Nogales international., 1931-07-11

on horseback clapped spurs to his
horse and ga1loped like mad away
from there. Joe Hale knew better than
to try shot He remembered too
vividly how Jess Markell had Jared
with the kid over at the Poole.
Babe remembered too, and horror
grew in his face as he stared at his
numbed and bleeding hand. He'd
rather be dead than crippled-he al
ways had said so-and now his knuck-
les would be stiff and useless to pull
a trigger. But when he glanced up
and saw the kid looking after the
fleeing horseman he CHANGED a shot
with his left gun. But the kid didn't
seem to need his eyes to tell what
was going on. He caught Babes
movement and fired almost without
looking.
Line up with yoah backs this way, .
said the kid softly to Joe and the two
calf wrestlers.
They did so in haste-all but Babe,
who had crumpled down Imply in the
sand, with his bleeding hands crossed
above his head and his face hidden in
his arms. The kid pulled their guns
from the sagging holsters, emptied
them of cartridges and tossed them
into the bushes behind him.
The understanding wrestler worked
with trembling haste under the cold
sstare of Tiger Eye Reeves. When
he had tied Joe Hale and the other
wrestler to posts ten feet apart and
had helped Babe Garner into a shady
spot where he would be perfectly safe
| with his feet tied together, the kid was
going calmly about the business Of ty-
ing his assistant to a third post when
Nellie arrived.
Her face was streaked with dust and
what looked suspiciously like tears,
and her hair had been clawed by the
willows until it lay on her shoulders
like streak of sunshine. She sat on
her black horse and watched the kid,
and under her direct gaze he felt his
ears and his face burn like fire. The
kid did not look up, but he knew the
exact instant when. she turned her
head to look at the newly branded
calf which now wore blackened and
smarting window-sash brand where
yesterday had been tan-colored Re-
verse E. She. reined her horse over
to the corral and stood in the stirrups
to look over the fence and inspect the
milling herd. ~, 80
;, "Well, they're all here, | guess,
she remarked to the kid who, ten feet
away, was kreeling beside the cali
wrestler and was yanlling the last knot
tight. "You made quite a haul, didn't
you. Bob?"
Might be bettah," the kid owned
with covert glance from under his
hat brim. "One got plumb away"
"Well, | told you we ought to work
together. But you kept on trying tc
pick fight with me, you know. Looks
like you got all you wanted of fight
ing here" She glanced around at the
sullen captives. Il hope you're ready
to admit now that the Poole outfit
are a bunch of COW thieves"
"Shoah am,' said the kid. his lips
ready to smile the instant he forgot
himself and let them go.
what you going to do now?"
Reckon I'll go aftah my hawse."
She followed him, riding in silence
while the kid went mincing along or
his high heels, his spurs gouging Ut
the loose soil at every step.
There's something I've been want
ing to say" she" went on hurriedly
only you just won't give me
chance"
"'Peahs like I nevah do act the way
I feel" said the kid. always dix
want to show yesall [ was friend
II know that. l just want to say
that I made an awful fool of mysel