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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d9320c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #60322 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60322) diff --git a/old/60322-0.txt b/old/60322-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 3791d29..0000000 --- a/old/60322-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8332 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Missing Pocket-Book, by Harry Castlemon - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Missing Pocket-Book - Tom Mason's Luck - -Author: Harry Castlemon - -Release Date: September 18, 2019 [EBook #60322] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - -Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end. - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: THE SHERIFF AND THE CATTLEMEN.] - - - - -THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK OR _TOM MASON’S LUCK_ - - - BY HARRY CASTLEMON - - AUTHOR OF “THE GUNBOAT SERIES,” “ROCKY MOUNTAIN - SERIES,” “WAR SERIES,” ETC. - - PHILADELPHIA - HENRY T. COATES & CO. - - * * * * * - -COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY PORTER & COATES. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF IT, 1 - - II. MR. DAVENPORT’S SECRET, 22 - - III. ’RASTUS JOHNSON, 40 - - IV. ELAM’S POOR MARKSMANSHIP, 59 - - V. THE WEST FORK OF TRINITY, 79 - - VI. MR. DAVENPORT’S POCKET-BOOK, 99 - - VII. TOM HAS AN IDEA, 119 - - VIII. TOM’S LUCK, 139 - - IX. HENDERSON IS ASTONISHED, 159 - - X. OFF FOR AUSTIN, 179 - - XI. HENDERSON IN NEW BUSINESS, 198 - - XII. HE DOES NOT SUCCEED, 219 - - XIII. HENDERSON MEETS COYOTE BILL, 239 - - XIV. PROVING THE WILL, 261 - - XV. TOM GETS SOME MONEY, 282 - - XVI. A RAID BY THE COMANCHES, 303 - - XVII. MY FRIEND THE OUTLAW, 325 - - XVIII. CONCLUSION, 346 - - * * * * * - -THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK; OR, TOM MASON’S LUCK. - - - - -CHAPTER I. RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF IT. - - - CATTLEMEN AND FARMERS READY FOR WAR. - - FORT WORTH, August 5, 18--. One hundred and seventy-five thousand - head of cattle are being slowly drifted and driven from the - drought-parched sections of Northwestern Texas into Jacks County, - along the waters of the West Fork of Trinity. The herders who - accompany them demand that they must have grass and water, or - blood. The farmers, who will be greatly damaged by the passage of - these immense herds, are arming and say the cattle shall not come - in--that they must be driven back at all hazards. To permit them to - pass means fences destroyed, crops ruined, and the meagre supply of - water exhausted; to turn them back means death to the cattle and - financial disaster to the men who own them. To-day the news was - carried from house to house, and the farmers are turning out to a - man, resolved to rendezvous on Bear Creek and forbid the driving of - the cattle through their lands. Large squads have gone to the front, - and they are well-armed and desperate. Sheriff Reins will be on hand - to-morrow, and so will a company of militia under command of Captain - Fuller. Several conflicts, involving the loss of six or seven lives, - have already taken place between the cattlemen and the farmers, the - particulars of which have not yet found publicity. - -Of all the boys into whose hands this story may fall, and who make it -a point to read the daily papers, I venture to say that not one in a -hundred will remember that he ever saw the above despatch, which was -flashed over the wires one bright summer morning a few years ago; -but if those boys had been on the ground as I was, and witnessed the -thrilling and affecting scenes that transpired before and after that -despatch was written, they would have seen some things that time could -never efface from their memories. - -If ever I saw suffering cattle or determined, almost desperate, men, -who were fairly spoiling for a fight, it was on that sweltering August -day when a big brown-whiskered man, a wealthy farmer of Jacks County, -accompanied by the sheriff and two deputies, rode up to the wagon and -demanded to see “the boss.” Around the wagon were gathered a weary and -dusty party of men and boys, who had come there to slake their thirst, -and John Chisholm, the man to whose enterprise and push the great Texas -cattle trade owed its existence, was just raising a cup of the precious -fluid to his lips. I say “precious” because our supply was limited, and -the nearest stream far away. - -“It tastes as though it had been boiled for a week,” said he, after he -had moistened his parched mouth, “but every drop of it is worth its -weight in gold. Touch it lightly, boys, for there is no telling when we -shall be able to fill the cask again. Have any of the scouts come in -yet? If we don’t find a pool pretty soon we shall all be ruined. Just -see there!” he added, waving his hand toward the back trail. “A blind -man could easily follow our route, for every rod of it is marked with -dead beeves.” - -It would have taken something besides a “pool” of water to quench the -thirst of that multitude of cattle, which were drifting along a mile -or so in advance of the wagon, almost concealed by the suffocating -cloud of dust that hung over them and pointed out their line of travel. -Just how many of them there were in the herd the most experienced -cattleman could not guess, for the flanks of the drove as well as its -leading members were far out of sight. There were more than a dozen -outfits mixed up together, no attempt having been made to keep them -apart; nor was there any effort made to control their movements beyond -keeping them headed toward the West Fork of Trinity, the nearest point -at which water could be obtained. The suffering beasts complained -piteously as they plodded along, and now and then deep mutterings of -challenge and defiance, followed by a commotion somewhere in the herd, -would indicate the spot where perhaps a dozen of the half maddened -animals had closed in deadly combat. It was little wonder that the -sixty bronzed and weather-beaten men who accompanied them were in -fighting humor, and ready to resist to the death any interference with -their efforts to find water or grass. They were almost consumed with -thirst themselves. Every drop of water they drank was brought along in -the wagon, and there was so little of it that no one thought of taking -more than a swallow at a time. Scouts had been sent out early in the -morning with instructions to search everywhere for a water-course, and -it was as Mr. Chisholm enquired about them, and handed back the cup he -had drained, that the sheriff rode up and asked to see “the boss.” - -“’Pears to me as if this outfit was bossing itself,” replied Mr. -Chisholm, facing about in his saddle and looking sharply at the -newcomers. “You can see for yourself, without looking, that all we can -do is to keep the critters pointed toward the West Fork. But you don’t -belong on our side of the house. Where might you hail from?” - -“I am sheriff of this county, and came out to tell you that you must -not trespass on the grounds of our farmers,” answered the officer. - -“Well, then, what do you come to us for?” enquired Mr. Chisholm, while -the men around him scowled savagely and played with the locks of their -rifles. “Go and serve your warning on the critters. Can’t you see that -some of them are miles ahead of us? How are we going to turn them back -when our horses are nigh about as ready to drop as the cattle are? I -tell you it can’t be done!” - -“Don’t you know it means ruin to us farmers if we allow those famishing -cattle to get into our fields?” demanded the brown-whiskered man, who -seemed quite as ready and willing to fight as the cattlemen were. “They -will break down our fences and eat up the very crops on which our lives -depend. Besides, there are no more grass and water in the country than -we want ourselves.” - -“I’m powerful sorry to hear you say that, but I don’t see what we are -going to do about it,” said Mr. Chisholm. “We’ve got to go somewhere -now that we have started.” - -The sheriff opened his lips to speak, but the brown-whiskered man was -too quick for him. - -“You don’t know what you are going to do about it, don’t you?” he said, -with a savage emphasis. “Well, I will tell you. When you get to the top -of that swell yonder you will see, a couple of miles off, a long line -of willows.” - -“Now, if that isn’t the best piece of news I have heard for a week I -wouldn’t say so!” exclaimed the cattleman. “Where there’s timber there -is water, of course. I thought the critters were a-travelling along a -trifle pearter than they were a while back. Sam, you drive on ahead -with the wagon and fill up the cask, and the rest of us will kinder -scatter out on the flanks and head the critters toward the willows our -friend speaks of.” - -“Will you let me get through with what I have to say?” shouted the -farmer, his face growing white with anger. “You go near those willows -if you dare! There are more than two hundred men hidden among them, and -if our pickets can’t turn your cattle back they’ll shoot them!” - -“Will, eh?” exclaimed Mr. Chisholm, his face wearing a good-natured -smile, that was very aggravating to the brown-whiskered farmer. “I hope -not, for if you shoot our stock we’ll have to shoot you to pay for it. -Look a-here,” he added, turning his horse about and riding up close to -the man he was addressing, “I tell you once for all, stranger----” - -“Hold! I command the peace!” cried the sheriff, seeing that the men and -boys around the wagon were moving up to support their leader. “Keep -back, all of you!” - -“The peace hasn’t been broken yet,” replied Mr. Chisholm, “and I assure -you that I and my friends have no intention of breaking it; but our -watchword is, ‘Grass and water, or blood!’ and it is for you to decide -which it shall be. We are not the men to stand by with our hands in -our pockets and see our stock perish for want of something to eat and -drink, and you misjudge us if that is the kind of fellows you took us -for. You farmers were very kind to yourselves when you ran your fences -along every water-course in the State, so’t we cattlemen could not get -to it. Water’s free and we want our share of it.” - -“But our land has been paid for, and you have no right to come upon it -after we have told you to keep off,” said the farmer. - -“Some of you have paid for the land you raise crops on and some are -squatters the same as we cattlemen are,” answered Mr. Chisholm, -becoming earnest, but still fighting to keep down his rising anger. -“There are miles and miles of these streams been fenced in and shut off -from us stock-raisers without any warrant of law, and now we are going -to walk over some of them same fences.” - -“If you attempt it we shall shoot you down like dogs!” said the farmer -fiercely, and as he spoke he lifted his rifle an inch or two from the -horn of his saddle, as if he had half a mind to begin the shooting then -and there. - -“Easy, easy, Mr. Walker,” interposed the sheriff, laying his hand upon -the angry man’s arm. “We’ve got the right on our side and the whole -power of the State behind us, and there’s no need that you should get -yourself into trouble by taking matters into your own hands. I warn you -to turn back,” he continued, addressing himself to Mr. Chisholm. “I am -an officer of the law, and if you do not pay some attention to what I -say I shall be obliged to arrest you.” - -The cattleman laughed, not loudly, but heartily and silently. - -“I reckon you’re a new man who has just been put into office,” said he, -as soon as he could speak. “If you were an old hand at the business you -would know that it would take pretty considerable of a posse to arrest -any man in this outfit. I wouldn’t try it if I were sheriff.” - -“Well, you have heard my warning,” said Mr. Walker, “and the blame for -whatever happens will be on your own head. Nearly all the farmers in -the county have assembled to resist your advance, and they sent me out -here to tell you that you have come far enough. Now, will you turn back -or not?” - -“I aint got much patience with a man who has two good eyes in his head -to keep on asking such a question as that. Of course we’ll not turn -back! We can’t!” - -“Then we shall drive you back,” said Mr. Walker. “That’s all there is -about it. Because the drought has ruined your business you need not -think we are going to let you ruin ours.” - -The farmer rode away, shaking his head and muttering to himself, and -paying no sort of attention to the sheriff, who spurred to his side -and tried to reason with him. After a while the sheriff came back to -expostulate with the leader of the cattlemen; but the latter waved him -aside. - -“I don’t blame you, Mr. Officer,” said he. “You have done nothing but -duty in warning us not to trespass on them farmers’ grounds, but you -see how we are fixed, don’t you? We can’t stop where we are. All the -cowboys in Texas could not turn the critters back now that they have -got a sniff of the water that is flashing along sparkling and cold -behind them willows, and what is there left for us but to go on? All we -ask of you and your posse is to keep out of the way. We cattlemen know -how to take care of ourselves.” - -“But don’t you see that I can’t keep out of your way?” demanded the -sheriff. “As an officer it is my duty to oppose your further progress!” - -“Then it will be my duty to ride over you rough-shod,” said the -cattleman cheerfully. “I don’t want to do that, for you seem to be a -good sort, even if you are an officer. If you will be governed by the -advice of one who knows more about this country and the men who live -in it than you are ever likely to learn, you will ride down to the -willows and tell them farmers to fall back and give our perishing stock -a chance at the water. If they will listen to you there will be no -trouble. Me and my friends will camp nigh the stream to-night, hold a -council of war in the morning, and like as not we’ll come to some sort -of an understanding. But I can’t spend any more time with you. If you -or the farmers are going to force a fight upon us, we must get ready -for it.” - -So saying Mr. Chisholm waved his hand to the officer and rode away, -leaving us three boys from the North, who had ridden up close to hear -this consultation and the threats it contained, in a state of dreadful -uncertainty. We had come from our homes, somewhere near Denver, which -at that time was little more than a sprinkling of miner cabins, with -no such thoughts as this in our minds, and here we were right in the -midst of it--civil war! We had come down there to invest a few hundred -dollars in cattle. We thought we could make something by it. By keeping -far to the eastward, along the banks of the Red River, we had got -beyond reach of the Comanche and Kiowas and other Indians who felt -inclined to steal everything we had, and then by turning rapidly to the -west had found ourselves right among the cattlemen almost before we -knew it. - -You remember that there were three of us boys--Elam Storm, now no -longer moody and reticent, but hail fellow well met with everybody, -for we had found the nugget of which he had been in search for so many -years; Tom Mason, who went by the name of “Lucky Tom”; and myself, -Carlos Burton, upon whom devolves the duty of writing this story. We -had seen some adventures during our long ride, some that I would gladly -like a chance to relate; but they differed so widely from the scenes we -passed through among those cattlemen that I am glad to pass them by to -tell this story of “Tom Mason’s luck.” Tom was a lucky fellow, that’s a -fact, and for a runaway boy he had a good deal of pluck. I don’t know -that he thought of making any money at the time he was working with us, -but at the same time he took the right way to get it. You know he was -trying to scrape together five thousand dollars, the amount he stole -from his uncle--a large sum for a boy of his age to make; but he had -that amount and more too when he went home. I will tell all about it -when I get to it. - -At length, when we had been so long on our journey that Elam and Tom -declared that I had missed my way, we ran across a fence, and that -night we struck the farmer’s house. I noticed that there was corn on -the other side of the fence, and that instead of being healthy and -green and thrifty-looking, it was stunted and its leaves were beginning -to turn yellow. It looked as though it was all ready to gather, only -there was not the sign of an ear on any of the stalks that we could -see. I found out the reason for this when we put up at the farmer’s -house that night,--the first house we had stayed in since leaving -Uncle Ezra’s,--when he told us that there had not been a drop of rain -in that part of Texas for sixteen months. Water was beginning to get -scarce, and the worst of it was, the grass on the school-lands, miles -away where all these cattle were pastured, was burning up, and they -expected every day to find an army of famishing cattle coming down upon -them. - -“And that’s something we can’t stand,” said the farmer. “We have only -a little grass and water for our own use, and those cattle will use -up all we have got. More than that, they will break down our fences -and ruin our crops so that we shan’t have a thing to go on. That’s one -thing we have to contend with in Texas--long droughts.” - -That was one thing I hadn’t thought of, and when we started the next -day I took particular notice of the grass and water and found that they -were tolerable scarce, every little mud hole in which there was water -being fenced in to keep their stock away from it. I had never been in -that part of Texas before, and I found that water was hard to get at, -we having to fill our bottles to last us all day; but I supposed it -was characteristic of the country. Of course the little stock that the -farmers had was thrifty and fat, as well they might be, for they had -water enough, only not as much as they wanted; but the farther we went -into the country the worse grew the situation. We often had to beg for -water, and it was the first time I ever did such a thing in my life. - -At last we got beyond the range of the farmers, and then we found what -suffering for water meant. We were generally able to find a mud hole -or two in which water had been, and which was not entirely dry, and by -digging down in it would get enough to quench our thirst, and there we -would stay until the next morning to enable our horses to gain strength -enough to carry us; but there was no grass for them to eat. Everything -was dried up. Two nights we spent without water. We had enough in our -bottles for ourselves, but our poor horses were obliged to go thirsty. -Elam I knew was all right. He would keep on until I gave the word to -go back, and if his horse played out, he would shoulder his pack and -go ahead on foot, but I looked for a complaint from Tom. It is true he -looked pretty glum when his horse came up to him in the morning and -said as plainly as he could that he was thirsty, and Tom could count -every bone in his body, but never a word of protest did I hear from -him. He would get on and ride as if nothing was the matter. - -One afternoon we came within sight of a long line of willows which we -knew lined a stream, the first we had seen for many a day, and near -them was a large herd of cattle ranging about and trying to find enough -to eat. A little nearer to us, on a little rise of ground, we saw a -horse, his rider having dismounted to give him a chance to browse. He -saw us as soon as we did him, and shaded his eyes with his hand and -looked at us. Then he picked up his rifle and held it in the hollow of -his arm. - -“What is he going to do?” said Tom. “Is he going to try to keep us away -from that water?” - -“We will soon know,” I replied. “I never knew a cowboy to be armed -with a rifle before. It proves that there has been somebody here after -his water, and he wants to be prepared to meet them at long range.” - -It was four miles to where he was, and it took us all of an hour to -get up there. It seemed as if our horses couldn’t raise a trot to -save their lives. As we made no move to raise our weapons, he finally -dropped his to the ground and leaned upon it. - -“How-dy!” said I, as soon as we got within speaking distance. That is -the term that Western men always use in addressing one another. “I’m -almost dead for a drink, and have come here to see if you would give us -some.” - -“You are alone, I take it?” said the cowboy. - -“We are alone,” said I. - -“There’s nobody behind you with a big drove of cattle, is there?” - -“Nobody at all. We came down here to buy stock, but I don’t believe we -want any now.” - -“You can have all we’ve got,” said he, with a smile. “We’ll sell ’em -to you at a dollar apiece.” - -I looked around at the walking skeletons he was willing to dispose of -at so meagre a price. They were too far away for me to see much of -them, but still I could tell that they were gaunt and scraggy in the -extreme. Some of them were lying down flat on their sides, with their -heads extended, and when a steer gets that way he is in a bad fix. - -“I had no idea that your steers were in such shape,” said I. “Are some -of them dead?” - -“Oh, no; there’s plenty of life left in them yet. You will find plenty -of water on the other side of those willows. You see some cattlemen -came up here the other day from the same direction you came from, -looking for grass and water, and said they were going to come in at all -hazards; that’s what made me pick up my rifle when I saw you.” - -“We aint seed no cattlemen down this way,” said Elam. “We aint seed -anything but farmers.” - -We were too thirsty to waste any more time in talking, and so we rode -down on the other side of the willows to find the “plenty of water” -the cowboy spoke of. Well, there was plenty of it, such as it was, -but it was scattered along the creek in little holes, and had been -trampled in by the cattle until it was all roiled up; a filthy place -to drink, but boys and horses went at it, and by the time we had got -all the water we wanted there wasn’t much left in that hole. We filled -our bottles, saw our horses drink all they needed, and then mounted and -rode back to where we had left the hospitable cowboy. - -“I don’t call that plenty of water,” said Tom, who nevertheless had -been a good deal revived by the hearty swig he had taken. “I wish you -had some of the water that was overflowing the Mississippi valley when -I left it. It was enough to flood this whole country.” - -“Well, pilgrim, it is enough for us, situated the way we are now. I -have seen the time when that bayou down there was booming full, and -you would have to wait for a week before you could cross it. I suppose -you would like a roof to shelter you to-night, wouldn’t you?” said the -cowboy. “Well, if you will follow the creek up about ten miles, you -will find the ranch of Mr. Davenport, my boss. He will give you plenty -to eat and a shakedown, but your horses will fare hard for grass.” - -“Thank you! We would like something a little different from the bacon -and crackers we have been living upon so long,” said I. “Mr. Davenport -isn’t so hard up as his cattle?” - -“Oh, bless you, he’s got plenty. He got a whole wagon load of things -last night.” - -Thanking the cowboy again for his kindness in showing us the water, -we rode away. The route we followed took us directly through his -cattle, and I was not much surprised when I remembered what the cowboy -had said about selling them for a dollar apiece. I never saw such -poverty-stricken cattle in my life. Even the bulls paid no sort of -attention to us, and we told one another that we thought our trip to -Texas had not amounted to anything, and that we would have to wait -until the next spring before we could take any cattle home with us. -While we were talking the matter over, Tom pointed out in the distance -the whitewashed walls of Mr. Davenport’s ranch. - - - - -CHAPTER II. MR. DAVENPORT’S SECRET. - - -The nearer we approached to the ranch the more like a home place it -looked to us, the only thing that did not appear natural being the -hayracks that were usually piled up for the horses. These were all -gone, thus proving that the ranchman had not been able to provide any -more for the benefit of his steeds that were to carry him and his -cowboys during all sorts of weather. Of course there could be no hay -while the grass that was to furnish it was all burned up. As we drew -nearer we discovered a man and a boy sitting on the porch. They did -not wait for us to speak to them, but the boy got up with his face -beaming all over with smiles, while the man, who seemed to be a sort of -invalid, kept his chair. - -“Strangers, you’re welcome to Hardscrabble,” said he. “Alight and -hitch. Your horses won’t go very far away, and so you can turn them -loose.” - -“Thank you,” said I. I was expected to do all the talking. “Do we -address Mr. Davenport?” - -“That is my name,” returned the invalid. “And I see you are boys, too. -Bob will be glad of that. Come up here.” - -It did not take us very long to remove our saddles and bridles from -our horses and carry them up on the porch. Then we shook hands with -Mr. Davenport and his son Bob, and took the chairs that were promptly -brought out to us. - -“You are very young men to be travelling around this way,” said the -invalid. “I shouldn’t think that your parents would permit it.” - -“Well, I don’t know that we have any parents to say what we shall do. -We are alone in the world, with the exception of Tom here, who has an -uncle in Mississippi. We have come a thousand miles to buy some cattle; -but I don’t think, from what I have seen of your cattle, that we shall -want any.” - -“Oh, this drought is simply awful,” said the invalid, rising up in his -chair. “We haven’t had a drop of rain for sixteen months, and if it -keeps on much longer we shall all die in the poor-house. The route you -came led you through a portion of my herd. I want to know if you ever -saw such a sorry looking lot of cattle as they are?” - -This seemed to be the opportunity that Mr. Davenport was waiting for, -and he began and told us all about those troublous times in Texas -during the past two years, and he said that the drought and the farmers -were to blame for it. There had been a period in the history of the -State when the stockmen had things all their own way; when their herds -roamed over almost two thousand square miles of territory, going -wherever grass and water were most abundant, and attended by only a few -Mexican vaqueros, whose principal business it was to see that their -employer’s outfit did not become mixed up with cattle belonging to -somebody else. But, of course, this state of affairs could not continue -forever in a country like ours. The soil of Texas was as well adapted -to agriculture as it was to stock raising, and it was not long before -people began to find it out. - -When the tide of immigration begins setting toward any State or -Territory, it is astonishing how quickly it will become filled up. In a -very short time the farmers grew to be a power in the cattle lands of -Texas. Of course they settled along the water courses, or as close to -them as they could get, and when they selected their land they fenced -it in and turned it up with the plough, thus depriving the cattlemen of -just so many acres of pasture, and in some instances shutting them off -from the streams. - -Of course, too, bad blood existed between these two classes from the -very first. The cattlemen saw their limits growing smaller day by -day, and they did not take it very much to heart when their half wild -cattle broke through the fences and ruined the fields upon which the -farmers had expended so much labor; but they got fighting mad when the -farmers sued them in the courts and were awarded heavy damages for -their crops. Neighborhood rows and civil wars on a small scale were -of common occurrence, and during this particular summer the long to be -remembered drought came, and I could rest assured of one thing, and -that was, matters were going to be brought to a climax. It was surely -coming, and the farmers would find out one thing, and that was, that -Mr. Davenport, even if he was half dead from consumption, could shoot -as well as anybody. - -For long months not a particle of rain fell upon the parched soil, and -when the school-lands, on which large numbers of cattle grazed, were -utterly barren of verdure and rendered worthless for years to come, and -all the little streams went dry, the ranchmen saw ruin staring them in -the face. The sufferings of the walking skeletons, which represented -every dollar they had in the world, were terrible in the extreme, and -grass and water must be had at any price. The nearest point at which -these could be had was on the West Fork of Trinity. It was true that -the most, if not all, of the land in that vicinity had been turned into -farms and fenced in, but what did the desperate cattlemen care for -that? Grass and water were the free gifts of Heaven, and, if necessary, -they were ready to fight for their share. - -What it was that induced Mr. Davenport to say all this to me, an entire -stranger, I cannot imagine, unless it was because he was so excited -by the financial distress which he saw hanging over him that he must -tell it to somebody. Sometimes during his narrative he would get up -out of his chair and pace back and forth on the porch as if all his -old strength had come back to him. His eye would kindle, until I made -up my mind that if all the ranchmen were like him there would be some -shooting before the summer was over. For myself I heartily wished I was -safe back where I belonged. - -“Do you own this land where you are located?” I asked, feeling that I -must say something. - -“No, nor does anybody else. We are squatters. My neighbors tell me that -there was a time, not so very long ago, when this ranch was located at -least a hundred miles to the east of where it is now; but the farmers -kept coming in until I am where I am now. You can’t keep cattle where -there is land fenced in.” - -“What makes you think that you are going to drive your stock away from -here toward Trinity?” - -“Because there were a couple of men here from the lower counties, not -three weeks ago, to see if I would join in,” answered the invalid. -“You see my cattle would get all mixed up with others and there is no -telling when we would get them apart. That will make it necessary for -me to hire some more men, and as you haven’t got anything to do, why -can’t you hire out to me?” - -“That’s an idea,” said I. “I will speak to my companions about it and -see what they have to say. We would rather not have any shooting----” - -“Oh, you will see plenty of it if you stay around with us,” said Mr. -Davenport. “The minute we get near Trinity it will commence. Why, there -must be as much as one hundred and seventy-five thousand head of cattle -that need watering. It’s all farms up that way too.” - -“I was about to say that we would rather not have any shooting around -where we are,” I continued. “But if there is going to be any we would -rather be where we can have a hand in it.” - -“That’s the trouble, is it?” said Mr. Davenport, with a smile. - -“Yes, sir. And as far as paying us anything--why, we are here with you -now, and if you will give us board it is all we ask.” - -I looked at Tom and he nodded his head. I glanced around for Elam, but -he and Bob had disappeared. They had got into conversation and had gone -off to look at something. - -“That’s all right,” said Mr. Davenport. “That boy has been confined -here on the ranch and he has not seen a companion before. I have been -afraid to let him out of my sight. By the way, this man whom you have -just introduced to me is all right?” - -“Who? Elam? Oh, yes! You can trust him anywhere.” - -“I mean he wouldn’t let harm come to Bob without making a fuss about -it.” - -“No, sir,” said I, rather astonished at the proposition. “I don’t see -that any harm can come to him out here.” - -“Well, I don’t know,” said Mr. Davenport, with a heavy sigh, which told -how heavily the matter bore on his mind, “I don’t know.” - -Not to dwell too long on incidents that are not connected with this -story, I will simply say that we were presented to two of the cowboys -that night at supper time as the fellows Mr. Davenport had employed to -help him drive his cattle north, our duties to begin on the day the -march commenced. I took a great notion to the two men--tall, rawboned, -and rough, and the simple and earnest manner in which they agreed with -their employer on all questions concerning the conduct of the farmers, -in keeping his cattle out on the barren prairie where there was neither -water nor grass to be had, made me think that their hearts were in the -matter. - -During the next week I noticed that Bob and Elam went off somewhere -immediately after breakfast and did not get back before night. That -was all right to me, but I wanted to make sure that Elam knew what he -was doing, so one day when I got a chance to speak to him in private I -said: - -“What do you and Bob do when you are gone all day?” - -“Sho!” said Elam, with a laugh. “He just makes me lay under the trees -and tell him stories.” - -“You are sure no harm comes to him?” - -“Harm? What is going to harm him out here?” - -“I don’t know and his father doesn’t know; but if you are wise you will -keep your eyes open.” - -“Harm!” repeated Elam. “Well; I should like to see somebody harm him. -He’s got a good heart, that boy has. Be they going to shoot him?” - -“I don’t know what they are going to do, I tell you. If his father ever -tells me I will tell you.” - -During all this time Mr. Davenport kept Tom and me close to himself. -It was a companionship that was entirely new to him in that country, -and he wanted to make the most of it. Before I had been acquainted with -him twenty-four hours I could see that he was different from most men -who made stock raising a business, that for years he had been out there -where he had nobody to talk to, and I was sure he had some secret to -tell us. One day it all came out, as I knew it would, if we let the -matter alone and did not trouble him with it. It was a hot day during -the first of August and we were sitting there on the porch, trying to -raise a little breeze by fanning ourselves with our hats. It was after -dinner, and the Mexican cook had gone somewhere to sleep and we were -there alone. - -“I haven’t always been what you see me now,” said Mr. Davenport, -settling back in his chair as if he had resolved upon his course. “I -have a secret which I want to tell Bob, but I don’t know how to go -about it. It isn’t anything of which I am ashamed,--many men have done -the same before me,--but somehow I have let it go so long that it has -become a task to me. I want to ask your advice about it. You are -comparative strangers to me, but somehow I have taken to you and want -to trust you. I haven’t had anyone around me to whom I was willing to -confide it, and now I know that I am not long for this world I want to -see Bob have his rights.” - -With these words the invalid began his story. It was short, but we -could both see how great an effort it cost him. - -Mr. Davenport was an old “forty-niner.” He spent a few successful years -in the gold mines and then returned to the States, and established -himself as a wholesale merchant in St. Louis, his native city, and -soon became known as one of its most enterprising business men. The -only relatives he had in the world, except his son Bob,--who was not -his son in reality,--were an unmarried uncle, who went to Texas and -became a ranchman, and a half brother, who was not a relative to be -proud of. Too lazy to work, this half brother, whose name was Clifford -Henderson, gained a precarious living by his wits. He gambled when he -could raise a stake, and borrowed of his brother when he couldn’t. He -was more familiar with the police court than he was with the interior -of a church, and when his generous brother’s patience was all exhausted -and he positively refused to pay any more of his debts, he left that -brother’s presence with a threat of vengeance on his lips. - -“I will get even with you for this,” said he. “Bob is not your son, and -I will see that you don’t adopt him, either. Whenever I see a notice of -your death,--and you can’t live forever,--I will hunt that boy up and -make him know what it is to be in want, as I am at this moment.” - -The fact that Bob was not his son ought not to have weighed so heavily -with the invalid as it did, but still he could not bear to enlighten -him. He was the son of a friend in the gold mines, who, dying there, -left Bob alone, and Mr. Davenport took him up. He christened him -Davenport, and the boy always answered to his name. There never had -been any doubt in his mind that Bob would some day come in for all his -money, until this Clifford Henderson began his threatenings; and even -after that Mr. Davenport did not wake up and attend to things as he -ought. - -In process of time Mr. Davenport’s unmarried uncle died, and in -his will he made him executor and heir to all the property he had -accumulated in Texas. In the hope that a change in the climate might -prove beneficial to his health, as well as to leave that miserable -Clifford Henderson and all his threatenings behind, Mr. Davenport moved -to Texas and took possession of his legacy, bringing Bob with him. In -fact, the two did not act like father and son, but like two brothers -who could not bear to be separated. All they found when they reached -Texas was a rather dilapidated old house, which was very plainly -furnished, and presided over by a half-breed Mexican cook, who was so -cross and surly that one could hardly get a civil word out of him. The -rest of the help--there were four of them in all--were cowboys. They -spent the most of their lives on the open prairie, looking out for the -safety of Mr. Davenport’s cattle. - -“I have got everything----” - -Mr. Davenport suddenly paused and put back into his coat the large -pocket book which he had been in the act of showing to us. Then he got -upon his feet and carefully closed the door leading into the cabin, and -walked cautiously to one end of the porch and looked around the house, -then to the other end, but came back without seeing anybody. - -“One has to be careful,” said he, in explanation. “I am as afraid of my -help as of anything else.” - -“Of your help!” I exclaimed. “If there is anybody here that you are -afraid of, why don’t you discharge him?” - -“Because I want to see what he is here for,” said the invalid. “He -works for nothing at all, but yet he always seems to have plenty of -money. You know ’Rastus Johnson?” - -Yes, we did know him, and he was one of the few people about the ranch -to whom I had taken a violent dislike. He was just the man to excite -the contempt of a Texan, because he couldn’t ride; but when he came -to Mr. Davenport’s ranch six months ago, and told a pitiful story -about the luck that had befallen him in the mines, he was given odd -jobs to do about the ranch for his board. There were two things that -struck Mr. Davenport as peculiar, or we might say three, and tempted -by something, he knew not what, he kept the man around the house as -much as possible and watched his movements. One was the care he took -of his six-shooters. He had a splendid pair, and when engaged in no -other occupation, he was always rubbing them up until they shone like -silver. The other was his story about the mines. He did not know that -Mr. Davenport was an old forty-niner, and he thought he could say what -he pleased to him and he would believe it. The nearest mines that Mr. -Davenport knew anything of were those located about Denver, the very -place we had come from; and the idea that anyone could walk a thousand -miles, right through a country settled up by cattlemen and farmers, -and be as poor as he was when he struck Mr. Davenport’s ranch, was -ridiculous. But Mr. Davenport kept this to himself. He had Clifford -Henderson in mind, and he resolved if ’Rastus attempted anything out -of the way he would expose him on the spot. - -As ’Rastus grew more and more at home about the ranch, other qualities -developed themselves. He took to “snooping” around the house to see -what he could find there, and once, when Mr. Davenport entered the -ranch suddenly, he was certain that he saw ’Rastus engaged in trying -to pick the lock of his desk; but ’Rastus began tumbling up his bed, -and turned upon his employer with such a hearty good-morning that the -invalid was inclined to believe he was mistaken. - -“Yes,” said I, in response to Mr. Davenport’s question; “I believe we -know something about ’Rastus. Some of the cowboys have told us a good -deal about him. Is he the one you are afraid of?” - -“I’ve got the whole thing right here,” said Mr. Davenport, seating -himself in his chair and drawing a big fat pocket-book from his inside -pocket. “It contains my will, and also instructions in regard to -what I want Bob to do with the rest of our herd in case any escape -the effects of the drought. It also contains a full history of the -manner in which he came to me, and hints regarding those threats of -Henderson--whom I sincerely trust he may never see again. In short, -nothing that I could think of has been omitted.” - -“You don’t think that Henderson would follow you down here, do you?” -said Tom. - -“My dear boy, you don’t know anything about that man if you think he -wouldn’t follow me to Europe,” said Mr. Davenport sadly. “If he is -alive, Bob will hear from him; and that he is still alive I am forced -to believe from the actions of this man Johnson. I don’t expect to come -back here, and I want you two boys to swear to what I have told you. -You will, won’t you?” - -Of course Tom and I agreed to it, and then we wondered what sort of a -man Clifford Henderson could be to scare his half brother so badly as -that. - - - - -CHAPTER III. ’RASTUS JOHNSON. - - -Having no wish to pry into Mr. Davenport’s affairs any further than -he was willing to reveal them to us, we did not question the invalid, -although there were some points in his story that I should have liked -to have cleared up. He seemed to know that ’Rastus Johnson was employed -by Clifford Henderson, and I wanted to know what reason he had for -thinking so; but he was sadly used up by his talking, and settled back -in his chair in a state of complete exhaustion. It was this state that -troubled me. I began to think that when his time came to go he would go -suddenly. - -Presently Bob came up accompanied by Elam. I strolled off to find -’Rastus Johnson. You see I was as much interested in that pocket-book -Mr. Davenport carried in his coat as I was in anything else. ’Rastus -Johnson must have known that he carried it there, and if anything -should happen while the invalid was alone the pocket-book would be -found missing; and without a will where would Bob be? Henderson could -claim his property as next of kin, and Bob would be left out in the -cold. I knew that Tom understood all this as well as I did. At any rate -I would speak to him about it the very first chance I had, and arrange -it with him so as to keep Mr. Davenport under guard the whole time. - -It did not take me long to find ’Rastus Johnson. The ranch stood on the -edge of a little grove, and there, under one of the trees, I found the -man of whom I was in search. His hat was pulled over his eyes, as if he -were fast asleep, and the belt containing his revolvers lay near him -on the ground. Evidently they had just received an extra rubbing. He -started up as he heard my footsteps and pulled the hat off his face. - -“Oh, it’s you, is it?” said he, with a long-drawn yawn. “How-dy. What -does the old man have to say to you? He says more to you than he has -to me, and I’ve been on this ranch for three months.” - -“Yes, he has had a good deal to say to Tom and me. He has been telling -us about the threats of Clifford Henderson. Seen anything of him -lately?” I asked, as if I didn’t care whether or not he answered my -question. - -I asked this abruptly, as I meant to do, and the answer I got set all -my doubts at rest. The man was in the employ of Henderson--that was a -fact; and while he used his own time in getting his wits about him, -I busied myself in giving him a good looking over. He was a giant in -strength and stature, long haired and full bearded, and when he sat up -and looked at me, I knew I was looking into the eyes of a desperado -of the worst sort. His clothes were not in keeping with the story of -poverty he had told when he first came to Mr. Davenport’s ranch. They -were whole and clean, and his high-top boots looked as though they had -just come from the hands of the maker. There was something about the -man that made me think he was wanted somewhere else--that there was a -rope in keeping for him, if the parties who held it only knew where -to find him. He looked at me for fully a minute without speaking, then -rested his elbows on his knees and looked down at the ground. - -“I don’t know the man,” said he, and he spoke so that anybody could -have told that he was angry. - -“There is no need of getting huffy about it,” said I carelessly. “Where -is he now?” - -“I tell you I am not acquainted with the man,” said he. “Henderson! I -never heard the name before.” - -“No offence, I hope; but I thought from the way you acted that you -were in his employ. Be honest now, and tell me when you have seen him -lately.” - -“How have I acted?” enquired the man. - -“Oh, snooping around the ranch and trying to find out things that are -not intended for you to know,” I answered carelessly. “You know you -have been doing that ever since you have been here, and Mr. Davenport -is sorry that he ever consented to let you remain.” - -“Did he tell you what I have done?” - -“There is but one thing he could put his finger upon, and that was when -you tried to pick the lock of his desk.” - -“I never----” began Johnson. - -“If you had got into it you wouldn’t have made anything by it. The -man’s papers are safe.” - -“I know he carries them on his person, and he’s got a little revolver -handy, bless the luck. There now, I have let the cat out of the bag! -There’s no one around who can hear what we say, is there? Sit down.” - -I tell you things were going a great deal further than I meant to have -them. I had come out there on purpose to induce Johnson to drop a -hint whether or not he was in Clifford Henderson’s employ, but I had -succeeded almost too well. It looked as though the man was going to -take me into his confidence. It was a dangerous piece of business, too, -for I knew if I did anything out of the way, I would be the mark for -the bullets in one of Johnson’s shining revolvers. - -“I don’t see why I should sit down,” I replied. - -“Sit down a minute; I want to talk to you. You have had bad luck with -your cattle,” said the man, as I picked out a comfortable place to seat -myself. “You once possessed a large drove, but they were taken away -from you at one pop.” - -“That’s so,” I said. “If I could find the men who did it, I wouldn’t -ask the law to take any stock in them. I would take it into my own -hands.” - -“Well, I don’t know anything about that,” said the man. “I wasn’t -there, although, to tell you the truth, I have been in at the bouncing -of more than one herd of cattle that was all ready to drive to market.” - -“What got you in this business, anyway?” I asked suddenly. - -“What business?” - -“Oh, you know as well as I do. A man of your education can make a -living a great deal easier than you do.” - -“Look a-here, young fellow, I did not agree to make a confidant of you -in everything. Perhaps I will do that after a while. What I want to get -at now is this: Are you willing to work with me to have this property -go where it belongs?” - -“Where does it belong?” - -“You mentioned the name of the man not two minutes ago--Clifford -Henderson.” - -“Aha! You do know that man, don’t you?” - -“Yes; and now you know my secret, for I have got a secret as well as -the old man,” said Johnson; and as he spoke he reached out and pulled -his six shooters within easy handling distance, turning the butt of one -up, so that he could catch it at a moment’s warning. - -Now, I suppose some of my readers will think I was in no danger about -that time, but I knew I was. My life hung upon the words I uttered -during the next few minutes. If I had refused I would never have known -what hurt me. Johnson would have shot me down and then reported to Mr. -Davenport that I had insulted him; and as there was no one present to -overhear our conversation, that would have been the last of it. Law -was not as potent then as it is in Texas in our day, and Johnson’s -unsupported word would have been taken, there being no evidence to the -contrary. I tell you I was in something of a fix. - -“How does it come that Henderson has so much interest in this -property?” I enquired. - -“Why, Bob is no relative of Davenport’s at all. He picked him up in the -gold mines,--where his father died and left him,--named him Davenport, -and the boy has been brought up to believe that he has an interest in -all his stocks and bonds. I wish I had known a little more about that -when I came here. I told the old man some funny stories about my being -in the gold mines,” he added, with a laugh. - -“And Henderson doesn’t want him to have it. It seems to me that it -would be the part of policy for Henderson to come here and live with -Mr. Davenport.” - -“Oh, that wouldn’t do at all!” exclaimed the man hastily. “He used -to live with him in St. Louis, but they had an awful row when they -separated, and he is afraid the old man will go to work to adopt the -boy. I tell you he don’t want him to do that!” - -“It seems very strange that Mr. Davenport hasn’t adopted him before -this time.” - -“I lay it to his illness as much as anything. Like all persons who are -troubled with an incurable disease, he thinks something will happen -to take him off the minute he adopts Bob, and I tell you it’s a lucky -thing for us. Well, what do you say?” - -“I don’t propose to go into this thing until I know how much there is -to be made out of it,” I answered, as if I had half a mind to go into -it. “How much are you going to get?” - -“I am not going to take my pay in half-starved cattle, I tell you,” -said Johnson emphatically. “The old man has a few thousand dollars in -bonds in some bank or another,--I don’t know which one it is,--and when -I get that pocket-book in my hands I shall get some of those bonds. I -won’t let it go without it. He ought to give you as much as he gives -me.” - -“How much are you going to get?” I said again. - -“Twenty thousand dollars; and what I want more than anything else is -that pocket-book. He has got his will in there, and I must have that -before anything is done. Now, if you can steal that pocket-book and -give it to me, I’ll see that you are well paid for your trouble. If -Henderson gives you five thousand dollars it would go a long way toward -straightening up your cattle business.” - -“Well, I want some time to think about it. It is a pretty dangerous -piece of work.” - -“Take your own time. We shall not go off until next week. You won’t say -anything to Bob or the old man about it?” - -“Never a word,” I replied, hoping that he wouldn’t ask me to keep -still where Tom and Elam were concerned. I couldn’t possibly get -along without taking them into my confidence, for although it was new -business to them, I felt the want of a little good advice. - -“Because if you do--if I see you riding off alone with either one of -those fellows I shall know what you are up to, and then good-by to all -your chance of getting any money.” - -“You need have no fear,” said I, getting upon my feet. “I shall not say -a word to either one of them.” - -I walked slowly toward the ranch, feeling as if I had signed my own -death warrant. There was no bluster about Johnson, he wasn’t that -sort; but I knew that I not only would lose all chances of getting any -money by going off riding with Mr. Davenport or Bob, but I would lose -my chance of life. I would be shot down at once the first time I was -caught alone, and, with all my practice at revolver drawing,--that -is, pulling it at a moment’s warning,--I would not stand any show at -all. These Texans are a little bit quicker than cats when it comes to -drawing anything. - -“Of all the impudence and scandalous things that I ever heard of, -that ’Rastus Johnson is the beat,” I soliloquized as I walked toward -the house, wondering what I should do when I got there. “A man comes -out to steal a will from another man and pitches upon me, an entire -stranger, because I have had ill luck with my cattle. Of course I have -no intention of doing anything of the kind, but if something should -happen to get this fellow into serious trouble---- By gracious! if this -man was lynched he could take me with him.” - -When I reached the ranch and mounted the steps that led to the porch -I found Tom and Elam sitting there alone. Mr. Davenport had talked -himself into a state of complete exhaustion and had gone in to take a -nap, taking Bob with him as guard. In order to secure the quietness he -wanted they had closed the door after them. I felt that now was my only -chance. I saw by the look of surprise on Elam’s face that Tom had been -hurriedly whispering to him what Mr. Davenport had told us. - -“Where have you been?” enquired Tom. “We have been waiting half an hour -for you.” - -“Is it a fact that this Johnson has been working for Clifford -Henderson?” exclaimed Elam. “If I was in Davenport’s place I would -drive him off the ranch.” - -“Sh--! Don’t talk so loud,” I admonished him. “I’ve been gone half an -hour, and during that time I have heard some things that will astonish -you. I have learned that Johnson is in Henderson’s employ, and that he -wants me to act as his accomplice.” - -I uttered these words in a whisper, thinking of the listening ones -there might be on the other side of that door, and when I got through I -tiptoed first to one end of the porch and then to the other to keep a -lookout for Johnson. I was afraid of the “snooping” qualities that the -fellow had developed, and if he had suddenly come around the corner of -the house and caught me in the act of whispering to my friends I would -not have been at all surprised at it. Tom and Elam were both amazed at -what I had told them, and looked at one another with a blank expression -on their faces. - -“Tom, he wants me to steal that pocket-book Mr. Davenport showed us -to-day,” I continued. “He says the will is in there and he can’t -do anything without it. He says the property rightfully belongs to -Henderson.” - -“If I were in your place I would go right straight to Mr. Davenport -with it,” said Tom, speaking in a whisper this time. - -“And be shot for your trouble,” chimed in Elam, waking up to the -emergencies of the case. - -“That’s the idea, exactly,” I went on. “He would shoot me down as -soon as he would look at me, and then report to Mr. Davenport that I -had insulted him; then what could anybody do about it? You fellows -would have to shoot him, and that would end the matter. I promised I -wouldn’t say anything to Bob or his father about it, but I had a mental -reservation in my mind when it came to you. Now I want to know what I -shall do about it.” - -“Tell us the whole thing, and then perhaps we can pass judgment upon -it,” whispered Tom. “I don’t know that I understand you.” - -With that I began, and gave the boys a full history of my short -interview with Johnson. It didn’t take long, for I did not hold a very -long conversation with ’Rastus; and when I came to tell how readily -he had included me in his plans I saw Elam wink and nod his head in a -very peculiar manner. Then I knew that I had hit the nail squarely on -the head when I made up my mind what ’Rastus would do to me if things -didn’t work as he thought they ought to. I tiptoed to the end of the -porch to see if I could discover any signs of him, and then I came -back. - -“You see he knows that I have had bad luck with my cattle, and he takes -it for granted that I am down on everybody who has been fortunate with -theirs,” I said, in conclusion. “He thinks I want to steal enough to -make up for my lost herd.” - -“The idea is ridiculous,” said Tom. “How in the world does he suppose -Mr. Davenport had anything to do with your loss?” - -“That aint neither here nor there,” said Elam. “That feller has stolen -more than one herd of cattle, an’ I’ll bet on it. I shouldn’t wonder if -he was one of them desperate fellows--what do you call them----” - -“Desperadoes,” suggested Tom. - -“I know he is,” said I. “And he is a man of education. He doesn’t talk -as the Texans do at all, and I told him that a person of his learning -could make a living easier than he did.” - -“What did he say to that?” - -“He said he didn’t agree to make a confidant of me in everything. He -might do it after a while. He acknowledged that he had been in at -the stealing of more than one herd that was all ready to be driven to -market. Now, fellows, what shall I do about it?” - -This was too much for Tom, who settled back in his chair and looked at -Elam. Our backwoods friend arose to the emergency, and I considered his -advice as good as any that could be given. - -“You can’t do nothing about it,” he said, after rubbing his chin -thoughtfully for a few minutes. “Let him go his way, an’ you go yours.” - -“Yes; and then see what will happen to me if I don’t do as he says. -Suppose he thinks I have had time to steal that pocket-book? If I don’t -give it over to him, then what?” - -“Tell him that Mr. Davenport keeps a guard over it all the while,” said -Elam, “an’ that you can get no chance. Heavings an’ ’arth! I only wish -I was in your boots.” - -“I wish to goodness you were,” said I. “What would you do?” - -“I’d let him go his way, an’ I’d go mine. That’s all I should do.” - -“I guess that’s the best I could do under the circumstances,” said I, -after thinking the matter over. “By the way, I think it is about time -you two went out on your ride. I am of the opinion that it will be -safer so. Leave me here alone, so that when Johnson comes up---- I do -not believe his name is Johnson; do you?” - -“’Tain’t nary one of his names, that name aint,” said Elam -emphatically. “His name is Coyote Bill.” - -“How do you know?” Tom and I managed to ask in concert. - -“I aint never seen the man; I aint done nothing but hear about him -since I have been here, but I know he is Coyote Bill,” replied Elam -doggedly. “At any rate that’s the way I should act if I was him.” - -Coyote Bill was emphatically a name for us to be afraid of. We had -done little else than listen to the stories of his exploits since we -had been in Texas. He didn’t do anything very bad, but he would steal -a herd of cattle,--it didn’t make much difference how many men there -were to guard them,--run them off to a little oasis there was in the -Staked Plains, and slaughter them for their hides and tallow; and when -the story of the theft had been forgotten, two of his men would carry -the proceeds of their hunt to some place and sell them. He never killed -men unless they resisted, and then he shot them down without ceremony. -Many a time have we sat on the porch after dark when the cowboys were -there, listening to the stories about him, and if this man was Coyote -Bill he must have been highly amused at some things that were said -about him. We were both inclined to doubt the story of his identity. No -one had ever seen Coyote Bill, and how could Elam tell what he looked -like? - -“Elam, you are certainly mistaken,” said I; and the more I thought of -his story the less credit I put in it. “If you had seen Coyote Bill I -should be tempted to believe you; but you know you have never met him.” - -“And then just think what he has done?” added Tom. “He comes up here -and agrees with Carlos, a man whom he had never seen before, to go -in cahoots with him. The idea is ridiculous. And how did Clifford -Henderson fall in with him?” - -“I don’t know anything about that,” returned Elam, as if his mind -was fully made up. