Part 7 (1/2)

”Come in! Come in!” the feller says, callin' a man for the horses.

”Glad to accommodate you. Who's your prisoner?”

”That's Texas Charlie that robbed the Bank of Euclid single-handed,”

answers Jim. ”He give us a long run clean across the State, but we got him jest as he was settin' over into the Indian Territory.

Fought like a tiger.”

It worked fine. The feller, whose name was Morgan, give us a good layout for the night and a bully breakfast next morning.

That desperado game was simply great. The other fellers attended to the horses, and I jest sat around lookin' vicious, and had my grub brought to me, while the women acted sorrowful and fed me pie and watermelon pickles.

When we was ready to leave next morning, Jim says: ”Now, Mr. Morgan, I'll fix up them vouchers with you,” and givin' me the wink, I let out a yell, and jabbin' the spurs into Black Hawk, we cleared the fence and was off like a puff of dust, with the rest of 'em shootin'

and screamin' after me like mad.

Say! It was lovely--and when the boys overtook me, out of sight of the house, Morgan would have been astonished to see the sheriff, his posse, and the terrible desperado doubled up in their saddles laughin' fit to bust.

Well, sir! we never had a hitch in the proceedings for five days, and I was gettin' to feel a sort of pride in my record as a bank-robber, forger, horse-thief, and murderer, accordin' to the way Bennett presented it. He certainly was the boss liar of the range.

He had a story framed up that painted me as the bloodiest young tough the Lone Star had ever produced, and it never failed to get me all the attention there was in the house.

One night we came to the best lookin' place we'd seen, and, in answer to Jim's summons, out walked an old man, followed by two of the prettiest girls I ever saw, who joined their father in invitin' us in.

”Glad to be of a.s.sistance to you, Mr. Sheriff,” he said. ”My name is Purdy, sir! Colonel Purdy, as you may have heard. In the Mexican War, special mention three times for distinguished conduct. These are my daughters, sir! Annabel and Marie.” As we went in, he continued: ”You say you had a hard time gettin' your prisoner? He looks young for a criminal. What's he wanted for?”

Somehow, when I saw those girls blus.h.i.+n' and bowin' behind their father, I didn't care to have my crimes made out any blacker'n necessary and I tried to give Jim the high-sign to let me off easy--just make it forgery or arson--but he was lookin' at the ladies, and evidently believin' in the strength of a good impression, he said: ”Well, yes! He's young but they never was a old man with half his crimes. He's wanted for a good many things in different places, but I went after him for horse-stealin' and murder. Killed a rancher and his little daughter, then set fire to the house and ran off a bunch o' stock.”

”Oh! Oh! How dreadful!” shuddered the girls, backin' off with horrified glances at me.

I tried to get near Jim to step on his foot, but the old man was glarin' at me somethin' awful.

”Come to observe him closely, he has a depraved face,” says he. ”He looks the thorough criminal in every feature, dead to every decent impulse, I s'pose.”

I could have showed him a live impulse that would have surprised him about then.

In those days I was considered a pretty handsome feller too, and I knew I had Jim beat before the draw on looks, but he continues makin'

matters worse.

”Yes, and he's desperate too. One of the worst I ever see. We had an awful fight with him up here on the line of the Territory. He shot Martin and me before we got him. Ye see, I wanted to take him alive, and so I took chances on gettin' hurt.

”Thank ye, Miss; my arm does ache considerable; of course, if you'd jest as soon dress it--Oh, no! I'm no braver'n anybody else, I guess. Nice of ye to say so, anyhow,” and he went grinnin' out into the kitchen with the girls to fix up his arm.

The old man insisted on havin' my feet bound together and me fastened to a chair, and said: ”Yes, yes, I know you can watch him, but you're in my house now, and I feel a share of the responsibility upon me.

I've had experience with desperate characters and I'm goin' to be sure that this young reprobate don't escape his just punishment. Are you sure you don't need more help gettin' him home? I'll go with you if--”

”Thank ye,” interrupted Hollis. ”We've chased the scoundrel four hundred miles, and I reckon, now we've got him, we can keep him.”