Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-01-22
CHAPTER II


King Cole Ranch almost as soon
as the young Mexican. They found
four of the ranch hands hanging
around the house, scraping dirt with
the toes of their lop-sided boots, look
ing as though they didn't mean to
look worried. At the sound of speed
ing hoofs and wheels they jerked up
their heads, and one man came out
of the house, a small, mahogany
brown man who looked as hard as
nails and was harder than he looked,
Early. Bills foreman, Cal Round
tree.
"Howdy, gents" he said, and
sounded surly as though he resented
their coming. "Come on in"
They went in and found old Early
Bill sitting in his big chair. He
looked more dead than alive.
"You darned old fool" snorted
Doc Joe. He put his bag down, took
off his coat and rolled up his sleeves.
"What did you shoot yourself for?
Or, far as that goes, why the hell
didn't you do it long ago? Think
like to 60 skallyhooting all over the
country for the likes of your"
"Howdy-Judge," said the old
man, by way of most beautifully ig-
noring Doc Joe and all his words.
I've got to get you onto bed,
Bill" said Doc Joe. 81 can't get
at you right, this way, sitting on a
CHAIR
II amt going to bed. Most likely,
working me over, you're going to
kill me anyhow, and if I've got to
get murdered I'd like it better sit
ting up"
"If the old buzzard won't go to
bed, Judge, being that superstitious
and scared of dying because of the
devil waiting to grab him." said
Doc Joe, "lend me a hand to heave
his old carcass up on this here Ia
BILE. Now, Bill, you come off your
high horse and do as l say or I'll
bat your brains OUT
"1f l had any brains, you pill
roller" grumbled Early Bill, "do
you think I'd let you put your muir
dering hands on me?"
The two helped him to stand and,
with what small aid he could give
them, got him stretched out on top
of the table. Doc Joe's skilful hands,
whether or not murderous, swiftly
denuded him from neck to belly
band and removed the make-shift
bandage. Then for time the ply
sician-and there was not a more
skilled within riding range of Bald
Eagle-kept his tongue in his mouth
and gave himself Shrewdly to his
work.
The Judge stood by, watching in
a detached sort of way as though
willing enough to stick around in
case hand were needed, but mildly
bored. The men outside stood look
ing in at the open door; only Cal
Roundtree came in; he didn't know
that he was walking on tip toes.
Sometime later when Early Bill
Cole returned to misty sort of con-
seriousness he made out that he was
in his bed, undressed, bound about
with what he judged to be couple
of miles of bandage, and stuffed into
one of his long-tailed night gowns.
AT the moment somehow he didn't
care.
He had stirred very slightly and
on the instant the two old crones of
his popped into his room.
"Well?" he demanded as sharply
as he could manage.
"You sure bled like stuck
hawg," Doc Joe told him. "Who
shot you, Bill?"
81 wouldn't know, Doc; that's the
hell of it. Say! If you boys happen
to see Teller wearing a light-col-
ored Stetson with a hole in tor
wearing no hat a-tall-or one brand
new out of the store-But let's take
up business before pleasure, as the
Teller says. Got my come-uppance
for certain this trip, huh, Doc?"
81 sort of reckon, Bill" he said,
pulling at his lower lip, that it
won't be alfred long now before
this is better, cleaner world-and
me and the Judge will be winning
a couple of BETS"
"Hmf!" said Early Bill. Then that
crooked and somehow endearing old
grin of his came back, just a ghost
VI "lidI IL uoCd W NC Dut sun lneTe,
like a flicker of winter sunlight.
might be you lose out yet, you two
scums of creation. Might be your
horses runs away and breaks your
damn necks before l check out!"
Nobody said anything for little
while. Early Bill was resting, Doc
Joe stepped out to bring him some
thing to swallow, mostly hot whisky,
and the Judge appeared to be taking
matters judicially under advise
ment. They lifted Early Bill and
got his drink down him. Then they
had one apiece.
The draft brought the sick and
wounded man a flush of strength.
He spoke more clearly.
squat, you boys, and listen. Me,
I'll do the talking"
They dragged up chairs.