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do: I’ll bet that Carlos -dassent call him Coyote Bill to his face!” - -“You may safely bet that, for I aint going to do it,” said I, looking -around the corner of the house. “Here he comes, boys. You had better -get on your horses and make tracks away from here.” - -The boys lost no time in getting off the porch and to their horses, -which they had left standing close by with their bridles down, so that -they would not stray away. They swung themselves into their saddles -with all haste, and I sat down to await the coming of Coyote Bill, if -that was his real name, and to think over what I had heard. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. ELAM’S POOR MARKSMANSHIP. - - -“Coyote Bill!” I kept repeating to myself. That name had probably been -given to him by the Texans on account of his being so sneaking and -sly--so sly that none of the men he had robbed had ever been able to -see him. What his other name was I didn’t know. While I was turning -the matter over in my mind Bill came around the corner. I confess -he did not look like so dangerous a fellow, and if I had met him on -the prairie and been in want, I should have gone to him without any -expectation of being refused. He looked surprised to see me sitting -there alone. - -“Where are they?” he asked, in a whisper. - -“Whom do you mean?” I enquired, being determined, if I could, to answer -no questions except those he had on his mind. How did I know whom he -referred to when he spoke of “they,” and wanted to know where they -were? - -“I mean the old man and Bob, and all the rest of them,” he added. “I -thought they were here with you.” - -“Tom and Elam have gone off riding,--there they go,--and Mr. Davenport -and Bob have gone into the ranch to have a nap. I can’t steal the -pocket-book now, even if I wanted to, for Bob is keeping guard over it. -It is true he don’t know what there is in it, but he is keeping watch -of his father all the same.” - -“Look here, Carlos,” said Bill, coming up close to the porch, “do you -ever have charge of the old man in that way?” - -“In what way?” - -“Well, I haven’t been able to do any business in almost a year, and I -am getting heartily tired of it.” - -“What business do you mean?” - -“Aw! Go on, now. You know what I mean. I can’t steal cattle that are -half starved, for I wouldn’t make anything out of them if I did. I am -getting impatient, and my boss is getting impatient, too.” - -“Well?” said I, when he paused. - -“I want you to see if you can’t secure possession of that pocket-book -by to-morrow night,” said Bill, in a quiet way that had a volume of -meaning in it. “You see, it isn’t the will that Henderson cares for. -The cattle are pretty well gone up, and there won’t be a third of them -left when we get to Trinity. What he cares most about is the bonds. If -he can get them in his hands he will be all right.” - -“Why, Coyote Bill----” I began. - -I stopped suddenly, with a long-drawn gasp, for I had done the very -thing I was willing to bet Elam I would not do. Bill started and looked -at me closely, and one hand moved to the butt of his revolver. My heart -was in my mouth. Coyote Bill’s face was a study, and I was sure my slip -of the tongue had hit him in a vital spot. Understand me, I didn’t -speak his name knowing what I was doing, but because I couldn’t help -myself. The idea that I was to steal that pocket-book at twenty-four -hours’ notice was more than I could stand, and I blurted out the -first words that came into my mind. I never had had much practice -in studying out the different emotions that flit across a person’s -mind, but I was sure that in Coyote Bill’s expression both rage and -mirth struggled for the mastery--rage, that I had suddenly found out -his name since I had left him; and mirth, because I, an unarmed boy, -should stand there and call him something which he didn’t like too well -anyway. So I resolved to put a bold face on the matter. - -“See here, Bill----” was the way I began the conversation. - -“Who told you that was my name?” he asked. - -“Why, Bill, I have done nothing but hear about you and your doings -since I have been here,” I answered. “You certainly do not pretend to -say you are not what I represented you to be?” - -“Well, that’s neither here nor there,” said he, taking his hand away -from his pistol. “You are a brave lad; I will say that much for you, -and you ought to be one of us. What’s the reason you can’t steal the -pocket-book by to-morrow night?” - -I drew a long breath of relief. The worst of the danger was passed, -but the recollection of what might be done to me after a while made me -shudder. I had half a mind to slip away that very night, but I knew -that Elam would scorn such a proposition. He meant to stay and see the -thing out. I tell you I wished he stood in my boots, more than once. - -“Because Bob is keeping guard over it,” I said. “He don’t know what -there is in it, I tell you; but he has been made to understand that -there is something in it that concerns himself, and so he is keeping an -eye on it.” - -“Does he know that he is in danger of losing it?” - -“Yes, he does; but he don’t know where the trouble is coming from.” - -“Well, you have got hold of my name, and I wish you hadn’t done it,” -said Bill, looking down at the ground and kicking a chip away with his -foot. “Be careful that you don’t use it where anybody else can hear it. -Perhaps I can find some other way to get it. Do you sleep very sound?” - -I don’t know what reply I made to this question, for it showed me that -Bill was about to attempt something after we had retired to rest. I -made up my mind that he would try it too, but whether or not he would -succeed in getting by Elam was a different story altogether. I made it -up on the spur of the moment to take Elam into my confidence. He was -a fellow who could remain awake for three or four nights, and in the -morning he would be as fresh and rosy as though he had enjoyed a good -night’s sleep. - -“You want to sleep pretty soundly to-night, whatever you may do on -other occasions,” said Bill, in a very decided manner. “I shan’t be -here in the morning.” - -He went off, whistling softly to himself, and I went back to my chair -and sat down. They told us, when we first talked of going to Texas, -that we would find things very different there, and indeed I had found -them so. In Denver, if a man had betrayed himself in the same careless -manner that Coyote Bill had done, he would have been shot on sight; -but here were three boys who knew what Bill had done, some of whom -had the reputation of being quick to shoot, and they were afraid to -do a thing. It was the man’s fame as a quick shot that stood him well -in hand. When I came to think of it, I was disgusted with myself and -everybody else. If anyone had told me that I would turn out to be such -a coward I would have been very indignant at him. - -The hot day wore away, and presently I saw Tom and Elam coming back. -They could not stay away when they knew that something was going on -behind their backs. Mr. Davenport and Bob came out; the cook began to -bestir himself, the dishes rattled in the kitchen, and in a little -while they told us that supper was ready. Of course we had to be as -neat here as we had anywhere else, and Elam and I found ourselves at -the wash-basin. There was no one in sight. - -“Elam,” said I, in an excited whisper, “whatever you do, you mustn’t go -to sleep to-night!” - -“Sho!” answered Elam. “What’s going on to-night?” - -“Coyote Bill has made up his mind to steal that pocket-book. He says -that the bonds are all he wants out of it. He means some mining -stocks, I suppose.” - -“Well,” exclaimed Elam, burying his face in the towel, “how is he goin’ -to work to get it?” - -“He intends to come in after we are all asleep and feel under the -pillows for it. He asked me if I slept rather soundly at night, and I -don’t know what answer I made him; but I thought of you and concluded -you could keep awake. I have found out, too, that his name is Coyote -Bill, just as you said it was.” - -“What did I tell you?” said Elam, delighted to know that he had found -out something about the man. “I knowed that was the way I would act if -I was him. What did he say when you told him?” - -“He told me I was a brave boy and ought to be one of ‘us,’ as he -explained it. Does he mean that I ought to belong to his gang and help -him steal cattle?” - -“Sure! You couldn’t be one of him and help do anything else, could you? -How do you reckon he is going to come in?” - -“I don’t know. You will have to keep wide awake and find out.” - -“I’ll bet you I don’t sleep a wink to-night. If he thinks he can get -away with that pocket-book let him try it; that’s all.” - -“But I don’t see why he should pick me out as a brave boy and want me -to join his gang.” - -“Well, Carlos, I will say this fur you,” said Elam, putting the towel -back on its nail and rolling down his sleeves: “You have a most -innercent way of talkin’ when you get into danger, an’ a man don’t -think you know that there is danger in it.” - -“Nonsense! I have been afraid that Bill would shoot at any minute. I am -really afraid of him.” - -“Old Bill doesn’t know it, an’ that’s what makes him so reckless. I -will go further an’ say you have a sassy way of talkin’. Now, you -finish washin’ an’ I’ll go in an’ set down. Remember, I shan’t go to -sleep at all to-night.” - -I was perfectly satisfied with the assurance. You see it would not do -for me to lie awake and halt Bill when he came in for fear that he -would accuse me of treachery; but with Elam, who wasn’t supposed to -know anything about the case, it would be different. I didn’t think -that Elam’s explanation amounted to anything at all. In fact, I did not -see how I could have talked in any other way. If I had become excited -and reported the matter to Mr. Davenport there would have been hot work -there in the cabin, for I didn’t suppose that any of my companions -would have let Coyote Bill work his own sweet will on me. Having -finished washing I went into the cabin and sat down. Bill was there, -and he was devoting himself to the eatables before him like any other -gentleman. I was astonished at the man’s nerve. - -Supper over, we went out on the porch, lighted our pipes, and devoted -two hours to talking. The most of the conversation referred to the -time when the cattle would be along and we should get ready to march -to Trinity. Everybody suspected that there was going to be a fight up -there before our cattle would be allowed water, and we were a little -anxious as to how it would come out. We expected to fight the sheriff -and his posse and all the Texas Rangers that could be summoned against -us; and we knew that these men were just as determined as we were. They -were fighting for the crops upon which they had expended so much labor, -and it wasn’t likely that they were men who would give way on our -demand. - -“Let them take a look at our cattle,” said Bob. “That will stop them. -The man has yet to be born who can resist the sight of their terrible -sufferings.” - -“Those men up there would look on without any twinges of conscience if -they saw the last one of our herds drop and die before their eyes,” -returned his father. “Here’s where we expect to catch them on the fly: -We shall be a mile or so behind our cattle, which will be spread out -over an immense amount of prairie, and when those cattle get a sniff -of the fresh water, fences won’t stop them. It is the momentum of our -cattle that will take them ahead.” - -I certainly hoped that such would be the case, for I knew there would -be some men stationed along the banks of that stream who were pretty -sure shots with the rifle. I didn’t care to make myself a target for -one of them. - -The conversation began to lag after a while, and finally one of the -cowboys remarked that sleep had pretty near corralled him and he -reckoned he would go in and go to bed; and so they all dropped off, -Elam giving my arm a severe pinch as he went by. There was one thing -about this arrangement that I did not like. Bill always made his bunk -under the trees in the yard. He preferred to have it so. He had been -accustomed to sleeping out of doors in the mines, and he was always -made uneasy when he awoke and found himself in the house, for fear that -he would suffocate. When it rained he would gladly come into the ranch -and stay there for a week, if it stormed so long. He gathered up the -blankets and the saddle which Mr. Davenport had loaned him for a bed, -bade us all a cheerful good-night, and went out to his bunk. There were -three of us who knew better than that. His object in sleeping out of -doors was, in case some of the men he had robbed found out where he -hung out, that he might have a much better chance for escape. - -“He’s a cool one,” I thought, as I went in, pulled off my outer -clothes, and laid down on my bunk. “I’ll see how he will feel in the -morning.” - -I composed myself to sleep as I always did, and lay with my eyes -fastened on the door; for I knew that there was where that rascal Bill -would come in. Both the doors were open, and Elam wouldn’t have the -creaking of hinges to arouse him. I laid there until nearly midnight, -and had not the least desire to sleep, and all the while I was treated -to a concert that anyone who has slumbered in a room with half a dozen -men can readily imagine. Such a chorus of snores I never heard before, -and what surprised me more than anything else was, the loudest of -them seemed to come from Elam’s bunk. Was my friend fairly asleep? I -sometimes thought he was, and was on the point of awakening him when -I heard a faint noise at the rear door--not the front one, on which -my gaze was fastened. My heart beat like a trip-hammer. Slowly, and -without the least noise, I turned my head to look in that direction, -but could see nothing. All was still for a few seconds, and then the -sound was repeated. It was a noise something like that made by dragging -a heavy body over the floor; then I looked down and could distinctly -see a human head. Bill had not come in erect as I thought he was going -to, but had crawled in on his hands and knees, intending, if he were -heard, to lie down and so escape detection. Slowly he crawled along -until he came abreast of Elam’s bunk and not more than six feet from -it, and then there was a commotion in that bunk and Elam’s voice called -out: - -“Who’s that a-comin’ there? Speak quick!” - -An instant later, and before Bill had time to reply the crack of a -revolver awoke the echoes of the cabin, and a short but desperate -struggle took place in Elam’s direction. Then the pistol cracked again, -and in an instant afterward the intruder was gone. It was all done so -quickly that, although I had my hand on my revolver under my pillow, I -did not have time to fire a shot. - -“Elam!” I cried; “what’s the matter?” - -“Well, sir, that’s the quickest man I ever saw,” stammered Elam. “I had -two pulls at him, but he knocked my arm out of the way and got safe -off.” - -“Did you hit him?” I asked, knowing how impossible it was for him to -miss at that distance. - -“No, I didn’t. He hasn’t had time to get fur away, an’ I say let’s -go after him. I wish he would give me another chance at him at that -distance. I’d hit him sure.” - -By this time the whole cabin was in an uproar. All started up with -pistols in their hands, and all demanded of Elam an explanation. He -gave it in a few words, adding: - -“I knew mighty well that the fellow didn’t come in here fur no good. -That’s the way I should have done if I had been him. He’s out there -now, an’ I say let’s go after him.” - -“The villain was after my pocket-book,” said Mr. Davenport, in evident -excitement. “He wouldn’t have got more than five or ten dollars, for -that is all there is in it. Lem, I want you and Frank to listen to me,” -he added, seizing the nearest cowboy by the arm. “I have been keeping -’Rastus Johnson here until I could find out----” - -“’Rastus Johnson! That aint ary one of his names,” shouted Elam. “His -name is Coyote Bill!” - -That was all the cowboys wanted to hear. In the meantime we had thrown -off the blankets, and jumping to our feet followed the cowboys out of -the ranch--all except Mr. Davenport, who, knowing that the night air -wasn’t good for him, stayed behind to keep guard over his pocket-book. -I followed the cowboys directly to the place of Bill’s bunk, but when -we got there it was empty. He and his six-shooters were gone. I tell -you I breathed a good deal easier after that. - -“Coyote Bill!” said Frank, leaning one hand against the tree under -which the fugitive had made his bunk. “I wondered what that fellow’s -object was in coming here and passing himself off for ’Rastus Johnson, -and now I know. Cattle is getting so that it doesn’t pay to steal -them, and he was here to get the old man’s pocket-book.” - -“And how does it come that Elam knows so much about him?” asked Lem. -“You are a stranger in these parts, Elam.” - -“I know I am; but that’s just the way I should have acted if I was -him,” returned Elam, who began to see that he had made a mistake in -claiming to know the man. “I said his name was Coyote Bill, an’ I -struck centre when I did it.” - -“Mr. Davenport gave us the secret history of that pocket-book, and -wanted Tom and me to swear to what he told us,” I interposed, fearing -that things were going a trifle too far. “That man tried to hire me to -steal that pocket-book to-night, and that was the way Elam came to get -a shot at him.” - -“I didn’t get nary a shot at him,” exclaimed Elam. “I pulled onto him -an’ he struck up my arm.” - -“Let us go in and talk to Mr. Davenport about it,” said I, seeing that -all I said was Greek to the cowboys. “He will tell you as much of the -story as I can.” - -“Did you know anything about this, Bob?” asked Frank. - -“Not a word. I am as surprised as you are to hear it,” said Bob. - -“Coyote Bill!” said Lem, gazing into the woods as if he had half a mind -to go in pursuit of the man. “What reason have you for calling him -that?” - -“Because that’s the way I should have acted if I was him,” answered -Elam. - -“It wouldn’t pay to go after him,” said Frank. “He has laid down behind -a tree and can see everything we do. Let’s go in and talk to the old -man about it.” - -All this conversation was crowded into a very short space of time. We -hadn’t been out there two minutes before we decided that it would be a -waste of time to pursue the outlaw, and that we had better go in and -see what Mr. Davenport had to say about it, and I for one was very glad -to get away from his bunk. Of course Bill was in ambush out there, and -how did I know but that he had a bead drawn on me at that very moment? -We followed the cowboys into the house, and we found Mr. Davenport -sitting up on the edge of his bed. - -“You didn’t get him; I can see that very plainly,” said he, as we -entered. “I wish I had never heard of him in the first place.” - -“You have given us a history of that pocket-book, sir,” said I, -beginning my business at once, “and I beg that you will repeat it for -the benefit of the cowboys. Frank and Lem haven’t said much, but I -believe from their silence that they would like to know something about -it.” - -“Elam, how did you find out that his name was Coyote Bill?” enquired -Mr. Davenport. “That name has been bothering me more than a little -since you went out.” - -“Perhaps you will allow me to explain that,” said I. “When I told Elam -the history of that pocket-book, which I did as soon as you and Bob had -gone into the ranch to have a nap, he jumped at the conclusion. He said -there wasn’t another man in this part of the country who would have the -cheek to act that way.” - -“Have I got to go all over that thing again?” groaned Mr. Davenport. -“Bob, my first word is to you. I shall have that off my mind, anyway. -You are not my son.” - -It was dark in the cabin, but I could tell by the tones of his voice -how great an effort it was for him to say it. Then he went on and -told the story very much as he had told it to me, and when he got -through I did not hear anything but the muttered swear words which the -cowboys exchanged with each other. It was their way of expressing utter -astonishment. - - - - -CHAPTER V. THE WEST FORK OF TRINITY. - - -While Mr. Davenport was speaking I noticed that Bob got up and settled -down close by his father as he sat on the bunk, and placed his left arm -around his neck. He meant to assure him that any revelations he would -make would cause no difference with him. The man was his father, the -only father he had ever known, and as such he intended to acknowledge -him. I could see that Mr. Davenport was greatly encouraged by this. - -“There is only one thing that I blame you for,” said Lem. “You ought to -have taken Frank and me into your confidence at once.” - -“I tell you we would have made short work with him,” added Frank. “The -idea that this Coyote Bill could come around here and bum around as he -has! It’s scandalous!” - -“I didn’t know that his name was Coyote Bill until Elam spoke it out,” -returned Mr. Davenport. “Where he got it, I don’t know.” - -“Then, Elam, we’ll have to take you to task for that.” - -“I didn’t know it until just as we were washing for supper,” explained -Elam, “an’ then Carlos told me.” - -“What have you to say to that, Carlos?” - -“I didn’t know it myself until Bill proposed that I should steal that -pocket-book before to-morrow night,” said I; and somehow I couldn’t -help feeling uneasy by the determined way the two cowboys plied their -questions. “He surprised me so suddenly that I spoke the first words -that came into my mind. I knew then that he was going to make an -attempt to steal it after we had gone to bed, and so I told Elam that -he would have to keep awake and stop it. That was the reason that Elam -got those two shots at him.” - -“Well, it is a mighty funny thing how a man of that reputation could -come here and pass himself off for an honest miner!” said Lem. - -“If you had the cheek that man’s got you could do anything,” I -continued. “He said I ought to be one of them. If he means by that, -that I ought to join one of his bands and make my living by stealing -cattle, he’s a long ways out of his reach.” - -“You will find the boys all right, because I have confided in them,” -said Mr. Davenport. “And now I have confided in you. Don’t tell what I -have told you, please, and as soon as I get to Trinity I will ride down -to Austin and have this affair settled up. I did not suppose that man -would trouble me away out here in Texas.” - -“Father,” said Bob, who had listened in speechless wonderment to all -the trouble he had caused, “you ought to have left me in the mines. You -have had lots of bother on account of me.” - -“My dear boy, you have not been the least particle of bother,” said Mr. -Davenport hastily. “Now you know why it was that I didn’t want you to -go fishing or hunting without me. I was afraid Henderson might do you -some damage.” - -“Did he want to kill me?” - -“No, indeed! I was afraid he might abduct you. You haven’t seen him -since you were seven years old, and if he could have abducted you then, -and got you away where you could have signed the papers----” - -“Why, father, my signature as a minor wouldn’t have amounted to -anything!” said Bob. - -“No; but he could have kept you until you were twenty-one, and then -your signature would have amounted to something, I guess. But I will -talk to you more about this in the morning. I have talked so much that -I am fagged out. You are sure you don’t think any the less of me for -what I have done?” - -“Indeed, I do not!” said Bob, gently assisting the invalid back upon -his bed. “If all the money you have should go to Henderson, I should -always think of you as I do now.” - -“Well, I should think a great deal less of myself,” replied Mr. -Davenport emphatically. “Bob, you will get it all. I could not rest -easy in my grave if I knew you were to be cheated out of it. You five -boys will bear testimony to what I say? Thank you! Now, Bob, cover me -up from the night air. Good-night!” - -Mr. Davenport sank back on his pillows and soon breathed the sleep -of exhaustion, while the rest of us, who couldn’t bear to think of -lying down, went out upon the porch. Of course I was glad to see that -the cowboys had got over their suspicions of Elam and me, and one -would have thought from some expressions they used that such a thing -had never been heard of, even in Texas. We lighted our pipes and sat -down to smoke on it, hoping that the thing would come clearer to us -under the influence of the weed. The only thing the cowboys blamed Mr. -Davenport for was that he did not expose Coyote Bill when he found out -what his intentions were. And how had Bill happened to get acquainted -with Henderson? That was one thing that they could not understand. - -“This thing isn’t settled yet, by a long ways,” said Frank, who, having -emptied one pipe, filled up for a fresh smoke. “Just the minute -anything happens to the old man, that fellow Henderson will come on -here and lay claim to that pocket-book. But Bob will already have it -safe in his good clothes. I want to see the man that says it is his.” - -“So do I,” said Lem. “He won’t say it a second time, I bet you!” - -“Father spoke about his keeping me until I was twenty-one, and then my -signature would amount to something,” said Bob, when the conversation -lagged a little. “What would Henderson do? I guess I’d know more then -than I do now.” - -“That would make no difference,” said Frank. “He could keep you on -bread and water until you would be glad to sign anything.” - -“Would he shut me up?” exclaimed Bob, looking at me. - -“He might put you into a lunatic asylum,” I answered. - -“Great Scott! And all the time I would be as sane as he is!” - -“That would make no difference, either,” said Frank. “There are plenty -of men who run an insane asylum who would be glad to take a patient on -such terms as he could offer. Ten or fifteen thousand dollars at the -end of six years would make him open his eyes. Before you had been with -him a week you would see all sorts of things.” - -“Well, this beats me!” gasped Bob. “And I just as sane as anybody! Such -things aint right.” - -“I know they are not right,” said Lem. “There are plenty of things that -happen in this world that you know nothing about, and money will do a -heap of things.” - -“But Henderson has no ten thousand dollars to give such a man.” - -“No, but he would soon get it. I tell you your father has done right in -watching you.” - -We all smoked two or three pipes of tobacco and then Lem said he was -getting sleepy, whereupon we all followed him into the ranch and went -to bed. I don’t suppose that Bob slumbered a wink that night, but I -slept as soundly as though such men as Coyote Bill had not been within -a hundred miles of us; and yet he came back that same night and stole -the rest of his bedding. A little further examination showed us that -Mr. Davenport’s favorite riding horse was also missing, and then we -knew that if we ever caught him again salt would not save him. The man -had been guilty of stealing horses, and that was enough to hang him. -When I had made these observations I went back to tell them to Mr. -Davenport. - -“Of course the man is plucky,” said he, “and it is going to get him -into serious trouble some day. Now, I want you boys to come here and -sign as witnesses to my signature. I take my solemn oath that I wrote -this myself,” he added, placing his forefinger upon his sign manual, -“and that everything in this will is just what I want it to be. Now, -boys, place your own signatures there. Now, Bob, you sign right there -as witness to their signatures. There, I guess it is all right. If -anything happens to me, get this pocket-book into your hands as soon as -possible.” - -There was one thing that occurred to me right there, although I did -not say anything about it. Mr. Davenport seemed to be thoroughly -convinced that something was going to happen to him during his ride to -Trinity, and since he knew it, why didn’t he give his pocket-book up -to someone else? That, it seemed to me, would be the surest way, for -everybody who knew anything about the matter would know right where the -will ought to be found in case anything “happened” to the invalid. I -thought the matter over while I was getting ready for breakfast, and -concluded that Bob or somebody else would certainly see some misfortune -on account of that pocket-book. It stuck close to me, and somehow I -couldn’t get rid of it. - -I pass over the next few days, during which nothing transpired that -is worthy of notice. We did nothing but talk about Coyote Bill, and -wondered where he had gone now and where we should be likely to meet -him again, for there were none of us who didn’t expect to see him once -more. He wasn’t the man to give up twenty thousand dollars because one -attempt to secure it had failed. And then what would he say to me? I -had been guilty of treachery to him, and that was a fact. - -On the morning of the fourth day, after we had packed our wagon with -water and provisions, and got all ready for the start, the cattle from -the lower counties made their appearance. I tell you I never saw so -many head of stock before in my life. They covered the hills to the -right and left as far as the eye could reach, and as to how deep they -were I don’t know. If a man had all those cattle in good trim, he -would have nothing to do but sit in his rocking-chair and sell them. I -wondered how many of them would live to reach Trinity. Not one in ten, -I was satisfied. They flocked into our water-holes, and in five minutes -there wasn’t water enough left to wet your tongue with. The strongest -fences that could have been made would not have delayed them a minute. -Presently the leader of the movement appeared in sight, and came up -to the porch on which we were sitting. His name was Chisholm, and he -seemed the very personification of good nature. He looked at us boys -because he hadn’t seen us before, and greeted us in his hearty Western -fashion. - -“How-dy!” said he. “Are you all ready to start? I hope you’ve got a -little mite of water laid by for us, for we haven’t had a drink in so -long that we don’t know how it tastes.” - -“Oh, yes! we’ve got a drink for you,” said Mr. Davenport. “Go into that -building right there and you will find two barrels. Fill up your keg -with them.” - -“By George! you are the right sort,” said Mr. Chisholm. “I was afraid -some of our beeves would drink it all up before we got here and not -give us any.” - -“Have you lost many cattle coming here?” asked Mr. Davenport. - -“Well, sir, the road is just lined with them,” answered Mr. Chisholm, -getting off his horse and slipping his bridle over its head. “If you -follow the dead beeves, you can go straight to my ranch. Nobody ever -heard of such weather as this before. It doesn’t look like rain in this -part of the country.” - -“No, indeed,” said Mr. Davenport. “It has been dry and hazy every day -as long as I can remember. Do you think we will get up to Trinity with -any beeves?” - -“Oh, we’ve got to. It is our only show.” - -“Do you think we shall have a fight up there?” asked Bob. - -“Certain! What would you do if you were in their place? They think -they are in the right, and we know we are, and the first one of our -cattle that goes down to the water in Trinity will be tumbled over. I -am afraid that they will outnumber us. The Rangers and the farmers and -the police--I don’t know. But our cattle must have water and grass; we -won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.” - -“Do you know ’Rastus Johnson?” said Mr. Davenport suddenly. - -“Yes, I know him,” said Mr. Chisholm, looking around. “What of him?” - -“He stole my favorite riding horse this week.” - -“Aha! That wasn’t all he did either,” said Mr. Chisholm, looking hard -at the invalid. - -“No, it wasn’t,” replied Mr. Davenport, who took out the pocket book, -told what was in it, and of the attempt that had been made to steal -it a few nights before. When he mentioned the name of Coyote Bill Mr. -Chisholm almost jumped from his chair, and so did the men who had been -driving the wagon. They had obeyed orders and filled up their empty -barrel, took a good drink themselves, and brought along a cupful for -their leader. Then they sat down and waited until Mr. Chisholm got -ready to start, and listened to the story. - -“Coyote Bill!” said Mr. Chisholm, in dismay. “I have wanted to find -that fellow for more’n a year, and here I’ve run up against him two or -three times during the last six months. It is a pity that boy didn’t -shoot him. What were you thinking of?” he added, turning fiercely upon -Elam. “Didn’t you know that it would put five thousand dollars in your -pocket?” - -“No, I never heared of that,” replied Elam, somewhat startled to find -out that he had had a pull on a man worth that sum of money. - -“Well, the stock-raisers down in our county would give that much for -him any day. You had a chance to make yourself rich and then went and -threw it away. Dog-gone such a shot!” - -“Look here, friend,” said Elam, straightening up in his chair and -fastening his eyes upon Mr. Chisholm, “I didn’t shoot him because I -couldn’t; that’s why. What would you ’a’ done if a man had jumped on -you while you were flat in bed an’ seized the pistol, an’ turned it -t’other way? I done my best.” - -“Well, maybe you did, but it sounds kinder funny to me. I wish he would -give me such a shot as that. Where do you think he is now?” - -“I do not know,” answered Mr. Davenport. “He has gone off with that -horse, and he certainly won’t stop until he gets among friends. I am -willing to trust Elam with my life. There are not many of you can shoot -as he can.” - -This went a long way toward cooling the hot temper of Elam, although I -noticed that during the first part of the time we were in the drive -he kept one eye fastened upon Mr. Chisholm the whole time. He didn’t -like the imputation that had been cast upon his prowess. If the leader -had been in Elam’s place, and had Coyote Bill’s grasp on his throat and -wrist, he might have been led to believe that the desperado had plenty -of strength as well as pluck. - -Mr. Chisholm and his men slept at the ranch that night, and bright and -early the next morning we were on the move. We packed up in something -of a hurry when we got fairly ready to go, and I speak of it here -so that you may have no difficulty in understanding what happened -afterward. Not a single one of the herd was in sight. We followed along -the ground they had passed over, and it was as bare as your hand. Not -a blade of grass was to be seen. If it had not been for the grain we -had provided for our horses in the wagons, they would have fared badly, -indeed, and then they didn’t like the grain any too well. It was only -when they were about half starved that they would touch it. - -I never knew what starving cattle were before, for although I had been -a week at the ranch, I had never been out to see what was going on. The -nearest herd was probably half a day’s journey distant. I stayed in -the ranch with Mr. Davenport almost all the time. I had not seen the -walking skeletons which were now shambling before us, but now I saw -them all too plainly. Every once in a little while we would come across -some stricken animal who had laid down, and was waiting for death to -come. And it was so all along our route. Whichever way you turned your -eyes you were sure to see some dead cattle. - -“I’ll just tell you what’s a fact, Mr. Davenport,” said I, after -counting thirteen dead animals, who could not go any further. “If we -keep on losing cattle at this rate we’ll have to go at something else -when we get up to Trinity. There will be no need for the Rangers and -farmers to gather up there, for we shan’t have many animals to shoot.” - -“It looks that way to me, I confess,” said the man, looking down at the -horn of his saddle. “But you know what Mr. Chisholm said. We must go -on; it’s our only show.” - -For three weeks we were in the drive (the journey could have been -made in one week if the cattle had been in trim), seeing nothing -new--nothing but dead animals and a prairie that looked as hard as the -road. During all this time there was a little party of us that were -kept in a state of suspense, and it was all the more painful to us -because we could not say anything about it. Mr. Davenport was failing -rapidly; anybody could see that, and now and then some cowboy looked -pityingly at Bob. And Bob knew it all the while, and took pains to keep -it from his father, and from us, too. He would joke and laugh with him -all day, and when night came would roll over and cry himself to sleep. -No son ever tried harder to make a parent’s last days happy. - -“I tell you I’d like to see that Clifford Henderson about now,” said -Tom Mason. “That boy has cried himself to sleep again. Bob hasn’t got -anything here anyway, and I’d like to see somebody come up and take -away his last cent from him. He shouldn’t get away with it.” - -Things went on in this way until the wooded shores of Trinity were in -plain sight, and that brown-whiskered farmer came out in company with a -deputy sheriff to hold a consultation with Mr. Chisholm--“the boss,” he -called him. You all know what that “consultation” amounted to. It was -defiance on one side and threats to have our cattle shot on the other. -That brown-whiskered man must have been crazy, if he thought that our -small force of sixty men could turn those beeves back when they had -got “a sniff of that water” that was flashing along on the other side -of the willows, for they were already bearing down upon it with the -irresistible power of an avalanche. All the cowboys in the State could -not have turned them from their purpose. I looked at Mr. Davenport to -see what he thought about it. - -“Well, boys, this begins to look like war,” said he, with an attempt at -a smile. He was very pale, but he clutched his rifle with the hand of -one who had made up his mind to die right there. “Two hundred against -sixty is big odds, but we must face the music. Our cattle must have -water, or we shall lose more than half we’ve got left before morning. -Go and water your horses, and then come back and see if you can’t -arouse some of these beeves. If you can only induce them to go ahead a -mile further they will have water enough.” - -“You will remain close by the wagon?” enquired Bob. - -“I will stay right here,” returned his father. “When you want me come -right back to the wagon.” - -The events of the next quarter of an hour proved one of two things: -either that the farmers, when they saw the immense herd approaching -their ambush, realized how utterly impossible it was to stop them, -and that the attempt to do so would only result in a useless waste of -life, or else that the sheriff, acting upon Mr. Chisholm’s advice, -had prevailed upon them to fall back and give the famishing cattle -a chance at the water. At any rate, to Bob’s great relief, the shot -for which he was waiting and listening was not fired, and the cattle -dashed through the willows and almost buried themselves in the stream. -When Bob and his friends reached the bank,--and they were obliged to -ride at least a mile up the bayou before they could find a place to -water their horses,--the stream being literally filled with the thirsty -beeves,--they saw the farmers gathered in a body five hundred yards -away, and Mr. Chisholm and some of the other wealthy cattle-owners were -talking to them. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. MR. DAVENPORT’S POCKET-BOOK. - - -“It is too late for them to begin a fight now,” said Bob, with a -long-drawn sigh of satisfaction. “Here’s water enough in abundance -and grass enough to last the stock for a day or two; but where shall -we go and what shall we do after that? Who are those over there? More -farmers, I suppose, for if they were cattlemen they would not come from -that direction.” - -As Bob said this he directed our attention to a long line of horsemen, -who, moving in a compact body, were rapidly approaching the place on -which the farmers stood. They moved four abreast and didn’t scatter out -enough from the ranks to be farmers, and therefore I knew them to be -something else. - -“They are soldiers,” I said. - -“Texas Rangers!” exclaimed Bob. “I am glad to see them, for they -won’t let us fight, anyway. Their object is to preserve order on the -frontier, and they will arrest anybody who doesn’t obey them. Let’s -wait a few minutes and see what they are going to do.” - -We waited, and in a short time saw that the farmers were not as glad -to see them as we were. The column halted and the three officers in -command rode up to see what the trouble was about, and in two minutes -were surrounded by a wall of clenched fists, which were flourished in -the air. The farmers seemed bent on telling their story before the -cattlemen could get in a word, but presently we heard a loud voice -commanding silence, and after that everything became as quiet as could -be. One man had been called upon to tell what he knew, and the others -consented to wait until he got through. - -“I guess there won’t be any fighting as long as the Rangers are here, -and so we will go back and see to the cattle,” said I. “We’re going to -have a hard time in getting them over the hill, so that they can see -the water, but if we can do that for even one it will be just so much -money saved.” - -If anybody has tried to get cattle up when once they have laid down and -abandoned themselves to their fate, he will know what a time we had of -it. Whips didn’t do any good. The only thing we could do was to use our -lariats upon them and fairly drag them to their feet. In this way, by -taking two boys to each cow, we managed to get half a dozen of them to -the top of the hill, where they could see their companions, and by that -time it was pitch dark. We didn’t know whose cows they were, and that -made no difference. We saw several other men engaged as we were, and -when the last squad of them came along we joined them and rode toward -the wagon. - -“Let the balance go,” said one of the cowboys. “If the cool night air -of the prairie don’t revive them nothing else will. I believe I would -like to have a drink of water myself.” - -“We got along without a fight, didn’t we?” said Bob, who seemed to know -everybody on the plains. - -“Of course; but it looked pretty blue for a while, I tell you. The -farmers can’t begin a fight now, anyway. They ought to have pitched -into us the moment we came in sight.” - -“Does anybody know where our wagon is?” I enquired. - -Nobody did. They were on the hunt for their own wagons themselves, and -the only thing they could do was to keep on going until they found -them. That seemed to be the only thing for us to do, too, so we rode -down to the willows, and every time we saw a team we sent one of our -number in to make enquiries. When it came my turn I went in and found -only two men, who were engaged in getting their supper. - -“That’s Mr. Davenport’s wagon up there in the bend,” said one, pointing -up the river. “Do you belong?” - -I replied that I did belong there, and that I was somewhat anxious to -find it, for I was in need of something to eat. - -“I hope you aint any relative of the man who owns it,” said the cowboy. -“If you are you will find him as dead as a smoked herring.” - -These words were all I wanted to hear. A queer pang shot over me when I -thought of Bob. How was I to break the news to him? - -“Why, how did anybody find it out?” I managed to say at last. - -“Oh, he’s there! They found him breathing his last on the plains, and -brought him in. Say, do you know what hold Chisholm has got on him? He -has got a guard over him, and won’t let nobody go nigh him.” - -“It ’pears to me that he’s got some documents on him that he does not -want to give up,” said the other cowboy. “If you belong there, why, of -course, you will know all about it.” - -I never had anything come quite so hard as I did in riding back through -those willows to the place where Bob sat on his horse, for I didn’t -know how in the world I could tell him of his father’s death; but when -I got within sight of him I found that Mr. Chisholm was ahead of me. -When he found that Bob didn’t come in with the rest of the cowboys he -had come out to find him, believing that he could tell him better than -anybody else. I saw that he had been very easy about it, but it was -all Bob could do to stand it. Elam Storm was his friend. He did not go -to anyone else, but rose up close to him and threw both his arms around -his neck. - -“Oh, Elam! you’re the only friend I’ve got now,” said Bob, striving -hard to keep back his sobs. - -Elam stammered and coughed, and looked all around for help. Finally he -glanced appealingly at me, but what could I say? - -“He was brung in about half an hour ago,” said Mr. Chisholm, drawing -his hand hastily across his face. “And although we have had two doctors -at him, whom we found among the Rangers, they say it is too late to do -anything. They say it is something like heart disease.” - -“Was no one near him when he was taken?” I asked, feeling that I must -say something. - -“There were a dozen men near him,” was the answer. “They got to him as -quickly as they could, but couldn’t be of any use. And I’ll tell you -that he had his left hand tightly clasped on his pocket-book,” said Mr. -Chisholm, riding up closer to me and speaking in a whisper. “So that -is safe.” - -I breathed easier after that, and fell in beside Mr. Chisholm, who led -the way slowly toward the wagon. We found it completely surrounded -by men--Rangers, farmers, and cowboys--who had come in to see about -it; for it was seldom that a loss like this happened during a drive. -But they paid no attention to us. Their gaze was fixed upon a man who -had attempted to go into the wagon, but the guard had stopped him. We -worked our way gradually through the crowd, and Bob, who gave little -heed to what was going on around him, threw himself from his horse, and -made his way into the wagon. - -“Elam,” said he, “you must go with me. I feel safer when you are -around.” - -The guard, prompted by a sign from Mr. Chisholm, allowed him to pass, -and nobody made any effort to stop him, but the man who was talking -with the guard was well-nigh furious. - -“Who’s that who allows a stranger to go in to my brother?” said he, -turning fiercely upon Mr. Chisholm. “I guess I have got more right in -there than he has.” - -“Who be you?” asked Mr. Chisholm. - -“I am Clifford Henderson, if it will do you any good to know it,” -answered the man. “I haven’t seen my brother for eight years, and I -claim the right to go in to him.” - -“That’s nothing more than fair, Aleck,” said one of the cowboys. “He -has as good a right to see him as anybody.” - -So that was Clifford Henderson, was it? Mr. Chisholm turned and gave -him a good looking over, and Tom Mason and I did the same; and I was -forced to make the confession that, as far as resemblance went, Bob was -a long way off. Henderson was the very picture of the dead and gone Mr. -Davenport. He was a man of rather large size, dressed like the Texans -that stood around him; and, if he had allowed his whiskers to grow into -a goatee, instead of that flowing beard, he could easily have passed -himself off for his brother. I am free to say that I didn’t know enough -about law to know which way the property would turn, but then what did -these men care about law? Bob’s father’s signature, backed up by the -names of all of us, and witnessed by Bob himself, would bring him the -legal right to everything he owned. But there was one thing against -Henderson: He got mad when he was told that he could not see his -brother. Mr. Chisholm evidently noticed this and resolved to profit by -it. - -“Well, sir, you are as like your brother as two peas,” said Mr. -Chisholm, at length. - -“I know I am,” said Henderson, taking off his hat and turning around so -that everybody could see him. “I haven’t seen him in a long time, and I -demand the right to see him now.” - -“All right! You shall have it,” said Mr. Chisholm, and riding up close -to the wagon he called out: “Bob, have you got that pocket-book?” - -“Hold on!” exclaimed Henderson. “That pocket-book is just what I want. -There are some papers in it that relate to me.” - -“Hand it out here,” said Mr. Chisholm, as Elam answered in the -affirmative from the wagon; and when his hands closed upon the -pocket-book, he put it into his inside coat. - -“Now you can see your brother as soon as you please.” - -“But I want that thing you put inside of your coat,” said Mr. -Henderson, and I didn’t blame him for showing anger. “All my future -depends on what you have there.” - -“We’ll have some supper first; after that you can all come here and -we’ll listen to the different tales this book has got to tell.” - -“Different tales?” ejaculated Henderson. “There’s only one tale it can -tell, and that is, that all his property belongs to me. Who is that -stranger whom you allowed to go inside the wagon? I want him out of -there when I go in.” - -“Bob!” shouted Mr. Chisholm; “have you got through in there?” - -“Yes, sir,” sobbed Bob. - -“Why, a person would think that the dead man was some relative of his!” -said Henderson, in surprise. “To tell you the truth, I never saw the -boy before.” - -“Well, then, come out,” said Mr. Chisholm. “Be careful to look in all -his pockets to see that you don’t miss anything.” - -Elam and Bob came out in obedience to Mr. Chisholm’s instructions, and -it was plain to everybody standing around that there was no sham about -their feelings. Elam’s face looked as long as your arm, while Bob had -evidently been crying, and I took notice of the fact that it had an -effect upon the men standing around. Of course there were two sides to -the question. Some were in favor of Bob, while others believed that -Henderson had the right on his side; and still others were willing to -wait until the matter had been thoroughly investigated before they -inclined to either side. It was a big jury of four hundred men, and -somehow I didn’t feel at all uneasy. - -“Now, sir, you are at liberty to go in as soon as you please,” said Mr. -Chisholm, waving his hand toward the wagon. - -“Yes; and thanks to you these strangers have got everything they -wanted,” returned Henderson angrily. - -“Look a-here, pardner, I am in favor of doing whatever is right,” said -our leader, throwing more emphasis into his words than I had seen him -use before. “This pocket-book has two tales to tell. If they speak in -your benefit you shall have it. Tony, catch up! Boys, I am going to eat -supper with you to-night.” - -Henderson went into the wagon, the men turned away to hunt their own -wagons and get a bite to eat, and Tony began his preparations for -supper. Mr. Chisholm sat down on a little mound of grass, rested his -hands upon his knees, and looked thoughtfully at the ground; we boys -stood around waiting impatiently for him to speak, and all watched -for Henderson to come out of the wagon. He was gone a long time, and -during his stay in there he threw everything about in the greatest -confusion. He didn’t leave a single thing the way he found it, and he -was in so great a hurry to find something of which he was in search -that our fellows had to go to work and straighten up things. I knew he -wasn’t making any friends by his unceremonious conduct. He at length -appeared, and, if his looks indicated anything, he was madder than he -was when he went in. - -“Things have come to a pretty pass, I must confess,” said he, and -he was almost boiling over with fury. “I must wait the pleasure of -strangers, till they get ready to let me have my brother’s things! What -kind of a law do you call that?” - -“It’s the law in this State, whatever it may be elsewhere,” said Mr. -Chisholm. - -“Upon my word, I never saw this boy before,” continued Henderson. “He -is some little upstart that my brother has seen since he came to Texas. -He wouldn’t have adopted anything like him, anyway.” - -“Why, Clifford Henderson, I know you,” said Bob. “I remember when I -used to see you in St. Louis----” - -“You never saw me before in your life,” returned Henderson, with a -scowl on his forehead that might have made Bob tremble if he had been -alone. “And I never saw you before.” - -“Easy, easy!” exclaimed Mr. Chisholm soothingly. “It will all come out -when we have had our supper. Until then just rest in peace.” - -Henderson started off with the air of a man who would have snatched -things bald-headed if he had only possessed the opportunity, and when -he was well out of hearing Mr. Chisholm continued: - -“Bob, you want to keep mum and answer such questions as I shall ask you -by and by. These boys have all signed the will in your favor? Well, -that’s enough. Let’s see him get around that.” - -“But I can’t help thinking that he has got something back of it,” said -Bob, between his sobs. “He goes about it so confidently that I am -really afraid of him. He denies that he ever saw me.” - -“Of course. That’s to be expected. But you are sure that you have seen -him before?” - -“Why, I knew him the minute I put my eyes on him,” said Bob, looking -up. “He was always the very picture of my father, and if father had -wanted his property to go to him he would have said so. He would -have told you so, Mr. Chisholm, while you were sitting on the porch -listening to his story. He would have told these boys so while he was -telling them the history of the pocket-book.” - -“Well, take it easy. Things will come out all right in the end.” - -There was silence around that camp fire while we were eating supper, -until Frank, the cowboy, came in and sauntered up for his share of it. -He was evidently big with news, for when he had helped himself to a -plateful and began looking around for a place to sit down, he said: - -“Henderson’s got something that didn’t belong to him. He’s been -searching that body. He has got a hundred dollars in cash.” - -“What did he say?” exclaimed Mr. Chisholm. - -“I say, he’s got a hundred dollars in cash that he is going to put in -his pocket and keep there. He says he found it in the wagon, and don’t -mean to let anybody take it away from him.” - -“We’ll see about that,” said Mr. Chisholm. “The money has got to go -where the pocket-book goes.” - -After that there was more silence until we had all finished our -suppers, and got our pipes out, and then the men began to stroll in -one after the other. I noticed, too, that almost all the cowboys, -some of the farmers, and a good many of the Rangers appeared to side -with Mr. Chisholm, for they took particular pains to place themselves -pretty close to him. Henderson was one of the first to appear, and -when he seated himself on a log opposite our leader, he must have been -surprised at the meagre showing he had. - -“Well, boys,” said Mr. Chisholm, knocking the ashes from his pipe, -“we are all here, are we? If you know of anybody that’s back send ’em -on, for we want this thing done up in order. I’ll appoint you all as -jurymen, and we’ll show some people out there in the settlements that -we can do some things as well as they can. The first thing that is -done when a man dies is to read his will; but first I must have every -article that belongs to him. You know it all goes where the will goes, -don’t you?” - -Of course that was settled. All the boys standing around agreed to -that. But Mr. Chisholm wasn’t satisfied. He put it to a vote, and such -a sonorous “Aye!” as resounded through that grove of willows was never -heard there before. - -“I have no business to act as judge, but I know a story which may -fit well into the case,” Mr. Chisholm hastened to explain, “and -consequently I shall put everything to a vote. It’s settled, then, that -I must have every article that belongs to Mr. Davenport. Henderson, -I’ll thank you to hand over that hundred dollars.” - -“What hundred dollars?” enquired the man; but a person could see that -he was slightly uneasy. He did not like Mr. Chisholm’s way of talking. - -“The hundred dollars you got while you were in the wagon,” returned Mr. -Chisholm. “You done something when you were in the wagon that you had -no business to do. You searched the body.” - -“Well, I did it because I thought he had some papers about him that I -had more business with than anybody else,” said Henderson; and when he -uttered the words he looked at Mr. Chisholm as if to ask him what he -was going to do about it. “I knew I couldn’t get them while a stranger -was about.” - -The man must have been crazy to talk this way in the presence of four -hundred men who were assembled as a jury to try his rights of property. -He was making enemies fast. I knew that around his camp fire he had -talked to fellows who were gathered there until he had brought them to -his own way of thinking; but they didn’t suppose that he was going to -act the dunce at the first opportunity. - -“You say you won’t hand them out?” enquired Mr. Chisholm, and anybody -could see that he was getting mad. - -“No, I won’t! The money is mine!” - -“Hand ’em out here!” roared Mr. Chisholm. - -“I tell you I won’t do it. It belongs to me!” - -Our leader was a man who would not take this for an answer. He slowly -and deliberately arose to his feet, the cowboys, especially his own and -Mr. Davenport’s, drawing nearer to him, and when he got up the shining -barrel of a six-shooter was looking Henderson squarely in the face. The -man turned pale and stepped back. He gazed around at the cowboys, but -none seemed ready to help him. On the contrary, they all folded their -arms, and that was as good a sign as he wanted. - -“What kind of a law do you call this?” said Henderson, putting his hand -into his pocket. “If I had a pack of Comanches to decide for me I would -stand just as much show.” - -“Well, it is the law here, and you are a fool for bucking against it,” -said Mr. Chisholm, as the money was placed in his hands. It was a large -pile of money to contain one hundred dollars, and I was glad to see -that he spoke about it. “Judging by the contents of your pocket you got -rather more than a hundred dollars while you were about it,” he added, -with a smile. “So far so good! Now the next thing is the reading of the -will.” - -Mr. Chisholm, who was the coolest man I ever saw to pass through such -an ordeal, seated himself on the grass hummock again, and produced the -pocket-book from inside his coat. He opened it and laid it upon his -knee, and of course we all strained our necks to get a glimpse of it. -The first thing that came into view was a little pile of letters, all -endorsed, and confined by a rubber band such as business men use to -keep their correspondence in one place. Mr. Chisholm pulled the topmost -one out and looked at it. