.
Getting Wheeler on the pinto, tying
him on with his own rope-llke tot1ng
a deer out of the hills along the
Brazos. The kid worked calmly enough
but he worked fast and be did not look
straight at Nate WheeIer's face; not
once Damn shame. Shooting Vince
ler's arm down would have done just
as well. Better. A damn sight better
for the woman and that baby.
She was down by the gate, waiting
in the dusk, when the kid came rid
ing up, leading the pinto with its
grisly pack. The little woman unfas-
tened the gate, her fingers clinging to
the weathered, strap-worn slick in her
husbands hands.
She did not speak as the grim bur
den went through. Just reached out
and caught a swaying, inert hand and
laid it swiftly against her cheek and
fet it go. The kid swallowed hard
and turned his tiger stare straight
ahead, up the trail toward the dark
ened cabin.
"Ill go fix the bed for him." she
announced DULY, coming up as the kid
halted at the doorstep and swung linn
berly down from the saddle.
The kid was unfastening the rope
where the last hitch had been taken
in the middle of Nate Wheeler's lack.
The body had sagged to one side, and
the kid lifted it by one arm,-the gun
arm, the one he meant to shoot
down" The arm gave Imply in his
grasp, the bone shattered above the
elbow; and the kid frozc to an am
azed immo5ility for ten seconds, his
mind blank, his fingers groping and
testing.
Arm shoah was plugged, all right.
Not doubt in the world about that.
Funny the kid hadn't noticed it before.
But. then, Wheeler had fallen Oh that
side and his arm had been under
meath, and the hole in his head was
too plain to miss seeing. 1t never had
occurred to the kid to look at that
arm Hadn't happened to get hold OF
it when he loaded him on the pinto,
either. Hell, he hadn't missed, after
all Hit the arm right where he aimed,
up above the elbow where there was
only che bone to bust and Nc great
harm done. Few weeks in a sling,
! arm good as ever.
The kid felt the little heat waves
streaking up his spine at the womans
voice from the doorway, and the heat
warmed and dissipated that cold lump
he had Seen carrying in his chest.
He hadn't bungled that shot, alter all.
Wheeler must have ducked his head
right in line with the bullet. 1t was.
an accident-ard that made differ
ence; very great difference to the
kid, Justly proud cf his skill.
He lifted Wheeler's body from the
pinto t. his cwn back, carried it IN
and lail it en- the bed. The wife now
stood staring down at him with the
hot, dry eyes of hate. Hate for the
man who had killed her husband.
She stopped now and picked up the
baby and set him astride one bony
,:;o and wiped his nose and cheeks with
a corner Of her apron. Red-heaced
little tike, that baby Red-neaded like
his pappy 1t pointed now to Wheeler
qrd said, Daddy SO bye?" twice, wav-
ing its chubby arm toward the bed.
That did something to the woman,
kinda. She grabbed the ba5y's arm
down and turned away quick, and sat
down on a rocking chair and started
moaning and rocking, the ba5y's race
; pressed SO close against her shoulder
that its little stubty nose was fattened
ard it kicked like a calf at the brand
ing fire, trying to get loose.
5 Anything yo'all want me to do
. milk, or anything like that?" The
kid stoo: by tho door with his bul-
! let-scarrei hat in his hand, trying tc
= keep the red out Of his face.
"No-ch, ro--oh, fee! the pinto
sad iced the team" The little woman