White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1937-11-04
The Wulkin'
Deputy
JOHNNY, though city


an accepted fact to everyone in
the little COW town of Rawlins, and
that he had nerve, he had proved
to everyone's satisfaction when he
had captured that gang in the hills,
alone and on foot
But when it had come to riding
horse, well, as Johnny told the sher-
iff: A man can do just so many
things with his feet, but horse-if
horse had any limitations in that
respect Johnny had failed to find
them.
Now it seemed as though every
bad man for miles had made up
his mind that Rawlins was the only
town in the country worthy Of atten-
ton just then, and a Walkin' Deputy,
as Johnny had come to be called,
was of about as much use as taxi
cabs in Venice. So Johnny had con-
cluded it was his painful duty to
learn to ride.
1t was after fairly victorious en-
counter with his mount that Johnny
learned the sheriff's plans to take a
posse after Red Terry's gang and
he begged to go along.
"All right" the fat one told him,
"but if yuh fall behind We'll have
to get along without yuh."
So Johnny had gone along and
soon, very soon, he regretted it
heartily, He had never been so
long in the saddle and every bone
in his body ached, each one in COM
petition with it's neighbor. So in
tent was he upon his personal agony
that he failed to notice that the 9TH
ers were drawing out of sight, but
it was not until shutdown that he
would admit he had completely lost
them. And then he became a new
creature. He still ached, to be sure,
but he could stand it as long as
his two feet were on solid ground.
His WEAKNESS almost completely
left him as he made his prepara-
tions for the night. He was about
to light his fire when he saw a little
spiral of smoke not more than
mile away.
Unjust be the sheriff and the
boys" he chuckled. Guess I'll
ride over" cat the mere sound of
the word ride" Johnny's bones
ached protestinglyD Guess I'll
walk over and pay visit" he fin
ished lamely. So he set out briskly.
1t was not so far as he had
thought, but some cautious instinct
warned him to go slowly and he
blessed that impulse when he came
in sight of the three horses tied
little distance from the fire. They
were not the horses he had been
trailing all afternoon.
Stealthily now Johnny made his
way back toward his camp. Once
there he thought things over care
fully. 1t would be easy to circle
around and wait for them further
down the trail, but they were riders
with a reputation and if they made
break for 1t Johnny would be help
less. While he planned he looked
over his equipment. Suddenly he
made a low exclamation as he
picked up small bottle from out of
his saddle bag.
1t was a drug, the kind they gave
horses. Johnny had bought it one
day for fun and had amused himself
often by threatening his horse with
it when that animal acted bit too
lively. Now Johnny saw in 1t pos
sibility of overcoming a big difficult
ty. Once more he started for Ter
RVS camp and in less than an hour
he was back, grin of satisfaction
on his face His horse well hid
den, he watched the three riders
coming along the trail.
Seem to be having trouble with
their animals" he chuckled- glee-
fully.
Tohppv y,o;4ad until %hov u,oro AZ