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. TOM HAS AN IDEA. - - -“The first thing I have struck here is a receipt for $23.40 paid to -Lemuel Bailley, dated October 23, 18--. Why, that’s a long time before -the drought came,” said Mr. Chisholm, looking up. “Is Bailley here?” - -“Here, sir,” responded Bailley, who was one of Mr. Davenport’s -cowboys. “I remember of giving Mr. Davenport that receipt. I wanted it -to--to----” - -“Go on a spree with,” interrupted Mr. Chisholm. “Well, you got it, -didn’t you? The next is also a receipt. And so is the next one, and the -next one. In fact I don’t see anything but receipts here.” - -Mr. Chisholm continued to call out the names of the payees of the -receipts, some containing money paid to the cowboys, some relating to -supplies of various kinds purchased at the store, handing each one to -some man who stood near him to see if he was right, until he had but -few papers left in the bundle. The longer he read the more astonished -he became, until finally he turned the pocket-book upside down to show -that it was empty. - -“That’s all,” said he. “There is nothing but receipts in it. What is -your pleasure with the pocket-book? Shall it go to this man who has not -grieved any over Mr. Davenport’s death----” - -“I don’t want it,” said Henderson, who was paler now than when he was -looking into Mr. Chisholm’s six-shooter. “The pocket-book I wanted -contains papers that relate to me. I have nothing whatever to do with -the receipts.” - -“Or shall it go to the boy who has done nothing but mourn for him ever -since he was brought in?” said Mr. Chisholm, paying no heed to the -interruption. “Of course the money goes with it.” - -“Now you’re talking,” said Henderson, brightening a little. “Give me -the money and let this boy have the pocket-book. It’s mine, and I -don’t see why you should want to keep it from me.” - -“And you say you never saw this boy before?” said Mr. Chisholm. - -“Never in my life,” returned Henderson. “When I saw that boy come by me -and go into the wagon I was dumfounded.” - -“Bob, you say you have seen this man before?” - -“I used to see him every day in St. Louis,” replied Bob, who was very -much cast down. “He used to live at our house.” - -“He is very much mistaken. He never saw me. I have never been in St. -Louis in my life.” - -“Seeing that Henderson is next of kin,” said one of the farmers, -stepping forward, “I think the money ought to go to him.” - -“And the pocket-book to Bob?” added Mr. Chisholm. - -“Why, in course. I think so.” - -“Is that in form of a resolution?” - -“Well, yes.” - -“Can I get a second to it?” - -The answer that came up from four hundred throats was enough to show -Bob that all his hopes of winning the money was gone, even before the -motion was put; but put it was, and it was carried unanimously. - -“Now all opposed say ‘No’!” said Mr. Chisholm. - -There was no one at all who answered. Those who didn’t vote wanted to -think the matter over before giving their decision. Mr. Chisholm had -placed his hand in his pocket and brought out the roll of bills, which -he gave to Henderson, and at the same time he laid the pocket-book -on Bob’s knee. The latter’s hands closed about it as though it had -contained the will he had expected to find there. He didn’t care a cent -for the money--he would have given it all to have his father back to -him, but the pocket-book was something that Mr. Davenport had handled. -He would cherish it as long as he lived. - -“There’s somebody in camp who has removed that pocket-book that I -wanted to see,” said Henderson, as he clutched the bills and thrust -them into his pocket. “I know my brother well enough to understand his -business, and when he saw his end coming he didn’t let the matter drop -here. He has got a will somewhere.” - -“Lem! Frank!” shouted Mr. Chisholm. - -The two cowboys instantly stepped forward. - -“You were the first to get to Mr. Davenport when he fell off his -horse?” continued our leader. - -“We were,” answered the two cowboys, in concert. - -“Did you watch carefully to see that nobody else touched him?” - -“Yes, sir, we did. We knew he had that pocket-book.” - -“Was the guard that was placed over him a reliable person?” - -“There’s none better. Mebbe you’ll say we took it!” said Frank, seeing -that Henderson gazed at him with a smile of disbelief on his face. “You -say that once an’ you won’t say it again!” - -“I am not saying anybody took it,” said Henderson. “I am simply saying -that it is gone. Anybody can say that, I suppose?” - -“Yes; but you say what you had on your mind an’ see how you will come -out! We know a story worth a dozen of yours.” - -“Easy, easy!” said Mr. Chisholm, catching Frank by the arm. “This -matter is settled for the time being. Now we will go to bed and sleep -on it. Maybe it will look different to us in the morning.” - -Mr. Chisholm filled his pipe with great deliberation, and the four -hundred men who had stood around to settle the case, taking it for -granted that the court had adjourned until more evidence could be -obtained, strolled off to their own camps. I was glad to see that very -few of them went with Henderson. Although they had decided in his -favor, giving him the money and Bob the receipts, somehow they didn’t -feel right about it. But the question was, where was the will? - -“Of all the mean, sneaking courts that ever I heard of----” began Frank. - -“Now, Frank, that will do,” said Lem, taking him by the arm and leading -him away. “I know what you want to say, and whenever you get to talkin’ -you let out some swear words that don’t sound well. Mr. Chisholm is -bossin’ this thing.” - -“But he never asked us to tell our story,” continued Frank. “We uns -could have knocked that fellow’s case higher than the moon.” - -“An’ he never told his own,” said Elam. - -“What good would it have done to tell everything we knew when there -was no will to back it up?” said Mr. Chisholm, throwing back a brand -upon the fire with which he had lighted his pipe. “When we get the -will we’ll talk to him. Bob, did you ever know your father to have two -pocket-books like the one you have got in your clothes?” - -“No, sir. I never saw him have but the one,” said Bob, taking out the -pocket-book and looking at it. “The man has got everything father -owned. But, believe me, I don’t care for that. I am young and can -easily make a living.” - -Mr. Chisholm drew his hand hastily across his eyes, as I had seen him -do before, and started off for his own camp, while the rest of us sat -down to think the matter over. I never saw men and boys so completely -done up as we were, who were sitting around that fire, and I will -venture to say that Bob thought less about the money than we did. He -had been brought up in the belief that it was all his own, and now -he had lost it. I tell you I felt sorry for him. He sat gazing into -the fire for a short time, then spoke a few words to Elam, who went -off and returned with his blankets. He made up a bed under the wagon -and laid down there with Bob. Tom Mason was the second one who was -badly perplexed. He would gaze steadily into the fire, as if he there -hoped to find a solution to some problem he was working out in his -mind, and then at me, moving his lips, as he always did when anything -troubled him, and finally he arose and gave me a nod, which I readily -understood. I followed him through the willows, and finally stood on -the edge of the prairie, where the cattle, having got their fill of the -water, were lying down. There were no sentries out to-night. A stampede -was the last thing we had to fear. - -“Say, Carlos, did you hear what Mr. Chisholm had to say to Bob about -his father having another pocket-book like the one he had in his -clothes?” he whispered, after looking all around to make sure that -there was no one within hearing. “Now, it has just occurred to me that -perhaps there is another one, and that Mr. Davenport put it into his -pocket.” - -“But Bob says there isn’t any other,” said I, jumping at the -conclusion. That very same thing had been running in my own mind, and -I was anxious to hear what Tom thought about it. “It looks like the -pocket-book that he slammed in his hands when he told us his story.” - -“That may be; but I tell you he has got another,” said Tom earnestly. -“The other one is hidden somewhere about the house.” - -“I wish I was as certain of it as you are,” said I. - -“Well, now, the only way we can find out is to go there and give -everything a good overhauling, when there is nobody there to prevent -us,” said Tom. - -“Don’t you suppose that Henderson has thought of that already?” - -“Let him. Who cares? We will go there and give things another -examination after he has left. I tell you, Carlos, it is our only -chance,” insisted Tom. “And with that pocket-book in our hands we can -carry the day, I bet you.” - -“Do you mean to go without letting anybody know it?” - -“Certainly. Henderson will wake up and find Bob here, and that is all -he cares for. I don’t suppose he has taken a single glance at us. Will -you go?” - -“We’ll have to see Mr. Chisholm first.” - -“Exactly. I don’t imagine that our horses can stand the trip----” - -“They’ve got to stand it,” said I, for Tom was so anxious about the -matter that I began to feel some of his enthusiasm. “If Mr. Chisholm -thinks it safe I will go. But, Tom, we have men to deal with who -are just as cunning as we are. I’ll bet you that we find that ranch -overhauled when we get there.” - -“They can’t travel faster than we can,” said Tom confidently. - -“Yes, they can. They are working for money now, and they will travel -night and day.” - -“Well, let’s go and see Mr. Chisholm. We can’t do anything as long as -we stand talking here. I don’t know where his camp is; do you?” - -No, I didn’t know where the camp was, but that made no difference -to me. The only way I could find it was to look for it, and that I -proceeded to do, leaving Tom outside on the prairie. We walked along -the edge of the willows until we saw a light shining through them, and -then I walked in. It proved to be Mr. Chisholm’s camp. There were a -dozen men standing around in little groups talking about the incidents -of Mr. Davenport’s death, and a little apart from all of them sat Mr. -Chisholm, smoking, as usual. - -“I guess Henderson didn’t feel very good over the decision we reached, -giving him the money and Bob the receipts,” said one of the men. “Five -hundred dollars is what he got, and that aint nothing to him. Where did -he come from, anyhow?” - -“He’s a speculator,” said another. “He don’t do anything, but just -buys and sells cattle. He’s got a nice little thing in having Mr. -Davenport’s cattle, if they were only in good trim.” - -“But that aint what he wants,” said a third. “Mr. Davenport has got -some money somewhere in some bank or another, and he wants authority to -draw it out.” - -That was all I wanted to hear, so I stepped up to Mr. Chisholm and gave -him a friendly nudge. Then I walked off to the place where I had left -Tom Mason, and he followed along after me. I could see that he was very -much depressed, so after he had gone a short distance out of hearing of -the men who stood at the fire, I said: - -“Mr. Chisholm, Tom Mason thinks there is another pocket book.” - -“There now,” said he, and he stopped as suddenly as though I had aimed -a blow at him. “That thing has been running in my head, too. But what -made Tom think of it?” - -“Here he is, and he can explain the matter for himself,” I answered. -“Now, Tom, give it to Mr. Chisholm just as you gave it to me.” - -It did not take Tom long to do that. Tom was a good talker when he had -anything on his mind, and he had Mr. Chisholm with him from the start. -The man listened intently until he got through, and then gave Tom a -slap on the back that I thought would have driven him into the ground. - -“Them’s the very points that I have been running over in my own head -ever since the court adjourned,” said he gleefully. “Now, how are you -going to work it? Do you intend to go off without letting anybody know -it? Remember that you have got some men to deal with that are just as -smart as you are. There’s something about that Henderson that I don’t -like any too well.” - -“That is just what we intend to do,” replied Tom. “From some things I -have heard of the man I don’t like him too well myself, and we can get -to the house and give the things a thorough overhauling before he gets -there. If we can find the pocket-book we’ll come back and tell you of -it, and all you will have to do will be to go to that bank and stop the -money.” - -“But I don’t know where the bank is,” said Mr. Chisholm. “That’s what’s -bothering of me now. It may be some bank in St. Louis.” - -That was a set-back that Tom hadn’t thought of. He looked at me and -then looked down at the ground. - -“Never mind. You go on up to the house and search high and low for -that pocket-book. Don’t leave a stone unturned that one can hide a -pocket-book under, and when you get through come back and tell me what -luck you have had. I guess if anybody can find it you can.” - -“I think so too, Mr. Chisholm,” said I. “Tom’s the luckiest fellow I -ever saw. He found the nugget when we had almost given up the search.” - -“The nugget?” repeated Mr. Chisholm. - -“Yes, sir; the one that Elam Storm lost fourteen years ago. He knew it -was around there somewhere, but no one could tell him where it was. Tom -in poking around and following what he considered to be a blind trail, -stumbled onto it.” - -“Why, I didn’t hear anything about that,” said Mr. Chisholm, casting a -glance of admiration upon Tom. “Was there much into it?” - -“It was as big as he could lift,” I replied. “Elam has got the most of -it in a belt under his clothes. We came here to buy cattle, you know.” - -“Well, I must hear all about that some day. Now you go and hunt for -that pocket-book, and don’t you come back without it. Take plenty of -grub along so that you will have something to eat, for if you don’t you -will be up a stump. Good-by, and good luck to you!” - -Mr. Chisholm turned about and walked into the willows, and Tom and I -stood and looked at each other. He had wished us good luck the same as -if we were going on a day’s journey, and yet it would take us a week -to go back to the ranch, and another week to get back to camp, to say -nothing of the difficulties we would meet on the way. I didn’t mind it -in the least, but I saw that Tom didn’t know what to think about it. -When he got into a place that he could not think his way out of, he -turned to me. - -“Is that all he has to say to us?” asked Tom. - -“What more do you want?” I enquired. “He has bid us good-by and told -us to take plenty of provisions along, and that’s about all he can do. -Now, Tom, can you saddle our horses without arousing anybody? If you -can, I will go to the wagon and get some grub.” - -Yes, Tom could do that, and he started off at once to carry out his -part of the programme. The horses were hitched in the outer edge of the -willows, and consequently he had nothing to do but to make two trips -to the fire after our saddles and weapons; while I had to work in the -presence of everybody, and there were two men around our camp fire that -I did not want to know anything about it. They may have been all right, -but Mr. Davenport had not taken them into his confidence and that made -me suspicious of them. When I got within reach of the circle of light -thrown out by our camp fire I moved with cautious footsteps, for Elam -and Bob were sleeping under the wagon, and threw aside the canvas -covering before I stepped in. Merciful Heavens, what a sight there was -presented to my gaze! Everything in the wagon had been pawed over, and -furthermore, some of the things had been thrown upon the body of Mr. -Davenport. It was some of that Henderson’s work, and showed how badly -he felt over the death of his brother! If I had been in the humor to -do it I could have had some shooting done in that camp inside of five -minutes, but instead of that I sprang into the wagon and removed the -articles of desecration, and placed the blanket evenly over the figure -as it was before. - -“This is one thing I shall always blame myself for,” said I, under my -breath. “I ought to have brought Mr. Chisholm here at once, and showed -him what that man is capable of doing. I believe I could have turned -the tables in short order without the long ride that is before me.” - -So filled with rage that I could hardly see, I proceeded to select the -grub that was to do Tom and me during our ride to Mr. Davenport’s ranch -and back: two slices of bacon and a bag to put them in, some meal, and -a little salt. That was all we took with us. I lowered them to the -ground and was about to follow them, when I saw that Frank was awake -and looking at me. Placing my finger upon my lips I walked over and -talked to him. - -“Where are you fellows going?” he asked, in his ordinary tone of voice. -“One would think you were going to skip the camp.” - -“And so we are,” I replied, in a whisper. “Tom Mason and I are going -after the missing pocket-book.” - -“Carlos,” said he, in the same cautious whisper, “your head is level. I -tell you that man has a pocket-book----” - -“I know he has, and we are going after it,” said I, anxious to bring -the interview to a close as soon as possible. “If we are missed don’t -you say one word. I say, Frank, that Henderson is a mighty mean chap. -When he went into the wagon looking for the pocket-book he threw the -things all about. He didn’t even take pains to see that they went on -the floor, either.” - -“The blamed skunk!” said Frank, raising himself on his elbow. “You -don’t mean to say that he threw them on----” - -“Yes, I do. He threw them all over him. But it is too late to remedy -the matter now. I put them off where they belong, and I only tell you -this so that you can make him shut his mouth if he begins working his -chin too much to-morrow.” - -“Dog-gone you! why didn’t you tell me before you touched the things? I -would have made him take them off himself. Well, good luck to you! Look -everywhere for that pocket-book.” - -If Tom had been there he wouldn’t have found any fault with Frank’s -parting, for he threw into his grip all the strength that a strong man -could. After I had received the assurance that he wouldn’t notice our -absence on the morrow, I gathered up the provisions and started for the -prairie. Tom was already there, and he was holding by the bridle the -two horses which he had saddled, and our weapons laid beside him on -the ground. When I told him what work Henderson had made in the wagon -he was utterly dumfounded. - -“Why didn’t you tell somebody of it?” he asked. - -“Because I put the things back where they belong,” I replied. - -“Well, you ought not to have done it. That would have made me mad -enough for anything.” - -“Well, keep still, and let us mount our horses and go on. You can say -more about it when we get further away.” - -By this time I had given him some of the provisions, which I saw him -fasten behind his saddle. I did the same with the others, and when I -had gathered up my weapons we mounted and rode away into the darkness. -I was satisfied that no one but Mr. Chisholm and Frank knew of our -absence. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. TOM’S LUCK. - - -It was just such a night as you would take if you wanted to go -a-fishing. The moon shone down on us through a thick haze, such as -we had seen many a night since our arrival on the prairie, and every -little sound that broke the stillness could be heard a long way off. -We could distinctly hear the Rangers talking, and their camp was -on the other side of Trinity. Everything that approached us on the -plains--even the cattle, which, having had a rest after their drink, -were beginning to crop the grass--loomed up on us to twice its natural -size, and everything betokened rain; but we had seen so many such -nights as that in Texas that we never gave it a moment’s thought. We -walked our horses until we could no longer hear the Rangers talking, -and then put them to a little faster gait. - -“I can’t get over the way that man Henderson has acted,” said Tom. “It -seems to me that you ought to have told somebody of it.” - -“How many men did you ever see killed in a fair, stand-up fight?” I -asked. - -“None, I am glad to say.” - -“I have, and that’s the reason I didn’t tell anybody what I saw. -Henderson wouldn’t have been alive now.” - -“I guess, after all, you did for the best,” added Tom; “but I would -have been too mad to take a second thought. How do you suppose -Henderson knew that his brother was with this outfit?” - -I replied that he didn’t know it at all. He was only a speculator, and -when the Rangers were ordered out to preserve the peace he came out -with them, to see if he could find something that was worth buying. - -“And if we don’t find the will he’s got a fine lot now,” I said. “Just -think of the eight or nine thousand head of cattle he got from Mr. -Davenport. Now that he has got them here he can sell them for five -dollars a head, easy enough. That will be more than enough to put him -on his feet.” - -“But I tell you that will is going to spoil his kettle of fish!” -answered Tom, as confidently as though he had the document in his -pocket. “You will see that we will have it in our hands when we come -back this way.” - -I wished then that I felt as confident of it as Tom did, but somehow -I saw too many difficulties in the way. In the first place, there was -Henderson, who wouldn’t believe that that pocket-book was the only one -Mr. Davenport had, and would be equally certain to send someone to the -ranch to look for it. And if he found it, I wasn’t sure that we could -get it away from him. When a man pulls a loaded gun on you and tells -you to stand where you are, you had better stand. Then, again, there -was the invalid, with all his eccentricities of hiding things where no -one would ever think of looking for them; in fact, I didn’t believe -he could have found it himself if he had been going to the ranch with -us. Taking these two things into consideration, I thought we had -undertaken something of a scheme. But I said nothing about it, for I -did not want to discourage Tom. Everything depended on him. - -For hours we rode along, talking over matters and things that had -fallen to our lot in Texas, and were beginning to look around for -a belt of post oaks, in which we could camp for the day, when Tom, -who was going on ahead, suddenly stopped and held up his finger. I -had heard the same sound, but didn’t think it best to speak of it. -Presently it came again, faint and far off, but there was no mistaking -it. - -“It is thunder, as sure as I am a foot high,” said Tom, his face -brightening as if he had just discovered something. - -“It is, for a fact! I heard it long ago, but you were so busy talking -that you didn’t notice it,” I replied. “I really believe it is going to -rain.” - -“Grant that it may be a deluge. I will gladly swim from here to the -ranch if they will only send water enough. There is some timber -straight ahead, and the sooner we reach it the sooner we will be safe.” - -It did look like rain, sure enough, and even our horses felt the coming -breeze and were not disposed to wait for the spur. One would have -thought there was a regiment of cavalry camped in the woods toward -which we were hastening, for the animals neighed to each other as fast -as they could take breath. The sky became overcast, after a while the -moon was completely shut out from our view, and then everything was as -dark as one could wish; but we were already headed for the timber and -did not care for that. At last we were fairly inside the protecting -branches, and then the storm came. What a deluge it was! It wasn’t a -“norther,” such as we would have expected a month or two later, but -a regular downpour of rain, and the lightning flashed incessantly. -Whatever it may have been for us--and we were as wet as drowned rats -before we had staked out our horses--we knew it was the life of half -our cattle in the drive. We whistled and sang as we took our saddles -off our horses and put them on the leeward side of the trees so that -we could keep out of the storm, and all the while it was so dark that -we couldn’t see each other. Let some of you who haven’t seen a drop of -rain for sixteen months, and the streams were all dry, and you had to -carry your water from a distance, imagine how good it seemed to us. -Every time the lightning flashed with unwonted fury, and it seemed to -us that one or the other of us had been struck, I would call out as -soon as I could make myself heard: “Tom, are you there yet?” and the -answer that came back was always a cheering one: “Yes, I’m here yet. A -man who was born to be hanged can’t be struck by lightning.” - -To make a long story short the storm continued all that day and never -let up a bit; and Tom and I slept through it all. We picked out a -comfortable position on the side of the trees opposite the storm, -and wrapping up head and ears in blankets, went off into the land -of dreams. When we awoke the storm had passed and the moon was just -coming up, and our first thought was to get something to eat; for it -had rained so hard all day that any attempt to start a fire would have -been useless. Overjoyed as we were to see the rain, we still had sense -enough to take care of our provisions. Tom had the salt stowed away -inside of his coat so that the water could not get at it, and the meal -I had provided for. I had taken the bag that contained it in between my -knees and covered it over with my blanket, and although the outside of -the meal was wet, the inside of it was perfectly dry. - -“Remember, now, that you are to get three meals in one,” said Tom, -handing out the salt and going out to attend to the horses which, -having eaten all the boughs within reach, now showed a disposition to -get at the grass. “I am as hungry as a wolf.” - -It took an hour to get supper, and we did full justice to it. By that -time the horses had got their fill of the grass, and I never saw them -act so much like themselves as they did when we brought them in to put -the saddles on them. They acted as though they were impatient to be off. - -“Now we are fairly afloat again,” said Tom, after we had ridden out on -the prairie and put our horses into a gentle lope. “I wonder if that -man Henderson has missed us yet?” - -“You may be sure he has,” I replied. “And if he doesn’t send somebody -to head us off or come himself, I shall miss my guess. We mustn’t think -we are going to have this all our own way.” - -“Oh, I don’t!” said Tom hastily. “But let me get the first pull at it -and I’ll find that pocket-book. My luck never went back on me yet.” - -I had not been long on the plains before I became really amazed at the -sight that was presented to me. One, to have been with us, would have -thought that we had purposely left a good portion of our herd behind, a -prey for the wolves, for as far as our eyes could reach we saw cattle -that had been abandoned by us as unfit to go farther, deliberately -engaged in cropping the grass. The rain had revived them and they -were doing what they could to save themselves. There must have been -a thousand head within the range of our vision, and I knew that the -cattlemen would soon be out after them. I expressed this hope to Tom -and was surprised to find that he did not agree with me. - -“You hope the cattlemen will come out after them?” said he, looking -amazed. “Well, I don’t! The men will be certain to see us----” - -“They won’t be out for a day or two, and consequently we’ll be beyond -their reach,” I answered. “I am not afraid of the cattlemen. It is that -Henderson that I am afraid of.” - -We were eight days on the road, and all the time our horses showed -signs of increased vigor, and at last we came across some things which -Tom remembered; and finally the whitewashed walls of the ranch came -into view. Then Tom began to look sober. It was easy enough to talk -about finding the pocket-book, but to _find_ it was a different thing. -We approached the ranch with fear and trembling because we didn’t know -who had been there since we left, but we found everything just as it -ought to be. We thought it necessary to stake out our horses because -the rain had started the grass so much that they would have strayed -off before we had left them an hour. - -“Now, Tom,” said I, as I drove the picket-pin into the ground and -picked up my rifle and put it on the porch, so as to have it handy, -“come on and show us your luck. Your luck never went back on you yet, -and this is the time to prove it. Yes, sir; everything is just as we -left it,” I added, as I pushed open the door. “There has nobody been -here.” - -Tom placed his rifle in one corner of the cabin and walked over to -Mr. Davenport’s bed as confidently as though he already felt the -pocket-book in his grasp, picked up the clothing one by one and shook -them out, placing the articles carefully on the floor, so that he -wouldn’t have to look at them again, and I sat down in the invalid’s -rocking chair and watched his movements. But not a thing happened to -come out. At last he came to the mattress, but here, too, his luck -was at fault. Slowly and by handfuls he took out the hay with which -the mattress had been stuffed, but not a thing in the shape of a -pocket-book did he find. Then he removed the wooden slats that held the -bed up and cautiously scrutinized every opening, and even looked under -the bed itself, but it was all in vain. Whatever else the invalid did -with his property, he certainly hadn’t hid it about where he lay. - -[Illustration: THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK.] - -“I declare, my luck has played me false for once in my life,” said Tom, -seating himself on the bed and giving up with blank despair. “I was -sure that pocket-book was hidden somewhere about his bed.” - -“Well, then, I must take a hand,” said I, pulling over one of the other -beds. “Here are plenty of others to be examined. Let’s pull them all to -pieces.” - -Tom went to work once more, but I knew we were on the wrong scent. -We pulled all the beds to pieces, and then I got a chair and devoted -myself to the rafters, especially all around the house where they came -down to the wall, and Tom got a sharp stick somewhere and pried up the -stones there were in the fireplace, but not a thing did we find. We -spent at least an hour on the inside of the ranch, and then, utterly -discouraged, we went out on the porch and I pulled out my pipe. - -“My luck has gone back on me, too,” said I. “Where do you suppose Mr. -Davenport hid that thing?” - -“I don’t believe he could tell himself if he were alive,” answered -Tom. “He must have felt very bad when he hid it, for he took the wrong -pocket-book. Do you imagine he hid it under the house?” - -“I don’t know. We might as well look everywhere, now that we are here. -There is one thing about it,” I added, “he didn’t know but he had the -right one at the time he fell from his horse. When he fell he put his -hands on his pocket-book. Who are those coming there?” - -I did not need to point out the direction of the three men who were -approaching, because they were in plain sight, and Tom saw them readily -enough. They were coming fast, too, as if they feared they might be too -late. Tom never changed his position, nor did he make an effort to pick -up his rifle. - -“It is somebody coming to look for the pocket-book,” said he. “Let -them go on and see what sort of luck they will have. It wouldn’t -surprise me if they went straight to it.” - -“No, sir; they can’t do that!” said I hastily. “We have been to every -spot in the ranch,--in the cupboard, the fireplace, the beds,--and I -would like to see them haul out a thing the size of that pocket-book -that we have missed. I declare, it is Henderson and Coyote Bill. -They’re there as big as life. Now, where did Henderson find Coyote Bill -so quickly? That is what I should like to know.” - -I was in something of a trap; I could see that plainly enough. If -Coyote Bill should accuse me of treachery, there was only one thing he -could do with me. They came up as swiftly as their horses could foot -it, and I saw that one of them carried his revolver in his hand. We sat -there on the porch and looked at them. Coyote Bill was the first one -who spoke. - -“Morning,” said he cheerfully. “Did you boys find it?” - -“We found never the thing,” answered Tom. “We stayed here in hopes that -you would go straight to it. We have been in every place and it isn’t -there.” - -“Well, you two can stand up and put your hands above your heads,” said -the stranger. “We’ll begin the search by going through you first.” - -“Say, Pete, you won’t find anything there,” interposed Bill. - -“I’m going through them to find out,” answered Pete. “I am going to -look in every nook and corner of the place before I go away. That -pocket-book is here and we are going to have it.” - -With one accord Tom and I arose to our feet, extended our hands above -our heads, and Pete put up his revolver and proceeded to “sound” us -very thoroughly. He felt in all our pockets, and run his hand over the -seams of our clothing, to see if there was anything there to remind him -of papers that had been stowed away. - -“You needn’t be so particular,” said I. “We have been here about an -hour before you came, and we haven’t had time to stow away any papers. -We wouldn’t be foolish enough to do that, anyway.” - -“Never you mind,” said Pete. “I am going through you. Some of you boys -know where that pocket-book is, and I’m going to know too, before I get -through with you.” - -“Holy Moses! Just look a-here!” said Coyote Bill, who just then entered -the house. “If the pocket-book was in here those boys have got it, -sure.” - -“But I tell you we haven’t got it,” said I. “We are just as anxious to -find it as you are.” - -“Are you going to give it up?” said Pete, once more drawing out his -revolver. “Where is it?” - -“You can shoot if you please, but I tell you that you won’t make -anything by it,” I replied, looking him squarely in the eye. “That -pocket-book is hidden where no one will ever find it.” - -“Do you know where it is?” - -“No, I don’t! And that is the honest truth.” - -“Aw! Pete, let him alone,” said Bill. He stood just on the threshold -with his hands against his hips, but making no effort to continue the -search we had begun. “He hasn’t got it. It isn’t here, and we might as -well go under the house. Have you boys looked up among the rafters?” - -“Yes; we have looked everywhere.” - -I wasn’t as thoroughly cowed as some boys might have been, for I saw -that Coyote Bill was disposed to be friendly toward me; so I had plenty -of time to study the expression on Henderson’s face. When he first -rode up to the ranch it wore a determined look which said that he knew -we had the object of which we were in search, and that he was bound -to have it; but when he watched the results of Pete’s examination, -and stood in the door and witnessed the confusion that Tom and I had -made in the cabin, the expression of serious resolve he had on his -countenance gave way to a look of intense and bitter rage. The ranch -looked as bad as the wagon did when he got through with it. If he had -been alone and held the power in his hands I wouldn’t have felt so much -at my ease. - -“Well, you see it isn’t here, don’t you?” said Coyote Bill soothingly. -“I don’t believe the old man had any other pocket-book, anyway.” - -“That’s my opinion,” said Pete. “If he had, where is it?” - -This was enough to set Henderson fairly to boiling, but he dared not -show it. - -“I say he did!” said he, striving hard to keep down his rising anger. -“What made Bob look so blue when the contents of this pocket-book were -read? I tell you that the old man had another, and it is somewhere in -this house.” - -“I think he had another one, too,” I answered, wishing to keep on good -terms with Bill. Although he didn’t say much, I could see that he was -on the very point of using his revolver; and as I had seen something of -that kind once or twice before, I did not care to see another. “He has -got another pocket-book somewhere, but whether he took it in the wagon -with him or left it here in the house, I don’t know.” - -“Where is it, then?” asked Bill. - -“That’s more’n I know.” - -“I don’t like to take such a ride as this for nothing, and I am going -under the house,” said Bill. “Come on, Pete.” - -“But aint you afraid to trust these boys here alone?” asked Pete. - -“No. I trusted one of them before I made any move; didn’t I, Carlos?” - -“Yes, and he went back on you,” said Henderson. “If he didn’t you would -have got the pocket-book.” - -“Did you go back on me, Carlos?” - -“That’s a pretty question for a man to ask,” I answered, scowling -savagely at Henderson. “I knew you could shoot as well as anybody.” - -“That’s what I knew, too. Come on, Pete! If Henderson is afraid to -trust them, he can stay here with them.” - -But that was something Henderson was not prepared to do. He wanted to -be close to the men when they found that pocket-book, for there was -so much in it that he was afraid to trust them alone with it; so when -they moved off and crawled under the ranch, he went with them. Tom -and I returned to our seats on the porch, saying never a word to each -other, and for an hour listened to the movements of the men that were -under the house. Sometimes I was almost certain they had found it, but -when they came out after their search was over, I told myself that the -invalid had never hidden anything under there, for they were as dirty -as they could well be. They were all mad, but Coyote Bill brightened up -when he saw me. - -“Well, Carlos, you think you won’t go with me?” said he. - -“And steal cattle?” I exclaimed. - -“Well, that’s what some folks call it,” said Bill, with a laugh. - -“No, I think I will stay here and be honest. I find I can make a living -better that way than I can by stealing. Are you going to give up the -search?” - -“We might as well. There is no pocket-book here, or if there is it is -hidden where no one will ever find it. So we may as well give it up and -go down there to Trinity.” - -Henderson was not yet satisfied. He had given the under part of the -house a good overhauling, had prodded every little mound of earth that -looked as though it might recently have been thrown up, and now he was -going to try the upper part. He had brought a stick with him, and with -it he dug down in the fireplace until he went so far that the solid -earth resisted his efforts, and all the while the men stood by watching -him. After that he devoted his attention to the things we had taken -off the beds, throwing them into one corner, and when the last handful -of hay had been tossed aside he was obliged to confess that there was -nothing there. - -“Are you satisfied now?” asked Bill. “If you are, we are going.” - -“That pocket-book is somewhere about this ranch, and I know it,” said -Henderson. “I don’t like to give it up.” - -But all the same, when he saw his companions mounting their horses, in -readiness to go away, he followed their example. They went away without -saying a good word to us. Tom settled back in his chair and crossed his -legs, while I filled my pipe and looked at him. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. HENDERSON IS ASTONISHED. - - -“Where is all your luck gone now, Tom?” I enquired. - -“It’s gone,” said Tom disconsolately, “and I am left here flat on -my back. I could have taken my oath that the pocket-book was hidden -somewhere about that bed. What do you suppose made that Coyote Bill so -friendly with you? If there had been any other man than you here he -would have talked rough to him.” - -“And perhaps have done something rough,” I added. “I don’t know what -made him act so, unless he had an idea that he was going to get me to -go off with him. He is going to see some trouble some day. But what -about breakfast? I am getting hungry.” - -“Let us put some of these stones back where they belong and cook our -breakfast in here,” said Tom. “Somehow I don’t feel like going out in -the woods. That pocket-book is concealed around here, and I would like -to know where it is.” - -I shrugged my shoulders, and seized a bucket to go out and bring some -water, and Tom, taking that as an answer that he could guess the matter -as well as I, went in to put some of the stones back in the fireplace. -I was not gone more than ten minutes, and when I came back I found Tom -on the porch fairly convulsed with excitement. He could hardly stand -still. - -“Say, Carlos, where are the men that were here?” he stammered, as -plainly as he could speak. - -“They have just ridden over that hill out of sight,” I replied. “Is -anything up?” - -“There’s no chance for them to come back?” - -“Of course not. They are gone.” - -“There isn’t any of their party loafing around ready to come back and -see what we have found, is there?” - -“Why, Tom,” I exclaimed, “have you found the pocket-book?” - -“Come in here,” said Tom, seizing me by the arm and dragging me into -the ranch. “Now, there’s the pocket-book---- Well, it isn’t in plain -sight, but it is so near it that you will think those men ought to have -discovered it. See here!” - -Tom seized a stick which one of the men had used and began poking -around in the ashes that covered the hearthstone. No one had thought of -moving that stone, for it was so large that the sticks which supported -the chimney came down on each side of it; but the dirt under the edges -of it had been thrown out, until it was found that there was nothing -there. The ashes which concealed it were those that had been left there -from the last fire Mr. Davenport had made, when he didn’t feel like -going out of doors, and there was scarcely enough of them to cover -a quarter of a dollar, let alone a good-sized pocket-book; but Tom -knew right where to go, and with the second prod he brought out the -pocket-book--the identical mate to the one that was now in camp. Mr. -Davenport had concealed it there on the morning after Coyote Bill had -made an effort to steal it, and had forgotten where he put it. The one -that contained the receipts he had placed under his pillow, and when -we got ready to start in the morning,--we packed up in something of -a hurry, you will understand,--he had taken that one with him! I was -profoundly astonished. I jumped forward and picked up the pocket-book, -giving it a slap or two in my hands to clear it of the ashes that clung -to it, and opened it. - -“I tell you my luck hasn’t gone back on me yet,” said Tom, who was -overjoyed at his discovery. - -“Why, Tom, how did you find it?” I asked. I couldn’t think of anything -else to say. - -“I have been thinking about it all the time,” answered Tom. “And I -couldn’t think of any place in the house that had not been looked into -except these ashes, so I began to poke into them. At the second jab I -made, out came the pocket-book.” - -I looked around until I found a chair, and then seated myself to -examine the pocket-book; for you will remember that we had taken a long -ride, and we did not want to take another with the same object in view. -The papers were all folded neatly away, and as I opened the first one -I came to, my eyes caught the words: “In the name of God, Amen.” That -was the will, and it was all right. I looked at the conclusion, and -there were the names of all of us as witnesses. The next paper I opened -was a letter of instructions to Bob, and told him how to carry on his -business if he wanted to make a success of it. - -“I don’t want to look any further,” I said, folding up the papers. -“Tom, you’ve got it as sure as the world.” - -Tom did not make any reply at once. He went out on the porch and all -around the ranch to make sure that there was no one listening to us. - -“Say, Carlos!” he exclaimed, as soon as he came back, “I’ve found the -will, and now you have got to take charge of it. If you see anybody -coming toward us on the way home, just take out the pocket-book and -drop it into the grass, and then when they have gone we’ll come and -find it. How does that strike you?” - -“That will do,” I replied. “Then we can say that we don’t know where -it is, only we’ll have to keep a close watch of landmarks to find the -place where we hid it. I wish I had your luck.” - -“I wish you had too,” replied Tom, with a smile. “I notice that -everybody is poking fun at me on account of it, but I tell you -sometimes it comes handy. Now, if you will go out and cook breakfast -I’ll put everything back as I found it.” - -The breakfast didn’t amount to much, for we were anxious to begin our -homeward journey to see what effect the result of our search would have -upon Bob. There was not one man in ten, who knew what we were going -to the ranch for, who would have predicted our success, and we were -equally anxious to hear what Lem and Frank would have to say about -it. I heard Tom strike up a lively whistle in the ranch while I was -gathering wood for the fire, and in a few minutes he came out. - -“Say!” he exclaimed. “What will you bet that Henderson isn’t getting a -good going over by this time?” - -“I am quite sure he is,” said I. “You know Pete said he didn’t believe -Mr. Davenport had another pocket-book, and Coyote Bill agreed with him. -But we knew a story worth two of that!” - -“I know it. And to think that we should find it before they were fairly -out of sight of the building. Who--pee! My luck never went back on me -yet.” - -Tom went back to his work, and when I had the bacon fairly under way -and the corn bread done, I invited him to come out and eat breakfast, -if his excitement would allow him to eat any. He had the things mostly -picked up. Two of the beds hadn’t been touched, and we would leave -them for the cowboys who wouldn’t have anything else to do. He came, -and the way the breakfast disappeared was a caution. He ate more than -I could have eaten to save my life, and I came to the conclusion -that the excitement was not all on his side. In half an hour more we -were on our homeward journey, and during the whole of that ride there -was nothing happened that was worthy of narration. We performed the -ride almost entirely by daylight. When we slept it was in a grove of -post-oaks, and any one who had come upon our camp would not have found -the pocket-book. I took particular pains to hide it before we turned -in, and when morning came it was always there. It rained for two days -during our journey, but we didn’t mind that, and it was not long before -we began to strike the advance guards of our cattle. No fight had -occurred between the farmers and our outfit, because the former were -men and knew just what they would do under the same circumstances. They -and the Rangers camped on the other side of Trinity to see that we did -not drive our cattle over, and when it rained the Rangers knew that -their work was done and started at once for home, while the farmers -remained a few days longer to guard their crops. Almost the first man -we saw was Clifford Henderson, who was out trying to sell his stock to -some cattlemen, but the cattlemen did not like the way he had come in -charge of it, and would not consent to buy. When he saw us approaching -he rode to meet us, accompanied by three or four of the men whom he had -been trying to induce to buy his cattle. - -“I am glad I don’t feel the way I did when I last saw this stock,” said -Tom. “I tell you I was glum then, and didn’t know whether my luck was -going to stand me in hand or not. There comes Henderson, but he has got -some of our men with him, so that we need not be afraid. It beats me -how he can associate with fellows like Coyote Bill, and then hold up -his head when he gets among honest men.” - -“He knows that we won’t tell of him until the proper time comes,” said -I. “I’ll bet you that by the time this business is settled you can’t -put your hands on him.” - -“Where will he go?” - -“He’ll put out. Just as soon as he finds the will in our hands he will -skip. You see if he don’t.” - -But at this moment Henderson came along as though he had a perfect -right to be there. He was talking, and laying down some law to the men. - -“I tell you that pocket-book was the only one Mr. Davenport had,” said -he. “When he was taken with that fit and fell from his horse, he placed -his hands upon it to be sure that it was safe. Here are the boys; you -can ask them. Did you find it?” - -“Find what?” I asked; for I knew that Tom would expect me to do all the -talking. - -“Find the pocket-book,” continued Henderson. “These men insist that -there is another one somewhere, and that I haven’t got any right to the -cattle. Now I want to know if you found it.” - -“We looked over every place that you looked and didn’t find any,” I -answered. “Every place except under the house.” - -“And I don’t blame you for not going there,” said Henderson, with a -laugh. “We went under there and got as dirty as so many pigs. You saw -me come there with two men, didn’t you?” - -“You certainly did.” - -“And I looked everywhere for the pocket-book and didn’t find it,” added -Henderson. “In fact I examined everything, and not a thing in the shape -of a pocket-book did I discover. I tell you, gentlemen, there is none -there. Now, I can sell you these cattle cheaper than you can buy them -anywhere else. I have got to go North on business, and I may not come -back; and I want to get rid of everything I have got down here.” - -“Of all the impudence I ever heard, you are the beat,” I muttered, and -it was all I could do to keep from pulling out the pocket-book and -shaking it under Henderson’s nose; but I knew that wouldn’t do. I must -first place the pocket-book in Mr. Chisholm’s hands, and then I could -say what I had a mind to. While Henderson was talking he kept his eyes -fastened upon one man, and another in the group looked as fixedly at -me. I scowled at him repeatedly, and finally the man brightened up and -said slowly: - -“I’d like to buy these cattle, because I can get them cheaper than I -can anywhere else; but I want to be certain that the man has got a -right to them before he lets ’em go.” - -“All the will that was made was in that pocket-book,” said Henderson -impatiently. “And you all saw that there was no will at all. Being next -of kin I am entitled to all his property.” - -“_But_,” continued the man, “the boys say they did not find anything -while you were there. Now I want to know if they found anything after -you left. That’s what’s a-bothering of me.” - -I didn’t make any reply to this question, I wanted it to be put to me -before I answered. The men all looked at me, but I remained as dumb as -one of the cattle that were feeding around. - -“You don’t answer that question,” said the man. - -“Do you ask it of me?” - -“Certainly I do. There is nobody else to answer it.” - -“Then you have got me pinned down to a fine point, and if I reply to -the question I shall do so truthfully. I did find something after he -left--or rather Tom did, and it amounts to the same thing.” - -“What was it?” - -“A pocket-book.” - -“Where is it?” shouted Henderson, his eyes blazing with excitement. -“Hand it out here!” - -“It’s in my pocket, and there it will stay until I can give it into the -hands of Mr. Chisholm,” I answered, as firmly as I could. “In it is a -will which relates to Bob Davenport----” - -“It is a fraud!” exclaimed Henderson, turning all sorts of colors. -“Hand it out here so that I can look at it! I am not going to be -cheated out of my cattle in this way.” - -“The will is in Mr. Davenport’s own hand-writing, and to it are -attached our signatures, with Bob as a witness.” - -“It’s a fraud--a clean and scandalous lie!” vociferated Henderson. “How -much do you boys calculate you are going to make out of this?” - -“Not a red cent!” I replied indignantly. “But you can talk of making -some money out of it when you come to the ranch in company with such -men as----” - -“That is neither here nor there,” interrupted Henderson, who saw in -a minute that I was about to expose him. “I want you to show me that -will. I can tell you whether or not it is genuine.” - -“Well, boys, let’s go and hunt up Mr. Chisholm,” said one of the men, -who saw that we were getting down to a fine point. “He is the lawyer in -this business and will know exactly what ought to be done.” - -“I am just as good a lawyer as he is, and I don’t need one; and -furthermore, I won’t have any!” declared Henderson. “I tell you I want -to see the will. I will know whether or not it is genuine. I am here -alone and you are five to my one. Let me see it, I tell you!” - -Henderson was about as near crazy as a man could get and live, and if -we had been alone I should have objected to show him the pocket-book; -but there were two men there whom I was not afraid to trust. I looked -at one of them, and he said: - -“As he is the next of kin I think he has a right to see the will. You -may show it to him without any fear that he will get away with it. Get -on the other side of him, boys!” - -“If you are going to watch me in this way, you can keep your old will!” -said Henderson, as plainly as he could speak, which, owing to his -excitement and rage, might have been taken for something else. “You -will find that there is a surrogate in this county who has to have the -will proved, and I shall start in search of him before I am an hour -older. Keep away from that horse. What are you putting your hands on -him for?” - -Two of the men, without paying any attention to what he said, “got -around on the other side of him,” one laying his hand upon his bridle -and the other drawing his revolver and resting it across the hollow -of his arm. I saw that Henderson was fairly cornered, and without -any further comments I pulled out the pocket-book and gave it to the -spokesman. When Henderson’s eyes rested upon it it was all he could do -to keep from snatching it. - -“That first paper is the will,” said I. “It is signed by Robert -Davenport, who, when he showed us the will, said: ‘I take my oath that -this is my proper signature,’ or words to that effect. Tom Mason and I -signed it, while Elam Storm made his mark. He can’t write, you know. -Bob Davenport signed it as a witness.” - -“I see you are all against me, but I want to see the will,” said -Henderson. “You had better mind what you are about, for they have a -queer way of dealing with men in this part of the country who swear to -a lie!” - -“By gum! the boys have got it, sure enough,” said the spokesman, as -he ran his eye rapidly over the paper. “‘In the name of God, Amen! I, -Robert Davenport, being thoroughly convinced of the uncertainty of -life, do hereby give and bequeath to my son, Robert Davenport, all the -property of which I may die possessed, to wit:’ There you have it. Do -you want to see it?” - -The man who held the revolver raised it to a level with Henderson’s -head, the man who had his grip on the bridle tightened it, and the -spokesman passed the will over to Henderson. My heart was in my mouth, -for I did not know but the man, in his rage, would kill himself; but -he did nothing of the sort. He ran his eye rapidly over the paper, -and I saw that he was trying to find the name of the bank in which -Mr. Davenport’s bonds were deposited for safe keeping, and then I -interfered. - -“That’s enough!” I exclaimed. “He doesn’t want to get at the name of -that bank, because he may get there before we do. Take it away from -him!” - -“You are too late, young man,” said Henderson, as he readily gave up -the will. “And now, I will bid you good-by. You are a pack of thieves, -the last one of you!” - -He made an effort to spur up his horse, but the man who held his bridle -was not to be taken unawares. - -“Take that back!” he exclaimed. - -“Well, you want me to call you something, don’t you?” said Henderson. - -I think he was the coolest man I ever saw. That was twice he had looked -into the muzzle of a revolver when the man who stood behind it was -just on the point of shooting, but he never changed color. - -“Take it back!” said the man. “One--two----” - -“Well, then, you are gentlemen, the last one of you,” said the culprit. -“Now, let me go, and when you get down to Austin you may be sure you -will find me there. There isn’t any law against that, I suppose?” - -“No; you can go and come when you are a mind to; but you be sure that -you don’t come around our camp to-night!” - -“You may be sure that I shall never come around there again. The next -time you see me I shall be backed up by law!” - -The man who held his bridle released it, and we sat in our saddles and -saw Henderson gallop away, while the one who held the will folded it up -and returned it to me. Henderson evidently knew where he was going, for -he went in an awful hurry, and somehow I couldn’t get it out of my mind -that Bob was going to see trouble over the will after all. As we turned -about and went back to camp I said to our spokesman: - -“Who is that officer who is going to examine the will? I suppose we -shall have to go to Austin with Bob?” - -“The surrogate? Yes, he is called that in some States, but what in the -world he is called here I don’t know. I never had anything to do with -the proving of wills, but we will go and see Mr. Chisholm. He will know -all about it. By gum! you fellows got it, didn’t you? And you say that -he and two other men were there in the house and all over it and never -found it? Tell us all about it.” - -It did not take me long to tell the cattlemen the history of our trip -to the ranch and back, but I left out all allusions to Coyote Bill. -I could do that and I knew that Tom wouldn’t betray me. When the -spokesman asked me who the men were, I could tell him that one was -Henderson and the other was ’Rastus Johnson. Who the other was I didn’t -know, for I had been on the ranch all the time, and my opportunities -for making acquaintances were very slight. I determined to tell Mr. -Chisholm all about it, for I assure you I did not feel like having -secrets from my friends. - -“’Rastus Johnson! I never knew him, but his knowing something about -that pocket-book proves that he is a snake in the grass. I wonder if he -has anything to do with Coyote Bill?” - -“There comes Bob Davenport!” exclaimed Tom suddenly. “He is more -interested in what we have to tell than anybody else.” - -I never was so glad of an interruption in my life. It got me out of a -lie, plain enough. I looked around, and there was Bob waving his hat to -us. It seems that the loss of his cattle had not hurt him any, for he -had his coat off and was working with Mr. Chisholm’s men. When I saw -him coming I pulled out the pocket-book and waved it over my head. - - - - -CHAPTER X. OFF FOR AUSTIN. - - -What Bob Davenport thought when he saw me waving that pocket-book to -him, I don’t know. I held it extended in my left hand and tapped it -with my right as if to say, “Here’s your will,” until he came up, and -then I saw his face was whiter than it was when he thought he had lost -his cattle. - -“You’ve got it! You’ve got it as sure as the world!” he exclaimed, as -soon as he came within speaking distance. “Is it mine?” - -“Tom Mason found it for you, and it is all yours,” said I. “I don’t -know how much there is in it, because I haven’t read the will; but I -heard your father say that it was all yours.” - -With hands that trembled Bob took the pocket-book and opened it; and -as he gazed upon the hand-writing of his father now laid away among -the willows, his eyes filled with tears. Mr. Davenport, I afterward -learned, had been buried near the scene of his death, and the cattlemen -had made a heavy box and loaded it with stones to protect it from the -wolves. Bob had not yet recovered from his father’s sudden death, but -Clifford Henderson was not at the funeral, and when remonstrated with -by the cattlemen for his want of sympathy for the fate of his brother, -said gruffly: - -“Why should I want to see him buried? He drove me away from home by his -ingratitude eight years ago, and I have never got over it. He seems to -have one mourner there, and that is enough.” - -Bob Davenport, we repeat, read the will from the beginning to the end, -also the letter of instructions, and we sat on our horses waiting for -him to finish. When he was through he folded up the letter, closed the -pocket-book, and handed it back to me. - -“Why, Bob, it is yours,” I said. - -“No,” he replied; “you fellows found it. I should never have seen it -if it hadn’t been for you, and I wish you to take and hand it to Mr. -Chisholm. When he says I may have it all, I will take it; not before. I -left him here at the wagon when I came up.” - -We followed Bob back to the wagon, and there we found Mr. Chisholm, -smoking as usual. He knew there was something up, for we had waited -almost fifteen minutes for Bob to read the letter, but he said not a -word until I rode up and gave him the pocket-book. Then he opened it -and read the first line of the will, after which he folded it up and -placed it in his own pocket. - -“Is it all right?” he asked. - -“It is all there,” replied Bob. “I read the whole of it.” - -“Which was the lucky fellow?” - -I jerked my thumb over my shoulder toward Tom Mason, and in another -moment Mr. Chisholm had him from his horse. - -“By George, Tommy, you did nobly!” said he, lifting Tom from the ground -with one hand and giving him a grip with the other that must have -brought tears of pain to his eyes. “I believe now that you found the -nugget, but I was not prepared to swallow it all when I first heard of -the story.” - -“Course he did! Didn’t he find my nugget when it had been buried out of -sight longer than I can remember? Give us your grip, Tom.” - -We looked up, and there was Elam Storm coming around the wagon. He had -his sleeves rolled up, and a person who knew him would have hesitated -about shaking hands with him; but Tom took it without ceremony. There -was genuine affection between the two boys, and it showed itself in the -way they greeted each other. - -“Now, boys,” said Mr. Chisholm, who could not have been more delighted -if the will he had in his possession had deeded some property to him -instead of to Bob, “the next thing is something else. I wish when you -start out again that you would see every cowboy that you can, and tell -him to come to my wagon after supper, for I have got some things that -will interest them. I promised to do some more talking to them when I -got the will, and now I am in a condition to do it. Tell Henderson to -come along too.” - -“Henderson won’t be here,” said our spokesman. - -“Ah! Skipped out, has he?” - -“Yes. He said we were thieves, the last one of us, and we asked him to -take it back and never show his face in our camp again. He left in a -mighty hurry, and I guess he was going somewhere.” - -“Humph!” said Mr. Chisholm, with a sidelong glance at me. “Well, you -send all the boys up here. We have something here now that will put a -different look on the matter.” - -“Now, Bob,” continued our spokesman, “we haven’t had a chance before to -tell you how pleased we are at your good fortune. Shake!” - -“Oh, I took it for granted,” said Bob, accepting the cowboys’ hands, -one after the other. “You have been so good to me ever since I lost my -cattle that I knew you sympathized with me. I am glad to receive your -congratulations.” - -We stood there at the wagon and saw the cowboys ride away and Elam -engaged in conversation with Tom, and then I motioned to Mr. Chisholm -to follow me off on one side. There were two things that I wanted to -speak to him about. - -“You know when Henderson read that will, do you not?” I began. - -“I thought I did,” he replied. “You had him cornered so that he -couldn’t get away or destroy it?” - -“Yes, sir. He read it rapidly, much more so than I could have done if I -had had the paper, and he wanted to get at the name of the bank where -the money was kept on deposit--that is, where the bonds were kept. Then -I interfered and the men took the paper away from him.” - -“Well?” said Mr. Chisholm. - -“He said I was too late,” I continued. “And then he gave me to -understand that he had got all he wanted. He said that the next time I -saw him would be in Austin----” - -“W-h-e-w!” whistled Mr. Chisholm. - -“Yes. And then he would have the law to back him up. He would go to -the surrogate and challenge the will. Now, it seems to me that he could -make us a heap of trouble by doing that.” - -Mr. Chisholm knocked the ashes from his pipe and filled up for another -smoke, all the while keeping his eyes fastened upon me. I knew he was -thinking deeply about something, and made no attempt to interrupt him. - -“Well?” said he, when he had come to some conclusion. - -“And there’s another thing I wanted to speak to you about,” I -continued. “I can’t help it because Coyote Bill should be so friendly -with me, can I?” - -“Why--no; if you haven’t done anything to make him so.” - -“Well, you know what Mr. Davenport told you, don’t you? He thinks -because I lost my cattle I am down on everybody who has not lost -theirs. Now, he was one of the party who came up there to search the -house.” - -“That doesn’t matter. You couldn’t have kept him away from there if -he was a mind to come, and I confess I thought something was up when -Henderson came up missing the next morning.” - -“But I don’t want to get these men down on me because he acts so. He -asked me if I was going with him and help him steal cattle, and I told -him I was not. He tried his best to get me interested in the matter -before he made any move, but I wouldn’t do it, and it was only by -taking Elam into my confidence that I was able to upset him.” - -“Well, you just let Coyote Bill go and trust to me,” said Mr. Chisholm, -giving me his hand to shake. “If anybody says anything to you about it -send them to me. But I don’t know what to make of Henderson’s going to -Austin. If he should get the cattle thrown into the hands of a trustee, -and have some sort of an arrangement made by which he could keep the -bonds out of our grasp---- Who-pee! By George! We would be in a fix -then.” - -“But could he do that?” I asked, alarmed at the proposition. “Just see -all the writings we would have.” - -“He could do it if we had a thousand times as much. He could just -challenge the will, and by giving some little pettifogger money enough, -and promising him as much more if succeeded, he could have it thrown -into chancery and keep us out of it forever. He could do it easily -enough. I never did like that man Henderson, anyway.” - -Of course Mr. Chisholm made things different from what they were, and -anybody could see that he didn’t know much about law; but it had an -effect upon me, as I didn’t know anything about the ins and outs of -the profession. I had never had any experience in it in my life, and -I was appalled by his story of what that bad man could do in the way -of contesting the will if he tried. It was Bob’s, and why couldn’t Bob -have it? In a new State like Texas, law was not considered to be of as -much use as it was in some older communities, and there was but one -thing I could think of to use in Henderson’s case, and that was, to get -him out of the way. I looked at Mr. Chisholm and could see that he was -thinking of the same thing. - -“There is but one way out of it,” he continued, after he had thought -the matter over, “and that is a revolver shot. That will end all -difficulty. This thing that he has got on his side may be law, but it -is not justice.” - -“There may be a better way than that,” I added, for I was disposed to -be a boy of peace, “and it won’t do any harm to try it, for it will -bring mischief to no one but Henderson. If we could prove that he was -in cahoots with Coyote Bill----” - -“Set me down for a blockhead!” exclaimed Mr. Chisholm, once more -extending his hand. “But you are the very boy I want. You think of -everything before I do. Of course we can prove it, for didn’t you and -Tom Mason see him and talk with him when he came out there to the -ranch? Carlos, you be around to-night, for we are going to Austin. -We’ll take along sufficient men to keep Coyote Bill away from us if he -sees us on the way, and go down and prove the will. Now, keep mum, for -I don’t want any man around here to know it. So long!” - -Mr. Chisholm and I returned to the wagon, and I invited myself to -the dinner which Elam had served up in great shape for Tom Mason. -Of course Bob was there and his face was radiant. I didn’t exactly -understand what Mr. Chisholm meant by saying that we would go down -to Austin to prove the will, but I was in for it. He seemed to think -there was going to be a fight before we got there, but when I looked at -Bob, so joyous now when he had been so distressed and cast down when -he thought he had lost all his father’s property, I told myself that I -was in for that too. There was one thing about it: Clifford Henderson -wouldn’t get those bonds, or the cattle either, by simply asking for -them. - -“Tom Mason is the one you want to thank for finding that pocket-book,” -I said, as I sat down beside him. “Elam, have you got a slice of bacon -for me?” - -“I know just what you both did and what you passed through when you -were there,” said Bob. “This is no place for me to thank you. I will do -that at some future time.” - -For the first time it occurred to me that Bob might want to give Tom -some present for being so lucky, and I was strongly in favor of that. -For myself I didn’t want anything, for I had sold all my property to -Uncle Ezra, who still had some of my money left in case I should happen -to find him when dead broke; but Tom had suddenly taken it into his -head that he must return home with the amount of money he had stolen -from his uncle, and I was in favor of helping him out. When Bob got all -his cattle and bonds safe to himself, that would be the time for him to -act. I resolved that if he ever said anything to me, I would tell him -just what I thought about it. - -Between joking and laughing and driving on the wagon to meet the -cowboys at nightfall, we passed the time agreeably enough. Just before -dark we came within sight of a grove of post-oaks which had been -selected for our encampment, and there we found a colony of wagons and -almost all the cowboys. Mr. Chisholm was there. He had ridden his horse -hard all the afternoon in the effort to find all the men attached to -his outfit to summon them to appear at this hour, and when we got up -there I found that there were two wagons missing. Everyone was glad -to see Bob. I never knew that boy had so many friends, especially when -Lem and Frank came up, whom Mr. Chisholm had found herding some cattle -on the furthest flanks. Of course they shook me warmly by the hand, but -devoted the most of their time and attention to Tom Mason. - -“I knowed you would find it, pilgrim,” said Lem, holding fast to Tom -with one hand and patting him on the shoulder with the other. “Whenever -I lose anything I am going to send you after it.” - -Supper didn’t take much time, for all hands were anxious to hear what -was in the will, so as soon as the motions had been gone through they -flocked up around the wagon to listen. The time came for Mr. Chisholm -to lay by his pipe, which he did, and drew out the pocket-book. - -“I reckon we’ll find a little better reading in this one than we did -in the last,” said he, holding it up where all could see it. “Has our -friend Henderson come in yet?” - -Although they all knew that the culprit was miles from there by that -time, they all looked at each other, but no one spoke. - -“I reckon he’s skipped,” continued Mr. Chisholm. “’Cause he was allowed -to have the reading of these papers I hold here; and when he said we -were all thieves, our friends told him to be careful how he showed -his face in our camp to-night. The first paper I hold in my hand is -indorsed: ‘The last will and testament of Robert Davenport.’ I will now -read it.” - -Mr. Chisholm took off his hat and laid it down beside him, and in a -much slower and more deliberate manner than he had used in reading the -contents of the other pocket-book, the one that contained the receipts, -he proceeded to read the paper he held in his hand. The testator made -Robert Davenport the heir to everything he possessed, horses, cattle, -and bonds, which were deposited for safe keeping in the Merchant and -Cattlemen’s Bank of Austin, with a few exceptions. To each of his -cowboys, “for services long and faithfully rendered,” he gave the -sum of one thousand dollars, and then came something I was glad to -see. To his half-brother, Clifford Henderson, “to show that he had -not forgotten him,” he gave the sum of one dollar, and he hoped that -before he got through spending it he would learn that honesty was the -best policy. The will was somewhat long, and I was pleased to note one -thing: the name of the bank in which the bonds were kept did not occur -on the first page, but on the second! and Henderson, when reading it, -had read all he wanted to see on the first page! By reading that and -going off in such a hurry he tried to play a bluff game on us. He did -not know the name of the bank at all! - -After that followed the letter of instructions, which was so plain that -anybody could have understood it, and it wound up with the entreaty to -Bob to be honest; but having been brought up all his life in that way -the testator did not think that Bob would depart from it. Bob told me -afterward that the letter talked just as plainly as his father would to -him. Bob was very much overcome, and during the reading he sat with his -hands covering his face, and I could see the tears trickling through -his fingers. By the time Mr. Chisholm was through all the cowboys had -their hats off. He folded up the paper and waited for somebody to make -known his pleasure concerning it. It was a long time before anyone -spoke. They seemed to be as much affected by the reading of the will as -Bob was. - -“The will seems to be all right, Mr. Judge,” said the oldest cattleman -at last, “and I move it be accepted by this meeting.” - -“Second the motion!” shouted a dozen men at once. - -The motion was put and carried (we knew that Henderson didn’t have a -friend among those cowboys), and then the pocket-book was laid upon -Bob’s knee. He was a rich man at last. There were fifty good rifles to -back him up, and if Henderson or any of Coyote Bill’s band had been -there to take exceptions to it, he would have been roughly handled. At -almost any other time they would have called upon Bob for a speech, -but instead of that they let him go. He passed the pocket-book back to -Mr. Chisholm, with a few words expressive of his gratitude, and begged -him to keep it for him until the matter was quite settled, and arose -and went off into the darkness. He wanted to be alone, and none of us -intruded upon him. - -Mr. Chisholm was now prepared to carry out the rest of his programme, -and as soon as the cattlemen had gone away he called some of his -cowboys to him and told them he wanted them to take charge of Mr. -Davenport’s wagon on the following morning, for he was going to Austin. -He didn’t enter into any explanations, for a ride of a hundred miles -was nothing for their employer to undertake, but they agreed at once, -and he sent them away. - -“Now,” said he, “the next thing is something else. All you boys who -have been remembered in Mr. Davenport’s will, sit up close around me, -for I have something to tell you. We must go to Austin as quickly as -we can, for we don’t know but that man Henderson has gone there to -challenge the will.” - -“Will you allow me to say a word right there, Mr. Chisholm?” I asked. -“That man Henderson doesn’t know the name of the bank in which the -bonds are deposited.” - -“How do you know?” - -“Because he read only the first page of the will. If you took pains -to notice, the name doesn’t occur except on the second page, and -consequently he could not have seen it.” - -“Well, by George! I never noticed that. Did any of you boys take notice -of it? But I have got the will in my pocket. We can easily satisfy -ourselves on that point. It is so,” he added, after referring to the -will, “and you are just the boy---- But look here! If Henderson knows -how, he can just go down there and challenge the will, anyway. He can -say he doesn’t like the way that property has been left, and so make us -some trouble on account of it.” - -“Who will he have to go to when he challenges it?” I asked. - -“Blessed if I know!” - -“I’d just like to meet him to-morrow,” said Frank. - -“Here too,” said Lem. “You wouldn’t have to do all your shooting alone, -I can tell you.” - -“But you see you aint likely to meet him,” said Mr. Chisholm. “Now, I -think we had better go to Austin right straight, in order to get the -start of him. Catch up!” - -“Do you mean that we are all to go?” I asked. - -“Yes, I do mean all of you; everyone who is remembered in Mr. -Davenport’s will, and Bob and those of us who witnessed his signature. -Even Elam will have to go, for he made his mark. I know the president -of that bank down there, for he holds a thousand dollars or two of -my money, and perhaps a word coming from me will help straighten the -matter out. Lem, you and Frank get the grub together. Elam, you hunt up -Bob.” - -And this was all the ceremony that was employed in getting under way. -In a few minutes more there were ten of us, all well mounted and armed -and with provisions enough to last us to Austin, who rode away from -the camp. I made up my mind to one thing, and that was if Coyote Bill -should discover us and try to get that pocket-book away, he would have -a good time in doing it. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. HENDERSON IN NEW BUSINESS. - - -“I will get even with you for this. Bob is not your son, and I will -see that you don’t adopt him, either. Whenever I see a notice of your -death--and you can’t live forever--I will hunt that boy up and make him -know what it is to be in want, as I am at this moment.” - -I don’t suppose that when Clifford Henderson shouted this defiance at -his brother, on the day he left him, after Mr. Davenport had refused to -take any further steps toward paying his debts, that he really intended -to go to Texas, or, if he did, he never expected to meet Bob there. He -wanted to get away by himself and think over his misfortune; for he -considered it a misfortune when his brother, who was fairly rolling in -wealth, should decline to advance him the small sum when he was so much -in need of it. Henderson was in sore straits--that is, for him. He had -money, but he was anxious to get a little more, in order to go into a -speculation in which he was certain to lose all he had; and it was when -his brother declined to meet this demand that he went into a rage. - -“Old Bob wants me to go to work,” said he, as he turned and shook his -fist at the house. “Not if I know it! I have seen him, when he was not -any older than I am, looking around for a chance to put his money at -interest, and he never would have anything to do with what I suggested -to him. Never mind; he is ’most dead with consumption, and I will see -what will become of Bob after that.” - -When he got a little further along the street whom should he meet -but the man with whom he intended to go into the speculation. It was -buying waste land on the outskirts of the city, which might some day be -profitable enough, but which would take double the amount that he had -to improve it. - -“Well, Clifford, did you try your brother?” he exclaimed, as soon as he -got within speaking distance. “I know you have, for a fellow would not -look as glum as you do who had met with any success.” - -“Yes, I have tried him,” said Henderson, taking the opportunity to -whisper a few choice swear words. “I have tried him, and he can’t see -it. He had but a few dollars left, and he wants to invest that for Bob. -Bob! Everything is for Bob! I wish I could get rid of that boy.” - -“You know I told you, when he came back from the mines and brought that -boy with him, that your cake was all dough,” said his friend, who was -about as disgusted as a man could well be. “Why did not you take my -advice and put him away long ago?” - -“Because I was a fool--that’s why! You see I was afraid somebody would -get onto it.” - -“They won’t if you do as I tell you. But it is none of my funeral. If -you can’t go into the speculation I must go and hunt up somebody else. -I must have some of those acres up there, for I know there is money in -them. Before I would be tied down by a little boy! Good gracious! Why -don’t you push him overboard?” - -“I never have a chance to go fishing with him,” said Henderson. - -“No matter. You could make chances enough, I dare say. How does the boy -feel toward you?” - -“Friendly enough. I don’t think old Bob has mentioned my name to him -for a long time.” - -“Does his tutor go with him everywhere?” - -“Yes, everywhere. He can’t go out around the block without the tutor -sticks close at his heels. If he would only send the boy to school I -would have a better show.” - -“Do you know where the boy sleeps?” - -“I bet you I do, but I don’t intend to fool around there,” said -Henderson, growing alarmed. “He sleeps in a room opening off from the -tutor’s, and I tell you I wouldn’t take a hand in it. That tutor is a -big man and is a match for both of us.” - -“Could he get away with a sand-bag?” said the friend, shutting one eye -and looking at Henderson with the other. “A man has to be wide awake -to meet such a thing as that.” - -“You may try it if you want to, and I’ll give you half you make,” said -Henderson. “My brother is going to die in the course of a year or two, -and by the end of that time I shall have money enough.” - -“You can if he dies without making a will; but how do you intend to get -around it if he names the boy as his heir?” - -“If he doesn’t adopt him it is all right. I tell you that would make -me mad. In that case I should probably wake up and do something, and I -should find myself in jail before I was a week older.” - -“Not if you manage rightly. But I must go on. I must have that land -before three o’clock or the fat will all be in the fire.” - -The friend walked away and Henderson kept on his road down the street. -We can see from his conversation that he was not a bad man at heart, -but he ought to have been rich, and in that case he would in a very -short time have found himself penniless. His expectations ran greatly -ahead of his income, which at this time amounted to just nothing at -all. All he made aside from his brother’s allowance was what he gained -from little speculations, and, furthermore, he was in the hands of men -who generally called on him for everything they wanted, and with a fair -prospect of getting it. But now that Mr. Davenport had refused him -any more money,--he had told him in plain language that he would have -to pay his own debts in future,--their occupation was gone, and they -must look elsewhere. He sent for his clothing during the day, and took -up his abode at the hotel, where he tried to make up his mind what he -ought to do. - -“I have my choice between two courses of action,” said he, as he -lighted a cigar and sat down in his room to think the matter over. “One -is, to shut Bob up in a lunatic asylum; and the other is, to go fishing -with him and shove him overboard. Now, if anyone can tell me which of -those two is the safest, I will be ready to listen to him. Nothing else -seems likely to happen to him.” - -The worst of it all was, Mr. Davenport knew that something was about -to happen to Bob. Almost a year before, when Mr. Davenport had refused -to advance money for some of Henderson’s schemes, the latter had so -far forgotten himself as to make threats against Bob. It alarmed his -father, who at once took Bob out of school and placed him under the -protection of a private teacher, a stalwart man, a born athlete, and -ready to hold his own against all the men that Henderson could bring -against him. He slept, too, in a room adjoining Bob’s, so that the -boy was under his care night and day. And it was all done so quietly -that Bob never suspected anything. Wherever he went his tutor was -ready to go with him; he was a man whom he liked, and he supposed that -everything was just as it should be. - -“That was a bad thing for me,” soliloquized Henderson, knocking the -ashes from his cigar. “If I had kept still about that I might have got -rid of Bob, and no one would have been the wiser for it, but now he is -lost to me.” - -Of course his determination to push Bob overboard when he went fishing -with him was knocked in the head by this arrangement, and so was his -desire to steal him away and lock him up. This last, which was the -idea of the man he had left but a few minutes ago, held out brighter -promises than anything else; and he had even gone so far as to engage -the doctor who was to take charge of it, promising him five thousand -dollars when the boy was delivered into his hands, and as much more if -his object was successful. But there he stopped. Henderson didn’t have -the pluck to go ahead with it, and there the matter laid for over a -year. Now it was brought back to him with redoubled force. Everything -was going to Bob; he could see that plainly enough, and it was high -time he was doing something. In fact, it had been that way ever since -Mr. Davenport returned from the mines with this little nuisance, picked -up none knew where. - -“He must go, and that’s all about it,” said Henderson, rising from his -chair and hurriedly pacing the room. “If he won’t go overboard he must -be locked up; my luck and everything else depend upon it. I will go -out now and see what Scanlan has to say about it, for I am determined -that I will not put up with him any longer.” - -Scanlan was the friend he had left an hour or so before, and when found -he didn’t have the money to enable him to go on with that speculation. -There were few Hendersons in the field for him to call upon, and they -were as hard up as he was. - -“I guess the land will have to go to somebody else,” said he, as he -described his ill luck. “I want just five hundred dollars, and nobody -seems to have it.” - -“I could get it, if it were not for my brother,” said Henderson; and -when he spoke the word “brother” he fairly hissed it through his -teeth. Scanlan looked up in surprise. “Have I forgotten to tell you -that old Bob invariably speaks of that little snipe as my brother?” -he continued. “He has been with him now for four years, and he thinks -that I can get used to calling him by a relationship that really never -existed.” - -“How old is the boy, anyhow?” - -“Seven years old. Old Bob took him when he was only three. I only wish -the Indians had come down on them and massacred the last one of the -lot. Not old Bob, of course, for I am indebted to him for a pocketful -of rocks, but that young one I wish I had never seen.” - -“I don’t see what his pocketful of rocks has got to do with you,” said -Scanlan. - -“Neither do I. I do think,” added Henderson, as though he was -considering the matter for the first time, “that if I would go home and -behave myself, and wait until the old man dies, I could really get hold -of some of his money, but how much would I get? Not twenty thousand, -and that isn’t enough to buy an oyster supper.” - -“How much is the old man worth?” - -“I don’t know. A cool million.” - -“Whew!” whistled Scanlan. “And are you going to stay back and let that -boy cheat you out of it? If you do I shall never be sorry for you.” - -“That’s is just what I don’t want to do, and I came down here to talk -to you about kidnapping him and putting him under lock and key,” -continued Henderson, looking all around to make sure that no one -overheard him. “I say let him be locked up at once.” - -“Now you are talking,” said Scanlan. “If you had decided on that -several years ago you would have had no trouble; but now I tell you it -is going to be uphill work. We’ve got the tutor to overcome, and that -is going to be all that we two can do. Now, what do you propose?” - -A long conversation followed, and the substance was that the matter was -left entirely in the hands of his friend Scanlan. Henderson had never -been in the habit of defying the police by engaging in any kidnapping -schemes, and he did not propose to begin now. He wanted the boy got rid -of, when and how he didn’t care, so long as no effort was made against -his life. That was too dangerous. And there, we may add, the thing -rested for a whole year, until one day Henderson heard something in -a few moments’ talk with the tutor, who had waited outside while his -pupil was in a store making some purchases, that set him post haste -after Scanlan. - -“The dog is dead now,” said he, drawing Scanlan into a doorway where -they could talk without being overheard, “and I don’t know whether to -be glad or sorry over it. My brother is going to Texas!” - -“To Texas?” exclaimed Scanlan. “What in the world should take him into -that far-off region?” - -“He had a relative down there engaged in the cattle business, and he -has died leaving his property to old Bob. Don’t it beat the world how -some fellows can get along without lifting their hands? Now, if he had -left those cattle to me who stand so much in need of them----” - -“If that boy goes to Texas he’ll be out of reach of you,” interrupted -Scanlan. - -“Yes; but see what danger he’ll be in.” - -“I don’t know that he will be in any danger--more than he is here,” -said Scanlan. “Remember that if he stays there long enough to get -acquainted he will have any number of rifles to back him up.” - -“What do you mean by that?” - -“Why, supposing his father dies and leaves no will. It would put you -to some trouble to prove that you are next of kin. You see your names -are different. If they made up their minds that he was the heir, it -would be good-by to you.” - -“And you believe it would be best to kidnap him very soon?” asked -Henderson, his courage all leaving him. - -“Certainly I do! If he goes down there you are a poor man for your -lifetime. Now is the chance. I tell you I would not miss it for -anything!” - -This brought the matter squarely home to Henderson, and he decided that -he would take that night to sleep upon it. He rolled and tossed on his -bed without ever closing his eyes in slumber, and when morning came he -had made up his mind to do something. - -“Scanlan will have to do it all,” said he, and his compressed lips -showed that he had looked at the matter in all its bearings. “I will -keep just behind him and show him the room where the boy sleeps, and he -can throw the quilt over him and secure him without any help from me. -Then if that old tutor of his jumps in on us, why I will get out of -the way. But I must leave my way of escape clear.” - -Henderson carried out his programme by going to the bank, drawing out -his money, and depositing it somewhere about his person. Then he packed -his trunk as if for a long journey, and then told Scanlan that he was -ready for business. - -“I knew that was the decision you would come to, so I got the carriage -and made it all right with the driver,” said Scanlan. “I have got an -extension bit, which is about the only thing we need, to enable us to -get in through the basement door. Now, Cliff, how much am I going to -get for this? I do all the work and you stand by and look on. I ought -to have a considerable sum for that.” - -“Why, I guess what I am to give the doctor----” began Henderson. - -“Not much,” said Scanlan, with a laugh. “What you will give the doctor -won’t faze me. Say a tenth of what you make.” - -“Oh, my goodness!” stammered Henderson. - -“I have got the paper here, it is all drawn up, and I guess it is all -right,” continued Scanlan, drawing a folded document from his inside -pocket. “Just run your eye over that.” - -“A hundred thousand!” gasped Henderson. - -“That isn’t a drop in the bucket to what you will have if you succeed,” -said Scanlan coolly. “You will see that the paper says ‘if successful.’ -If you don’t succeed in the job, why that is my lookout. If you do, I -shall want the money. If the arrangement doesn’t suit you, get somebody -else to try his hand.” - -That was just what Henderson was afraid of, and things had gone too far -for him to back out. He felt as though he was signing his death warrant -when he was affixing his signature to the document, but when it was -done the writing did not look much like his bold penmanship. - -“So far so good,” said Scanlan, coolly surveying the signature. “But -you are a little nervous, Cliff. Now you keep that tutor off me and -I will get the boy. You meet me here at ten o’clock, and when morning -comes that fellow will be under lock and key.” - -“I have done it,” said Henderson, going out on the street and wending -his way toward his brother’s house. “I have gone too far to back out. -Here I have gone and signed a paper and placed it in the hands of that -man Scanlan, and he can use it on me at a moment’s warning. He’s a -desperate fellow. I wish I felt as certain of success as he does.” - -Somebody has said that when a man is going to the bad he finds -everything greased for the occasion; that is, he finds it easy enough -to go down hill; but almost impossible for him to get back. I am not -well enough posted in literature to know who it was that said it, but -perhaps some of you boys who are fresh from your books may be able -to name the person. Henderson found it so, and it all dated from the -moment he signed that paper. He was afraid to back out now, and so he -must go on. He walked by his brother’s house once or twice, and then -went back to his hotel. He didn’t eat any supper, and he didn’t want -any; but when it came near time for him to meet Scanlan he stepped into -a store and bought a heavy oak stick, which he thought would be strong -enough to floor the tutor or anybody else that took a hand in rescuing -the boy, and pronounced himself ready for the business. There were -still three hours for them to pass in some way, for Scanlan did not -think it safe to make a move before one o’clock, and the time seemed -to slip away before they knew it. They found the carriage right where -Scanlan said they would, and in a few minutes were set down within a -few doors of Mr. Davenport’s house. When they got out the hack-driver -thought it time to speak about his money. - -“Look here!” said he; “which one of you gentlemen is a-going to pay me -a hundred dollars for this trip? Kidnapping a sane person and taking -him off to a lunatic asylum----” - -“My dear sir, kidnapping is something we don’t have any hand in at -all,” said Scanlan. “We are going to take this fellow out of the house -with the full consent of his father, but we don’t want his aunts to -know anything about it. The hundred dollars are all right. This man is -a detective, and will pay you when we get the passenger to the asylum. -Are you satisfied?” - -The hack-driver had nothing further to say. All he wanted to know was -who would give him his money when the trip was over. He mounted to his -box, being instructed to keep himself within hailing distance, and the -two kept on toward Mr. Davenport’s residence. All was dark and silent -within, except the light that was kept burning in the tutor’s room. - -“We have got to keep out of that,” said Henderson, pointing toward the -window. “If we allow ourselves to come within reach of it I shall be -recognized; then good-by to me.” - -“Well, we must look out for that,” said Scanlan, who did not feel any -more fear than if he was sitting down to his supper. “Keep close beside -me, and be ready to knock the tutor down if he takes a hand in the -rumpus. That’s all you have to do.” - -In a few minutes they reached the basement door, where they were free -from interruption, and Scanlan, producing his extension bit, went -to work in earnest. He first cut out a circular opening in the door -above the bolt, then thrust his hand in and cautiously removed the -fastenings, and the door swung open. They entered and Scanlan closed -the door behind him. - -“I think you had better leave it open,” said Henderson, who trembled -as if he was seized with a sudden attack of the ague. “We might be -discovered.” - -“In that case we’ll have something to light us out,” said Scanlan. “But -be sure you kick over the blaze before you go out.” - -With the words Scanlan took from his pocket a small piece of candle, -which he lighted and stood upon the table, embedded in some of its own -grease. Then he stopped and looked around him. The house was silent as -if it had been deserted, and having satisfied himself on this point, -Scanlan motioned for Henderson to lead the way up the stairs. The -steps were carpeted, and moreover, being shod with rubbers, the men -gave out no sound as they ascended to the first floor, the leader -easily finding and opening all doors that barred his progress. That one -lock passed at the basement door had opened the way for them. - -At length they came to the front hall, and here some more strategy was -made use of. Henderson carefully unlocked the door and placed the key -on the outside, and then cautiously led the way up the second stairs -to the floor above. He stopped every once in a while to listen, but he -heard nothing suspicious, and presently pushed open a door that gave -entrance into the room in which the little boy was sleeping. With a -motion of his hand, Henderson pointed him out, and then moved through -the room to take a look at the tutor. He lay upon his back with his -arms extended over his head, revealing muscles that made Henderson -tremble. Something, I don’t know what it was, went through the tutor -all of a sudden, and he started up in alarm to find a strange face in -his door He gazed at it a moment, and then thrust his hand under his -pillow. When it came out it had a revolver in its grasp. Henderson took -one look at it and turned and took to his heels. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. HE DOES NOT SUCCEED. - - -“Halt! Clifford Henderson, I know you!” shouted the tutor, in a -stentorian voice, as he threw off the bedclothes and started on a -furious race for the intruder. “I know you, and you had better halt.” - -He supposed, of course, that the object of his visit was robbery--and -had no intention of using one of the cartridges in his revolver--until -he came to his bedroom door and there saw Scanlan, who had thrown a -quilt over the boy’s head and started on a run after Henderson, and -then he stopped as if somebody had aimed a blow at him. Then he saw -that abduction was a part of Henderson’s scheme, and in an instant his -revolver was covering Scanlan’s head. - -“Put that boy back on the bed where he belongs,” said the tutor. - -Scanlan took one look at the revolver, and at the man who held it, and -readily obeyed. - -“Now throw the quilt off his head, so that he can breathe,” said the -tutor; and the readiness with which Scanlan complied disarmed the -tutor, who lowered his revolver. - -This was the move that Scanlan was waiting for. In an instant he -dropped on all-fours, shot under the out-stretched hand that held the -deadly weapon, caught the tutor around the legs and tumbled him over -on his back. It was all done with the greatest ease, and when the -tutor scrambled to his feet Scanlan had disappeared. He ran hastily -to the head of the stairs, and he saw Scanlan’s coat-tails vanishing -as he made his way to the basement. He had tried the front door, but -Henderson had gone out there and had locked the door behind him. The -tutor tried the front basement door also, and in the meantime Scanlan -had already gone out at that very door, not forgetting to knock over -the candle in his hurried flight. That was the last they saw of -Scanlan. By the time the tutor had returned to his room he found Mr. -Davenport there, sitting on the bed and talking to Bob. - -“Why, this looks like a case of abduction,” said Mr. Davenport, when -the tutor came in. “Did I hear you say that you recognized Clifford -Henderson as one of the assailants?” - -“Well, I thought it was he, but I might have been mistaken,” replied -the tutor, who did not want to say anything that would add to the old -man’s fears. - -“Don’t deceive me. I heard your voice plain enough, and that was what -you said. Never mind, Bob. We’ll soon be far enough away from him, and -able to enjoy life in our own way. Now I will go back to bed. No; the -men had to take themselves off without getting anything,” he added, -to the servants who came flocking into the room at that moment. “I -wish you would find out where they got in and shut the window or door, -whichever it is. Clifford Henderson! That man isn’t going to let me -forget him, is he?” he muttered to himself. “I must see him and tell -him that if he does not leave town I shall have him arrested. I shall -remember the tutor for this.” - -And in the meantime where was Clifford Henderson? You know that before -he went into this business he drew his money from the bank and packed -his trunk for a long journey. He saw the need of it now. He never -travelled faster than he did when he rushed from that door. He saw -Scanlan in the act of lifting the boy from the bed after throwing the -quilt about him, but did not stop to speak to him. He made for the -stairs, two jumps took him to the front door, and paying no heed to the -friend he had left behind in a bad scrape, he ran through and locked -the door behind him. And he had heard his name mentioned, too! - -“I declare I am done for now,” muttered Henderson, as he took his best -pace down the sidewalk, utterly forgetful that there was a carriage in -waiting for him, “and the next thing will be to avoid the police that -my brother sets after me. For he will arrest me as sure as I live. -Scanlan will be arrested too, and there is that paper I gave him with -my name signed to it. Ow! _Ow!_ Don’t I wish that everybody was in -danger the same as I am?” - -If Henderson hadn’t been so frightened that he was unable to look -behind him, he would have seen Scanlan come out of the basement door -and take his flight in another direction; but Henderson couldn’t think -of anything but the tutor’s stentorian voice. “I know you and you -had better halt!” It seemed to ring in his ears louder than ever the -farther he got from the house, so that he increased his pace, and the -first thing he knew ran slap into the arms of a policeman, who happened -at that moment to come around the corner. - -“Hallo, here!” cried the officer. “Where are you going in such a hurry?” - -“Do you know whether or not the _Commonwealth_ has sailed from this -port yet?” asked Henderson. - -“No, I don’t!” answered the officer. - -“Well, my trunk is at my hotel, already packed, and I am in haste to -catch her. I hope I shall get there before she sails.” - -“Why don’t you take a carriage?” - -“I will just as soon as I get to my hotel. Which way is the Planter’s -House from here?” - -“Go down this street to the next corner, and then go five blocks. Good -luck to you!” - -“That thing is done easy enough, but the next policeman that stops me -will be worse,” said Henderson, continuing on his way. “He’ll say there -is a signature waiting for you that I want you to explain, and how will -I get out of it? Well, we’ll wait until that time comes. I must do the -best I can to escape now.” - -Henderson knew where the Planter’s House was as well as anybody, but -he followed the policeman’s directions. By the time he reached his -destination he was pretty well winded. He engaged a carriage at the -door, paid his bill at the hotel, and saw his trunk perched up beside -the driver. - -“Go fast now, for I have not a minute to waste,” said Henderson. -“Get me down there before that steamer sails and I will give you two -dollars.” - -In an hour more Henderson was snug in bed and listening to the puffing -of the engines which were bearing him down the river. He had taken -passage on a little boat that was bound for New Orleans and had the -room all to himself. In spite of his joy over his escape he could not -help feeling bitter toward Scanlan. Why had he signed that paper? -Scanlan would be sure to be apprehended,--he couldn’t get away from -that pistol,--and he would be searched at the police court, and the -whole thing would come out against him. - -“Never mind; he’s in a bad fix,” said Henderson, pounding a pillow into -shape to fit his head. “And I don’t know but that I am in a worse one. -I hope they will send him up so that I will never see him again. And -then what will my friends think?” - -Filled with such thoughts as these we may readily conceive that -Henderson’s journey down the river was not a pleasant one, and it was -only after they had left Cairo, and were fairly afloat for New Orleans, -that he recovered his usual spirits. He remained in New Orleans for a -single day, and then took passage for Galveston, from which place he -went to Austin. He deposited his money there in the bank, secured a -second rate boarding house, and settled down to see what the fates had -in store for him. - -“Thank goodness, I am a free man at last!” said Henderson. “I have not -heard a word from St. Louis since I left there, but I only hope Scanlan -has got his just dues. And here is the place Bob was going to come. -Well, I’ll keep clear of him. I hope I may never hear of him again.” - -As the years rolled by and nothing was heard about his attempted -abduction of Bob, or of Scanlan either, Henderson began to think that -the matter was forgotten. By behaving himself Henderson made many -friends in Texas, for it is not always the good who have blessings -showered upon them except in story books. He made an honest effort at -reform, and it is possible that he might have succeeded if it hadn’t -been for one thing. He was a speculator in cattle,--he never was known -as anything else,--and he finally got into the habit of riding out -on the prairie, taking no money with him, to see what he could buy. -For Texas was a new State, we had only just got through the war with -Mexico, and everybody who had any wrong done him, or had got into -difficulty with his fellow-man, came to Texas to begin over again. -Anyone, too, who found the law too strict for him in older communities, -could come here and get out of the reach of it. - -On one occasion Henderson started out alone to visit some ranches he -had heard of, but which seldom drove any of their cattle to market. It -was just about the time the drought was commencing and Henderson was -anxious to get beyond reach of it, out on the plains where water was -abundant and grass plenty. If he could once reach that spot he was sure -that he could make something nice out of his cattle; but the trouble -was the drought spread all over that part of Texas. He was mounted on -an old dilapidated horse, carried his revolver strapped around his -waist, and had but three or four dollars in his pocket--not enough to -pay anybody for the trouble of robbing him. But after he had been on -the journey for two weeks, during which time he met one or two parties -who would just as soon rob him as not, he came to the conclusion that -he had undertaken his ride for nothing. There was an abundance of -cattle for sale, but the difficulty was they would not bring any more -in Austin than he was willing to pay on the spot, and one day he turned -around with the intention of going back, when he saw a horseman on a -distant swell coming toward him. As he evidently wanted to communicate -with him, Henderson rode on to meet him. - -“You won’t get any more than your trouble if you try to rob me,” said -Henderson. “I’ll wait and see what he wants. Perhaps he knows of some -cattle around here that I can buy.” - -“How-dy, pilgrim,” said the horseman when he came up. “Have you been -travelling fur to-day?” - -“I have been out ever since daylight this morning,” said Henderson. -“Why do you ask?” - -“’Cause I didn’t know but you had seen some cattle bearing the mark -of bar Y. R. as you came along. Haven’t seen any, have you? There is -probably a hundred head got away from me night before last, and I can’t -find hide nor hair of them. They have gone off in search of grass and -water. We haven’t got any here to speak of.” - -“No, I haven’t seen any, and I may as well turn around and go back. -This drought extends over the whole of the country.” - -“Bless you, yes! We got word the other day from a ranch twenty miles -the other side of us that they are packing up and getting ready to go -to Trinity.” - -“Why, the farmers won’t allow that. They will shoot the last beef you -have.” - -“Well, it will take a right smart deal of ammunition to do that,” -said the horseman, with a grin. “’Cause why? there will be about -seventy-five thousand head, mebbe more, that will have to be shot; and -when the farmers are doing that, what do you suppose we’ll be doing?” - -“I suppose you will be shooting too. Do you own these cattle?” - -“No; they belong to a man named Davenport who lives over that way -about twenty miles.” - -“Davenport!” exclaimed Henderson, who was taken all aback. - -“Them’s the words I spoke, pilgrim,” said the horseman, looking at -Henderson in surprise. “Maybe you know the man?” - -“Is he Robert Davenport?” enquired Henderson, scarcely believing that -he had heard aright. - -“I believe that is what they call him sometimes.” - -“And he’s got a little boy named Bob?” - -“Well, he aint so very little now. He was little when he came here, but -he’s growed to be right smart. Maybe you know the man?” - -“Did he come here from St. Louis?” - -“Look a-here, pilgrim; suppose you let me ask some questions. How do -you happen to know so much about the man? He’s my employer, and a -mighty good man he is.” - -“I beg your pardon! but when I heard you speak his name I concluded -that I knew him. I knew a man of that name once who was almost dead of -consumption. But of course it can’t be the same one.” - -“Well, now, between you and me,” said the cowboy, considerably -mollified by this explanation, “he is as good as dead already. -Sometimes, when I get up in the morning, I look around to see if he is -all right, and there he is sitting on the porch. He gets up before I -do.” - -“Bob hasn’t got his tutor with him, has he?” - -“His which?” asked the horseman. - -“His private teacher,” explained Henderson. “He used to have one -sticking to his heels wherever he went.” - -“No; he’s alone. You will ride on and see him? It is only a matter of -twenty miles.” - -“No; I can’t. I will come out and see him at some future time. My -business just now----” - -“Now, pilgrim, you asked a good many questions regarding that man. I -want to know if he has been doing something up in the States.” - -“Not a thing! Not a solitary thing, I assure you.” - -“’Cause if he has, I won’t let no man set there on his horse and tell -me that,” continued the horseman, growing sullen again. “He’s as fair -and square a man as there is.” - -“He hasn’t been doing anything wrong. You may mention my name when you -get home, and see if he doesn’t back up my story.” - -“What did you say your name was?” - -“Clifford Henderson. I can easy tell him that, because if he has let -so many years go without arresting me he’ll not begin now,” said he to -himself. “This man doesn’t know where I live and I won’t tell him.” - -“Well, if you haven’t seen them cattle, I’ll go,” said the horseman, -turning his nag about. “I’d feel a heap safer if you would go on with -me--but I tell you, you would have to explain why you asked so many -questions. So long!” - -I may interrupt my story here long enough to say that when the horseman -went home he reported his accidental meeting with Henderson, together -with the questions he asked, at which Mr. Davenport was greatly -alarmed, although he tried not to show it. That very night worked a -change in Bob’s fortunes which he did not like. Up to this time he -had been permitted to go as he pleased among the cattlemen, who all -liked him and did their best to teach him, but now he was obliged to -remain indoors, or at least within reach of his father’s voice. His -father couldn’t bear to have him out of his sight. The very next day -the will was drawn up; and although Mr. Davenport frequently promised -himself that the first time he went to Austin he would go through the -process of adopting Bob, so as to give him the whole of his money in -case anything happened to him, he never got beyond the sound of his own -dinner horn. It was a terrible thing for the invalid to reflect that he -had brought Bob up to believe that he was his own son, and somehow he -could not straighten it out. - -Henderson was on nettles when he rode away from the horseman. He -knew that his brother was somewhere in Texas, and he hoped he was on -a cattle ranch far out of reach of him; but the way the horseman -pronounced the name fairly took his breath away. - -“Of all the men that I ever expected to hear of, that Davenport is the -beat!” said Henderson, throwing his reins upon his horse’s neck and -shoving his hands into his pockets. “I don’t believe I have thought of -him for six months, or if I did, I thought of him as dead, and here he -has turned up when I least expected it. By George! all my desire to -possess his wealth comes back to me; but how I am to get it I don’t -know. That boy has plenty of rifles to back him up, as Scanlan said he -would.” - -This was the one thing of which I spoke that effectually destroyed -all Henderson’s idea of making a better man of himself. It was easy -enough to be good when temptation was not thrown in his way, but when -temptation came, he was no better than anybody else. He rode along for -two hours, thinking over Bob’s habits, and wondering if it would be -possible for him to steal the boy away, as he had been on the point of -doing in St. Louis, and not until the sun began to set did he look -around for a camping-place. - -“I wish Scanlan was here now,” said he. “I am sure he would be apt to -think of something. There’s three men,” he added, shading his eyes with -his hand and gazing toward a belt of post-oaks in which he intended to -make his camp. “I wonder if they are good-natured, or if they mean to -go through my pockets? Time will tell.” - -When he first discovered the three men in the timber two of them were -lying down, and the other was moving about as if making preparations -for supper. One saw his approach and called the attention of the others -to it, and then all got up and looked at him. Evidently the men were -not inclined to trust strangers, for he saw that one of them, whom -he took to be spokesman, raised up without anything in his hands, -while the others stood with their rifles in the hollow of their arms. -Henderson thought this looked a little suspicious, but kept on and in a -few minutes was close enough to the camp to accost the men. - -“How do you do, strangers?” said he. - -“How-dy, pilgrim,” said the spokesman. - -“Have you got room in your camp for another person?” - -“Oh, yes! There’s plenty of room round here.” - -“I’ve got some things in my haversack that may assist you in making out -your supper,” said Henderson. - -“Well, alight and hitch,” said the spokesman. “There’s plenty of room -for your horse here too.” - -Henderson dismounted and removed the saddle from his horse, the men -with the rifles regarding him suspiciously. When he had thrown his -saddle down by the fire, he coolly unhitched his revolver and flung it -down beside it; whereupon the men with the rifles drew a long breath -of relief, and deposited their weapons beside the trees where they -had taken them from. Henderson noticed this, and said, as he made his -lariat fast to his horse’s neck: - -“You seem to be on the lookout for something. I am a trader.” - -“Oh, you are, are you?” said the spokesman. - -“Yes. And I have only got a few dollars in my pocket, so that it would -be useless for anybody to think of robbing me. I came out here for -the purpose of getting some cattle, but I found that the drought was -ahead of me. The stock isn’t worth what their hides and tallow would -cost. Now,” he added, having driven down his picket pin and seated -himself near the fire, “I’d like to know why all you Texans pronounce -me a ‘pilgrim’ as soon as you see me. Is there anything about me that -reminds you of the States?” - -“Well, yes. The way you sit your horse is against you. A Texan does -not sit bent over, with his hands on the horn of his saddle, as if he -feared that the next step would pitch him overboard. And then those -gloves. A Texan doesn’t wear them.” - -“And I have been here almost eight years,” said Henderson. “I guess -I shall have to ride a little more in order to get accustomed to the -customs of the country. What did you say your name was?” - -“I didn’t say,” returned the spokesman. - -“My name is Henderson,” replied the guest, who wished most heartily -that he had gone somewhere else. He didn’t like the way the spokesman -answered his last question. - -“My name is---- Which one do you want?” - -“Why, the one you go by, of course.” - -“Well, the name that I go by just now is Coyote Bill,” said the man, -pushing his spurred heels a little closer to the fire. “You have heard -of me, I reckon?” - -Henderson was startled to hear this name. He had heard of him a good -many times while in Austin, and had never expected to meet him in this -unceremonious manner. He knew that he was in the power of a desperado -of the worst sort. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. HENDERSON MEETS COYOTE BILL. - - -“Yes, that is the name I go by now,” said Coyote Bill, grinning when he -saw Henderson’s expression of astonishment. “What my other name is no -one in this country knows. Whenever you hear that name spoken you will -know what I look like. I came to this country the same as you did.” - -“The same as I did?” echoed Henderson, his surprise increasing. “What -do you mean by that?” - -“Why, you got into some trouble up there with the police and had to -skip, that’s what I mean. A man of your education does not come down to -this country of his own free will.” - -“Well, that’s a fact,” said Henderson, breathing easy again. A -desperate scheme had occurred to him, suggested by the outlaw’s last -words. He was wishing for Scanlan all the time, thinking that he -would be likely to propose something by which he could possess himself -of his brother’s wealth, and right here was the man who, by a little -management, could be induced to act Scanlan’s part. He would try him at -any rate, but he wanted first to see how much Coyote Bill knew about -him. - -“Are these all the men you have in your band?” asked Henderson, at -length. - -“No,” laughed Bill, as if the very idea amused him. “I’ve got one or -two more scattered around on the plains somewhere.” - -“That means that you have thirty or forty more,” said Henderson. - -“Well, I’ve got some in Austin, and that’s where they have seen you. -Although I had never seen you before, I knew you the moment you hove in -sight.” - -Again Henderson breathed easy. He knew he hadn’t said anything about -his kidnapping scheme in Austin, or anywhere else, that Coyote Bill -could have got hold of it, and consequently Bill was just guessing at -his reason for being in Texas. - -“Who are those men? What did I say in their presence that led them to -guess why I had come down here?” - -“Oh, you said enough! I aint going to tell you just what you said, for -fear that you would know those men when you get back. Is the man around -here that you have got anything against?” - -“I will speak to you after a while,” said Henderson, turning his gaze -toward the rest of the men at the fire. - -“Oh, you may speak freely here! I never go into anything without their -consent. It’s share and share alike here. But if you would rather speak -to me alone, why it is all right. Have you got supper ready?” - -The man appealed to nodded, and pointed to a pile of bacon and corn -bread that was waiting for them. It was such a supper as Henderson, in -his St. Louis home, would have turned up his nose at, but he was ready -for it now. During the meal but little was said, and Henderson, out of -the corner of his eye, took a good survey of the man that everybody -called Coyote Bill. He didn’t look like such a desperate fellow, by -any means, and all the men who had had experience with him described -him as a very different person. This proved that Bill did not always -lead his bands, but gave the movement into somebody else’s hands, and -appeared only when out of reach of the settlers. He was as neat as a -new pin, and showed by every move he made that he had been well brought -up. After supper he lighted his pipe and motioned to Henderson to -follow him out on the plains. When out of reach of everybody he threw -himself down on the grass and invited Henderson to do the same. - -“Now, then,” said he, “I am ready to hear all your plans.” - -“I don’t know that I have got any,” said Henderson. - -“Yes, you have,” said Coyote Bill, in a tone that showed he was not in -a mood to argue the matter. “A man needn’t come around here with such -a face as you have got on you and tell me anything like that. What was -the reason you did not go on and see Davenport? I saw you talking with -a cowboy of his not more than three hours ago.” - -“Where were you?” asked Henderson, more astonished than ever. - -“We were just behind a neighboring swell, not more than half a mile -away. Your names are not alike, but still you must be some kin to -Davenport. What relationship are you?” - -“I am his half brother.” - -“That makes you next of kin, don’t it? Well, now, if that man dies, who -is going to inherit his property?” - -“I am, if it were not for that little nuisance he has picked up -somewhere. You see it was just this way.” - -With this introduction Henderson went on and gave Coyote Bill a full -history of the boy Mr. Davenport had adopted in the mines; or rather, -he intended to adopt him, but he didn’t do it. He had brought him up -from a little boy to think his property was all his own, giving no heed -to the half brother who might want some of it. - -“And when I asked him for a little money--five hundred dollars were all -I wanted--he got up on his ear and said I couldn’t have it. That made -me mad, I tell you, and I left his house for good.” - -“And never went into it again?” enquired Coyote Bill. - -“Yes, I went into it once more,” said Henderson, thinking he might as -well tell the truth, now that he was about it. “I went in and made an -effort to steal the boy. I didn’t get caught at it, but my partner did, -and I reckon he’s serving the penalty before this time.” - -“What were you going to do with him?” asked Coyote Bill, and it was -plain that he had a big respect for Henderson. - -“I was going to put him in a lunatic asylum. I was going to keep him -there until he became of age, and then get him to sign his money over -to me. I tell you he would have done it before he had been there two -weeks.” - -“And he just as sane as you are?” said Bill. “Didn’t you know that the -authorities would have turned---- By the way, how much is the old man -worth?” - -“He’s worth a million of dollars. I know that he would have turned the -place upside down in the effort to find Bob, but I tell you I would -have been willing to risk it.” - -“A million dollars! And you want to get hold of some of that money?” - -“I tell you I want to get hold of all of it,” said Henderson. “It is -mine, and I don’t see why he should want that little nuisance to cheat -me out of it. The thing would be safe enough if I could get somebody to -trust. I want him to go to the old man’s ranch and find out where he -keeps his bonds hidden. It would be no trouble at all for him to steal -them.” - -This was all Henderson found it necessary for him to say on that -subject; Coyote Bill “caught on” immediately. He understood that -Henderson wanted him to go to the ranch and steal those bonds. He arose -to a sitting posture and smoked audibly while he meditated. - -“It seems to me that that could be easily done,” said he. - -“Why, I know it could! If I was as I used to be in my brother’s -house, I would gain the whole thing in a week. But the trouble is I -threatened him when I left. I told him that if Bob ever lived to become -his heir, I would follow him up and make him know what it was to be in -want as I was at that moment.” - -“Well, I’ll try it,” said Bill. - -“You will?” asked Henderson, so overjoyed that he could scarcely speak -plainly. “I didn’t suppose that you would go there yourself, but -thought that maybe you could find some man to send in your place.” - -“I would rather go myself, because I will know that everything has been -done. You see, there isn’t one man in ten who knows me. I could go -there and pass myself off for a miner.” - -“That’s the idea! The old man has been there, and you could tell him -what you pleased. Have you ever been in the mines?” - -“No. I am as close to them as I care to get. If I find that strategy -won’t work, I suppose I could put the Indians on them.” - -“Indians?” said Henderson. - -“Certainly. I was on my way to the reservation when I saw you talking -to the old man’s cowboy. You see, I don’t find much work to do, and I -am going there to rest up a bit. This drought will soon be over, and -then I shall have more than I can do.” - -“What do you call your business, anyway?” - -“Oh, stealing cattle. I take them to a little fertile spot in the -Staked Plains, kill them for their hides and tallow, and give the meat -to the Indians. I am chief of about a hundred men, and they will go -their lengths for me.” - -“Well, well! I didn’t know that.” - -“You see that I can easily get the money, or whatever it is that he is -keeping from you. Now, I want to know how much I am to get for this. -Say a half a million.” - -“I will give you half of whatever I make. Can anything be fairer than -that? It may be more and it may be less than half a million.” - -“Yes, that’s fair. Now let’s go back to the fire and see what the men -think of this. You had better go to bed, and we’ll see how it looks in -the morning.” - -Henderson could scarcely sleep at all that night, and when he did he -awoke to find that Coyote Bill and his men were still discussing the -subject. The method of stealing the bonds instead of stealing the boy -promised much better than his original scheme, for he would have no -hand in it. Coyote Bill would be alone in the matter, and if he should -be detected and could not be prevailed upon to tell who his accomplice -was---- Ah! That was something he hadn’t spoken to Bill about. In the -morning he would broach that subject, and tell Bill never to mention -his name. If he did, all his hope of success would be gone. He finally -fell asleep and awoke to find breakfast waiting for him. Bill greeted -him with a good-morning, and immediately referred to their last night’s -conversation. - -“Well, I am going to try it,” said he. “I have never stolen any of -Davenport’s cattle, and I don’t suppose there is anyone on his place -who knows me.” - -“If you are caught, don’t mention my name,” said Henderson. “He knows -me, and he don’t expect any good of me, either.” - -“If you knew me, pilgrim, you wouldn’t mention that at all,” said -Bill; and anybody could see that he was growing mad about it. “I shall -not call the name of Henderson once while I am there. If anybody says -anything to me about you I shall say I don’t know you.” - -After breakfast Bill shook Henderson by the hand and started and walked -away. He took nothing with him except his brace of revolvers and an -old dilapidated blanket, which he slung over his shoulder. He left -his rifle and horse in charge of his men, who were to bring them to -him at some future time, Henderson didn’t know when or where it was. -Bill didn’t exchange any plans with Henderson, for he had made up his -mind what he wanted to do and he didn’t care to have anyone know it. -Henderson gazed at him in surprise as he walked away. - -“There’s a man who is going into trouble,” said he. “I could have given -him some things that I think would have helped him out.” - -“Don’t you lose no sleep worryin’ about him,” said one of the men. “He -knows what he is going to do. Now you can find your way back, can’t -you? We have got to leave you here.” - -Yes, Henderson could get along now all right, and he gladly parted with -the men, after dividing his corn meal and bacon with them, for he was -anxious to get away by himself and think the matter over. He hadn’t -known what happiness was before in a long while. - -“If one of the men from whom I have just parted,” said he, as soon as -he was out of hearing, “had told me that he was the chief of a hundred -men who would go their lengths for him, I should have believed him; but -that is a queer thing for that neat-looking fellow to say. How easily -that villain fell in with my plans! If I had been going there knowing -what he does---- Whew! I believe I should have got some advice from -somebody.” - -Meanwhile Coyote Bill walked along toward Mr. Davenport’s ranch, -keeping a lookout for horsemen who were on the watch for stray cattle, -whom he intended to dodge, and revolving in his mind certain plans -for stealing the bonds; for be it known that he put implicit faith in -Henderson’s word. No man could come to him and talk as earnestly as he -did when there was nothing behind it. He tramped all that day, found a -camp at night in a belt of timber with which the country was thickly -interspersed, laid down without a fire, and at ten o’clock reached his -destination. He was really foot-sore and weary when he got there, for -walking so far was something to which he was not accustomed, and was -glad to see the man for whom he was looking sitting on the porch. - -“Good-day to you, sir!” said Coyote Bill, lifting his hat. “Is this Mr. -Faber’s ranch?” - -“Come up and sit down,” replied Mr. Davenport. “You have travelled far -and you look completely exhausted. Faber! I don’t know such a man as -that. He can’t have a ranch anywhere about here.” - -“Thank you, sir,” said Bill. “I believe I am tired, and if it will suit -you will sit down for a while. May I make bold to ask for something to -eat?” - -“Eat? Yes, you can have all you want. Bob, hunt up the cook and get -something. Have you travelled far, sir?” - -“About a hundred miles, afoot and alone.” - -“I guess that a drink of water would help you. We haven’t got much, but -what we’ve got you are welcome to. Bob,” he added, as the boy came back -after seeing the cook, “scare up a drink of water for this gentleman. -I speak of you, sir, as your clothes warrant me to speak. You are -not a Texan. You haven’t been long enough in this country to become -accustomed to their way of talking. You are from the States.” - -“Yes, sir; from Wisconsin,” said Bill, rightly concluding that Mr. -Davenport would not be acquainted with anybody in that far off State. -“I was engaged in doing a good business in Milwaukee, but I fell in -with some fellows who were going to the mines, and there I lost what -little money I had.” - -“Did you go to California?” - -“No; to Denver.” - -“Then how did you happen to get way off here? This is not the road to -the States.” - -“I know it; but I wanted to find my partner, who is in this country -engaged in the cattle business.” - -“Well, Mr. Faber, if that’s his name, hasn’t got a ranch anywhere -around here. The men who live beyond me are Mr. Chisholm----” - -Here Mr. Davenport went off into a paroxysm of coughing, to which Bill -listened with great concern pictured on his face. - -“I am afraid you are talking too much,” said he. “Doesn’t this climate -agree with your health?” - -“Oh, yes! I should probably have been in my grave long ago if I had not -come down here. Now, sir, your meal is ready. Will you step in and sit -down to it?” - -Bill thanked him, and went in to a much finer spread than he had been -accustomed to while roaming with his men. He ate until he was ashamed -of himself, and came out on the porch with the air of one who had -enjoyed a good meal. There was one thing about it he told himself: -No matter what misfortunes his cattle might meet with, Mr. Davenport -intended that those who were dependent upon him should fare the best. - -“I have a little money left,” said he, “and I want to know----” - -“Keep your money in your pocket,” returned Mr. Davenport. “When I have -twenty-five thousand head of cattle to sell for a dollar apiece I can -easily afford to give you something to eat. Sit down. You say you were -in the mines at Denver. What sort of work are they having there?” - -This was the very point that Coyote Bill had been dreading, but he had -gone over it so many times since leaving Henderson in camp, that he -had it at his tongue’s end. He knew no more about mining than he had -been able to glean from the conversation of his men, some of whom were -fresh from Mexico, and perhaps he got the two pretty well mixed up. For -example, he told of one mine he had been in where they had been obliged -to go down twelve hundred feet before they could get gold in paying -quantities. Then Mr. Davenport began to look at him suspiciously. -There might be some men at some future time that would be able to go -down that distance, but there were none there now. - -“I believe you are up to something,” said he to himself. “But what in -the world it is I don’t know. I believe I will keep you here for a -while and find out.” Then aloud he said: “Where are you going now? If -your friend isn’t around here, where do you think you will find him?” - -“I guess I had better go back to Austin and work around there at -something until I can earn money enough to take me home,” said Bill, -hoping that Mr. Davenport would suggest something else to him. “Any -little thing that I can do will help me along.” - -“How would you like to stay here and work on this ranch?” - -“That would be all very well, but I can’t ride. I should have to do -something about the house or I shouldn’t earn my money.” - -“You look like a man who could sit a horse.” - -“I know it; but they buck and jump so that they throw me right off. -When I was in the mines I devoted myself entirely to work.” - -“Well, I will tell you what I will do. I can find some work for you -around the ranch that you can turn your hand to.” - -“Thank you, sir.” - -“It won’t be much--like making the beds, for instance. Besides, you -look completely exhausted. You can stay here until you somewhat recover -yourself and make some enquiries among the cowboys, and perhaps you -will learn something about your partner. I am determined to know what -you are at,” added Mr. Davenport to himself. “Can it be that you are -any ways implicated with Clifford Henderson? Well, I have got my will -made out, and I will see what you will do to it.” - -Thus it came about that Coyote Bill became an inmate of Mr. Davenport’s -house. When the cowboys came in at supper time he was as respectful to -them as he was to Mr. Davenport, addressed them all as “sir,” when he -was speaking to them, and by giving them a sharp look when they came in -made up his mind that there was no one among them who recognized him. -He looked them squarely in the eye when he talked to them, and listened -while they told him of the men who lived beyond them. There was no Mr. -Faber in the lot. He must be inside of them somewhere. - -“What do you think of that fellow, Lem?” asked Frank, as the two met -under the trees to smoke their evening pipe. They had left Bill in the -house and he was busy at work with the dishes. - -“He is here for no good, that’s what I think of him,” said Lem, seating -himself under the nearest tree. “He has been out to Denver, and came -out here to find somebody he never heard of. He never had a pardner -named Faber, and what do you think of his going into a mine that -extended twelve hundred feet under the ground? I tell you he has never -been near Denver.” - -“And he can’t ride!” added Frank. “I see the marks on his boots where -he has had spurs on. I tell you he wants to be mighty careful how he -acts around here.” - -“Do you mind them six-shooters he’s got?” - -“I do, and I aint afraid of them, nuther. I guess I can get a pistol -out as quick as he can. Just keep your eye on him and we’ll see what he -is going to do.” - -The days grew into weeks and the weeks into months, and still Coyote -Bill stayed around the house. In fact he didn’t say a word about going -since he was settled there. He seemed to think that the man he was in -search of was somebody he couldn’t reach, and he was content to remain -where he was. Mr. Davenport kept his eye out at all times, and the only -thing he found against Bill was when he caught him trying to pick his -desk. He came suddenly into the room where Bill was at work, and the -position he caught him in was enough to condemn him. But Bill was equal -to it. He greeted him with a good-morning, and proceeded to tumble up -his bed as though nothing was the matter. - -“Why do you have this door shut?” enquired Mr. Davenport, with more -sternness than he had ever thrown into his words. “I generally leave it -open.” - -“I found it shut when I came in, sir,” said Bill. “I always make it a -point to leave things as I find them. It’s a fine day outside, sir.” - -“Yes, of course it is a fine day here in this country,” said Mr. -Davenport, who was wishing every day that it would rain. “We never see -any clouds here.” - -Things went on in this way until we came there, and for once Mr. -Davenport forgot himself and took us into his confidence. I had noticed -’Rastus Johnson, and I didn’t think there was anything strange about -it, except that he seemed to sympathize with me, because I had lost -my cattle. But, then, that was something that fell to everybody down -there, and besides I had more than made my loss good. Finally, the time -came when I bearded the lion in his den, and, prompted by Elam, called -him by his right name. Of course he was thunderstruck, but I think I -did the best thing I could under the circumstances. He made up his mind -to steal the pocket-book at once, and boldly proposed the thing to me -as if I had agreed to “become one of them.” I got out of it somehow, -and that was the night that he and Elam got into that “scrap.” He -went off, as I expected he would, and I did not see him again until -he and Clifford Henderson came to the ranch to hunt up the missing -pocket-book. You saw how he treated me while he was there. Tom Mason’s -luck came in; he found the pocket-book, and I hadn’t seen Bill since. -And now Henderson was gone, and I concluded that with all those men -watching us we couldn’t reach Austin without a fight. But we had ten -good men, and they were all good shots. And I saw that others felt the -same way. Well, let it come. I was sure of one of them, anyway. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. PROVING THE WILL. - - -When Clifford Henderson turned his nag and galloped away from us, he -was about the maddest man I ever saw mounted on horseback. When I said -away from “us,” I mean from the three or four men whom he had been -trying to induce to buy his cattle, and Tom Mason and myself. He had -good reason to be angry. He had come out to the ranch while we were -there; and although he had things all his own way, and one of the men -who were with him had searched us to prove that we didn’t have the -pocket-book, he had hardly got out of reach of the house when Tom had -it in his possession. That was as neat a piece of strategy as I ever -heard of, this finding the pocket-book after he had got through looking -for it, and I didn’t wonder that he felt sore over it. He meditated -about it as he rode along, and the more he thought about it, the more -nearly overcome with rage was he. - -“To think that that little snipe should have gone and found the -pocket-book after I had got done looking for it--that’s what bangs me!” -he exclaimed, shaking his fists in the air. “No wonder they call him -Lucky Tom. But there is just this much about it: the pocket-book is -not going to do him any good. I’ll go and see Bill about it, and then -I’ll go to Austin, find the surrogate before he does, and challenge -the will. By that means I shall put him to some trouble before he can -handle the stock as he has a mind to.” - -Henderson evidently knew where he was going, for he went at a -tremendous rate until nearly four o’clock in the afternoon, stopping -only twice at some little streams that he crossed to allow his horse -time to get a drink, and then he rode into a belt of timber where he -found Coyote Bill waiting for him. He had two men there with him as a -body-guard. Henderson got off his horse, removed his saddle, and turned -the animal loose before he said a word. Bill was watching him all the -time, and concluded that he had some bad news. - -“Well,” said he impatiently, “as soon as you get ready to speak let us -hear from you.” - -“I can easily think of myself as being fooled in this way, but for a -man like you, who makes his living by cheating other folks, I don’t see -any excuse at all for it!” said Henderson, as he threw himself on the -ground beside Bill. “We have lost the pocket-book!” - -“Did those boys find it?” asked the man, starting up in amazement. - -“Yes, sir; they have found it! I have seen the will.” - -“Why, how in the name of common sense did they find it?” said Bill, who -could not believe that his ears were not deceiving him. “And you have -seen the will?” - -“Yes, I have. Everything goes to that boy, dog-gone the luck!” - -“Tell us all about it. I don’t understand it.” - -“You know we saw them when we got to the ranch, and they found the -pocket-book. That’s all I know about it. When they returned they found -me trying to sell the cattle to some of the outfit, and they produced -the will. I saw it and read a portion of it.” - -“Well, you are a pilgrim, and that’s a fact. Why didn’t you destroy the -will? I’ll bet you that if they showed me the will they would never see -it again.” - -“Suppose there was a revolver pointed straight at your head. What would -you do then?” - -“You were a dunce for letting them get that way.” - -“Suppose there were three men, and while one of them had your head -covered with a pistol, another should ride up and lay hold of your -bridle? I don’t reckon you would help yourself much.” - -“Did they have you that way? Then I beg your pardon,” said Bill, -extending his hand. “They didn’t give you much show, did they? But you -threatened them, didn’t you?” - -“No; I simply told them that I was next of kin and wanted to see the -will. I could tell whether it was a fraud or not. I recognized my -brother’s handwriting at once, but I told them it was a lie out of the -whole cloth.” - -“And does the will make the boy his heir?” - -“It does. Now I want to go to Austin and get there before Chisholm -does. I can put him to some trouble before he handles that stock.” - -“Is Chisholm going there?” - -“He must, to get the will probated.” - -“Then you just take my advice and keep away from Austin. Chisholm -would shoot you down as soon as he would look at you. You don’t know -Chisholm. He’s a mighty plain-spoken man when he’s let alone, but you -get his dander up and he’s just lightning. He has got an idea that you -are trying to cheat Bob out of his money and that you are a rascal. No, -sir; you keep away from Chisholm.” - -“But what am I to do? Am I going to sit still and allow myself to be -cheated? That’s the way folks do things in St. Louis.” - -“Yes; but it isn’t the way they do here. You needn’t allow yourself to -be cheated out of that money.” - -“What do you propose to do?” - -“Put the Indians on him.” - -“The Indians?” exclaimed Henderson. - -“Certainly,” said Bill coolly. “What do you suppose I have got the -Indians for if it isn’t to help me out in a job of this kind? You said -you wanted him shut up until he signed his property over to you, and I -don’t think you will find a better place.” - -“Why, my goodness, they will kill him!” said Henderson, horrified at -the idea of making Bob a prisoner in the hands of those wild men. - -“I’ll risk it. Just put him among the Indians with the understanding -that he is to remain there until he signs his property over to you, and -he’ll soon sign, I bet you.” - -Henderson was silent for a long time after this. He didn’t see any -other way out of it. The idea of his going to Austin and being shot by -that man Chisholm was not exactly what it was cracked up to be. He knew -that Chisholm would shoot if he got a fair chance, for he had already -seen him behind his revolver; and he didn’t care to give him another -such a chance at him. Coyote Bill gave him time to think the matter -over and then said: - -“Suppose the Indians do kill him; what then? It will only be just one -stumbling block out of your way. What do you say?” - -“Are the Indians much given to making raids on the stockmen -hereabouts?” asked Henderson. - -“They do it just as often as they get out of meat,” answered Bill. “The -only thing that has kept them from it has been the drought. They know -what these white men are up to. All this country will be settled up -some day, and then what will they do to get something to eat? It will -be perfectly safe putting the Indians on him.” - -“Well, go on with it,” answered Henderson. “Remember, I don’t go in for -lifting a hand against his life. I want him to know what it is to be in -poverty. That’s what I am up to.” - -“Well, if you find any more poverty-stricken people in the world -than the Comanches are, I will give it up,” said Coyote Bill, with a -laugh. “Let him stay among them. I will agree to keep him safe for -twenty years. Now I will go and see what the men think about it. What -do you say to that, Zeke? This is a squaw-man,” he added, turning to -Henderson. “The chief and all of them do just as he says.” - -“I say you can’t find a purtier place to put a man than among the -’Manches,” said Zeke, as he pulled a pipe out of his pocket and filled -up for a smoke. “If you want to put him whar he’ll find poverty, put -him thar.” - -“But I am afraid to trust the Indians with him,” said Henderson. “They -might kill him.” - -“Not if the chief says ‘No,’ they won’t. This here is our chief,” he -answered, waving his hand toward Coyote Bill. “We aint beholden to -nobody when he says we shall go on a raid, an’ I think it high time we -were doin’ something. It’s almost sixteen months since we have seen any -cattle, an’ we’re gettin’ hungry.” - -“Does Sam think the same way?” said Bill. - -The man appealed to nodded, and so it came about that we did not see -any of Coyote Bill’s men while we were on our way to Austin. In fact -there were not enough of them. It would have taken twice the number of -our company to have placed their hands on that pocket-book, feeling as -we did then. - -I never was more shaken up than I was when I rode into Austin, but I -didn’t say anything about it. Accustomed as I was to travelling long -distances on horseback, I must say that, when we rode up to our hotel -and dismounted, I didn’t have strength enough to go another mile. -Chisholm was as lively as ever. He got off his horse with alacrity, -looked around him and said: - -“There! Two hundred miles in considerably less than forty-eight hours. -I guess Henderson can’t beat that. Seen anything of him around, have -you?” - -The men all answered in the negative. - -“I wish you boys would take these horses back to the stable,” said he, -“and the rest of you stay by when I call you. When you come back go -into the living room with the rest of the boys. Lem, you and Frank seat -yourselves on the porch and keep a lookout for Henderson. If you see -him I needn’t remind you that you are to pop him over.” - -“Oh, Mr. Chisholm!” exclaimed Bob. - -“It has to be done,” said Mr. Chisholm earnestly. “We have stood as -much nonsense as we can. He has tried his level best to steal our -money from us, and now we have got to a place where we can’t be driven -any further. I’ve got a little business of my own to attend to. Mr. -Wallace, who has a thousand dollars or two of mine, is, I think, a man -I can trust.” - -So saying Mr. Chisholm started off, and we all departed on our -errands--Frank and Lem to the porch to keep a bright outlook for -Henderson, the most of the men to the sitting room of the hotel to wait -Mr. Chisholm’s return, and us boys to take the horses to the stable. I -was surprised when I saw how Bob took Mr. Chisholm’s order to heart--to -pop Henderson over. I declare I didn’t feel so about it at all. If -Henderson so far neglected his personal safety as to continue to pursue -Mr. Chisholm when he was on the very eve of getting the money, why, I -said, let him take the consequences. Bob didn’t say anything, but I -well knew what he was thinking about. If he had had a fair opportunity -he would have whispered to Henderson to keep away from the porch. - -“You musn’t do it, Bob,” I said to him. - -“Why, Carlos, I can’t bear that anybody should get shot,” he answered. -“And then what will they do to Lem and Frank for obeying that order of -Mr. Chisholm’s?” - -“They won’t do anything to them. Mr. Chisholm is willing to take his -chances. Don’t you know that they never do anything to anyone who -shoots a man in this country?” - -When we had put the horses away we returned to the porch, and found -Lem and Frank there keeping a lookout for Henderson; but I would have -felt a good deal more at my ease if we had known of the interview that -Henderson had held with Coyote Bill in regard to putting the Indians on -Bob. We took a look at them and then went into the sitting-room to wait -for Mr. Chisholm. He was gone about half an hour and then he showed -himself. He stopped to exchange a few words with Lem and Frank, and -then coming into the sitting-room ordered us to “catch up!” We knew by -that that he was ready for us, so we fell in two abreast and followed -Mr. Chisholm down the street. - -I wondered what the people in the Eastern cities would have thought of -us if they had seen us marching down the street, ten of us, all with a -brace of revolvers slung to our waists. The pedestrians got out of our -way, and now and then some fellow, with a brace of revolvers on, would -stop and look at us to see which way we were going. But we did not care -for anybody. We kept close at Mr. Chisholm’s heels until he turned -into a narrow doorway, and led us up a creaking pair of stairs. Upon -arriving at the top he threw open a door, and we found ourselves in the -presence of three or four men who sat leaning back in their chairs with -their heels elevated higher than their heads, having a good time all by -themselves. There were a lot of papers and books scattered about, and I -took it at once for a lawyer’s office. They looked at us in surprise -as we entered, and one of the men took his feet down from the desk. - -“Shut the door, Lem,” said Mr. Chisholm. “Now, which of you men is -it who proves the wills? You see,” he added, turning with an air -of apology to the other men in the room, “these fellows are mostly -remembered in the will, and so I brought them along. I never proved a -will before, and so I wanted men enough to back me up.” - -“That is all right,” said the surrogate. “Where’s the will?” - -Mr. Chisholm produced his pocket-book, Bob’s pocket-book, rather, -the one that had taken Tom and me on a four weeks’ journey into the -country, and produced the papers, while the rest of us stood around -and waited for him to read them. The lawyer read it in a free-and-easy -manner until he came to the place where Bob was spoken of as worth half -a million dollars, and then he suddenly became interested. - -“Where’s the man?” said he. - -“Here he is, right here,” said Mr. Chisholm. “It is a big sum of money -for him to be worth, but he is big enough to carry it.” - -“Why, sit down, gentlemen! If you can’t get chairs enough to -accommodate you, sit on the table. A half a million dollars! Does -anybody challenge this will?” - -“Not that I know of,” answered Mr. Chisholm. “It is all there, and we -want it all, every bit.” - -“Well, I’ll have it for you in half an hour,” answered the lawyer. -“Suppose you come in again in that time.” - -“No, sir! Our time is worth nothing, and if it is all the same to you, -we’ll have that will before we go out. When I get through here I have -got to go to the bank. Take your time. We want it done up right.” - -Whether there was something in Mr. Chisholm’s manner--there certainly -was nothing in his words--that convinced the lawyer that haste was -desirable, I don’t know; but he got up with alacrity, went to his -books, and began writing, while the rest of us disposed of ourselves -in various attitudes about the room. The rest of the men went on with -their conversation where our entrance had interrupted it,--it was -something that afforded them a great deal of merriment,--and now and -then the lawyer took part in it, leaving his work and coming over -to where the men were sitting to make his remarks carry weight. Mr. -Chisholm watched this for a long time and at last boiled over. - -“See here, Mr. Lawyer,” said he, and I knew by the way he spoke the -words that his patience was all exhausted; “I would thank you to attend -to our business first.” - -The lawyer was evidently a man who was not in the habit of being -addressed in this way. He took a good look at Mr. Chisholm, at his -revolvers, then ran his eye over the rest of us, and choking down -something that appeared to be rising in his throat, he resumed his -writing. After that there was no trouble. The men ceased their -conversation, and the lawyer went on with his writing to such good -purpose that in fifteen minutes the document was done. - -“Now, who is this boy’s guardian?” asked the lawyer. - -“He hasn’t got any that I know of,” said Mr. Chisholm. - -“How old are you?” he added, turning to Bob. - -“Sixteen,” was the reply. - -“Then you must have a guardian,” said the lawyer. “Hold on, now,” he -continued, when he saw Mr. Chisholm’s eye begin to flash and his hand -to reach toward his pistol. “This guardian is a man who can exercise -much or little control over this property. He can say you shall or you -shall not spend your money for such particular things; but all the -while the boy can go on and do as he pleases. It does not amount to -anything.” - -“Is that paper all ready for his signature?” asked Mr. Chisholm. - -“It is all ready for the signature of his guardian,” said the lawyer. -“But I tell you it won’t amount to anything so long as he has no one on -it to act as his guardian. Why don’t you sign it, sir? You seem to be -on good terms with him.” - -Mr. Chisholm did not know what to say, and so he looked around at us -for a solution. But the men all shook their heads and looked down at -the floor. They didn’t want anyone to act as Bob’s guardian, but would -rather that he should spend the money as he pleased. Finally Bob came -to the rescue. - -“I will sign it with Mr. Chisholm, but with no one else,” said he. -“This lawyer knows more than we do.” - -“And won’t you never ask my consent toward spending your money?” - -“No, sir; I never will.” - -“Then I will sign it. Remember, Bob, there aint to be any foolishness -about this.” - -Mr. Chisholm took the pen from the lawyer’s hand and signed his name in -bold characters, and although there was no occasion for Bob’s signature -in a legal point of view, the lawyer was afraid to object to it, for -there were too many pistols in the party. - -“There, now; it is all right, and you’re master of that money,” said -Mr. Chisholm, drawing a long breath of relief. “Nobody can get it away -from us now. How much?” - -“Ten dollars,” said the lawyer. - -As Bob didn’t have any money, Henderson having taken all he had, Mr. -Chisholm counted out the ten dollars, after which he held out his hand -for the will. There was where he made another mistake. The surrogate -kept that will upon file, and then there was no chance of its being -lost, and anyone, years hence, if there happened to be any legal points -with regard to the disposition of this property, could have the will to -refer to. But Mr. Chisholm didn’t know that. - -“I will take that document if you have got through with it,” said he. - -“The will?” said the lawyer. “As soon as you go away I shall lock it -up. Then it will be safe.” - -“You will, eh?” - -In an instant his revolver was out and covering the lawyer’s head. The -other men sprang to their feet, but before they could make a move they -were held in check by four revolvers held in the hands of our own party. - -“I have just about submitted to all the nonsense I can stand with -regard to this will,” said Mr. Chisholm, in stern tones. “You made me -sign it as a guardeen when I aint got no business to, and now you -want to go and take the will away from us. Hand over that document! -One--two----” - -[Illustration: PROBATING THE WILL.] - -“There it is, and you can take it,” said the lawyer, turning white. -“But I tell you it won’t amount to anything as long as you have it in -your hands. There’s the notice of probate. You can take that down to -the bank with you, and that is all you want.” - -“He is right, Mr. Chisholm,” said Bob, who seemed to keep all his wits -about him. - -“Has he a right to take the will away from us?” demanded Mr. Chisholm, -in a stentorian voice. - -“I have got wills here that were left by parties long before you ever -came to this country,” said the lawyer, turning to his safe. - -“Not by a long sight you haven’t,” said Mr. Chisholm. “I want you to -understand that I have been in this country long before you ever came -out of a pettifogger’s office in the North. You can’t take that will -away, and that’s all about it.” - -“Here is Jerry Wolfe’s,” said the lawyer, taking from his safe a big -bundle of papers all neatly endorsed as he had filed them away. “You -knew him, didn’t you?” - -“Well--yes; and a right smart business man he was. Did his guardeen -leave his papers here?” - -“His executor did, and that amounts to the same thing. And all those in -there are wills.” - -“That may be law, but it isn’t justice,” said Mr. Chisholm, putting up -his revolver and stepping back; whereupon the men in his party, who -held their pistols in their hands, let down the hammers and returned -them to their cases. “Have you got done with us?” - -“Yes, sir; we are all through.” - -“Well, if you are right, I am sorry I pulled my revolver on you; if -you are wrong, I’m sorry I didn’t use it. You see, I never had any -experience before in proving wills, and I never want to have another, -unless I can have someone at my back who knows more than I do.” - -“I assure you, it is all right,” said the lawyer; and, to show that he -was in earnest, he cordially shook hands with Mr. Chisholm. “You go -down to the bank, and if Mr. Wallace doesn’t say that it is all right, -I’ll make it so.” - -I, for one, was glad to get out of reach of that surrogate’s office. -There was too much pulling of revolvers to suit me. I fell in behind -Mr. Chisholm, who led the way toward the bank. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. TOM GETS SOME MONEY. - - -I have often quoted our leader as saying that Mr. Wallace was a man -whom he could afford to trust, seeing that he had the handling of a -thousand dollars or two of his money. In point of fact, he had more -than that. He had two hundred thousand dollars of money in his hands -that Mr. Chisholm’s signature was good for--not banknotes, for they -were not as good then as they are now, but specie; and when a man put -specie in the bank, he always wanted to get the same when he signed a -check. The bank was not a great way off, and in a few minutes we were -standing in the presence of the cashier. - -“Is Mr. Wallace in?” asked Mr. Chisholm, gazing over the heads of three -or four men who had come there to do business. - -“Step right into his private office,” said the cashier. “He is waiting -for you.” - -The private office was a little room that opened off the rear of the -bank, and when we filed in you couldn’t have gotten another man in -edgeways. Mr. Wallace was engaged with some papers, but laid them all -down when he heard our big boots clattering on the floor. - -“Hallo, Chisholm!” said he. “Well, you found ’em, didn’t you? Are these -men all remembered in the will? Where’s the boy? Sit down.” - -“I don’t see much chance to sit down here,” said Mr. Chisholm, looking -around. “But, if it suits you just as well, I won’t sit. Most of -these men are remembered in the will, and some of ’em aint. I brought -’em along with me so as to give me plenty of backing. This thing of -probating wills aint what it’s cracked up to be.” - -“Why, what’s the matter?” asked Mr. Wallace. - -“We found that little surrogate like you was telling me of, and he -won’t let me have the will. Said he would lock it up, and it would be -safe.” - -“That’s all right. Supposing you should die to-morrow and the will -should fall into the hands of some dishonest person. Where would you -be? The will is there, and anybody can get a copy of it; but nobody can -touch the will itself.” - -“Oh, ah! That’s the way the thing stands,” said Mr. Chisholm, and I -thought he felt a little sheepish over the way he had acted in the -surrogate’s office. “Then I was wrong and he was right. But then,” he -added, a bright idea striking him, “he made me sign it as guardeen. I -had no business to do that.” - -“How old is the boy? Sixteen? Well, of course he had to have somebody, -and he thought you would do. Where is the boy? I haven’t congratulated -him yet.” - -“Here he is, right here,” said Mr. Chisholm, seizing Bob by the arm and -pushing him forward. “He is a pretty fellow to have a guardeen, is he -not? He knows more about taking care of his money than I do.” - -Bob blushed like a school-girl when he was pushed out into view, but -he returned the pressure of Mr. Wallace’s hand, and promptly accepted -the seat that was given to him. The president then went on to tell Bob -that he had nearly seven hundred thousand dollars’ worth of bonds and -stocks, and about forty thousand dollars in specie; did he want some of -it? - -“Yes, sir. I should like about ten thousand dollars.” - -“All right. Mr. Chisholm, will you sign for that?” - -“No, sir, I won’t,” said Mr. Chisholm, frightened at the amount. “You -said you wouldn’t ask me how to spend your money.” - -“Bob can’t get it without you sign it,” said Mr. Wallace. “I will make -out the check and you’ll sign it, of course. You are not going to kick, -the first thing!” - -Mr. Chisholm looked around to see what the rest of us thought about it, -but none of us had anything to say. Mr. Wallace wrote out the check, -and then motioned to Mr. Chisholm to take his chair and sign it; and -our leader obeyed without a word of protest. Mr. Wallace then went out -of his private office, and in a few moments returned with his arms -filled with bags containing bright new gold pieces. - -“I’ll count them out for you if you want me to,” said he, “but then the -whole sum is right here and the bags are sealed. What do you want of -such an amount of money, any way? You can’t spend it out there on the -ranch.” - -“No, sir. But some of these men have been remembered in father’s will, -and I want to pay them up.” - -“Oh!” said Mr. Wallace. “Well, then, what’s the reason you can’t pay -them right here? It will make a less load for you to carry.” - -“Now, Mr. Wallace, I have got something to say about that,” said Mr. -Chisholm. “Not one cent do you give the men so long as we are in the -reach of bug-juice. I want them to go home with me as straight as when -they came away.” - -“All right. What shall we do with this money?” - -Mr. Chisholm immediately stepped forward, and under his supervision -the money was equally distributed so that each had an equal weight to -carry, but I noticed that Lem and Frank didn’t get any of it. They were -the ones who were much too fond of “bug-juice.” They winked at me, but -said nothing. - -“Now, Mr. Wallace, I am done with probating wills,” said Mr. Chisholm. -“You made me sign as guardeen for a boy that is as well able to take -care of his money as I am, and put my name to checks for which I am not -at all responsible, and I don’t like your way of doing business.” - -“Don’t you want some money yourself?” - -“No, sir, not a red cent. The drought is over now----” - -“This has been fearful weather, hasn’t it?” asked Mr. Wallace, anxious -to get Mr. Chisholm off on his favorite topic. - -“Fearful! You follow the dead cattle that we left behind while on our -trip to the West Fork of Trinity, and you can go straight to my house. -We left a trifle of over three million dollars on the plains, and -that’s a heap of money to come out of poor men’s pockets. I wish you -good-day, sir.” - -We all touched our hats to Mr. Wallace and went out of his private -office, and I drew a long breath of relief. There had been no shooting -done, and I was glad of it. I was hurrying ahead to get to Mr. -Chisholm’s side, to ask him if that order in regard to “popping him -over”--that is to say, Henderson--was still in force, when I saw Frank -seize Bob by the arm and pull him back. I stayed back with him, for I -wanted to see how the thing was coming out. I fell in with Tom Mason -right ahead of Bob and Elam, and Lem and Frank brought up the rear. -This was the way in which we marched down, and Mr. Chisholm couldn’t -raise any objections to it. After we had got fairly under way, I heard -Frank say to Bob, in a scarcely audible whisper: - -“Say, you wouldn’t mind lending Lem and me a twenty, would you?” - -“I should be glad to, but the bag is sealed up,” replied Bob. - -“Sh! don’t let Mr. Chisholm know it. You couldn’t get the seal off’n -the bag, could you? Lem and me is mighty thirsty.” - -Bob put his hand into his pocket, and I could hardly keep from laughing -outright when I saw the contortions his face went through in order to -get the seal off the bag. He worked as a boy never worked before, and -at last I saw, by the expression on his countenance, that he had got -the bag open. We were pretty near to the hotel when this happened. I -heard the chinking of the pieces as Bob drew his hand out and placed -two twenty dollars in Frank’s extended palm. - -“Boys, I will give you that to pay you for sticking by me,” said he. -“Now, be careful, and don’t take too much.” - -“You’re right; we’ll stick by you,” said Frank. “If you ever get in a -scrape like this again, send us word. We’ll not take too much. We are -afraid of Mr. Chisholm.” - -They had got the money, and the next thing was to get the whiskey. Mr. -Chisholm thought he was smart, and, no doubt, he was in some things; -but he had to deal with men who were as smart as he was. When we got -back to the hotel, Frank and Lem threw themselves into the chairs they -had occupied before, to keep a lookout for Henderson; but Mr. Chisholm -spoke a word or two to them, and they got up and went into the house. - -“Now, landlord, catch up,” said Mr. Chisholm. “Can you get us an early -supper? We want to be away from here in an hour.” - -The landlord was all attention. He was in and out of the bar a good -many times, but Lem and Frank never went near it. They had a good deal -of time to spend in looking at the pictures; I saw a half a dozen men -talking to them, and finally they came back to where we were, and sat -down. I winked at Lem, and he winked back at me, and so I knew he had -got it; but how in the world he _got_ it was a mystery to me. I did not -see him put anything into his pocket; but, after we had eaten supper -and were about an hour on our journey homeward, I saw the effects of it -very perceptibly. It did not make Lem and Frank loud and boisterous, -as they generally were when they were full, but “funny”--all except -when Mr. Chisholm came back and scowled at them, and then they were as -sober as judges. The next day, however, they were all right; but when -Bob saw Frank stoop down and fill his hat four times at a stream he was -passing, and drink it empty each time, he said: - -“I am sorry I gave you that money yesterday. You had by far too much.” - -“I know it,” said Frank. “But with stuff like this, one can drink all -he wants to, and it won’t go to his head. But we had a good fill-up on -account of your success, and there wasn’t any shooting done, as I was -afraid there was going to be.” - -“Shooting! I should think not.” - -“Well, now, I was afraid there was going to be. When Mr. Chisholm was -passing that little stream yesterday, and reached down and filled -his hat, as you saw me doing, it was all I could do to keep Lem from -shooting that hat away from his mouth.” - -“Why, how far off was he?” enquired Bob, who had never heard of such a -thing as that. - -“We were a hundred yards or so behind him.” - -“Why, the old villain! He might have missed the hat, and struck Mr. -Chisholm through the face.” - -“That was just what I was afraid he was going to do, although I have -seen Lem, when he was perfectly sober, put all his bullets into the -same hole at that distance. But he is not a villain, by any means,” -said Frank earnestly. “It shows what a man will do when he gets too -much old rye in him.” - -I tell you I believed it, and I swore off on whiskey then and there. -And I have kept my pledge from that day to this. - -Lem and Frank being all right and having no Henderson to look out for, -we were longer going than we were coming, and it took us six days -to overtake our cattle, which were being driven slowly toward their -respective ranches. We went a little out of our way to enable Bob to -visit his father’s grave, and stood around with our hats in our hands -while Bob’s eyes, his face suffused with tears, gazed upon the scene -he never was to see again. I supposed, of course, that Bob, having -been admitted by all hands to be the heir of that property, would be -allowed to rest in peace; but I did not know Henderson and Coyote Bill. -They persecuted him from the word go, and it was to end only with his -leaving the country. The cattle were getting fat now, the full moon was -close at hand, and the Mexicans and Indians were waking up. I heard the -men talking about it as we rode along, and only wished I could be there -to see some of it; but I tell you one raid by the Comanches fairly took -that all out of me. - -On the evening of the sixth day after leaving Austin we came up with -the cowboys, who were camped in a belt of post-oaks, and long before we -got up to them we found that they had discovered us. Everyone wanted -to know how Bob had prospered, and when Mr. Chisholm told them he had -been successful in spite of the surrogate’s efforts to cheat him out -of it, you ought to have heard that belt of post-oaks resound with -their cheers. Now that he had time to think it over, Mr. Chisholm still -regarded the efforts of the surrogate to keep the will as a fraud, -notwithstanding what President Wallace had told him. - -“Aint he just as likely to die as I am?” he demanded. “And can’t that -Henderson go there and get that will? I tell you I think it would have -been safer in my own hands than his. But I am done probating wills now. -The next time anybody dies he can get somebody else.” - -At last we arrived at our ranch and found everything there just as -we had left it. The cowboys gazed in surprise at the result of Tom’s -search, for you will remember that he threw the things in the middle of -the floor and had not had time to replace them. Then Tom showed them -the stick he had used in unearthing the pocket-book and the very spot -where he had dug it out. There weren’t ashes there enough to conceal -it from anybody who had tried hard to find it. I could see that Bob -was very grateful to Tom for what he had done, and consequently I was -prepared for what he had to say to me afterward. - -It was two weeks before we got our cattle all rounded out and driven -off by themselves where we could take a look at them. There were not -more than five thousand head, all the rest that Mr. Davenport had owned -having been left on the prairie as a prey to the wolves. He must have -lost as many as ten thousand head, which amounted to a considerable -sum. But I ought to say that, long before this happened, Bob had -brought all his cowboys together and paid them the money that had been -left to them in his father’s will. It made less weight for him to -carry, and, besides, he wanted it off his mind. I wish I could put it -on paper, the scene he had with Mr. Chisholm, who positively refused to -pay the money. It raised a roar of laughter, which made the old man so -mad that it was all he could do to keep from pulling his pistol; but -Bob got around him at last, and finally he gave in. - -“If it is as you say--that you want some disinterested party to pay -them so that they won’t believe that they have been cheated--why, I -will do it,” said he, seizing the nearest bag of gold and emptying it -upon the table. “But you promised that there should be no foolishness -about this. Now, boys, watch me, and see that I don’t make any mistake. -Frank, you come first. I’ve got an all night’s job before me.” - -But in an hour they were all paid, and not one of the men had a chance -to tell Mr. Chisholm that he had made a mistake. They received it -reverently, for their minds were with the man whose liberality had made -so great a change in their fortunes. It was more money than they had -ever had before in their lives. - -Shortly after that--the very next day it happened--Bob said to me in a -whisper that he wanted to see me when all the cowboys had gone to the -round-up, so I stayed behind. Elam had charge of the cooking now, for -I had almost forgotten to say that the Mexican had discharged himself -when we drew near to the waters of the west fork of Trinity. He heard -that there was going to be a fight, and so took himself safe out of -reach of it. But then we didn’t care for Elam; he had been Bob’s friend -all the way through, and we were not afraid to trust him. - -“Say, Carlos, I hardly know how to speak to you about this,” said Bob, -looking down at the floor. “You say Tom Mason’s friends are rich?” - -“Well, I know what you have on your mind, and I’ll tell you just what I -think about it,” said I. “You know Tom got into serious trouble where -he lived, and he has somehow got it into his head that if he can go -home with five thousand dollars, that trouble will never come up again. -How much truth there is in it I don’t know.” - -“I know all about his troubles, but he ought not to let them prey so -heavily on his mind. Now, how much has he got left?” - -“I think if you give him three thousand dollars he will be all right.” - -“That is what I think, too,” said Elam. “He don’t belong in this -country.” - -“I know he don’t. He wants to get up the States, where quail and black -squirrels are handy, and have some more fights with ‘Our Fellows.’ On -the whole I think the scenes he passed through with those robbers are -more exciting than the scenes he passed through here. If he can get a -letter from his uncle, stating that those things have been forgotten, -he’ll go back.” - -“Well, I shan’t stay in his way,” said Bob. “You think three thousand -dollars are all he needs? I’ll see him this morning. If he wants more -he can have it.” - -“You wouldn’t have found your pocket-book if it hadn’t been for him,” -said I. “He reminded me of a dog on a blind scent. He poked around till -he found it.” - -This was all that was necessary for Bob to know, and during that day -I saw him several times during the round-up talking with Tom; but Tom -insisted that he didn’t want anything. About the time that night came, -however, and the cowboys came in tired and hungry, Bob tipped me a -wink, and I followed him behind one of the wagons out of sight. - -“I took him right where he lived,” whispered Bob. “I told him he could -go back to his uncle, who was all the time worrying about him, with -more money than he had stolen, and he agreed to take time to think it -over.” - -“He took it, didn’t he?” I asked. - -“Yes, and it was all he needed. I shall be sorry to part with Tom, but -then home is the place for him.” - -So it was settled that Tom Mason was to leave us as soon as he could -get a letter to his uncle. We had always treated Tom as one of the -family, but somehow we got into the habit of treating him better than -usual. But time went on and we didn’t see anybody who was going into -Austin to take a letter for him. Meanwhile, we had bidden good-by to -Mr. Chisholm and all his friends, and were fairly settled down to our -business again. But there was one thing that was different from what -it was during Mr. Davenport’s lifetime. Lem and Frank stayed about the -ranch now entirely. Bob hadn’t got over his experience with Henderson -and Coyote Bill; in fact, Mr. Chisholm was the one who recommended him -to keep them always near him, and Bob intended that, if they came to -his house, he would give them as good as they sent. - -Things went on this way, we repeat, when one day that Frank was busy -with some story of his cowboy’s life, we heard a terrible clatter of -horses’ hoofs approaching the house. Frank and Lem were on hand in -an instant, and, with their revolvers in their hands, went out to -see what was the matter, but there was no sign of Henderson or Coyote -Bill in the men who drew up at the door. Two of them were soldiers and -the other a civilian, and their appearance indicated that they had -been through something of a fight. One of the soldiers’ heads was all -bloody, in spite of the handkerchief that had been bound around it, and -the horse of the civilian seemed ready to drop from a wound in his side. - -“What’s up? Indians?” demanded Frank. - -“Yes, and they’re most here,” returned the civilian. “Can you give us a -bite to eat and change our horses for us?” - -“Indians!” repeated Bob. “Come in and sit down. You can have all the -horses you want. But Indians!” he added with a shudder. “In all the -eight years we have been in this part of the country we have never -known them to come so far South before.” - -“Well, you will hear them coming now if you stay here,” said one of the -soldiers. “You had better catch up and go with us.” - -“Why, how did you manage to get on to them, anyway?” I asked, for like -the rest I had been so overcome with astonishment that I could not say -anything. “You look as though you have been in a hard fight.” - -“You may safely say that, and the way they went about it satisfies me -that there were some white men bossing the job,” said the soldier. -“You see there were twenty-five of us detailed to act as guard to our -paymaster, who had a lot of money--I don’t know how much--to pay off -the men at Fort Worth. We were going safely along through a pass, -within a day’s journey of the fort, when they jumped on us. I tell you -I never saw bullets fly so thick before.” - -“Did they kill almost all the guard at one fire?” asked Bob. - -“They got about half of us, and where the rest are now I don’t know. -Some got through to the fort probably, and the rest of us, being cut -off, had to save ourselves the best way we could.” - -“Lem, you and Frank bring up a horse for each of us,” said Bob -suddenly. His face was pale, but I saw that he had his wits about him. -“You may turn the rest loose, for we have all got to go now. I wish -those boys who were out with the stock had warning.” - -“I’ll go and tell them,” said Frank. - -“No, you had better stay by me,” said Bob. “If there are some white men -bossing this, I think you will have all you can do. Suppose Coyote Bill -is among them?” - -“By George! I believe you’re right,” said Lem. - -He jumped off the porch, and in company with Frank went out to the -corral to catch the horses that were to carry us safely out of reach -of the Comanches. Bob had found a cloth and was tying up the soldier’s -head; Elam was skirmishing around the house trying to find something to -eat; the other soldier was filling up on water, of which he had long -been deprived; and the balance were busy gathering up their weapons. -For myself, I was thinking over a certain proposition that had suddenly -suggested itself to me. It was a dangerous thing, I knew; but I didn’t -see who else was to do it. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. A RAID BY THE COMANCHES. - - -The thing I was revolving in my own mind was this: Should I go all by -myself and warn the boys who were herding cattle on the plains, and -so run the risk of being captured or shot by the Comanches, or should -I stay with Bob and go with him to a place of safety? For I knew that -Lem and Frank would exert themselves to take him safely out of reach of -danger, while I could not say that for myself. I would be going right -back the way the Indians were coming, and to be captured--that is what -I was afraid of, for I had seen men who were taken prisoners by the -savages, and I knew what was in store for me. But those boys had stood -by us when we were in danger and were willing to do so again. While I -was thinking about it my horse was brought up. He was a small sorrel, -who had brought me in safety through many perilous places, and he was -lithe and vigorous yet. I did not see but that, if I got out on the -prairie with two or three Indians after me, I could make a good run -yet, and perhaps be able to overtake my party before they had got very -far away. My mind was made up. Those boys would not have deserted me, -and why should I desert them? I put my saddle on him, slipped on my -bridle, and threw the lariat off his neck. Then I buckled my revolvers -about my waist, picked up my rifle, and mounted. - -“Good-by, boys,” said I. - -“Why, where are you going?” demanded Bob. “We’re all going off in a -minute.” - -“I am going out to warn the boys,” said I. “I think I will overtake you -after a while.” - -“You mustn’t go!” exclaimed Tom. “You will be certain to be captured, -and you know better than we can tell you what they will do to you.” - -“I know it perfectly well. But I have no kith or kin to worry their -heads about me, and I can go as well as anybody. I know right where -they are----” - -“But you have got to go along the road that the Indians are coming,” -said the civilian, who was utterly astounded by my proposition. - -“I know that too, but somebody must go, or leave those fellows to be -killed. Come and shake hands with me, boys, and let me go.” - -“You are a brave lad, and I hope you will come out all right,” said -Frank, as the boys came up one after the other. Elam and Tom didn’t -have a word to say, but they were badly cut up. Bob’s eyes were filled -with tears, and he clung to me with both hands. - -“Carlos, I am sorry that you have come to this decision,” said he. “Why -can’t somebody else go? You have been with me so long that you are like -a brother to me.” - -“The best of brothers must part some time or other,” said I. “If I fall -nobody will be the wiser for it, except you fellows right around here. -Good-by, everybody,” I cried, and with a circular sweep of my arm to -include all hands, I wheeled my horse and started on my lonely journey. -“There are some fellows who will be sorry if anything happens to me,” I -soliloquized. “During the time I have been with them I have never made -anybody mad, and that’s a heap to say for a man who has been to Texas. -Now the next thing for me is to look out for myself.” - -In spite of all this delay, occasioned by asking and answering so many -questions, not more than five minutes elapsed before I was on my way -to warn the cowboys. One learns to think rapidly when living on the -frontier, and while we talked we worked. In a few minutes I was beyond -reach of the grove, and taking my horse well in hand rode forward at -about half pace, and in half an hour more this grove was out of sight -behind the swells and the last glimpse of the ranch had disappeared. -I was alone on the prairie, and a feeling of depression I had never -before experienced came over me. I kept my horse at half pace because -I didn’t know how soon he would be called upon to exert himself to the -utmost, and I did not want to ride a wearied nag in my struggle for -life. The horse knew that there was something going on, for he kept -his eyes and ears constantly on the alert, and having more faith in -him than I had in myself, I watched him closely. I was certain that he -would smell an Indian long before I could see him. - -At the end of another half hour I began to wonder why I did not see -some signs of the cowboys, but there was nothing in sight. Nothing, did -I say? Away off to the left loomed up a body which was lying in the -grass. I couldn’t tell whether it was a beef or a horse, for it was -about half a mile away. My horse discovered it at the same time and -snorted loudly. - -“There is something over there as sure as you are a foot high,” said I -to myself, looking all around to see what sort of a place I was going -to get in. I didn’t like the appearance of things where that body lay. -On all sides of it, except the one by which I entered, was a ravine, -and it was so deep that I could just see the tops of the willows -growing up out of it--a splendid place indeed for an ambuscade. I -didn’t want to go in there, and that was the long and short of it. “I -must go in there and see what that is,” said I, after taking note of -all these little things. “It may be something that will tell me of the -fate of the cowboys.” - -If my horse had refused to go in there I believe I should have ridden -back to the ranch and never thought that I was guilty of cowardice; -but he didn’t. When I called on him to go ahead he went, but he did -not seem to be holding his course toward the dead beef or horse -I have spoken of, but turned a little to the right as if he were -seeking evidence a little further on. Wondering what there was that -my horse had in his mind, I humored him, and in a few minutes was -horror-stricken at the scene he brought me to. There, flat on his back, -stripped, scalped, his head beaten in by a stone or some other blunt -instrument, and mutilated beyond description, lay Sam Noble, one of -our cowboys. Where the other two were I didn’t know, nor did I waste -any time looking for them. I shall never forget it as long as I live. -He had evidently been killed before he was captured, which was a lucky -thing for Sam. - -[Illustration: KILLED BY THE INDIANS.] - -As soon as I could recover my breath I pulled my horse about and -took the back trail with long jumps, but before my horse had made half -a dozen leaps I saw that I was captured. Three Indians came riding out -of the ravine on my left, and scarcely had they been discovered, when -three or four more came from the ravine on my right. What was I to do? -I had heard that when a white man was surrounded by Indians, if he -would raise his gun in the act of shooting, every Indian would at once -get behind his horse. I don’t know why that came into my mind, but I -tried it then and there, and in an instant two of the Indians were out -of sight. They had gone down on the other side of their horses, so that -I had nothing but a leg and a small portion of the head to shoot at. -The third Indian, however, retained his upright position, and, holding -up his bare hand to me, shouted: - -“Don’t shoot! We’re friends.” - -You can imagine what my feelings were as I sat there and listened to -those words. They were my friends, and yet Sam Noble had been killed -that very morning in the effort to escape from them! While I held my -rifle in my hands and sat there debating the question, the Indians came -quite close to me, too late to escape, and I yielded to them like one -in a dream. I was able to tell now what savages looked like in their -war-paint; and although they were hideous enough before, you can’t -conceive what a difference those streaks of red and yellow paint made -in their appearance. They looked just awful. The white man was the only -one among them that was not painted, and I felt more like surrendering -my weapons to him than I did to any of his savage crew. But I didn’t -get the chance. The first one who held out his hand for my rifle was -an Indian, and I readily gave it up to him. The other Indian seized my -horse by the bridle, and the white man, after securing my revolvers and -buckling them around his own waist, open my shirt and felt all around -for the belt that contained my money; but he couldn’t find it. - -“Where is it?” said he, with something that sounded like an oath. - -“Where is what?” I asked, for I had by this time recovered my wits. I -had no idea what would happen to me afterward, but I knew that so long -as I behaved myself with them I need not stand in fear of bodily harm. - -“The belt,” replied the man. “You didn’t bring it with you?” - -“It is hidden at the ranch,” I replied. “We thought that somebody might -try to take it away from us.” - -“Well, we will have to go after it, and you will have to show us where -it is,” said the man. “But first I must take you down here to show you -to somebody here who is anxious to see you.” - -“To show me to somebody?” I exclaimed, lost in wonder, as the redskin -who held my horse turned me around. I wasn’t terrified any longer. My -fright had given place to something that was stronger than fear, and I -was amazed at the words the man said. “Somebody” wanted to see me, and -I wondered who that somebody could be. Could it be Coyote Bill? If it -was, I was on nettles. He would propose to me to “become one of them,” -and when I refused, what would happen to me? I resolved to follow that -matter up a little. - -“Yes, sir; there’s a man that wants to see you,” said he. “He has got a -name around here that you don’t want to know too much about, too.” - -“Know too much about him? Why, I know about him already. Is it Coyote -Bill?” - -The man seemed surprised that I spoke his name so readily. He looked at -me as though he hardly knew what to say. - -“How did you learn what his name was?” he asked at length. - -“One of my chums guessed it,” I replied. “Anybody who knows anything -about Coyote Bill would know that he didn’t come on that ranch for -nothing.” - -The man said no more, but I was satisfied from the little he did say -that I was right in my conjectures. There was another thing that was -strange to me, and the longer I thought of it the more bewildered I -became. This white man had been to school, had received the benefits -of an education, and how did it come that he was there among the -Indians? There was something strange about him and Coyote Bill, and -I wanted to get at the bottom of it, but I may add that I never did. -I took a good look at the man who rode by my side, and I didn’t see -anything more desperate about him than I had seen about Coyote Bill. -Take his weapons and buckskin suit away from him, and dress him up in -fine clothing, and he would have passed for a business man anywhere. - -There was another thing that worried me as I rode along. I wondered -if any such capture had ever been made by hostile Indians before. The -savages paid no more attention to me than if I was one of themselves, -but seemed to have given me up entirely to the white man. As soon as -we got through the willows and came out on the prairie again, we rode -along in single file, the white man just ahead and the others bringing -up the rear, so escape was simply impossible. I knew I must see that -“somebody” who was so anxious to see me, and I nerved myself for the -test. I had nothing to fear until I saw him. - -“Can these Indians speak English?” I asked, at length. - -“No,” replied the white man. “You can say what you please and they -won’t tell on you.” - -“Well, the question I should like to have you answer is, How in the -world you ever came out here among them?” said I. “You have been to -school and don’t talk as these Texans generally do.” - -“No, I have been to school; that’s a fact,” said the man, after -hesitating a little. - -“What sent you down here?” - -“Look here, my friend,” said the man, turning around in his saddle and -looking at me with his snapping gray eyes; “I didn’t agree to take you -into my confidence.” - -He used the very same words to me that Coyote Bill had used when I -asked him the same question; and he didn’t seem to be angry about it, -either. - -“What made you think anything brought me down here?” he asked. “What -brought you down here?” - -“I came to buy cattle, but the drought had got in ahead of me and I -thought I would wait until it was over. Hallo! What’s the matter with -you?” - -“You came down here to buy cattle?” exclaimed the man, looking at me -with an expression of great astonishment on his face. - -“Yes, sir, I did; and there are two other boys in my party. But what -surprises you so greatly?” - -“Then your name isn’t Bob Davenport?” - -I said it was not, but I didn’t tell him what my name was. I knew Bob -very well, and had left him at the ranch that morning. I didn’t say, -however, that he was making hurried preparations for flight, for I -thought that was something the man could find out for himself. The man -listened in amazement, and, when I got through, uttered a string of -oaths. - -“Set me down for a blockhead, and you’ll hit it,” he said, as soon as -he could speak. “I might have known that you were not the fellow.” - -“Did you calculate to capture Bob?” I enquired, and my astonishment -and delight were so strong that it was all I could do to repress them. -That is what I meant when I said that Henderson and Coyote Bill began -persecuting Bob at once on account of his wealth, and did not intend to -let up on him until he had been driven from the country. I saw through -the whole scheme at once. They intended to keep Bob a prisoner among -the Indians until he was ready to do just as they wanted him to do, and -that would be to sign his property over to Henderson. It didn’t look to -me as though that plan would work, but Henderson evidently knew some -way to get around it. - -“Why, of course I intended to capture Bob Davenport,” said the man, -and it was plain enough to see that what I had said made him very -angry. “What use are you to me? If I had known that you were not Bob I -wouldn’t have taken you prisoner.” - -“What would you have done to me?” - -“You saw that man up there that was shot from his horse, didn’t you?” -said he, in a very significant tone of voice. “Well, you would have -been that way now. I could make mince-meat of you in two minutes!” he -added fiercely. “There’s timber right ahead, and the redskins are just -aching to get their hands on you. But then you are a brave boy; I will -say that much for you. It isn’t everyone who would go on and talk so -when he found himself a prisoner among hostile Indians. I’ll wait until -I see what Coyote Bill will have to say about you.” - -I tell you I was afraid of this, and my only hope of salvation lay with -Coyote Bill. I rode along in silence after that and never had anything -more to say. I knew what the man meant when he referred to the timber -right ahead. All that was needed for him was to tell the Indians that -his protection for me was withdrawn, and in two minutes I would have -been stripped and staked out, and a fire burning at one of my feet. All -that stood in his way of saying that was Coyote Bill. - -“I do know something that I want to tell Bill,” I said. - -“Very well, then keep it for him,” answered the man. “I don’t want to -talk to you any more.” - -All that day and until far into the night I rode along without seeing a -living soul, never once stopping to give our horses a bite to eat, and -then I suddenly became aware that we were in the camp of Indians. While -we were going along a redskin sprang up on our right and addressed a -few words to us in his native tongue, and then sank out of sight again. -He was one of the sentries who were out to watch the cattle and see -that they didn’t stampede. We kept on and in a few minutes reached the -timber. There was no one in sight, and no preparations made for supper, -and I felt about half-starved. - -“You can take off your saddle and bridle and camp here under this -tree,” said the man. “Let your horse go where he is a mind to.” - -So saying he rode off, accompanied by all the Indians save two, whom -he left to act as my guards. As I felt tired and discouraged, too, it -did not take me long to comply with the white man’s orders, and when I -removed the saddle from the horse I judged by the way he shook himself -and went to cropping the grass beneath his feet, that he was as hungry -as I was. While I was thus engaged the Indians bustled about, and when -I had thrown myself on the ground, with my saddle for a pillow, I found -that they had a little fire kindled; a very little fire, over which -a white man would freeze to death, but they sat around it and warmed -their hands with evident satisfaction. But not a word was said about -supper, and I began to think I should have to go hungry to bed, when -I heard the twigs cracking out in the timber, and in a few minutes up -came the white man, accompanied by Henderson and Coyote Bill. I wasn’t -so surprised to see Henderson there as a good many people might think. -He was with Coyote Bill, and of course he was bound to take up with -Bill’s companionship. - -“Well, well, Carlos; how are you?” said Bill; and to show that he was -in a humorous mood, he backed toward a little mound of earth, sat down -upon it, and laughed uproariously. - -“How do you do?” said I, taking a few steps toward Bill and extending -my hand; for I thought, if I could lead the man to shake hands with me, -I would be all right. - -“No, I don’t want to shake hands with you,” said he. “The Indians are -on the watch, and they take that as a sign of friendship. But what in -the world induced you to come out? Why didn’t you stay at the ranch? -You have got yourself in a pretty fix!” - -“I say give him a dose of lead,” muttered Henderson, who was almost -overcome with rage. “I’ll have him out of my way, at any rate.” - -“That’s enough out of you,” said Coyote Bill. “Such things are only -done here when I say the word.” - -“Hasn’t that boy been in my way ever since I have been here?” exclaimed -Henderson. “Didn’t he go out to the ranch and find that pocket-book?” - -I was astonished to hear Henderson talk that way. He had been growing -worse instead of better; but, after all, when I came to consider the -matter, I didn’t see that there was anything so very surprising about -it. Some writer has said that if we don’t grow better we grow worse, -and that was what was the matter with Henderson. One of the first -things he spoke of in regard to Bob was, that no finger should be -lifted against his life; and here he was going to shoot me who hadn’t -done anything to him. - -“He got the pocket-book because we were not fortunate enough to look -where it was,” said Coyote Bill. “Now, Henderson, I don’t want to hear -another word out of you. You are under my protection now, but the -minute I withdraw it--well, you know what will happen.” - -“You asked what should be done with that boy,” said Henderson. “Well, I -have told you.” - -“But I didn’t think you would propose any fool thing like that,” said -Bill. “I must first take Carlos back to the house with me. You know -where all that money is kept hidden, I suppose?” - -“Why, yes, I know where it is,” I answered, considerably surprised. -To think that any man in his sober senses would go off and leave -his money behind him, was ridiculous. I looked at Coyote Bill to see -if he meant what he said, but it was so dark that I couldn’t see the -expression of his face; but Henderson evidently knew what he was -speaking about when he said, in a voice choked with passion: - -“You are going to lay a plan for him to escape. I wish I could talk to -these Indians, for then I could let them see what you are up to!” - -“What I choose to do is nothing to you!” said Bill, as he turned -fiercely upon Henderson. “Once more, and for the last time, I ask you -to keep still. How did you find out that we were coming, any way?” he -added, addressing himself to me. - -“There were three men came along who had plainly been in some sort of a -fight,” said I. “We wanted to know what the trouble was, and they told -us.” - -“Ah, yes! Did they tell you about the mule that got away from us?” - -“I don’t know what mule you mean.” - -“We got all the money except five thousand dollars, and that was -supposed to be packed on a mule that lit out. He was shot three or four -times, but I never saw anything run as he did.” - -“And did he escape?” - -“Well, I should say so. He took right down toward your ranch, too, and -I didn’t know but you had seen him there.” - -“And yet, in the face of all this----” - -Henderson didn’t say any more, for Coyote Bill turned around and looked -at him. He thought his companion was in earnest when he told him to -keep still. - -“I didn’t know but that it would be a good chance for lucky Tom to try -his hand on that mule,” said Coyote Bill, with a smile. “He has been -lucky in finding one pocket-book, and he might be equally lucky in -this.” - -“He will go down among those rich cattlemen and be captured,” said -Henderson bitterly. “The men who don’t care a cent for those five -thousand dollars will have just that much more to jingle in their -pockets; while we, who are hard up for the money--dog-gone the luck! -it is so the world over.” - -Coyote Bill laughed again. - -“I don’t see anything so very laughable about this matter,” said -Henderson. “You laughed because we got the wrong boy----” - -“That will do,” said Bill. “You are getting off on your old subject, -and I won’t sit here and be abused. Haven’t had any supper yet, have -you, Carlos?” - -“No, I haven’t; and I feel as though I could do justice to some corn -bread and bacon.” - -“Well, then, come with me.” - -Turning to the Indians, he addressed some words to them in their native -tongue,--it sounded like gibberish to me,--and started at once into the -woods, while I picked up my saddle and bridle and followed behind him. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. MY FRIEND THE OUTLAW. - - -“Well, this bangs me completely,” thought I, as I shouldered my bundle -and stumbled along behind my leader through the darkness. “But I would -like to know if any white man has ever been captured before by hostile -Indians and treated in this way. Coyote Bill seems to have the power in -his own hands, doesn’t he? I tell you, he _is_ a power in this land, -and if he will let me get away from him this time, he’ll never see me -again. I’ll go for the States the very first chance I get.” - -Bill seemed to know just how fast I could go to keep up with him, and -in a few minutes I saw a light shining through between the trees, and -presently I was ushered into his camp. There were three or four men -lying around the fire, and they started up and looked at us. - -“We have caught the wrong boy,” said Bill, waving his hand to show that -I could put my saddle and bridle down where I pleased; “but he has got -to show us the place where that money is hidden before he gets away. He -hasn’t had anything to eat, and is hungry.” - -I sat down and looked at the men, and, I tell you, some of them were -pretty rough characters. I was glad indeed that I had fallen into the -power of Bill’s best looking man, for if I had been captured by any -one of the men sitting there at the fire, I should have fared badly. -They expressed a sentiment of strong disgust when Bill spoke of having -captured the wrong boy, but no attention was paid to it. He proceeded -to fill a long pipe very carefully, after which he went off into the -darkness, while another man set before me some bacon and corn bread. It -was not enough to satisfy my appetite, but I was glad to get what there -was, and in a short time it had all disappeared. Then I filled my pipe -and settled back for a smoke. - -“Where do you suppose Bill is gone?” I asked, addressing my enquiries -to whoever had a mind to answer it. - -Henderson was there, and in forming this question I looked particularly -hard at him, not because I wished him to reply to it, but because I -wished to see how he took matters. He was as mad as he was in camp when -Mr. Chisholm found that he had got hold of the pocket-book containing -the receipts, and not hold of the one that contained the will. - -“He has gone off to get permission of the chief to burn you at -sunrise,” said he spitefully. - -“Sho!” said I, for I knew that Henderson had made this all up out of -his own head. “Then he won’t get the money.” - -“That’s the only thing that makes me think he won’t do it,” said -Henderson. “But you will be gone up the next time you come here. How -did you know that we were after the money, anyway?” - -I repeated what I had said to Bill, and that was nothing but the truth. - -“There were three white men in the party, and they said, from the way -you went about it, they were satisfied that there were some renegades -bossing the job,” answered I; and then I was almost sorry I said it. I -did not know how they would take the name “renegades,” as applied to -themselves; but Henderson was the only one who understood it. - -“And what made us renegades?” he asked, and I believed that the -presence of the men was all that kept him from doing something -desperate. “We killed almost all the guards at the first fire--I got -two of them, I know, and I wish we had got them all. Renegades! That -is a vile and worthless fellow,” he added, turning to the men who were -sitting around. “That’s the kind of men you be.” - -Some of the men laughed, while others acted as though they didn’t care -what men’s opinions were of them so long as they were permitted to -enjoy themselves. I saw that Henderson was trying to work the men up -to do something to me before Coyote Bill could get back, and I didn’t -think any more of him for it. - -“Thar is one thing about that attack that I shall always be sorry for,” -said one of the fierce-looking men. “You know I, for one, had occasion -to look out for the muels that had the specie onto them. Tony here got -the man, an’ I shot the muel through the neck. I could swear to that. -Well, that thar muel turned an’ run like he never run before, an’ got -away with the Injuns completely. He took right down by your ranch too. -Didn’t see nothing of him, I reckon, did you?” - -I shook my head. - -“Well, thar’s a kind of a lucky feller down your way, I don’t know what -his name is, who has a mighty fine chance of findin’ pocket-books when -everybody else is done lookin’ for them, an’ I didn’t know but what he -might try his hand at findin’ that muel with five thousand dollars in -specie strapped onto him. That would be a pretty good haul for him, -wouldn’t it?” - -“Yes, it would,” I replied. “But he would have to give it up to the -paymaster.” - -“Oh, he would, would he?” exclaimed the fierce-looking man. “If he -found it, it would be his’n, wouldn’t it?” - -“You needn’t look for those boys to do anything like that,” said -Henderson, with a sneer. “They would give it up to the paymaster and -get five hundred dollars for it. It is a big thing to be honest!” - -“Well, I think we’ve made as much as you have by being honest,” said I. -“You don’t seem to be loaded down with money.” - -“But I would have had half a million if it hadn’t been for you and -others like you,” muttered Henderson between his clenched teeth. - -“You had all the chance in the world,” I replied. “No one came near you -when you were searching that house. You see luck wasn’t on your side.” - -“What did you come here for anyhow?” asked one of the men. “Folks say -that you came here to buy cattle, but I’ll be switched if I don’t -believe you came here to help Davenport. You aint got no money to buy -cattle.” - -This started us off on a new topic of conversation, but Henderson -seemed to find fault with everything I said. I couldn’t reply to a -single question but it would start some spiteful remark on his part. I -really did not see how the men stood it. Finally Coyote Bill came back, -and I noticed that his pipe was empty. He had smoked it out with the -chief in gaining his point, and I wanted to hear him say that he had -obtained permission to torture me at sunrise; but he said nothing of -the kind, so that was one lie of Henderson’s nailed. - -“Carlos, you had better go to sleep,” were the first words he spoke. -“We have got a long ride before us in the morning, and you won’t feel a -bit like getting up.” - -“You want to watch him close for fear that he will escape,” chimed -in Henderson, who could not possibly let a chance go without saying -something. - -“He won’t escape. He won’t try to; will you, Carlos?” continued Bill, -turning to me. - -“Not much,” I said. “Where shall I lie down so that I will not be in -the way?” - -Bill selected a place, and picking up my saddle and bridle--I do not -know what made me hang on to them, for I did not suppose I would -be allowed to ride my own horse in the morning--and with a cheery -“Good-night, fellows; pleasant dreams,” I laid down on it. The majority -of the men never paid any attention to my salutation. Bill was the only -one who noticed it, and he said: “Thank you; the same to you,” and that -made me think more than ever that he had been well brought up. - -“That’s a brave fellow,” I heard him say as I arranged my saddle for -a pillow and laid down with my back to the fire. “It would be a great -pity if anything should happen to him.” - -“And you are going to give him a chance to escape in the morning,” -growled Henderson. “I wish to goodness----” - -“Go to bed,” said Coyote Bill, in his ordinary tone of voice. - -“I wish to goodness that you, or any fellow like you,” began Henderson, -“had sense enough to see----” - -“Go to bed!” said Bill, and in an instant his revolver was out and -was looking Henderson squarely in the eyes. This was the third time -that Henderson had been placed in a similar situation, but on this -occasion he didn’t say anything back. He knew that Bill was in just the -right mood to shoot. He gathered up his saddle and blanket,--I didn’t -have any blanket to cover myself with, and the nights were getting -cold,--and that was the last I saw of him that night. - -“I made it,” said Bill, as soon as Henderson was out of hearing. “I -smoked a pipe with the chief, and he came over to my way of thinking. -Jack, you will ride down to the house with us in the morning.” - -“But look here, Bill,” said the man who had done most of the talking -with me. “Don’t you think those boys would be some kin to the biggest -kind of dunces if they went off to escape from the hostiles, an’ left -their plunder buried where you could find it? That’s what’s been -running in my head ever since you went out to see the chief.” - -“No, I don’t think so,” replied Bill. “They went off in a hurry, did -they not, and forgot to take some of their things with them. We have -made thirty thousand dollars this trip, and that is something worth -having.” - -“Yes, an’ that dog-gone muel got away from us. I expect that lucky -feller at the ranch will have him.” - -“Well, we can’t help that. And if I don’t find the money this time, -I have got something else in store for Bob. I’ll pounce on him every -chance, and steal his cattle by piece-meal, until he is driven from the -country. And I wish to goodness that he had never come into it.” - -“Here, too! I don’t believe there was any half a million dollars -wrapped up in his hide.” - -“Oh, yes! there was. But we can’t touch it now. Those men have been to -Austin and got the will probated----” - -“What do you mean by that?” - -“They have been to Austin and got it proved, and the property is all in -Bob’s name. What we would have done if we had captured Bob in the place -of this Carlos, I don’t know. Henderson thinks he could have got Bob to -sign the money over to him, but what good would it have done? They’d -say right away that we had gained the signature by fraud, and then -we would have a war on our hands, I bet you. As it is, we can keep on -stealing cattle; we will have a few Rangers to whip, and that’s all it -will amount to. I am going to bed.” - -I do not know that I was in any condition to produce sleep, surrounded -as I was by men who had talked with satisfaction of seeing me tortured -at sunrise; but it is a fact that, as soon as Coyote Bill sought his -blankets, I sank into an untroubled slumber, from which I was awakened -by Bill’s shaking me and ordering me to catch up. I started up, only to -find that somebody had thrown a blanket over me while I was asleep, and -to see that the camp of Indians was gone, and that there was no one in -sight except Coyote Bill, his man Gentleman Jack,--I did not know what -else to call him,--and Henderson. - -“They have all gone away with the cattle,” said Bill, noting my -feelings of surprise. “You wouldn’t have us stay around here with eight -hundred head of stock to be captured, would you? They have gone off to -the Staked Plains.” - -I noticed while Coyote Bill was talking that the guns were scattered -all around, and you will, no doubt, wonder that I did not catch one -of them up and turn the tables on them. There was a price of five -thousand dollars set upon the head of Coyote Bill, and it would have -been a fine thing for me to march them all in as prisoners, but I knew -a story worth two of that. One was, I didn’t know how many pistols Bill -had about his person; another was, there might be some men in camp a -short distance away who would upend me before I fairly got the gun -pointed; and furthermore, I was firmly convinced that if I did just as -I was told to do, my release would come in good time, and without the -necessity of shedding anybody’s blood. I tell you it stands a fellow -well in hand to take all these points into consideration. - -Breakfast over--and we ate it in a hurry, everyone being obliged to -cook his bacon on a forked stick over the coals--there was nothing left -for us to do but get under way. According to Bill’s order, I picked up -my saddle and followed him through the woods to the prairie, and there -I found my horse tied up to a brush. I was glad to see him again, and -when I got on him he was all ready for a race. During the whole of that -day we travelled without scarcely exchanging a word, but I noticed that -at the top of every swell the outlaws stopped and carefully examined -the ground before them. But no one was in sight, and finally, just as -the sun was setting, we came within sight of Bob’s ranch. There was no -one about it, not even a steer or a horse. I saw that Bill carried my -weapons about with him, and I thought that now was his time to hand -them to me, but Bill had different ideas in his own mind. - -“Appearances are often deceptive,” said he. “Carlos, suppose you ride -on and see if there is anybody about that house. If you don’t find -anybody, wave your hat to us.” - -“Anybody can see that he has a fine chance for escape,” snarled -Henderson, who was as mad now as he had been the night before. “I wish -I had your power!” - -“What would you do with it?” asked Coyote Bill. - -“I would let him feel one of the bullets in my pistol,” said -Henderson. “You won’t get anything out of that ranch as long as you let -him escape. He heard every word you said last night.” - -“Did you, Carlos?” - -“Yes, sir; I did,” said I. I thought I might as well tell the truth as -tell a lie. My heart was in my mouth, but I looked Bill squarely in the -eye. - -“Well, I want to know if you are going to tell it?” - -“If you tell me not to, I shan’t. I won’t say anything about it while -you are around. I shall go for the States as soon as I can get there, -and Tom will go with me.” - -“That will suit me exactly. I am satisfied. Now, go on and see if you -can find anything around that ranch.” - -Coyote Bill touched his hat--I have thought more than once from the way -he saluted that he had been in the army--and I rode off. Some things, -which I had gone over so many times that I had them by heart, promptly -came back to me. I wondered if any man who was captured by hostile -Indians was ever treated that way before. What Coyote Bill saw about -me; whether he thought there was something that reminded him of other -and happier days, I don’t know. Anyhow, he had saved me from a horrible -death, and for that I was grateful. I don’t believe there was another -man in the world that could have done it. My horse neighed shrilly as -he approached the house, but there was no one who came out to answer -him. I kept on till I got to the porch, and there I found the door -open and everything in the greatest confusion. The ranch looked almost -as bad as it did when Tom Mason got through searching for the lost -pocket-book, only the things were not all piled in the same place. I -got off from my horse and went in. Bob Davenport’s pillow was on the -floor, but the heavy bag of gold which he had left after paying off his -men was gone. I looked in the place where my money was hidden and found -that it was gone, too. Bob hadn’t left in such a hurry that he had -forgotten to take his valuables with him. I knew that Coyote Bill was -depending on something he never could find, but then I freely forgave -him. It was a plan of his to aid me in my escape. When I had fully -satisfied myself that the money had been taken, I went out on the porch -and waved my hat to Bill, and then I went into the grove to look where -Sam Noble had concealed his, but that also had been taken away. Poor -Sam! He would never miss his money now. And I wondered what had become -of the other two cowboys. I didn’t like to enquire about it. - -“It is gone, is it?” exclaimed Bill, who at that moment came galloping -up. “Well, we have had our trouble for our pains. How do things look in -the house?” - -“You can go in and see, but everything that will be of use to you has -been removed,” said I. “Are you going to burn the house?” - -“Burn it? What should I want to burn it for? I want Bob to come back -here and live.” - -“And you are mighty foolish for telling me of it,” said I to myself. “I -will never let him stay in this house again. That’s one thing that I -didn’t promise to keep to myself.” - -Coyote Bill tossed his reins to his man and went in, but he did not -spend much time in looking around. It was plain to him that no money -could be concealed there, and finally he came out, took my rifle off -his back and handed it to me. - -“There you are,” said he, “and I want you to understand that the gun -hasn’t been fired since you gave it up. There’s your revolvers. Now -buckle them around your waist, so that I can see how you look.” - -I wondered what Bill was thinking of when he did this, but I took the -belt and put it around my waist where it belonged, and looked up for -the man to tell what else he had on his mind. - -“Now, Henderson, you’re even,” said Bill. “You said, if you had the -power, you’d make him taste one of the bullets in your pistol. Now go -ahead.” - -I turned toward Henderson, and saw that his right hand was fumbling -with the pistol in his holster. A minute more and he would have me -covered with it. I looked toward Bill to see what he thought about it. - -“You’re even,” said he, stepping back a pace or two. “You have got more -weapons than he has.” - -I saw the point Coyote Bill was trying to get at, and in a second I had -Henderson’s head covered with one of my revolvers. - -“Hands up!” said I hotly; and his hands came up. - -“Bill, I didn’t think that of you,” said Henderson, who was fairly -beside himself with rage. - -“You told me that all you wanted was to get the power in your hands,” -said Bill. “Now you have it, and I don’t see why you don’t use it. Be -quick!” - -I kept my eyes fastened upon Henderson, and, fearing that Bill’s taunts -might lead him to do something wrong, for which he would always be -sorry,--for there was a good deal of derision in what Bill said, and it -showed what a high estimation he had of Henderson’s courage,--I held -my revolver in readiness for a shot, and stepped forward and took his -gun from its holster and handed it to Bill. The latter took it with an -expression of great disgust on his face, looked at it a moment, and -sent it as far out on the prairie as his sinewy arm could throw it. - -“I don’t see what your object is in shooting me, who haven’t done you -any harm,” I said, addressing myself to Henderson, “but I tell you not -to attempt anything with that rifle. If you do, I will tumble you off -your saddle!” - -“Henderson will not attempt to shoot us with that,” said Bill. “If he -does he will have three of us to contend with, and I think that is -rather more than he can manage. Now, Henderson, go for Austin as soon -as you can get there.” - -“And give up my share of those thirty thousand dollars?” exclaimed -Henderson, his astonishment getting the better of his alarm. “Now, -Bill, that isn’t right!” - -Almost before Henderson had got through with these words of protest, -Bill’s hand laid hold of his revolver, while with the other he pointed -out the direction he was to follow. I noticed that Jack’s revolver -came out also--he had been sitting in his saddle all this time--and -rested across the horn, directly in range with Henderson’s person. He -saw that everything was up with him, and without saying a word turned -his horse and rode away; and I may add that was the last I ever saw of -Henderson. We went to Austin a short time afterward, and, although we -kept a bright lookout for him, not a thing did we see of him. Whatever -became of him I don’t know. - -“Well, Carlos, so-long,” said Bill, when Henderson had ridden away out -of hearing. “I hope you will reach the States in safety. Put it there.” - -“Are you going to leave me here?” said I, overjoyed. - -“Yes, I reckon we might as well. What do you say, Jack?” - -“Let the kid go. He’s a brave lad,” returned Jack. - -“Now, Bill,” said I, as I took the outlaw’s hand in mine, “I want to -say something, if I thought you would not take it to heart.” - -“No preaching, now!” said Bill, with a laugh. - -“No, I won’t preach. Why do you do this?” - -“Well, that’s preaching, and I didn’t agree to answer every one of your -questions.” - -“You see something about me that reminds you of days when you did not -do this way,” said I. “That person don’t know where you are, and----” - -“That’s neither here nor there,” said Bill impatiently. “So-long, -Carlos. Come on, Jack.” - -Jack reached down from his saddle in order to give me a good shake, and -then clattered off up the prairie after Bill. I stood and watched them -for a long time, but neither of them looked around, and finally the -nearest swell hid them from sight. There was something good about that -man, and I never heard of him afterward. Probably he lost his life in -some of his numerous raiding expeditions. But there was one thing about -it: He left one boy behind who was sorry for him. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. CONCLUSION. - - -When Coyote Bill and Jack had disappeared, and a glance in the -direction Henderson had gone showed me that he also had vanished, I -began to think about myself. I was alone on the prairie, but I didn’t -care for that as much as I did for the safety of Bob Davenport and -the men who had gone away with him. I staked out my horse, and while -I was thinking about it, it occurred to me that now was the time to -find Henderson’s revolver. I had taken particular notice of where -it fell; and after half an hour’s looking I had the satisfaction of -securing the weapon which had so nearly been the cause of my death. It -was silver-mounted, of forty-five calibre, just big enough to take the -cartridges intended for his rifle, and on the trigger-guard bore the -name of its luckless owner, Clifford Henderson. - -“Good!” said I, taking my steps back toward the ranch. “As often as -I look at it I shall remember him, and if Bob doesn’t want it, I will -always keep it. Let’s see what effect this bullet would have had upon -me.” - -Sitting on a tree close by was a robin--I knew that the weather was -getting cold up North, for the birds had already come down to us--and I -tried the bullet on the robin from where I stood, and saw him come down -without his head. If Clifford Henderson was as good a shot as I was, he -could not well have missed me at that distance. - -The next thing was to find something to eat, and then came a pipe, -during which I thought the matter over. There was one thing on which I -had long ago made up my mind, even before separating from Coyote Bill, -and that was that Bob Davenport should not be permitted to stay in -that ranch any longer than I could help. Coyote Bill was determined to -have that money or drive him from the country. I gained this much from -the conversation that Bill had had with some of his men, and how was I -to prevent it? I was going to the States, and I was resolved that Bob -should go too. I was getting sick and tired of so much pistol-drawing, -I did not want to see any more of it, and I would get back among -civilized men. There was where I belonged, anyway. And Tom Mason, he -must go along too, and relieve the suspense which I knew his aged -relative would feel at not hearing from him in so long. He did not know -but Tom was dead, and a letter would go far to cheer him up. But how -should I go to work upon Bob and Tom and so get them out on the water, -where I could tell them everything? Well, there was another day coming, -and I would see how it looked after I had slept on it. - -The next day passed and still another, and in the meantime I employed -myself in bringing order out of the confusion in the ranch and making -it look as though somebody lived there, and not a sign did I see of the -returning Bob Davenport. I began to think something had happened to -them. I did not dare to go out to look for them, for I might run across -some men belonging to Coyote Bill’s band, who wouldn’t treat me half as -well as their leader did, so I thought I had best stay right where I -was. On the evening of the sixth day, when I had got so worked up that -I didn’t think I could stand it any longer, I was startled out of a -year’s growth by seeing a body of horsemen approaching the ranch. - -“Is that Henderson?” I exclaimed, feeling the cold chills creep all -over me. “If it is, he has brought men enough with him to complete his -work. I will give them as good as I have got.” - -I rushed into the house, and when I came out my rifle was in my hands -and my revolvers strapped around my waist. The horsemen had by this -time approached near the ranch, and I could make out that one of them -was Bob Davenport. How I cheered and yelled at them! An answering yell -came in response, and in a few minutes I was shaking my friends by the -hand. I never hoped to see them looking so well; there wasn’t one of -them that had been hurt. To repeat the questions that were propounded -to me were impossible, but in a few minutes I gave them to understand -that I had escaped from the enemy all right, that I had seen the place -where Sam Noble had been knocked in the head, and that I had stayed -around outside the ranch for two days before I mustered up courage -enough to return to it. Oh, what a lie that was! But it served my -purpose very well, and besides I told Bill that I wouldn’t repeat what -he said about Bob, where it would do him any harm. When I got him away -I could tell him my story. Did I do wrong in keeping the promise I made -to an outlaw? Remember he was the man who had placed me where I was -that day. If that man had withdrawn his protection from me I would have -died an agonizing death. - -“Well, you have had a time of it!” said Bob, who pulled up a chair and -seated himself beside me. “We have been to Austin twice, and Tom got a -letter off to his uncle.” - -“Good enough!” said I, feeling that a big load had been removed from my -shoulders. “Tom, you and I will go to the States together.” - -“Are you going, too?” exclaimed Bob. “Well, I am going, and that will -make three. Elam, here, thinks he can’t go.” - -In fact I hadn’t looked toward Elam, but I looked at him now, and his -face was as long as you please. He didn’t like it when his friends were -talking of going away and leaving him. - -“And that isn’t all,” continued Bob. “You know that those soldiers -who came by here before you left told us that the savages had made an -attack on the paymaster, and made an attempt to secure the thirty-five -thousand dollars which he was taking to pay off the garrison at Fort -Worth. They tried to shoot the mules, and they got all of them except -one, and he ran most all the way to Austin.” - -“Didn’t they catch him?” I asked; and I felt that I was going to hear -something thrilling. Bill’s men had spoken of this a time or two, -and predicted that Tom’s luck would stand him well in hand if he was -disposed to look for this mule, too, but somehow I didn’t pay much -attention to them; but now I knew that Tom had had a finger in this -also. That fellow just beat the world for finding things! - -“Has Tom found it?” I continued, so amazed that I could hardly speak. - -“Yes, sir! Tom has found it,” said Bob. “We heard about it when we were -in Austin, but we had so many other things to think of that we hardly -thought of it again; but on our way home we ran across the mule in a -little grove of post-oaks.” - -“Dead, was he?” - -“As dead as a door-nail. But we found the specie all right, and we -took it back to Austin, and gave it to a paymaster there. You see the -paymaster that had charge of the money was killed in the fight. We told -him that we wanted a thousand dollars for giving it up, and he said he -would write on to Washington and see what they said about it.” - -“I don’t want anything for it,” said Tom. - -“That’s what he tried to say when he was in the presence of the -paymaster,” said Bob. “The United States is worth more than he is, and -I resolved that he should have that amount of money. That was fair, -wasn’t it? We’ll stop and get it when we go back.” - -“Of course it was. But, Bob, what put it into your head to go up to the -States?” - -“Well, I think I will be safer there than I will anywhere else,” -said Bob. “Those fellows were after my money, I can see that plainly -enough, and I will take it and put it in some bank out of their reach. -Perhaps then they will let me alone. I have given all my cattle to Lem -and Frank to keep for me until I come back. You don’t see many cattle -around here, do you?” - -I confessed that I had not seen a head of stock since I came to the -ranch, and that was six days ago. But I knew where they were. Those -that had escaped the clutches of the savages were mixed up with Mr. -Chisholm’s cattle, and it would be a week’s job to get them out. - -“I am glad you have decided to go, and I didn’t know how I was going to -talk it into you,” said I. “You will have to see Mr. Chisholm first. He -is your guardian, you know. But what are you going to do with Elam? He -must be provided for.” - -“He has hired him out to Lem and me,” said Frank. - -I looked at Elam, and he didn’t seem to be at all satisfied with the -change. He sat with his elbows resting on his knees and his eyes -fastened on the floor. Bob got up, moved his chair close to his side, -and threw his arm over Elam’s shoulder. - -“If this doesn’t suit you, say the word, and you will go North with -me,” said he. “Our people up there will be glad to see you.” - -“No, I can’t do it,” said Elam. “I’d see so many broadcloth fellers -up there that I’d want to get away an’ hide in a belt of post-oaks. I -don’t belong up there, anyway.” - -“But, Elam, I am coming back.” - -“Well, when you come back, I’ll talk to you. Now, go away an’ let me -alone. I can bear it best by myself.” - -To make a long story short--for we lost no time in getting out of -Texas--we made up our minds to start for Mr. Chisholm’s bright and -early the next morning. It would take us two days to get there. Bob had -all my money, as well as the funds belonging to the cowboys, and we -knew that they were safe. I said nothing about my coming back to search -for the hidden valuables in the hope of turning them over to Coyote -Bill, or about Henderson’s attempts to draw a revolver on me, for that -was a part of Bill’s plan to aid me in my escape; and, besides, that -was a secret that was locked in my own breast until we got to sea. - -“Poor Sam won’t want his money any more,” said I. “I saw the place -where he lost his life. But the other two cowboys I didn’t see. I hope -they are at Mr. Chisholm’s.” - -I never slept so well in that ranch as I did that night, for I looked -upon it as a little short of a miracle that my party had all come back -to me. They had travelled all the way to Austin twice, and had never -seen an Indian. That was better than I did, for I wanted to tell of -the scenes I had witnessed in that camp, but there was no need of it. -When morning came, and we started on our way, I kept a close watch of -the prairie almost in fear of seeing some of Bill’s band, but they -had taken their eight hundred cattle away to be slaughtered, and I -never saw them again. Eight hundred cattle, did I say? I believed they -had more than that. By separating his band after the attack on the -paymaster was made, the chief had been able to attack half a dozen -ranches almost at the same moment, and got away with some cattle at -each place. I thought that eight thousand head of stock would more -nearly fill his bill. In due time we pulled up at Mr. Chisholm’s ranch -just at supper time, and there I saw something that made me feel -good--a couple of fellows sitting in chairs, who were evidently too -badly hurt to move about. The one had an arrow through his foot, the -other had something the matter with his arm; but the way they greeted -us proved that there was nothing the trouble with their lungs. They -were the two cowboys who had been out with Sam Noble herding stock. But -they had not seen me when I was captured, they were miles away by that -time, and so I breathed easy. - -“Well, by gum! if you fellows aint here yet,” said Mr. Chisholm. “Where -did you leave the Indians?” - -“Didn’t see any while we were gone,” said Bob, who ran up the stairs -to the porch and fairly hugged the wounded cowboys. “How do you do, -anyway? You have seen some Indians, haven’t you? How did you boys -manage to escape?” - -It was a story that was soon told. The Indians got after them down at -the gully--how well I remembered where it was!--and killed Sam and his -horse dead at the first fire. The others threw themselves behind their -horses, Indian fashion, and got safely off, if we except the two arrows -that went through them. - -“But my money is what troubles me,” said the one who did the talking. -“My money is what bothers me, dog-gone ’em! They went to our ranch an’ -got everything we had.” - -“How do you know?” asked Bob. “I slept at the ranch last night, and -found something.” - -“I guess you dug it up before you went away, didn’t you?” said the -cowboy, who was overjoyed to hear that his money was safe. “I can rest -easy now. That’s what comes of having a friend.” - -That night, after supper, the money which Bob had taken the precaution -to carry with him, when running from the Indians, was again paid out to -the men with the exception of the thousand dollars due Sam Noble. This -was paid to Mr. Chisholm in the hope that some of his heirs might claim -it, when it was to be given to them. Then our errand was broached--that -we were going to the States--and it threw a damper on all of them, -all except Mr. Chisholm. He had been thinking about it ever since the -attack was made upon the paymaster, and to our surprise and delight he -said: - -“Boys, it is the best thing you can do, and the sooner you get about it -the better you will suit me. If you were my own boys who were going off -I couldn’t feel worse about it. But you don’t say anything about Elam.” - -“He doesn’t want to go,” said Bob. “But we are coming back here again, -or at least to Denver, and if he will buy some cattle and get back -there by next summer, we will see him.” - -“I can’t go,” said Elam. “I don’t belong in that country anyway.” - -The next thing was to arrange it so that Elam could work for some of -the cowboys during the winter, and so be on hand to buy the cattle -when spring opened up. Finding the two wounded cowboys there with -Mr. Chisholm slightly interfered with our plans, for now we were -compelled to divide the stock into four instead of two equal parts; -but the cowboys were all in favor of it, and each one agreed to take -Elam as long as he was willing to stay with them. But Elam was already -satisfied with the arrangements he had made with Lem and Frank, and -concluded he would stay with them. When he made this decision he got up -and went out of doors. I could see that Bob didn’t like it a bit. He -wished he could prevail upon Elam to go North with him. - -“It isn’t any use,” said Mr. Chisholm. “He belongs down here, and here -he is going to stay. Now let’s go to bed, all of us. In the morning I -will have you up at the first peep of day.” - -The next morning we ate breakfast by the aid of the light thrown out -by the camp fire on the hearth, and before we were fairly done we -received the order “catch up.” I tell you it was hard work to part from -those wounded cowboys, for we had known them longer than we had anybody -else. The one who had the arrow through his arm insisted that he would -go to Austin with us, but Mr. Chisholm, like Uncle Ezra in a similar -case, “put his foot down,” and said he should stay right there on the -ranch and never go out of it until he came back. We waved our hats to -them as long as we remained in sight, and when the neighboring swells -hid them from view, we felt that we had parted from some of our best -friends. In due time we reached Austin and put up at the same hotel we -stopped at before, only Lem and Frank didn’t receive orders to sit on -the porch and look out for Henderson. We all put away our horses and -bent our steps toward the bank. The cashier was there, and he said Mr. -Wallace was in his private office. He was busy with his papers,--in -fact he always seemed to be busy,--but he laid them down when we came -in. - -“Hello, Chisholm,” said he. “What’s up?” - -“These boys here have made up their minds to go to the States, and I -want to sign Bob’s papers,” said he. “Get ’em all out so’t I can have -them off’n my mind.” - -“Ah, yes! sit down,” said the banker. “Bob, how are you? You see, you -didn’t go through any forms the last time you were here, and I must -have some now. If this boy is going to take his money away from me and -deposit it in some Northern bank, I must have a paper which authorizes -me to give up the money. It was all right before, but it has got to be -changed now,” he added, when he saw Mr. Chisholm double up his huge -fist and move it up and down over the table. “Sit down, and I’ll send -for a lawyer to come right here.” - -It was all very easy for the banker to say “sit down,” but Mr. Chisholm -preferred to stand, seeing that none of his men could be seated at the -same time. Mr. Wallace sent for a lawyer, giving some instructions -which I did not understand, and in a few minutes the gentleman made -his appearance with a roll of papers in his hand. He received some -orders from Mr. Wallace, and in less time than it takes to tell it -the document was ready for his signature. Mr. Chisholm protested, but -he signed his name, and then the money was ready for Bob; the banker -presenting him with the box which contained his stocks and bonds, and -with a check drawn on a bank on New Orleans for the rest of his funds. - -“Now, Bob, good-by,” said the banker, rising to his feet and extending -his hand. “I hope you will get through with your money safe. Don’t let -anybody steal it from you.” - -“Steal it?” echoed Bob. - -“Certainly. You will find plenty of people on the road who will gladly -relieve you of that box. Put it in your trunk, and stand guard over it -day and night.” - -“By George! I never thought of that,” said Bob, looking distressed. -“Elam, you come with me. Mr. Chisholm and Tom will have to go with the -rest to call upon that paymaster.” - -Tom Mason knew where to find the paymaster’s office, and with the -distinct understanding that he was to ask for one thousand dollars -for returning that money, we left the banker, and Bob pursued his way -to his hotel. We found the paymaster there, and he recognized Tom the -moment he came in. - -“You’re back already, aint you?” said he. “Well, I haven’t heard from -Washington yet, but I tell you plainly that I don’t think you will -receive more than one-tenth of the sum you returned to us. Five hundred -dollars will more than pay you for that.” - -“These boys have made up their minds to go to the States,” said Mr. -Chisholm. - -“Very well. You have a power of attorney, I suppose?” - -“No, I haven’t got that,” said Mr. Chisholm, wondering what new “form” -he would have to go through. - -“You will have to go to an attorney to get it,” said the paymaster. “Of -course, if he is going away, I shall have to have authority to pay the -money to somebody.” - -“By gum! Bring on the paper,” said Mr. Chisholm, looking around for a -chair in which to seat himself. - -“But I haven’t got the paper here. You will have to go to a lawyer to -get it.” - -Mr. Chisholm slowly went out of the paymaster’s office, and we all -followed him. He kept on without saying a word, and finally he stopped -in the office of the surrogate--the same man who had looked into his -pistol when he was here before. In a few words he made known to him the -situation. - -“Why, certainly; you must have a power of attorney if you want to -get the money,” said the surrogate. “I will make you out one in five -minutes. But, mind you, you needn’t show it until you see a chance of -getting the money.” - -This new “form” was complied with, and Mr. Chisholm paid the surrogate -the sum of ten dollars for his paper. In fact, I noticed that he didn’t -charge less than ten dollars for anything. On the way back to the hotel -Tom offered him the money, but Mr. Chisholm waved it aside. - -“I am willing to pay ten dollars to have my eyes opened,” said he. “If -anybody ever gets me to sign any papers again, I want to know it. I am -done probating wills.” - -Bob was considerably disappointed when he found that Tom wasn’t going -to get his money, but of course he saw that it was all right. The next -day we spent in buying clothes, and devoted the next to the purchase of -souvenirs to remind Tom of his cattle life in Texas. On the next day -Tom’s letter came. Some parts of it were brief and to the point, and -ran as follows: - - You had better come home now, and forget all about that five thousand - dollars. You didn’t take it anyway, and why should the matter be laid - to you? Your uncle walks with a cane, and was so excited over your - letter that he brought it to me to reply to it. Come home and see him - at any rate. - -Tom Mason was in dead earnest to go home after receiving that letter. -He never expected to receive a letter like that from Joe Coleman, but -then Joe wasn’t down on him any more than the rest of “Our Fellows” -were. The very next day we brought our trunks down, all ready to take -the stage to Houston by way of Clinton, six miles from the sea. Mr. -Chisholm was there as well as the cowboys, but I couldn’t see anything -of Elam. I had already given him my horse, and the way he received it -told me that he considered that a good-by. - -“Well, boys, if I don’t see you again, hallo,” said Mr. Chisholm, -hastily drawing his hand across his eyes. “You are going far away, and -there’s no knowing what will happen to you. So-long.” - -We got aboard, the driver cracked his whip, and we were whirled away -from some of the best friends a man ever had. Bob was very lonely after -that, and it was only when he reached Clinton and saw the steamer that -was to carry him across the Gulf to New Orleans, that he recovered his -usual spirits. Tom Mason now assumed charge--he was more at home in -that line of business than we were--and in less than half an hour after -we reached Clinton we were aboard the ship, our passage paid, and we -were sitting on the deck watching the stevedores at their labor. This I -thought to be a good time for my story, and I brought out the revolver -with Clifford Henderson’s name on the trigger guard, and for an hour -those fellows scarcely interrupted me. They listened spellbound. When I -was through they drew a long breath of relief. - -“You have kept your word, if it was made to an outlaw,” said Bob. “Now, -what do you suppose his object was? He has always seen something about -you that took his eye.” - -“I am as much in the dark as you are,” I replied. “I only know that he -saved me from death.” - -For a long time after this Coyote Bill was our principal subject of -conversation, until the steamer got under way, and then we had other -topics to talk about. In due time we arrived in New Orleans and there -we spent just one day, in order to deposit our money in the bank. -We did not know how long we should remain at Tom Mason’s home, and -we thought that would be the best place for it. At four o’clock we -took passage on a steamer from which we were not to get off until we -reached Tom’s destination. The torches were lighted when we drew up to -the landing, but we saw there a carriage and an old gray-headed man -leaning on a cane. I knew it was General Mason before Tom spoke. - -“There’s my uncle!” he exclaimed, almost wild with delight. “My -goodness, how he has changed!” - -Tom ran down to the forecastle and cleared the long jump of ten feet to -reach the bank, and hastened up to where the old man stood. We turned -away, for we did not care to see that meeting between uncle and nephew, -and when we got our luggage ashore, and the steamer was backing out -to continue her journey up the river, Tom came down to us. It was the -first time I had seen him cry, but he blew his nose with a blast like a -trumpet. - -“These are the boys who stood up for me when I was friendless and -alone,” said he. “Bob Davenport and Carlos Burnett. I really wish Elam -was here, so that you could shake him by the hand, for he is the one -who took me up when I was starving.” - -“Where is he?” ejaculated the old gentleman, who tried not to show how -delighted he was. “Go and get him. I want to see him.” - -As it was somewhere near a thousand miles to the place where we had -left Elam, we didn’t say anything about going after him. We passed it -off in some way, and followed the old man into the carriage. We didn’t -go to sleep at all that night, for the general was anxious to hear -where we had been, and what we had been doing, since Tom went away. -When day broke I went on the porch and looked around. There was a -splendid plantation; everything was in apple-pie order, and a host of -servants ready to do his bidding, and what Tom could make by running -away from a home like that, I didn’t see. I expressed as much to him -when he came out there later. - -“Because I was a fool,” said he. “Nobody could make anything by -running away from a home like this, but I tell you it has opened my -eyes. I feel as if I had got among friends from whom I have long been -separated.” - -That day I made the acquaintance of “Our Fellows,” who rode down to see -us, and I tell you I found them good fellows, every one. Tom Mason was -getting up on a par with Sandy Todd now, for with this exception he was -head and shoulders above every one of them. His sleeping in the open -air for almost a year had done wonders for him. - -We haven’t been to the plains yet to settle up with Uncle Ezra and to -see Elam, but we are going as soon as spring opens. After that Tom will -settle down as he used to be before, only he will have the management -of the plantation. I have been hunting on several occasions with “Our -Fellows,” and if you could see Tom when he was toasting his shins in -front of our camp-fire and telling his stories, you would say that none -of his adventures ever had so great an effect on him as those that -befell him in Texas. - -THE END. - - * * * * * - -FAMOUS STANDARD JUVENILE LIBRARIES. - -ANY VOLUME SOLD SEPARATELY AT $1.00 PER VOLUME - -(Except the Sportsman’s Club Series, Frank Nelson Series and Jack -Hazard Series.) - -Each Volume Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth. - - * * * * * - -HORATIO ALGER, JR. - -The enormous sales of the books of Horatio Alger, Jr., show the -greatness of his popularity among the boys, and prove that he is one -of their most favored writers. I am told that more than half a million -copies altogether have been sold, and that all the large circulating -libraries in the country have several complete sets, of which only two -or three volumes are ever on the shelves at one time. If this is true, -what thousands and thousands of boys have read and are reading Mr. -Alger’s books! His peculiar style of stories, often imitated but never -equaled, have taken a hold upon the young people, and, despite their -similarity, are eagerly read as soon as they appear. - -Mr. Alger became famous with the publication of that undying book, -“Ragged Dick, or Street Life in New York.” It was his first book for -young people, and its success was so great that he immediately devoted -himself to that kind of writing. It was a new and fertile field for a -writer then, and Mr. Alger’s treatment of it at once caught the fancy -of the boys. “Ragged Dick” first appeared in 1868, and ever since then -it has been selling steadily, until now it is estimated that about -200,000 copies of the series have been sold. - - --_Pleasant Hours for Boys and Girls._ - -A writer for boys should have an abundant sympathy with them. He should -be able to enter into their plans, hopes, and aspirations. He should -learn to look upon life as they do. Boys object to be written down to. -A boy’s heart opens to the man or writer who understands him. - - --From _Writing Stories for Boys_, by Horatio Alger, Jr. - -RAGGED DICK SERIES. - -6 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $6.00 - - Ragged Dick. - Fame and Fortune. - Mark the Match Boy. - Rough and Ready. - Ben the Luggage Boy. - Rufus and Rose. - -TATTERED TOM SERIES--First Series. - -4 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $4.00 - - Tattered Tom. - Paul the Peddler. - Phil the Fiddler. - Slow and Sure. - -TATTERED TOM SERIES--Second Series. - -4 vols. $4.00 - - Julius. - The Young Outlaw. - Sam’s Chance. - The Telegraph Boy. - -CAMPAIGN SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $3.00 - - Frank’s Campaign. - Charlie Codman’s Cruise. - Paul Prescott’s Charge. - -LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES--First Series. - -4 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $4.00 - - Luck and Pluck. - Sink or Swim. - Strong and Steady. - Strive and Succeed. - -LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES--Second Series. - -4 vols. $4.00 - - Try and Trust. - Bound to Rise. - Risen from the Ranks. - Herbert Carter’s Legacy. - -BRAVE AND BOLD SERIES. - -4 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $4.00 - - Brave and Bold. - Jack’s Ward. - Shifting for Himself. - Wait and Hope. - -NEW WORLD SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $3.00 - - Digging for Gold. - Facing the World. - In a New World. - -VICTORY SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $3.00 - - Only an Irish Boy. - Adrift in the City. - Victor Vane, or the Young Secretary. - -FRANK AND FEARLESS SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $3.00 - - Frank Hunter’s Peril. - Frank and Fearless. - The Young Salesman. - -GOOD FORTUNE LIBRARY. - -3 vols. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $3.00 - - Walter Sherwood’s Probation. - A Boy’s Fortune. - The Young Bank Messenger. - -RUPERT’S AMBITION. - -1 vol. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $1.00 - -JED, THE POOR-HOUSE BOY. - -1 vol. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. $1.00 - - * * * * * - -HARRY CASTLEMON. - -HOW I CAME TO WRITE MY FIRST BOOK. - -When I was sixteen years old I belonged to a composition class. It was -our custom to go on the recitation seat every day with clean slates, -and we were allowed ten minutes to write seventy words on any subject -the teacher thought suited to our capacity. One day he gave out “What a -Man Would See if He Went to Greenland.” My heart was in the matter, and -before the ten minutes were up I had one side of my slate filled. The -teacher listened to the reading of our compositions, and when they were -all over he simply said: “Some of you will make your living by writing -one of these days.” That gave me something to ponder upon. I did not -say so out loud, but I knew that my composition was as good as the best -of them. By the way, there was another thing that came in my way just -then. I was reading at that time one of Mayne Reid’s works which I had -drawn from the library, and I pondered upon it as much as I did upon -what the teacher said to me. In introducing Swartboy to his readers -he made use of this expression: “No visible change was observable in -Swartboy’s countenance.” Now, it occurred to me that if a man of his -education could make such a blunder as that and still write a book, I -ought to be able to do it, too. I went home that very day and began a -story, “The Old Guide’s Narrative,” which was sent to the _New York -Weekly_, and came back, respectfully declined. It was written on both -sides of the sheets but I didn’t know that this was against the rules. -Nothing abashed, I began another, and receiving some instruction, from -a friend of mine who was a clerk in a book store, I wrote it on only -one side of the paper. But mind you, he didn’t know what I was doing. -Nobody knew it; but one day, after a hard Saturday’s work--the other -boys had been out skating on the brick-pond--I shyly broached the -subject to my mother. I felt the need of some sympathy. She listened -in amazement, and then said: “Why, do you think you could write a book -like that?” That settled the matter, and from that day no one knew what -I was up to until I sent the first four volumes of Gunboat Series to -my father. Was it work? Well, yes; it was hard work, but each week I -had the satisfaction of seeing the manuscript grow until the “Young -Naturalist” was all complete. - - --_Harry Castlemon in the Writer._ - -GUNBOAT SERIES. - -6 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $6.00 - - Frank the Young Naturalist. - Frank on a Gunboat. - Frank in the Woods. - Frank before Vicksburg. - Frank on the Lower Mississippi. - Frank on the Prairie. - -ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - Frank Among the Rancheros. - Frank in the Mountains. - Frank at Don Carlos’ Rancho. - -SPORTSMAN’S CLUB SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.75 - - The Sportsman’s Club in the Saddle. - The Sportsman’s Club Afloat. - The Sportsman’s Club Among the Trappers. - -FRANK NELSON SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.75 - - Snowed up. - Frank in the Forecastle. - The Boy Traders. - -BOY TRAPPER SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - The Buried Treasure. - The Boy Trapper. - The Mail Carrier. - -ROUGHING IT SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - George in Camp. - George at the Fort. - George at the Wheel. - -ROD AND GUN SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - Don Gordon’s Shooting Box. - The Young Wild Fowlers. - Rod and Gun Club. - -GO-AHEAD SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - Tom Newcombe. - Go-Ahead. - No Moss. - -WAR SERIES. - -6 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $6.00 - - True to His Colors. - Rodney the Partisan. - Rodney the Overseer. - Marcy the Blockade-Runner. - Marcy the Refugee. - Sailor Jack the Trader. - -HOUSEBOAT SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - The Houseboat Boys. - The Mystery of Lost River Cañon. - The Young Game Warden. - -AFLOAT AND ASHORE SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - Rebellion in Dixie. - A Sailor in Spite of Himself. - The Ten-Ton Cutter. - -THE PONY EXPRESS SERIES. - -3 vols. BY HARRY CASTLEMON. $3.00 - - The Pony Express Rider. - The White Beaver. - Carl, The Trailer. - - * * * * * - -EDWARD S. ELLIS. - -Edward S. Ellis, the popular writer of boys’ books, is a native of -Ohio, where he was born somewhat more than a half-century ago. His -father was a famous hunter and rifle shot, and it was doubtless his -exploits and those of his associates, with their tales of adventure -which gave the son his taste for the breezy backwoods and for depicting -the stirring life of the early settlers on the frontier. - -Mr. Ellis began writing at an early age and his work was acceptable -from the first. His parents removed to New Jersey while he was a boy -and he was graduated from the State Normal School and became a member -of the faculty while still in his teens. He was afterward principal of -the Trenton High School, a trustee and then superintendent of schools. -By that time his services as a writer had become so pronounced that -he gave his entire attention to literature. He was an exceptionally -successful teacher and wrote a number of text-books for schools, all of -which met with high favor. For these and his historical productions, -Princeton College conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. - -The high moral character, the clean, manly tendencies and the admirable -literary style of Mr. Ellis’ stories have made him as popular on the -other side of the Atlantic as in this country. A leading paper remarked -some time since, that no mother need hesitate to place in the hands of -her boy any book written by Mr. Ellis. They are found in the leading -Sunday-school libraries, where, as may well be believed, they are in -wide demand and do much good by their sound, wholesome lessons which -render them as acceptable to parents as to their children. All of his -books published by Henry T. Coates & Co. are re-issued in London, and -many have been translated into other languages. Mr. Ellis is a writer -of varied accomplishments, and, in addition to his stories, is the -author of historical works, of a number of pieces of popular music -and has made several valuable inventions. Mr. Ellis is in the prime -of his mental and physical powers, and great as have been the merits -of his past achievements, there is reason to look for more brilliant -productions from his pen in the near future. - -DEERFOOT SERIES. - -3 vols. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $3.00 - - Hunters of the Ozark. - The Last War Trail. - Camp in the Mountains. - -LOG CABIN SERIES. - -3 vols. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $3.00 - - Lost Trail. - Footprints in the Forest. - Camp-Fire and Wigwam. - -BOY PIONEER SERIES. - -3 vols. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $3.00 - - Ned in the Block-House. - Ned on the River. - Ned in the Woods. - -THE NORTHWEST SERIES. - -3 vols. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $3.00 - - Two Boys in Wyoming. - Cowmen and Rustlers. - A Strange Craft and its Wonderful Voyage. - -BOONE AND KENTON SERIES. - -3 vols. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $3.00 - - Shod with Silence. - In the Days of the Pioneers. - Phantom of the River. - -IRON HEART, WAR CHIEF OF THE IROQUOIS. - -1 vol. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $1.00 - -THE SECRET OF COFFIN ISLAND. - -1 vol. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $1.00 - -THE BLAZING ARROW. - -1 vol. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS. $1.00 - - * * * * * - -J. T. TROWBRIDGE. - -Neither as a writer does he stand apart from the great currents of life -and select some exceptional phase or odd combination of circumstances. -He stands on the common level and appeals to the universal heart, and -all that he suggests or achieves is on the plane and in the line of -march of the great body of humanity. - -The Jack Hazard series of stories, published in the late _Our Young -Folks_, and continued in the first volume of _St. Nicholas_, under the -title of “Fast Friends,” is no doubt destined to hold a high place -in this class of literature. The delight of the boys in them (and of -their seniors, too) is well founded. They go to the right spot every -time. Trowbridge knows the heart of a boy like a book, and the heart -of a man, too, and he has laid them both open in these books in a most -successful manner. Apart from the qualities that render the series so -attractive to all young readers, they have great value on account of -their portraitures of American country life and character. The drawing -is wonderfully accurate, and as spirited as it is true. The constable, -Sellick, is an original character, and as minor figures where will -we find anything better than Miss Wansey, and Mr. P. Pipkin, Esq. -The picture of Mr. Dink’s school, too, is capital, and where else in -fiction is there a better nick-name than that the boys gave to poor -little Stephen Treadwell, “Step Hen,” as he himself pronounced his name -in an unfortunate moment when he saw it in print for the first time in -his lesson in school. - -On the whole, these books are very satisfactory, and afford the -critical reader the rare pleasure of the works that are just adequate, -that easily fulfill themselves and accomplish all they set out to -do.--_Scribner’s Monthly._ - -JACK HAZARD SERIES. - -6 vols. BY J. T. TROWBRIDGE. $7.25 - - Jack Hazard and His Fortunes. - The Young Surveyor. - Fast Friends. - Doing His Best. - A Chance for Himself. - Lawrence’s Adventures. - - * * * * * - -ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY. - -For Boys and Girls. - -(97 Volumes.) 75c. per Volume. - -The attention of Librarians and Bookbuyers generally is called to HENRY -T. COATES & CO.’S ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY, by the popular authors. - - EDWARD S. ELLIS, - HORATIO ALGER, JR., - C. A. STEPHENS, - MARGARET VANDEGRIFT, - HARRY CASTLEMON, - G. A. HENTY, - LUCY C. LILLIE and others. - -No authors of the present day are greater favorites with boys and girls. - -Every book is sure to meet with a hearty reception by young readers. - -Librarians will find them to be among the most popular books on their -lists. - -_Complete lists and net prices furnished on application._ - - HENRY T. COATES & CO. - 1222 CHESTNUT STREET - PHILADELPHIA - - * * * * * - -Transcriber’s Notes: - -Harry Castlemon is a pseudonym for Charles Austin Fosdick. - -Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are -mentioned. - -Punctuation has been made consistent. - -Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in -the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have -been corrected. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Missing Pocket-Book, by Harry Castlemon - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK *** - -***** This file should be named 60322-0.txt or 60322-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/3/2/60322/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Missing Pocket-Book - Tom Mason's Luck - -Author: Harry Castlemon - -Release Date: September 18, 2019 [EBook #60322] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK *** - - - - -Produced by David Edwards, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 504px;"> -<img id="coverpage" src="images/cover.jpg" width="504" height="800" alt="Cover." /> -</div> - -<div style="padding-top:4em"> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<img src="images/frontis.jpg" width="600" height="418" alt="" /> -<div class="caption"><p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Sheriff and the Cattlemen.</span></p></div> -</div></div> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 405px;"> -<img src="images/titlepage.jpg" width="405" height="650" alt="Title page." /> -</div> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - - -<h1>THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK<br /> -<span class="mediumfont" style="position:relative; top:-0.2em">OR</span><br /> -<span class="xlargefont"><em>TOM MASON’S LUCK</em></span></h1> - - -<p class="center p4 xlargefont"><span class="mediumfont">BY</span><br /> -HARRY CASTLEMON</p> - -<p class="center p1">AUTHOR OF “THE GUNBOAT SERIES,” “ROCKY MOUNTAIN<br /> -SERIES,” “WAR SERIES,” ETC.</p> - -<p class="center p4" style="line-height:1.5">PHILADELPHIA<br /> -<span class="xlargefont">HENRY T. COATES & CO.</span></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p class="center" style="line-height:1.5"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1895</span>,<br /> -<span class="smallfont">BY</span><br /> -PORTER & COATES.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[iii]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> - -<div class="center"> -<table class="toc" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> -<tr><td class="tocchapter"><span class="smallfont">CHAPTER</span></td><td></td><td class="tocpage"><span class="smallfont">PAGE</span></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">I.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Right in the Midst of It</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">II.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Mr. Davenport’s Secret</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">III.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">’Rastus Johnson</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">IV.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Elam’s Poor Marksmanship</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_59">59</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">V.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">The West Fork of Trinity</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">VI.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Mr. Davenport’s Pocket-book</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">VII.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Tom has an Idea</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">VIII.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Tom’s Luck</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">IX.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Henderson is Astonished</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_159">159</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">X.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Off for Austin</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XI.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Henderson in New Business</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_198">198</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XII.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">He Does not Succeed</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_219">219</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XIII.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Henderson Meets Coyote Bill</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XIV.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Proving the Will</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_261">261</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XV.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Tom Gets Some Money</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_282">282</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XVI.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">A Raid by the Comanches</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_303">303</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XVII.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">My Friend the Outlaw</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_325">325</a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tocchapter">XVIII.</td><td class="toctitle"><span class="smcap">Conclusion</span>,</td><td class="tocpage"><a href="#Page_346">346</a></td></tr> -</table></div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1"><span class="invisiblefont">[1]</span></span></p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-bottom:2em"><span class="xxlargefont" style="line-height:1.75">THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK;</span><br /> -<span style="position:relative; top:-0.4em">OR,</span><br /> -<span class="xlargefont">TOM MASON’S LUCK.</span></p> - - -<h2 class="no-break">CHAPTER I.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF IT.</span></h2> - - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p class="center">CATTLEMEN AND FARMERS READY FOR WAR.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">Fort Worth</span>, August 5, 18—. One hundred and -seventy-five thousand head of cattle are being slowly -drifted and driven from the drought-parched sections -of Northwestern Texas into Jacks County, along the -waters of the West Fork of Trinity. The herders who -accompany them demand that they must have grass -and water, or blood. The farmers, who will be greatly -damaged by the passage of these immense herds, -are arming and say the cattle shall not come in—that -they must be driven back at all hazards. To permit -them to pass means fences destroyed, crops ruined, and the -meagre supply of water exhausted; to turn them back -means death to the cattle and financial disaster to the -men who own them. To-day the news was carried from -house to house, and the farmers are turning out to a -man, resolved to rendezvous on Bear Creek and forbid<span class="pagenum">[2]</span> -the driving of the cattle through their lands. Large -squads have gone to the front, and they are well-armed -and desperate. Sheriff Reins will be on hand to-morrow, -and so will a company of militia under command of Captain -Fuller. Several conflicts, involving the loss of six -or seven lives, have already taken place between the -cattlemen and the farmers, the particulars of which have -not yet found publicity.</p></div> - -<p>Of all the boys into whose hands this story -may fall, and who make it a point to read the -daily papers, I venture to say that not one in -a hundred will remember that he ever saw the -above despatch, which was flashed over the -wires one bright summer morning a few years -ago; but if those boys had been on the ground -as I was, and witnessed the thrilling and affecting -scenes that transpired before and after that -despatch was written, they would have seen -some things that time could never efface from -their memories.</p> - -<p>If ever I saw suffering cattle or determined, -almost desperate, men, who were fairly spoiling -for a fight, it was on that sweltering August -day when a big brown-whiskered man, a -wealthy farmer of Jacks County, accompanied -by the sheriff and two deputies, rode<span class="pagenum">[3]</span> -up to the wagon and demanded to see “the -boss.” Around the wagon were gathered a -weary and dusty party of men and boys, -who had come there to slake their thirst, -and John Chisholm, the man to whose enterprise -and push the great Texas cattle trade -owed its existence, was just raising a cup of -the precious fluid to his lips. I say “precious” -because our supply was limited, and -the nearest stream far away.</p> - -<p>“It tastes as though it had been boiled for -a week,” said he, after he had moistened his -parched mouth, “but every drop of it is worth -its weight in gold. Touch it lightly, boys, -for there is no telling when we shall be able -to fill the cask again. Have any of the scouts -come in yet? If we don’t find a pool pretty -soon we shall all be ruined. Just see there!” -he added, waving his hand toward the back -trail. “A blind man could easily follow our -route, for every rod of it is marked with dead -beeves.”</p> - -<p>It would have taken something besides a -“pool” of water to quench the thirst of that -multitude of cattle, which were drifting along<span class="pagenum">[4]</span> -a mile or so in advance of the wagon, almost -concealed by the suffocating cloud of dust -that hung over them and pointed out their -line of travel. Just how many of them there -were in the herd the most experienced cattleman -could not guess, for the flanks of the -drove as well as its leading members were far -out of sight. There were more than a dozen -outfits mixed up together, no attempt having -been made to keep them apart; nor was there -any effort made to control their movements -beyond keeping them headed toward the West -Fork of Trinity, the nearest point at which -water could be obtained. The suffering beasts -complained piteously as they plodded along, -and now and then deep mutterings of challenge -and defiance, followed by a commotion -somewhere in the herd, would indicate the spot -where perhaps a dozen of the half maddened -animals had closed in deadly combat. It was -little wonder that the sixty bronzed and -weather-beaten men who accompanied them -were in fighting humor, and ready to resist to -the death any interference with their efforts -to find water or grass. They were almost consumed<span class="pagenum">[5]</span> -with thirst themselves. Every drop of -water they drank was brought along in the -wagon, and there was so little of it that no -one thought of taking more than a swallow at -a time. Scouts had been sent out early in the -morning with instructions to search everywhere -for a water-course, and it was as Mr. -Chisholm enquired about them, and handed -back the cup he had drained, that the sheriff -rode up and asked to see “the boss.”</p> - -<p>“’Pears to me as if this outfit was bossing -itself,” replied Mr. Chisholm, facing about in -his saddle and looking sharply at the newcomers. -“You can see for yourself, without -looking, that all we can do is to keep the critters -pointed toward the West Fork. But you -don’t belong on our side of the house. Where -might you hail from?”</p> - -<p>“I am sheriff of this county, and came out -to tell you that you must not trespass on the -grounds of our farmers,” answered the officer.</p> - -<p>“Well, then, what do you come to us for?” -enquired Mr. Chisholm, while the men around -him scowled savagely and played with the -locks of their rifles. “Go and serve your<span class="pagenum">[6]</span> -warning on the critters. Can’t you see that -some of them are miles ahead of us? How are -we going to turn them back when our horses -are nigh about as ready to drop as the cattle -are? I tell you it can’t be done!”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you know it means ruin to us farmers -if we allow those famishing cattle to get -into our fields?” demanded the brown-whiskered -man, who seemed quite as ready and -willing to fight as the cattlemen were. “They -will break down our fences and eat up the -very crops on which our lives depend. Besides, -there are no more grass and water in -the country than we want ourselves.”</p> - -<p>“I’m powerful sorry to hear you say that, -but I don’t see what we are going to do about -it,” said Mr. Chisholm. “We’ve got to go -somewhere now that we have started.”</p> - -<p>The sheriff opened his lips to speak, but -the brown-whiskered man was too quick for -him.</p> - -<p>“You don’t know what you are going to do -about it, don’t you?” he said, with a savage -emphasis. “Well, I will tell you. When -you get to the top of that swell yonder you<span class="pagenum">[7]</span> -will see, a couple of miles off, a long line of -willows.”</p> - -<p>“Now, if that isn’t the best piece of news I -have heard for a week I wouldn’t say so!” exclaimed -the cattleman. “Where there’s timber -there is water, of course. I thought the -critters were a-travelling along a trifle pearter -than they were a while back. Sam, you drive -on ahead with the wagon and fill up the cask, -and the rest of us will kinder scatter out on -the flanks and head the critters toward the -willows our friend speaks of.”</p> - -<p>“Will you let me get through with what I -have to say?” shouted the farmer, his face -growing white with anger. “You go near -those willows if you dare! There are more -than two hundred men hidden among them, -and if our pickets can’t turn your cattle back -they’ll shoot them!”</p> - -<p>“Will, eh?” exclaimed Mr. Chisholm, his -face wearing a good-natured smile, that was -very aggravating to the brown-whiskered -farmer. “I hope not, for if you shoot our -stock we’ll have to shoot you to pay for it. -Look a-here,” he added, turning his horse<span class="pagenum">[8]</span> -about and riding up close to the man he -was addressing, “I tell you once for all, -stranger——”</p> - -<p>“Hold! I command the peace!” cried the -sheriff, seeing that the men and boys around -the wagon were moving up to support their -leader. “Keep back, all of you!”</p> - -<p>“The peace hasn’t been broken yet,” replied -Mr. Chisholm, “and I assure you that I and -my friends have no intention of breaking it; -but our watchword is, ‘Grass and water, or -blood!’ and it is for you to decide which it -shall be. We are not the men to stand by -with our hands in our pockets and see our -stock perish for want of something to eat and -drink, and you misjudge us if that is the -kind of fellows you took us for. You farmers -were very kind to yourselves when you ran -your fences along every water-course in the -State, so’t we cattlemen could not get to -it. Water’s free and we want our share -of it.”</p> - -<p>“But our land has been paid for, and you -have no right to come upon it after we have -told you to keep off,” said the farmer.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[9]</span></p> - -<p>“Some of you have paid for the land you -raise crops on and some are squatters the -same as we cattlemen are,” answered Mr. -Chisholm, becoming earnest, but still fighting -to keep down his rising anger. “There are -miles and miles of these streams been fenced -in and shut off from us stock-raisers without -any warrant of law, and now we are going to -walk over some of them same fences.”</p> - -<p>“If you attempt it we shall shoot you down -like dogs!” said the farmer fiercely, and as he -spoke he lifted his rifle an inch or two from -the horn of his saddle, as if he had half a -mind to begin the shooting then and there.</p> - -<p>“Easy, easy, Mr. Walker,” interposed the -sheriff, laying his hand upon the angry man’s -arm. “We’ve got the right on our side and -the whole power of the State behind us, and -there’s no need that you should get yourself -into trouble by taking matters into your own -hands. I warn you to turn back,” he continued, -addressing himself to Mr. Chisholm. -“I am an officer of the law, and if you do not -pay some attention to what I say I shall be -obliged to arrest you.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[10]</span></p> - -<p>The cattleman laughed, not loudly, but -heartily and silently.</p> - -<p>“I reckon you’re a new man who has just -been put into office,” said he, as soon as he -could speak. “If you were an old hand at -the business you would know that it would -take pretty considerable of a posse to arrest -any man in this outfit. I wouldn’t try it if I -were sheriff.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you have heard my warning,” said -Mr. Walker, “and the blame for whatever -happens will be on your own head. Nearly -all the farmers in the county have assembled -to resist your advance, and they sent me out -here to tell you that you have come far -enough. Now, will you turn back or not?”</p> - -<p>“I aint got much patience with a man who -has two good eyes in his head to keep on asking -such a question as that. Of course we’ll -not turn back! We can’t!”</p> - -<p>“Then we shall drive you back,” said Mr. -Walker. “That’s all there is about it. Because -the drought has ruined your business -you need not think we are going to let you -ruin ours.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[11]</span></p> - -<p>The farmer rode away, shaking his head and -muttering to himself, and paying no sort of -attention to the sheriff, who spurred to his -side and tried to reason with him. After a -while the sheriff came back to expostulate -with the leader of the cattlemen; but the -latter waved him aside.</p> - -<p>“I don’t blame you, Mr. Officer,” said he. -“You have done nothing but duty in warning -us not to trespass on them farmers’ -grounds, but you see how we are fixed, don’t -you? We can’t stop where we are. All the -cowboys in Texas could not turn the critters -back now that they have got a sniff of the -water that is flashing along sparkling and -cold behind them willows, and what is there -left for us but to go on? All we ask of you -and your posse is to keep out of the way. -We cattlemen know how to take care of -ourselves.”</p> - -<p>“But don’t you see that I can’t keep out of -your way?” demanded the sheriff. “As an -officer it is my duty to oppose your further -progress!”</p> - -<p>“Then it will be my duty to ride over you<span class="pagenum">[12]</span> -rough-shod,” said the cattleman cheerfully. -“I don’t want to do that, for you seem to be a -good sort, even if you are an officer. If you -will be governed by the advice of one who -knows more about this country and the men -who live in it than you are ever likely to -learn, you will ride down to the willows and -tell them farmers to fall back and give our -perishing stock a chance at the water. If -they will listen to you there will be no -trouble. Me and my friends will camp nigh -the stream to-night, hold a council of war in -the morning, and like as not we’ll come to -some sort of an understanding. But I can’t -spend any more time with you. If you or the -farmers are going to force a fight upon us, we -must get ready for it.”</p> - -<p>So saying Mr. Chisholm waved his hand to -the officer and rode away, leaving us three -boys from the North, who had ridden up close -to hear this consultation and the threats it -contained, in a state of dreadful uncertainty. -We had come from our homes, somewhere -near Denver, which at that time was little -more than a sprinkling of miner cabins, with<span class="pagenum">[13]</span> -no such thoughts as this in our minds, and -here we were right in the midst of it—civil -war! We had come down there to invest a -few hundred dollars in cattle. We thought -we could make something by it. By keeping -far to the eastward, along the banks of the -Red River, we had got beyond reach of the -Comanche and Kiowas and other Indians -who felt inclined to steal everything we had, -and then by turning rapidly to the west had -found ourselves right among the cattlemen -almost before we knew it.</p> - -<p>You remember that there were three of us -boys—Elam Storm, now no longer moody and -reticent, but hail fellow well met with everybody, -for we had found the nugget of which -he had been in search for so many years; -Tom Mason, who went by the name of -“Lucky Tom”; and myself, Carlos Burton, -upon whom devolves the duty of writing this -story. We had seen some adventures during -our long ride, some that I would gladly like -a chance to relate; but they differed so -widely from the scenes we passed through -among those cattlemen that I am glad to pass<span class="pagenum">[14]</span> -them by to tell this story of “Tom Mason’s -luck.” Tom was a lucky fellow, that’s a fact, -and for a runaway boy he had a good deal of -pluck. I don’t know that he thought of making -any money at the time he was working -with us, but at the same time he took the -right way to get it. You know he was trying -to scrape together five thousand dollars, the -amount he stole from his uncle—a large sum -for a boy of his age to make; but he had that -amount and more too when he went home. I -will tell all about it when I get to it.</p> - -<p>At length, when we had been so long on our -journey that Elam and Tom declared that I -had missed my way, we ran across a fence, -and that night we struck the farmer’s house. -I noticed that there was corn on the other side -of the fence, and that instead of being healthy -and green and thrifty-looking, it was stunted -and its leaves were beginning to turn yellow. -It looked as though it was all ready to gather, -only there was not the sign of an ear on any -of the stalks that we could see. I found out -the reason for this when we put up at the -farmer’s house that night,—the first house we<span class="pagenum">[15]</span> -had stayed in since leaving Uncle Ezra’s,—when -he told us that there had not been a -drop of rain in that part of Texas for sixteen -months. Water was beginning to get scarce, -and the worst of it was, the grass on the -school-lands, miles away where all these cattle -were pastured, was burning up, and they -expected every day to find an army of famishing -cattle coming down upon them.</p> - -<p>“And that’s something we can’t stand,” -said the farmer. “We have only a little -grass and water for our own use, and those -cattle will use up all we have got. More than -that, they will break down our fences and -ruin our crops so that we shan’t have a thing -to go on. That’s one thing we have to contend -with in Texas—long droughts.”</p> - -<p>That was one thing I hadn’t thought of, -and when we started the next day I took -particular notice of the grass and water and -found that they were tolerable scarce, every -little mud hole in which there was water -being fenced in to keep their stock away from -it. I had never been in that part of Texas -before, and I found that water was hard<span class="pagenum">[16]</span> -to get at, we having to fill our bottles to last -us all day; but I supposed it was characteristic -of the country. Of course the little -stock that the farmers had was thrifty and -fat, as well they might be, for they had water -enough, only not as much as they wanted; -but the farther we went into the country the -worse grew the situation. We often had to -beg for water, and it was the first time I ever -did such a thing in my life.</p> - -<p>At last we got beyond the range of the -farmers, and then we found what suffering for -water meant. We were generally able to find -a mud hole or two in which water had been, -and which was not entirely dry, and by digging -down in it would get enough to quench -our thirst, and there we would stay until the -next morning to enable our horses to gain -strength enough to carry us; but there was no -grass for them to eat. Everything was dried -up. Two nights we spent without water. We -had enough in our bottles for ourselves, but -our poor horses were obliged to go thirsty. -Elam I knew was all right. He would keep -on until I gave the word to go back, and if his<span class="pagenum">[17]</span> -horse played out, he would shoulder his pack -and go ahead on foot, but I looked for a complaint -from Tom. It is true he looked pretty -glum when his horse came up to him in the -morning and said as plainly as he could that -he was thirsty, and Tom could count every -bone in his body, but never a word of protest -did I hear from him. He would get on and -ride as if nothing was the matter.</p> - -<p>One afternoon we came within sight of a -long line of willows which we knew lined a -stream, the first we had seen for many a day, -and near them was a large herd of cattle -ranging about and trying to find enough to -eat. A little nearer to us, on a little rise of -ground, we saw a horse, his rider having dismounted -to give him a chance to browse. He -saw us as soon as we did him, and shaded his -eyes with his hand and looked at us. Then -he picked up his rifle and held it in the hollow -of his arm.</p> - -<p>“What is he going to do?” said Tom. “Is -he going to try to keep us away from that -water?”</p> - -<p>“We will soon know,” I replied. “I never<span class="pagenum">[18]</span> -knew a cowboy to be armed with a rifle before. -It proves that there has been somebody here -after his water, and he wants to be prepared -to meet them at long range.”</p> - -<p>It was four miles to where he was, and it -took us all of an hour to get up there. It -seemed as if our horses couldn’t raise a trot to -save their lives. As we made no move to raise -our weapons, he finally dropped his to the -ground and leaned upon it.</p> - -<p>“How-dy!” said I, as soon as we got within -speaking distance. That is the term that -Western men always use in addressing one -another. “I’m almost dead for a drink, and -have come here to see if you would give us -some.”</p> - -<p>“You are alone, I take it?” said the cowboy.</p> - -<p>“We are alone,” said I.</p> - -<p>“There’s nobody behind you with a big -drove of cattle, is there?”</p> - -<p>“Nobody at all. We came down here to -buy stock, but I don’t believe we want any -now.”</p> - -<p>“You can have all we’ve got,” said he, with<span class="pagenum">[19]</span> -a smile. “We’ll sell ’em to you at a dollar -apiece.”</p> - -<p>I looked around at the walking skeletons he -was willing to dispose of at so meagre a price. -They were too far away for me to see much -of them, but still I could tell that they were -gaunt and scraggy in the extreme. Some of -them were lying down flat on their sides, with -their heads extended, and when a steer gets -that way he is in a bad fix.</p> - -<p>“I had no idea that your steers were in such -shape,” said I. “Are some of them dead?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no; there’s plenty of life left in them -yet. You will find plenty of water on the -other side of those willows. You see some -cattlemen came up here the other day from -the same direction you came from, looking for -grass and water, and said they were going to -come in at all hazards; that’s what made me -pick up my rifle when I saw you.”</p> - -<p>“We aint seed no cattlemen down this -way,” said Elam. “We aint seed anything -but farmers.”</p> - -<p>We were too thirsty to waste any more time -in talking, and so we rode down on the other<span class="pagenum">[20]</span> -side of the willows to find the “plenty of -water” the cowboy spoke of. Well, there -was plenty of it, such as it was, but it was -scattered along the creek in little holes, and -had been trampled in by the cattle until it was -all roiled up; a filthy place to drink, but boys -and horses went at it, and by the time we had -got all the water we wanted there wasn’t much -left in that hole. We filled our bottles, saw -our horses drink all they needed, and then -mounted and rode back to where we had left -the hospitable cowboy.</p> - -<p>“I don’t call that plenty of water,” said -Tom, who nevertheless had been a good deal -revived by the hearty swig he had taken. “I -wish you had some of the water that was overflowing -the Mississippi valley when I left it. -It was enough to flood this whole country.”</p> - -<p>“Well, pilgrim, it is enough for us, situated -the way we are now. I have seen the time -when that bayou down there was booming -full, and you would have to wait for a week -before you could cross it. I suppose you -would like a roof to shelter you to-night, -wouldn’t you?” said the cowboy. “Well, if<span class="pagenum">[21]</span> -you will follow the creek up about ten miles, you -will find the ranch of Mr. Davenport, my boss. -He will give you plenty to eat and a shakedown, -but your horses will fare hard for grass.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you! We would like something a -little different from the bacon and crackers we -have been living upon so long,” said I. “Mr. -Davenport isn’t so hard up as his cattle?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, bless you, he’s got plenty. He got a -whole wagon load of things last night.”</p> - -<p>Thanking the cowboy again for his kindness -in showing us the water, we rode away. The -route we followed took us directly through his -cattle, and I was not much surprised when I -remembered what the cowboy had said about -selling them for a dollar apiece. I never saw -such poverty-stricken cattle in my life. Even -the bulls paid no sort of attention to us, and -we told one another that we thought our trip -to Texas had not amounted to anything, and -that we would have to wait until the next -spring before we could take any cattle home -with us. While we were talking the matter -over, Tom pointed out in the distance the -whitewashed walls of Mr. Davenport’s ranch.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER II.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">MR. DAVENPORT’S SECRET.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">The nearer we approached to the ranch -the more like a home place it looked to -us, the only thing that did not appear natural -being the hayracks that were usually piled -up for the horses. These were all gone, thus -proving that the ranchman had not been able -to provide any more for the benefit of his -steeds that were to carry him and his cowboys -during all sorts of weather. Of course there -could be no hay while the grass that was to -furnish it was all burned up. As we drew -nearer we discovered a man and a boy sitting -on the porch. They did not wait for us to -speak to them, but the boy got up with his -face beaming all over with smiles, while the -man, who seemed to be a sort of invalid, kept -his chair.</p> - -<p>“Strangers, you’re welcome to Hardscrabble,” -said he. “Alight and hitch. Your<span class="pagenum">[23]</span> -horses won’t go very far away, and so you can -turn them loose.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you,” said I. I was expected to -do all the talking. “Do we address Mr. -Davenport?”</p> - -<p>“That is my name,” returned the invalid. -“And I see you are boys, too. Bob will be -glad of that. Come up here.”</p> - -<p>It did not take us very long to remove our -saddles and bridles from our horses and carry -them up on the porch. Then we shook hands -with Mr. Davenport and his son Bob, and -took the chairs that were promptly brought -out to us.</p> - -<p>“You are very young men to be travelling -around this way,” said the invalid. “I -shouldn’t think that your parents would -permit it.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know that we have any -parents to say what we shall do. We are -alone in the world, with the exception of Tom -here, who has an uncle in Mississippi. We -have come a thousand miles to buy some -cattle; but I don’t think, from what I have -seen of your cattle, that we shall want any.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[24]</span></p> - -<p>“Oh, this drought is simply awful,” said -the invalid, rising up in his chair. “We -haven’t had a drop of rain for sixteen months, -and if it keeps on much longer we shall all die -in the poor-house. The route you came led -you through a portion of my herd. I want to -know if you ever saw such a sorry looking -lot of cattle as they are?”</p> - -<p>This seemed to be the opportunity that Mr. -Davenport was waiting for, and he began and -told us all about those troublous times in -Texas during the past two years, and he said -that the drought and the farmers were to -blame for it. There had been a period in the -history of the State when the stockmen had -things all their own way; when their herds -roamed over almost two thousand square -miles of territory, going wherever grass and -water were most abundant, and attended by -only a few Mexican vaqueros, whose principal -business it was to see that their employer’s -outfit did not become mixed up with cattle -belonging to somebody else. But, of course, -this state of affairs could not continue forever -in a country like ours. The soil of Texas was<span class="pagenum">[25]</span> -as well adapted to agriculture as it was to -stock raising, and it was not long before -people began to find it out.</p> - -<p>When the tide of immigration begins setting -toward any State or Territory, it is -astonishing how quickly it will become filled -up. In a very short time the farmers grew to -be a power in the cattle lands of Texas. Of -course they settled along the water courses, or -as close to them as they could get, and when -they selected their land they fenced it in and -turned it up with the plough, thus depriving -the cattlemen of just so many acres of pasture, -and in some instances shutting them off -from the streams.</p> - -<p>Of course, too, bad blood existed between -these two classes from the very first. The -cattlemen saw their limits growing smaller -day by day, and they did not take it very -much to heart when their half wild cattle -broke through the fences and ruined the fields -upon which the farmers had expended so -much labor; but they got fighting mad when -the farmers sued them in the courts and were -awarded heavy damages for their crops.<span class="pagenum">[26]</span> -Neighborhood rows and civil wars on a -small scale were of common occurrence, and -during this particular summer the long to be -remembered drought came, and I could rest -assured of one thing, and that was, matters -were going to be brought to a climax. It was -surely coming, and the farmers would find -out one thing, and that was, that Mr. Davenport, -even if he was half dead from consumption, -could shoot as well as anybody.</p> - -<p>For long months not a particle of rain fell -upon the parched soil, and when the school-lands, -on which large numbers of cattle grazed, -were utterly barren of verdure and rendered -worthless for years to come, and all the little -streams went dry, the ranchmen saw ruin -staring them in the face. The sufferings of -the walking skeletons, which represented -every dollar they had in the world, were -terrible in the extreme, and grass and water -must be had at any price. The nearest point -at which these could be had was on the West -Fork of Trinity. It was true that the most, -if not all, of the land in that vicinity had been -turned into farms and fenced in, but what did<span class="pagenum">[27]</span> -the desperate cattlemen care for that? Grass -and water were the free gifts of Heaven, and, -if necessary, they were ready to fight for their -share.</p> - -<p>What it was that induced Mr. Davenport to -say all this to me, an entire stranger, I cannot -imagine, unless it was because he was so excited -by the financial distress which he saw -hanging over him that he must tell it to somebody. -Sometimes during his narrative he -would get up out of his chair and pace back -and forth on the porch as if all his old strength -had come back to him. His eye would kindle, -until I made up my mind that if all the ranchmen -were like him there would be some shooting -before the summer was over. For myself -I heartily wished I was safe back where I -belonged.</p> - -<p>“Do you own this land where you are -located?” I asked, feeling that I must say -something.</p> - -<p>“No, nor does anybody else. We are squatters. -My neighbors tell me that there was a -time, not so very long ago, when this ranch -was located at least a hundred miles to the<span class="pagenum">[28]</span> -east of where it is now; but the farmers -kept coming in until I am where I am now. -You can’t keep cattle where there is land -fenced in.”</p> - -<p>“What makes you think that you are going -to drive your stock away from here toward -Trinity?”</p> - -<p>“Because there were a couple of men here -from the lower counties, not three weeks ago, -to see if I would join in,” answered the invalid. -“You see my cattle would get all mixed up -with others and there is no telling when we -would get them apart. That will make it -necessary for me to hire some more men, and -as you haven’t got anything to do, why can’t -you hire out to me?”</p> - -<p>“That’s an idea,” said I. “I will speak to -my companions about it and see what they -have to say. We would rather not have any -shooting——”</p> - -<p>“Oh, you will see plenty of it if you stay -around with us,” said Mr. Davenport. “The -minute we get near Trinity it will commence. -Why, there must be as much as one hundred -and seventy-five thousand head of cattle that<span class="pagenum">[29]</span> -need watering. It’s all farms up that way -too.”</p> - -<p>“I was about to say that we would rather -not have any shooting around where we are,” -I continued. “But if there is going to be any -we would rather be where we can have a hand -in it.”</p> - -<p>“That’s the trouble, is it?” said Mr. Davenport, -with a smile.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir. And as far as paying us anything—why, -we are here with you now, and if you -will give us board it is all we ask.”</p> - -<p>I looked at Tom and he nodded his head. I -glanced around for Elam, but he and Bob had -disappeared. They had got into conversation -and had gone off to look at something.</p> - -<p>“That’s all right,” said Mr. Davenport. -“That boy has been confined here on the -ranch and he has not seen a companion -before. I have been afraid to let him out -of my sight. By the way, this man whom -you have just introduced to me is all -right?”</p> - -<p>“Who? Elam? Oh, yes! You can trust -him anywhere.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[30]</span></p> - -<p>“I mean he wouldn’t let harm come to Bob -without making a fuss about it.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” said I, rather astonished at the -proposition. “I don’t see that any harm can -come to him out here.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know,” said Mr. Davenport, -with a heavy sigh, which told how heavily -the matter bore on his mind, “I don’t know.”</p> - -<p>Not to dwell too long on incidents that are -not connected with this story, I will simply say -that we were presented to two of the cowboys -that night at supper time as the fellows Mr. -Davenport had employed to help him drive -his cattle north, our duties to begin on the day -the march commenced. I took a great notion -to the two men—tall, rawboned, and rough, -and the simple and earnest manner in which -they agreed with their employer on all questions -concerning the conduct of the farmers, in -keeping his cattle out on the barren prairie -where there was neither water nor grass to -be had, made me think that their hearts were -in the matter.</p> - -<p>During the next week I noticed that Bob -and Elam went off somewhere immediately<span class="pagenum">[31]</span> -after breakfast and did not get back before -night. That was all right to me, but I wanted -to make sure that Elam knew what he was -doing, so one day when I got a chance to -speak to him in private I said:</p> - -<p>“What do you and Bob do when you are -gone all day?”</p> - -<p>“Sho!” said Elam, with a laugh. “He -just makes me lay under the trees and tell -him stories.”</p> - -<p>“You are sure no harm comes to him?”</p> - -<p>“Harm? What is going to harm him out -here?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know and his father doesn’t know; -but if you are wise you will keep your eyes -open.”</p> - -<p>“Harm!” repeated Elam. “Well; I should -like to see somebody harm him. He’s got a -good heart, that boy has. Be they going to -shoot him?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know what they are going to do, I -tell you. If his father ever tells me I will -tell you.”</p> - -<p>During all this time Mr. Davenport kept -Tom and me close to himself. It was a companionship<span class="pagenum">[32]</span> -that was entirely new to him in -that country, and he wanted to make the -most of it. Before I had been acquainted -with him twenty-four hours I could see that -he was different from most men who made -stock raising a business, that for years he -had been out there where he had nobody to -talk to, and I was sure he had some secret to -tell us. One day it all came out, as I knew it -would, if we let the matter alone and did not -trouble him with it. It was a hot day during -the first of August and we were sitting there -on the porch, trying to raise a little breeze by -fanning ourselves with our hats. It was after -dinner, and the Mexican cook had gone somewhere -to sleep and we were there alone.</p> - -<p>“I haven’t always been what you see me -now,” said Mr. Davenport, settling back in -his chair as if he had resolved upon his -course. “I have a secret which I want to tell -Bob, but I don’t know how to go about it. It -isn’t anything of which I am ashamed,—many -men have done the same before me,—but somehow -I have let it go so long that it has become -a task to me. I want to ask your advice<span class="pagenum">[33]</span> -about it. You are comparative strangers to -me, but somehow I have taken to you and -want to trust you. I haven’t had anyone -around me to whom I was willing to confide -it, and now I know that I am not long for this -world I want to see Bob have his rights.”</p> - -<p>With these words the invalid began his -story. It was short, but we could both see -how great an effort it cost him.</p> - -<p>Mr. Davenport was an old “forty-niner.” -He spent a few successful years in the gold -mines and then returned to the States, and -established himself as a wholesale merchant in -St. Louis, his native city, and soon became -known as one of its most enterprising business -men. The only relatives he had in the -world, except his son Bob,—who was not his -son in reality,—were an unmarried uncle, who -went to Texas and became a ranchman, and a -half brother, who was not a relative to be -proud of. Too lazy to work, this half brother, -whose name was Clifford Henderson, gained a -precarious living by his wits. He gambled -when he could raise a stake, and borrowed -of his brother when he couldn’t. He was<span class="pagenum">[34]</span> -more familiar with the police court than he -was with the interior of a church, and when -his generous brother’s patience was all exhausted -and he positively refused to pay -any more of his debts, he left that brother’s -presence with a threat of vengeance on his -lips.</p> - -<p>“I will get even with you for this,” said he. -“Bob is not your son, and I will see that you -don’t adopt him, either. Whenever I see a -notice of your death,—and you can’t live forever,—I -will hunt that boy up and make him -know what it is to be in want, as I am at this -moment.”</p> - -<p>The fact that Bob was not his son ought not -to have weighed so heavily with the invalid as -it did, but still he could not bear to enlighten -him. He was the son of a friend in the gold -mines, who, dying there, left Bob alone, and -Mr. Davenport took him up. He christened -him Davenport, and the boy always answered -to his name. There never had been any doubt -in his mind that Bob would some day come in -for all his money, until this Clifford Henderson -began his threatenings; and even after that<span class="pagenum">[35]</span> -Mr. Davenport did not wake up and attend to -things as he ought.</p> - -<p>In process of time Mr. Davenport’s unmarried -uncle died, and in his will he made him -executor and heir to all the property he had -accumulated in Texas. In the hope that a -change in the climate might prove beneficial -to his health, as well as to leave that miserable -Clifford Henderson and all his threatenings -behind, Mr. Davenport moved to Texas -and took possession of his legacy, bringing -Bob with him. In fact, the two did not act -like father and son, but like two brothers who -could not bear to be separated. All they -found when they reached Texas was a rather -dilapidated old house, which was very plainly -furnished, and presided over by a half-breed -Mexican cook, who was so cross and surly that -one could hardly get a civil word out of him. -The rest of the help—there were four of them -in all—were cowboys. They spent the most -of their lives on the open prairie, looking out -for the safety of Mr. Davenport’s cattle.</p> - -<p>“I have got everything——”</p> - -<p>Mr. Davenport suddenly paused and put<span class="pagenum">[36]</span> -back into his coat the large pocket book -which he had been in the act of showing to -us. Then he got upon his feet and carefully -closed the door leading into the cabin, and -walked cautiously to one end of the porch -and looked around the house, then to the -other end, but came back without seeing -anybody.</p> - -<p>“One has to be careful,” said he, in explanation. -“I am as afraid of my help as of -anything else.”</p> - -<p>“Of your help!” I exclaimed. “If there -is anybody here that you are afraid of, why -don’t you discharge him?”</p> - -<p>“Because I want to see what he is here -for,” said the invalid. “He works for nothing -at all, but yet he always seems to -have plenty of money. You know ’Rastus -Johnson?”</p> - -<p>Yes, we did know him, and he was one of -the few people about the ranch to whom I had -taken a violent dislike. He was just the man -to excite the contempt of a Texan, because he -couldn’t ride; but when he came to Mr. -Davenport’s ranch six months ago, and told a<span class="pagenum">[37]</span> -pitiful story about the luck that had befallen -him in the mines, he was given odd jobs to do -about the ranch for his board. There were -two things that struck Mr. Davenport as -peculiar, or we might say three, and tempted -by something, he knew not what, he kept the -man around the house as much as possible -and watched his movements. One was the -care he took of his six-shooters. He had a -splendid pair, and when engaged in no other -occupation, he was always rubbing them up -until they shone like silver. The other was -his story about the mines. He did not know -that Mr. Davenport was an old forty-niner, -and he thought he could say what he pleased -to him and he would believe it. The nearest -mines that Mr. Davenport knew anything -of were those located about Denver, the -very place we had come from; and the idea -that anyone could walk a thousand miles, -right through a country settled up by cattlemen -and farmers, and be as poor as he was -when he struck Mr. Davenport’s ranch, was -ridiculous. But Mr. Davenport kept this to -himself. He had Clifford Henderson in mind,<span class="pagenum">[38]</span> -and he resolved if ’Rastus attempted anything -out of the way he would expose him on -the spot.</p> - -<p>As ’Rastus grew more and more at home -about the ranch, other qualities developed -themselves. He took to “snooping” around -the house to see what he could find there, and -once, when Mr. Davenport entered the ranch -suddenly, he was certain that he saw ’Rastus -engaged in trying to pick the lock of his -desk; but ’Rastus began tumbling up his -bed, and turned upon his employer with such -a hearty good-morning that the invalid was -inclined to believe he was mistaken.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” said I, in response to Mr. Davenport’s -question; “I believe we know something -about ’Rastus. Some of the cowboys -have told us a good deal about him. Is he -the one you are afraid of?”</p> - -<p>“I’ve got the whole thing right here,” said -Mr. Davenport, seating himself in his chair -and drawing a big fat pocket-book from his -inside pocket. “It contains my will, and also -instructions in regard to what I want Bob to -do with the rest of our herd in case any<span class="pagenum">[39]</span> -escape the effects of the drought. It also contains -a full history of the manner in which he -came to me, and hints regarding those threats -of Henderson—whom I sincerely trust he may -never see again. In short, nothing that I -could think of has been omitted.”</p> - -<p>“You don’t think that Henderson would -follow you down here, do you?” said Tom.</p> - -<p>“My dear boy, you don’t know anything -about that man if you think he wouldn’t -follow me to Europe,” said Mr. Davenport -sadly. “If he is alive, Bob will hear from -him; and that he is still alive I am forced to -believe from the actions of this man Johnson. -I don’t expect to come back here, and I want -you two boys to swear to what I have told -you. You will, won’t you?”</p> - -<p>Of course Tom and I agreed to it, and then -we wondered what sort of a man Clifford Henderson -could be to scare his half brother so -badly as that.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER III.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">’RASTUS JOHNSON.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">Having no wish to pry into Mr. Davenport’s -affairs any further than he was -willing to reveal them to us, we did not question -the invalid, although there were some -points in his story that I should have liked to -have cleared up. He seemed to know that ’Rastus -Johnson was employed by Clifford Henderson, -and I wanted to know what reason he -had for thinking so; but he was sadly used -up by his talking, and settled back in his -chair in a state of complete exhaustion. It -was this state that troubled me. I began to -think that when his time came to go he would -go suddenly.</p> - -<p>Presently Bob came up accompanied by -Elam. I strolled off to find ’Rastus Johnson. -You see I was as much interested in that -pocket-book Mr. Davenport carried in his -coat as I was in anything else. ’Rastus Johnson<span class="pagenum">[41]</span> -must have known that he carried it there, -and if anything should happen while the -invalid was alone the pocket-book would be -found missing; and without a will where -would Bob be? Henderson could claim his -property as next of kin, and Bob would be left -out in the cold. I knew that Tom understood -all this as well as I did. At any rate I would -speak to him about it the very first chance -I had, and arrange it with him so as to -keep Mr. Davenport under guard the whole -time.</p> - -<p>It did not take me long to find ’Rastus -Johnson. The ranch stood on the edge of a -little grove, and there, under one of the trees, -I found the man of whom I was in search. -His hat was pulled over his eyes, as if he -were fast asleep, and the belt containing his -revolvers lay near him on the ground. Evidently -they had just received an extra rubbing. -He started up as he heard my footsteps -and pulled the hat off his face.</p> - -<p>“Oh, it’s you, is it?” said he, with a long-drawn -yawn. “How-dy. What does the old -man have to say to you? He says more to<span class="pagenum">[42]</span> -you than he has to me, and I’ve been on this -ranch for three months.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, he has had a good deal to say to Tom -and me. He has been telling us about the -threats of Clifford Henderson. Seen anything -of him lately?” I asked, as if I didn’t care -whether or not he answered my question.</p> - -<p>I asked this abruptly, as I meant to do, and -the answer I got set all my doubts at rest. -The man was in the employ of Henderson—that -was a fact; and while he used his own -time in getting his wits about him, I busied -myself in giving him a good looking over. -He was a giant in strength and stature, long -haired and full bearded, and when he sat up -and looked at me, I knew I was looking into -the eyes of a desperado of the worst sort. -His clothes were not in keeping with the story -of poverty he had told when he first came -to Mr. Davenport’s ranch. They were whole -and clean, and his high-top boots looked as -though they had just come from the hands of -the maker. There was something about the -man that made me think he was wanted somewhere -else—that there was a rope in keeping<span class="pagenum">[43]</span> -for him, if the parties who held it only knew -where to find him. He looked at me for fully -a minute without speaking, then rested his -elbows on his knees and looked down at the -ground.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know the man,” said he, and he -spoke so that anybody could have told that -he was angry.</p> - -<p>“There is no need of getting huffy about -it,” said I carelessly. “Where is he now?”</p> - -<p>“I tell you I am not acquainted with the -man,” said he. “Henderson! I never heard -the name before.”</p> - -<p>“No offence, I hope; but I thought from -the way you acted that you were in his -employ. Be honest now, and tell me when -you have seen him lately.”</p> - -<p>“How have I acted?” enquired the man.</p> - -<p>“Oh, snooping around the ranch and trying -to find out things that are not intended for -you to know,” I answered carelessly. “You -know you have been doing that ever since you -have been here, and Mr. Davenport is sorry -that he ever consented to let you remain.”</p> - -<p>“Did he tell you what I have done?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[44]</span></p> - -<p>“There is but one thing he could put his -finger upon, and that was when you tried to -pick the lock of his desk.”</p> - -<p>“I never——” began Johnson.</p> - -<p>“If you had got into it you wouldn’t have -made anything by it. The man’s papers are -safe.”</p> - -<p>“I know he carries them on his person, and -he’s got a little revolver handy, bless the -luck. There now, I have let the cat out of the -bag! There’s no one around who can hear -what we say, is there? Sit down.”</p> - -<p>I tell you things were going a great deal -further than I meant to have them. I had -come out there on purpose to induce Johnson -to drop a hint whether or not he was in Clifford -Henderson’s employ, but I had succeeded -almost too well. It looked as though the man -was going to take me into his confidence. It -was a dangerous piece of business, too, for I -knew if I did anything out of the way, I -would be the mark for the bullets in one of -Johnson’s shining revolvers.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see why I should sit down,” I -replied.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[45]</span></p> - -<p>“Sit down a minute; I want to talk to you. -You have had bad luck with your cattle,” -said the man, as I picked out a comfortable -place to seat myself. “You once possessed a -large drove, but they were taken away from -you at one pop.”</p> - -<p>“That’s so,” I said. “If I could find the -men who did it, I wouldn’t ask the law to -take any stock in them. I would take it into -my own hands.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know anything about -that,” said the man. “I wasn’t there, -although, to tell you the truth, I have been in -at the bouncing of more than one herd of -cattle that was all ready to drive to market.”</p> - -<p>“What got you in this business, anyway?” -I asked suddenly.</p> - -<p>“What business?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, you know as well as I do. A man of -your education can make a living a great deal -easier than you do.”</p> - -<p>“Look a-here, young fellow, I did not -agree to make a confidant of you in everything. -Perhaps I will do that after a while. -What I want to get at now is this: Are you<span class="pagenum">[46]</span> -willing to work with me to have this property -go where it belongs?”</p> - -<p>“Where does it belong?”</p> - -<p>“You mentioned the name of the man not -two minutes ago—Clifford Henderson.”</p> - -<p>“Aha! You do know that man, don’t -you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes; and now you know my secret, for I -have got a secret as well as the old man,” said -Johnson; and as he spoke he reached out and -pulled his six shooters within easy handling -distance, turning the butt of one up, so that -he could catch it at a moment’s warning.</p> - -<p>Now, I suppose some of my readers will -think I was in no danger about that time, but -I knew I was. My life hung upon the words I -uttered during the next few minutes. If I had -refused I would never have known what hurt -me. Johnson would have shot me down and -then reported to Mr. Davenport that I had insulted -him; and as there was no one present -to overhear our conversation, that would have -been the last of it. Law was not as potent -then as it is in Texas in our day, and Johnson’s -unsupported word would have been<span class="pagenum">[47]</span> -taken, there being no evidence to the contrary. -I tell you I was in something of a fix.</p> - -<p>“How does it come that Henderson has so -much interest in this property?” I enquired.</p> - -<p>“Why, Bob is no relative of Davenport’s at -all. He picked him up in the gold mines,—where -his father died and left him,—named -him Davenport, and the boy has been brought -up to believe that he has an interest in all his -stocks and bonds. I wish I had known a little -more about that when I came here. I told the -old man some funny stories about my being in -the gold mines,” he added, with a laugh.</p> - -<p>“And Henderson doesn’t want him to have -it. It seems to me that it would be the part -of policy for Henderson to come here and live -with Mr. Davenport.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, that wouldn’t do at all!” exclaimed -the man hastily. “He used to live with him -in St. Louis, but they had an awful row when -they separated, and he is afraid the old man -will go to work to adopt the boy. I tell you -he don’t want him to do that!”</p> - -<p>“It seems very strange that Mr. Davenport -hasn’t adopted him before this time.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[48]</span></p> - -<p>“I lay it to his illness as much as anything. -Like all persons who are troubled with an -incurable disease, he thinks something will -happen to take him off the minute he adopts -Bob, and I tell you it’s a lucky thing for us. -Well, what do you say?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t propose to go into this thing until -I know how much there is to be made out of -it,” I answered, as if I had half a mind to go -into it. “How much are you going to get?”</p> - -<p>“I am not going to take my pay in half-starved -cattle, I tell you,” said Johnson -emphatically. “The old man has a few thousand -dollars in bonds in some bank or another,—I -don’t know which one it is,—and -when I get that pocket-book in my hands I -shall get some of those bonds. I won’t let it -go without it. He ought to give you as much -as he gives me.”</p> - -<p>“How much are you going to get?” I said -again.</p> - -<p>“Twenty thousand dollars; and what I -want more than anything else is that pocket-book. -He has got his will in there, and I must -have that before anything is done. Now, if<span class="pagenum">[49]</span> -you can steal that pocket-book and give it to -me, I’ll see that you are well paid for your -trouble. If Henderson gives you five thousand -dollars it would go a long way toward -straightening up your cattle business.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I want some time to think about it. -It is a pretty dangerous piece of work.”</p> - -<p>“Take your own time. We shall not go off -until next week. You won’t say anything to -Bob or the old man about it?”</p> - -<p>“Never a word,” I replied, hoping that he -wouldn’t ask me to keep still where Tom and -Elam were concerned. I couldn’t possibly get -along without taking them into my confidence, -for although it was new business to -them, I felt the want of a little good advice.</p> - -<p>“Because if you do—if I see you riding off -alone with either one of those fellows I shall -know what you are up to, and then good-by -to all your chance of getting any money.”</p> - -<p>“You need have no fear,” said I, getting -upon my feet. “I shall not say a word to -either one of them.”</p> - -<p>I walked slowly toward the ranch, feeling -as if I had signed my own death warrant.<span class="pagenum">[50]</span> -There was no bluster about Johnson, he -wasn’t that sort; but I knew that I not only -would lose all chances of getting any money -by going off riding with Mr. Davenport or -Bob, but I would lose my chance of life. I -would be shot down at once the first time I was -caught alone, and, with all my practice at -revolver drawing,—that is, pulling it at a -moment’s warning,—I would not stand any -show at all. These Texans are a little bit -quicker than cats when it comes to drawing -anything.</p> - -<p>“Of all the impudence and scandalous -things that I ever heard of, that ’Rastus -Johnson is the beat,” I soliloquized as I -walked toward the house, wondering what I -should do when I got there. “A man comes -out to steal a will from another man and -pitches upon me, an entire stranger, because I -have had ill luck with my cattle. Of course I -have no intention of doing anything of the -kind, but if something should happen to -get this fellow into serious trouble—— By -gracious! if this man was lynched he could -take me with him.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[51]</span></p> - -<p>When I reached the ranch and mounted the -steps that led to the porch I found Tom and -Elam sitting there alone. Mr. Davenport had -talked himself into a state of complete exhaustion -and had gone in to take a nap, taking -Bob with him as guard. In order to -secure the quietness he wanted they had -closed the door after them. I felt that now -was my only chance. I saw by the look of -surprise on Elam’s face that Tom had been -hurriedly whispering to him what Mr. Davenport -had told us.</p> - -<p>“Where have you been?” enquired Tom. -“We have been waiting half an hour for you.”</p> - -<p>“Is it a fact that this Johnson has been -working for Clifford Henderson?” exclaimed -Elam. “If I was in Davenport’s place I -would drive him off the ranch.”</p> - -<p>“Sh—! Don’t talk so loud,” I admonished -him. “I’ve been gone half an hour, and during -that time I have heard some things that -will astonish you. I have learned that Johnson -is in Henderson’s employ, and that he -wants me to act as his accomplice.”</p> - -<p>I uttered these words in a whisper, thinking<span class="pagenum">[52]</span> -of the listening ones there might be on the -other side of that door, and when I got -through I tiptoed first to one end of the porch -and then to the other to keep a lookout for -Johnson. I was afraid of the “snooping” -qualities that the fellow had developed, and if -he had suddenly come around the corner of the -house and caught me in the act of whispering -to my friends I would not have been at all -surprised at it. Tom and Elam were both -amazed at what I had told them, and looked -at one another with a blank expression on -their faces.</p> - -<p>“Tom, he wants me to steal that pocket-book -Mr. Davenport showed us to-day,” I continued. -“He says the will is in there and he -can’t do anything without it. He says the -property rightfully belongs to Henderson.”</p> - -<p>“If I were in your place I would go right -straight to Mr. Davenport with it,” said Tom, -speaking in a whisper this time.</p> - -<p>“And be shot for your trouble,” chimed in -Elam, waking up to the emergencies of the -case.</p> - -<p>“That’s the idea, exactly,” I went on.<span class="pagenum">[53]</span> -“He would shoot me down as soon as he -would look at me, and then report to Mr. -Davenport that I had insulted him; then -what could anybody do about it? You fellows -would have to shoot him, and that would -end the matter. I promised I wouldn’t say -anything to Bob or his father about it, but I -had a mental reservation in my mind when it -came to you. Now I want to know what I -shall do about it.”</p> - -<p>“Tell us the whole thing, and then perhaps -we can pass judgment upon it,” whispered -Tom. “I don’t know that I understand -you.”</p> - -<p>With that I began, and gave the boys a full -history of my short interview with Johnson. -It didn’t take long, for I did not hold a very -long conversation with ’Rastus; and when I -came to tell how readily he had included me -in his plans I saw Elam wink and nod his head -in a very peculiar manner. Then I knew that -I had hit the nail squarely on the head when -I made up my mind what ’Rastus would do to -me if things didn’t work as he thought they -ought to. I tiptoed to the end of the porch<span class="pagenum">[54]</span> -to see if I could discover any signs of him, -and then I came back.</p> - -<p>“You see he knows that I have had bad -luck with my cattle, and he takes it for -granted that I am down on everybody who -has been fortunate with theirs,” I said, in -conclusion. “He thinks I want to steal -enough to make up for my lost herd.”</p> - -<p>“The idea is ridiculous,” said Tom. “How -in the world does he suppose Mr. Davenport -had anything to do with your loss?”</p> - -<p>“That aint neither here nor there,” said -Elam. “That feller has stolen more than -one herd of cattle, an’ I’ll bet on it. I -shouldn’t wonder if he was one of them desperate -fellows—what do you call them——”</p> - -<p>“Desperadoes,” suggested Tom.</p> - -<p>“I know he is,” said I. “And he is a man -of education. He doesn’t talk as the Texans -do at all, and I told him that a person of his -learning could make a living easier than -he did.”</p> - -<p>“What did he say to that?”</p> - -<p>“He said he didn’t agree to make a confidant -of me in everything. He might do it<span class="pagenum">[55]</span> -after a while. He acknowledged that he had -been in at the stealing of more than one herd -that was all ready to be driven to market. -Now, fellows, what shall I do about it?”</p> - -<p>This was too much for Tom, who settled -back in his chair and looked at Elam. Our -backwoods friend arose to the emergency, and -I considered his advice as good as any that -could be given.</p> - -<p>“You can’t do nothing about it,” he said, -after rubbing his chin thoughtfully for a few -minutes. “Let him go his way, an’ you go -yours.”</p> - -<p>“Yes; and then see what will happen to -me if I don’t do as he says. Suppose he -thinks I have had time to steal that pocket-book? -If I don’t give it over to him, then -what?”</p> - -<p>“Tell him that Mr. Davenport keeps a -guard over it all the while,” said Elam, -“an’ that you can get no chance. Heavings -an’ ’arth! I only wish I was in your -boots.”</p> - -<p>“I wish to goodness you were,” said I. -“What would you do?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[56]</span></p> - -<p>“I’d let him go his way, an’ I’d go mine. -That’s all I should do.”</p> - -<p>“I guess that’s the best I could do under -the circumstances,” said I, after thinking the -matter over. “By the way, I think it is -about time you two went out on your ride. -I am of the opinion that it will be safer so. -Leave me here alone, so that when Johnson -comes up—— I do not believe his name is -Johnson; do you?”</p> - -<p>“’Tain’t nary one of his names, that name -aint,” said Elam emphatically. “His name -is Coyote Bill.”</p> - -<p>“How do you know?” Tom and I managed -to ask in concert.</p> - -<p>“I aint never seen the man; I aint done -nothing but hear about him since I have been -here, but I know he is Coyote Bill,” replied -Elam doggedly. “At any rate that’s the way -I should act if I was him.”</p> - -<p>Coyote Bill was emphatically a name for -us to be afraid of. We had done little else -than listen to the stories of his exploits since -we had been in Texas. He didn’t do anything -very bad, but he would steal a herd of<span class="pagenum">[57]</span> -cattle,—it didn’t make much difference how -many men there were to guard them,—run -them off to a little oasis there was in the -Staked Plains, and slaughter them for their -hides and tallow; and when the story of the -theft had been forgotten, two of his men -would carry the proceeds of their hunt to -some place and sell them. He never killed -men unless they resisted, and then he shot -them down without ceremony. Many a time -have we sat on the porch after dark when the -cowboys were there, listening to the stories -about him, and if this man was Coyote Bill he -must have been highly amused at some things -that were said about him. We were both -inclined to doubt the story of his identity. -No one had ever seen Coyote Bill, and how -could Elam tell what he looked like?</p> - -<p>“Elam, you are certainly mistaken,” said -I; and the more I thought of his story the -less credit I put in it. “If you had seen -Coyote Bill I should be tempted to believe -you; but you know you have never met -him.”</p> - -<p>“And then just think what he has done?”<span class="pagenum">[58]</span> -added Tom. “He comes up here and agrees -with Carlos, a man whom he had never seen -before, to go in cahoots with him. The idea -is ridiculous. And how did Clifford Henderson -fall in with him?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know anything about that,” returned -Elam, as if his mind was fully made -up. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do: I’ll bet that -Carlos dassent call him Coyote Bill to his -face!”</p> - -<p>“You may safely bet that, for I aint going -to do it,” said I, looking around the corner -of the house. “Here he comes, boys. You -had better get on your horses and make tracks -away from here.”</p> - -<p>The boys lost no time in getting off the -porch and to their horses, which they had left -standing close by with their bridles down, so -that they would not stray away. They swung -themselves into their saddles with all haste, -and I sat down to await the coming of Coyote -Bill, if that was his real name, and to think -over what I had heard.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER IV.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">ELAM’S POOR MARKSMANSHIP.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“Coyote Bill!” I kept repeating to -myself. That name had probably been -given to him by the Texans on account of his -being so sneaking and sly—so sly that none of -the men he had robbed had ever been able to -see him. What his other name was I didn’t -know. While I was turning the matter over -in my mind Bill came around the corner. I -confess he did not look like so dangerous a -fellow, and if I had met him on the prairie -and been in want, I should have gone to him -without any expectation of being refused. -He looked surprised to see me sitting there -alone.</p> - -<p>“Where are they?” he asked, in a whisper.</p> - -<p>“Whom do you mean?” I enquired, being -determined, if I could, to answer no questions -except those he had on his mind. How did I -know whom he referred to when he spoke of<span class="pagenum">[60]</span> -“they,” and wanted to know where they -were?</p> - -<p>“I mean the old man and Bob, and all the -rest of them,” he added. “I thought they -were here with you.”</p> - -<p>“Tom and Elam have gone off riding,—there -they go,—and Mr. Davenport and Bob -have gone into the ranch to have a nap. I -can’t steal the pocket-book now, even if I -wanted to, for Bob is keeping guard over it. -It is true he don’t know what there is in it, but -he is keeping watch of his father all the same.”</p> - -<p>“Look here, Carlos,” said Bill, coming up -close to the porch, “do you ever have charge -of the old man in that way?”</p> - -<p>“In what way?”</p> - -<p>“Well, I haven’t been able to do any business -in almost a year, and I am getting -heartily tired of it.”</p> - -<p>“What business do you mean?”</p> - -<p>“Aw! Go on, now. You know what I -mean. I can’t steal cattle that are half -starved, for I wouldn’t make anything out of -them if I did. I am getting impatient, and -my boss is getting impatient, too.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[61]</span></p> - -<p>“Well?” said I, when he paused.</p> - -<p>“I want you to see if you can’t secure -possession of that pocket-book by to-morrow -night,” said Bill, in a quiet way that had a -volume of meaning in it. “You see, it isn’t -the will that Henderson cares for. The cattle -are pretty well gone up, and there won’t be -a third of them left when we get to Trinity. -What he cares most about is the bonds. If he -can get them in his hands he will be all right.”</p> - -<p>“Why, Coyote Bill——” I began.</p> - -<p>I stopped suddenly, with a long-drawn gasp, -for I had done the very thing I was willing to -bet Elam I would not do. Bill started and -looked at me closely, and one hand moved to -the butt of his revolver. My heart was in my -mouth. Coyote Bill’s face was a study, and I -was sure my slip of the tongue had hit him in -a vital spot. Understand me, I didn’t speak -his name knowing what I was doing, but -because I couldn’t help myself. The idea -that I was to steal that pocket-book at twenty-four -hours’ notice was more than I could -stand, and I blurted out the first words that -came into my mind. I never had had much<span class="pagenum">[62]</span> -practice in studying out the different emotions -that flit across a person’s mind, but I -was sure that in Coyote Bill’s expression both -rage and mirth struggled for the mastery—rage, -that I had suddenly found out his name -since I had left him; and mirth, because I, an -unarmed boy, should stand there and call him -something which he didn’t like too well anyway. -So I resolved to put a bold face on the -matter.</p> - -<p>“See here, Bill——” was the way I began -the conversation.</p> - -<p>“Who told you that was my name?” he -asked.</p> - -<p>“Why, Bill, I have done nothing but hear -about you and your doings since I have been -here,” I answered. “You certainly do not -pretend to say you are not what I represented -you to be?”</p> - -<p>“Well, that’s neither here nor there,” said -he, taking his hand away from his pistol. -“You are a brave lad; I will say that much -for you, and you ought to be one of us. -What’s the reason you can’t steal the pocket-book -by to-morrow night?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[63]</span></p> - -<p>I drew a long breath of relief. The worst of -the danger was passed, but the recollection of -what might be done to me after a while made -me shudder. I had half a mind to slip away -that very night, but I knew that Elam would -scorn such a proposition. He meant to stay -and see the thing out. I tell you I wished he -stood in my boots, more than once.</p> - -<p>“Because Bob is keeping guard over it,” I -said. “He don’t know what there is in it, I -tell you; but he has been made to understand -that there is something in it that concerns -himself, and so he is keeping an eye on it.”</p> - -<p>“Does he know that he is in danger of -losing it?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, he does; but he don’t know where -the trouble is coming from.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you have got hold of my name, and -I wish you hadn’t done it,” said Bill, looking -down at the ground and kicking a chip away -with his foot. “Be careful that you don’t -use it where anybody else can hear it. Perhaps -I can find some other way to get it. Do -you sleep very sound?”</p> - -<p>I don’t know what reply I made to this question,<span class="pagenum">[64]</span> -for it showed me that Bill was about to -attempt something after we had retired to -rest. I made up my mind that he would try -it too, but whether or not he would succeed -in getting by Elam was a different story -altogether. I made it up on the spur of the -moment to take Elam into my confidence. -He was a fellow who could remain awake for -three or four nights, and in the morning he -would be as fresh and rosy as though he had -enjoyed a good night’s sleep.</p> - -<p>“You want to sleep pretty soundly to-night, -whatever you may do on other occasions,” -said Bill, in a very decided manner. -“I shan’t be here in the morning.”</p> - -<p>He went off, whistling softly to himself, and -I went back to my chair and sat down. They -told us, when we first talked of going to -Texas, that we would find things very different -there, and indeed I had found them so. In -Denver, if a man had betrayed himself in the -same careless manner that Coyote Bill had -done, he would have been shot on sight; but -here were three boys who knew what Bill had -done, some of whom had the reputation of<span class="pagenum">[65]</span> -being quick to shoot, and they were afraid to -do a thing. It was the man’s fame as a quick -shot that stood him well in hand. When I -came to think of it, I was disgusted with -myself and everybody else. If anyone had -told me that I would turn out to be such a coward -I would have been very indignant at him.</p> - -<p>The hot day wore away, and presently I saw -Tom and Elam coming back. They could not -stay away when they knew that something -was going on behind their backs. Mr. Davenport -and Bob came out; the cook began to -bestir himself, the dishes rattled in the -kitchen, and in a little while they told us that -supper was ready. Of course we had to be -as neat here as we had anywhere else, and -Elam and I found ourselves at the wash-basin. -There was no one in sight.</p> - -<p>“Elam,” said I, in an excited whisper, -“whatever you do, you mustn’t go to sleep -to-night!”</p> - -<p>“Sho!” answered Elam. “What’s going -on to-night?”</p> - -<p>“Coyote Bill has made up his mind to steal -that pocket-book. He says that the bonds<span class="pagenum">[66]</span> -are all he wants out of it. He means some -mining stocks, I suppose.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” exclaimed Elam, burying his face -in the towel, “how is he goin’ to work to -get it?”</p> - -<p>“He intends to come in after we are all -asleep and feel under the pillows for it. He -asked me if I slept rather soundly at night, -and I don’t know what answer I made him; -but I thought of you and concluded you -could keep awake. I have found out, too, -that his name is Coyote Bill, just as you said -it was.”</p> - -<p>“What did I tell you?” said Elam, delighted -to know that he had found out something -about the man. “I knowed that was -the way I would act if I was him. What did -he say when you told him?”</p> - -<p>“He told me I was a brave boy and ought -to be one of ‘us,’ as he explained it. Does -he mean that I ought to belong to his gang -and help him steal cattle?”</p> - -<p>“Sure! You couldn’t be one of him and -help do anything else, could you? How do -you reckon he is going to come in?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[67]</span></p> - -<p>“I don’t know. You will have to keep -wide awake and find out.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll bet you I don’t sleep a wink to-night. -If he thinks he can get away with that -pocket-book let him try it; that’s all.”</p> - -<p>“But I don’t see why he should pick me -out as a brave boy and want me to join his -gang.”</p> - -<p>“Well, Carlos, I will say this fur you,” -said Elam, putting the towel back on its nail -and rolling down his sleeves: “You have a -most innercent way of talkin’ when you get -into danger, an’ a man don’t think you know -that there is danger in it.”</p> - -<p>“Nonsense! I have been afraid that Bill -would shoot at any minute. I am really -afraid of him.”</p> - -<p>“Old Bill doesn’t know it, an’ that’s what -makes him so reckless. I will go further an’ -say you have a sassy way of talkin’. Now, -you finish washin’ an’ I’ll go in an’ set down. -Remember, I shan’t go to sleep at all -to-night.”</p> - -<p>I was perfectly satisfied with the assurance. -You see it would not do for me to lie awake<span class="pagenum">[68]</span> -and halt Bill when he came in for fear that he -would accuse me of treachery; but with Elam, -who wasn’t supposed to know anything about -the case, it would be different. I didn’t think -that Elam’s explanation amounted to anything -at all. In fact, I did not see how I -could have talked in any other way. If I had -become excited and reported the matter to -Mr. Davenport there would have been hot -work there in the cabin, for I didn’t suppose -that any of my companions would have let -Coyote Bill work his own sweet will on me. -Having finished washing I went into the cabin -and sat down. Bill was there, and he was devoting -himself to the eatables before him like -any other gentleman. I was astonished at -the man’s nerve.</p> - -<p>Supper over, we went out on the porch, -lighted our pipes, and devoted two hours to -talking. The most of the conversation referred -to the time when the cattle would be -along and we should get ready to march to -Trinity. Everybody suspected that there was -going to be a fight up there before our cattle -would be allowed water, and we were a little<span class="pagenum">[69]</span> -anxious as to how it would come out. We -expected to fight the sheriff and his posse and -all the Texas Rangers that could be summoned -against us; and we knew that these -men were just as determined as we were. -They were fighting for the crops upon which -they had expended so much labor, and it -wasn’t likely that they were men who would -give way on our demand.</p> - -<p>“Let them take a look at our cattle,” said -Bob. “That will stop them. The man has -yet to be born who can resist the sight of their -terrible sufferings.”</p> - -<p>“Those men up there would look on without -any twinges of conscience if they saw the -last one of our herds drop and die before their -eyes,” returned his father. “Here’s where -we expect to catch them on the fly: We shall -be a mile or so behind our cattle, which will -be spread out over an immense amount of -prairie, and when those cattle get a sniff of -the fresh water, fences won’t stop them. It is -the momentum of our cattle that will take -them ahead.”</p> - -<p>I certainly hoped that such would be the<span class="pagenum">[70]</span> -case, for I knew there would be some men -stationed along the banks of that stream who -were pretty sure shots with the rifle. I didn’t -care to make myself a target for one of them.</p> - -<p>The conversation began to lag after a while, -and finally one of the cowboys remarked that -sleep had pretty near corralled him and he -reckoned he would go in and go to bed; and -so they all dropped off, Elam giving my arm a -severe pinch as he went by. There was one -thing about this arrangement that I did not -like. Bill always made his bunk under the -trees in the yard. He preferred to have it so. -He had been accustomed to sleeping out of -doors in the mines, and he was always made -uneasy when he awoke and found himself in -the house, for fear that he would suffocate. -When it rained he would gladly come into the -ranch and stay there for a week, if it stormed -so long. He gathered up the blankets and -the saddle which Mr. Davenport had loaned -him for a bed, bade us all a cheerful good-night, -and went out to his bunk. There were -three of us who knew better than that. His -object in sleeping out of doors was, in case<span class="pagenum">[71]</span> -some of the men he had robbed found out -where he hung out, that he might have a -much better chance for escape.</p> - -<p>“He’s a cool one,” I thought, as I went in, -pulled off my outer clothes, and laid down -on my bunk. “I’ll see how he will feel in -the morning.”</p> - -<p>I composed myself to sleep as I always did, -and lay with my eyes fastened on the door; -for I knew that there was where that rascal -Bill would come in. Both the doors were -open, and Elam wouldn’t have the creaking -of hinges to arouse him. I laid there until -nearly midnight, and had not the least desire -to sleep, and all the while I was treated to a -concert that anyone who has slumbered in -a room with half a dozen men can readily -imagine. Such a chorus of snores I never -heard before, and what surprised me more -than anything else was, the loudest of them -seemed to come from Elam’s bunk. Was my -friend fairly asleep? I sometimes thought he -was, and was on the point of awakening him -when I heard a faint noise at the rear door—not -the front one, on which my gaze was fastened.<span class="pagenum">[72]</span> -My heart beat like a trip-hammer. -Slowly, and without the least noise, I turned -my head to look in that direction, but could -see nothing. All was still for a few seconds, -and then the sound was repeated. It was a -noise something like that made by dragging a -heavy body over the floor; then I looked -down and could distinctly see a human head. -Bill had not come in erect as I thought he -was going to, but had crawled in on his hands -and knees, intending, if he were heard, to -lie down and so escape detection. Slowly he -crawled along until he came abreast of Elam’s -bunk and not more than six feet from it, and -then there was a commotion in that bunk and -Elam’s voice called out:</p> - -<p>“Who’s that a-comin’ there? Speak -quick!”</p> - -<p>An instant later, and before Bill had time -to reply the crack of a revolver awoke the -echoes of the cabin, and a short but desperate -struggle took place in Elam’s direction. -Then the pistol cracked again, and in an -instant afterward the intruder was gone. It -was all done so quickly that, although I had<span class="pagenum">[73]</span> -my hand on my revolver under my pillow, I -did not have time to fire a shot.</p> - -<p>“Elam!” I cried; “what’s the matter?”</p> - -<p>“Well, sir, that’s the quickest man I ever -saw,” stammered Elam. “I had two pulls -at him, but he knocked my arm out of the -way and got safe off.”</p> - -<p>“Did you hit him?” I asked, knowing how -impossible it was for him to miss at that -distance.</p> - -<p>“No, I didn’t. He hasn’t had time to get -fur away, an’ I say let’s go after him. I wish -he would give me another chance at him -at that distance. I’d hit him sure.”</p> - -<p>By this time the whole cabin was in an -uproar. All started up with pistols in their -hands, and all demanded of Elam an explanation. -He gave it in a few words, adding:</p> - -<p>“I knew mighty well that the fellow didn’t -come in here fur no good. That’s the way I -should have done if I had been him. He’s out -there now, an’ I say let’s go after him.”</p> - -<p>“The villain was after my pocket-book,” -said Mr. Davenport, in evident excitement. -“He wouldn’t have got more than five or ten<span class="pagenum">[74]</span> -dollars, for that is all there is in it. Lem, I -want you and Frank to listen to me,” he -added, seizing the nearest cowboy by the arm. -“I have been keeping ’Rastus Johnson here -until I could find out——”</p> - -<p>“’Rastus Johnson! That aint ary one of -his names,” shouted Elam. “His name is -Coyote Bill!”</p> - -<p>That was all the cowboys wanted to hear. -In the meantime we had thrown off the blankets, -and jumping to our feet followed the -cowboys out of the ranch—all except Mr. -Davenport, who, knowing that the night air -wasn’t good for him, stayed behind to keep -guard over his pocket-book. I followed the -cowboys directly to the place of Bill’s bunk, -but when we got there it was empty. He and -his six-shooters were gone. I tell you I -breathed a good deal easier after that.</p> - -<p>“Coyote Bill!” said Frank, leaning one -hand against the tree under which the fugitive -had made his bunk. “I wondered what that -fellow’s object was in coming here and passing -himself off for ’Rastus Johnson, and now I -know. Cattle is getting so that it doesn’t<span class="pagenum">[75]</span> -pay to steal them, and he was here to get -the old man’s pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>“And how does it come that Elam knows so -much about him?” asked Lem. “You are -a stranger in these parts, Elam.”</p> - -<p>“I know I am; but that’s just the way I -should have acted if I was him,” returned -Elam, who began to see that he had made a -mistake in claiming to know the man. “I -said his name was Coyote Bill, an’ I struck -centre when I did it.”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Davenport gave us the secret history -of that pocket-book, and wanted Tom and me -to swear to what he told us,” I interposed, -fearing that things were going a trifle too far. -“That man tried to hire me to steal that -pocket-book to-night, and that was the way -Elam came to get a shot at him.”</p> - -<p>“I didn’t get nary a shot at him,” exclaimed -Elam. “I pulled onto him an’ he -struck up my arm.”</p> - -<p>“Let us go in and talk to Mr. Davenport -about it,” said I, seeing that all I said was -Greek to the cowboys. “He will tell you as -much of the story as I can.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[76]</span></p> - -<p>“Did you know anything about this, -Bob?” asked Frank.</p> - -<p>“Not a word. I am as surprised as you are -to hear it,” said Bob.</p> - -<p>“Coyote Bill!” said Lem, gazing into the -woods as if he had half a mind to go in pursuit -of the man. “What reason have you for -calling him that?”</p> - -<p>“Because that’s the way I should have -acted if I was him,” answered Elam.</p> - -<p>“It wouldn’t pay to go after him,” said -Frank. “He has laid down behind a tree and -can see everything we do. Let’s go in and -talk to the old man about it.”</p> - -<p>All this conversation was crowded into a -very short space of time. We hadn’t been -out there two minutes before we decided that -it would be a waste of time to pursue the outlaw, -and that we had better go in and see what -Mr. Davenport had to say about it, and I for -one was very glad to get away from his bunk. -Of course Bill was in ambush out there, and -how did I know but that he had a bead drawn -on me at that very moment? We followed -the cowboys into the house, and we found<span class="pagenum">[77]</span> -Mr. Davenport sitting up on the edge of his -bed.</p> - -<p>“You didn’t get him; I can see that very -plainly,” said he, as we entered. “I wish I -had never heard of him in the first place.”</p> - -<p>“You have given us a history of that -pocket-book, sir,” said I, beginning my business -at once, “and I beg that you will repeat -it for the benefit of the cowboys. Frank and -Lem haven’t said much, but I believe from -their silence that they would like to know -something about it.”</p> - -<p>“Elam, how did you find out that his name -was Coyote Bill?” enquired Mr. Davenport. -“That name has been bothering me more than -a little since you went out.”</p> - -<p>“Perhaps you will allow me to explain -that,” said I. “When I told Elam the history -of that pocket-book, which I did as soon -as you and Bob had gone into the ranch to -have a nap, he jumped at the conclusion. He -said there wasn’t another man in this part of -the country who would have the cheek to act -that way.”</p> - -<p>“Have I got to go all over that thing<span class="pagenum">[78]</span> -again?” groaned Mr. Davenport. “Bob, my -first word is to you. I shall have that off my -mind, anyway. You are not my son.”</p> - -<p>It was dark in the cabin, but I could tell by -the tones of his voice how great an effort it -was for him to say it. Then he went on and -told the story very much as he had told it to -me, and when he got through I did not hear -anything but the muttered swear words which -the cowboys exchanged with each other. It -was their way of expressing utter astonishment.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER V.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">THE WEST FORK OF TRINITY.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">While Mr. Davenport was speaking I -noticed that Bob got up and settled -down close by his father as he sat on the -bunk, and placed his left arm around his -neck. He meant to assure him that any -revelations he would make would cause no -difference with him. The man was his father, -the only father he had ever known, and as -such he intended to acknowledge him. I -could see that Mr. Davenport was greatly -encouraged by this.</p> - -<p>“There is only one thing that I blame you -for,” said Lem. “You ought to have taken -Frank and me into your confidence at once.”</p> - -<p>“I tell you we would have made short work -with him,” added Frank. “The idea that -this Coyote Bill could come around here and -bum around as he has! It’s scandalous!”</p> - -<p>“I didn’t know that his name was Coyote<span class="pagenum">[80]</span> -Bill until Elam spoke it out,” returned Mr. -Davenport. “Where he got it, I don’t know.”</p> - -<p>“Then, Elam, we’ll have to take you to task -for that.”</p> - -<p>“I didn’t know it until just as we were -washing for supper,” explained Elam, “an’ -then Carlos told me.”</p> - -<p>“What have you to say to that, Carlos?”</p> - -<p>“I didn’t know it myself until Bill proposed -that I should steal that pocket-book -before to-morrow night,” said I; and somehow -I couldn’t help feeling uneasy by the -determined way the two cowboys plied their -questions. “He surprised me so suddenly -that I spoke the first words that came into my -mind. I knew then that he was going to -make an attempt to steal it after we had -gone to bed, and so I told Elam that he -would have to keep awake and stop it. That -was the reason that Elam got those two -shots at him.”</p> - -<p>“Well, it is a mighty funny thing how -a man of that reputation could come here -and pass himself off for an honest miner!” -said Lem.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[81]</span></p> - -<p>“If you had the cheek that man’s got you -could do anything,” I continued. “He said -I ought to be one of them. If he means by -that, that I ought to join one of his bands -and make my living by stealing cattle, he’s -a long ways out of his reach.”</p> - -<p>“You will find the boys all right, because I -have confided in them,” said Mr. Davenport. -“And now I have confided in you. Don’t tell -what I have told you, please, and as soon as I -get to Trinity I will ride down to Austin and -have this affair settled up. I did not suppose -that man would trouble me away out here in -Texas.”</p> - -<p>“Father,” said Bob, who had listened in -speechless wonderment to all the trouble he -had caused, “you ought to have left me in -the mines. You have had lots of bother -on account of me.”</p> - -<p>“My dear boy, you have not been the least -particle of bother,” said Mr. Davenport -hastily. “Now you know why it was that -I didn’t want you to go fishing or hunting -without me. I was afraid Henderson might -do you some damage.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[82]</span></p> - -<p>“Did he want to kill me?”</p> - -<p>“No, indeed! I was afraid he might abduct -you. You haven’t seen him since you were -seven years old, and if he could have abducted -you then, and got you away where -you could have signed the papers——”</p> - -<p>“Why, father, my signature as a minor -wouldn’t have amounted to anything!” -said Bob.</p> - -<p>“No; but he could have kept you until -you were twenty-one, and then your signature -would have amounted to something, I -guess. But I will talk to you more about -this in the morning. I have talked so much -that I am fagged out. You are sure you -don’t think any the less of me for what I -have done?”</p> - -<p>“Indeed, I do not!” said Bob, gently assisting -the invalid back upon his bed. “If all -the money you have should go to Henderson, -I should always think of you as I do now.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I should think a great deal less of -myself,” replied Mr. Davenport emphatically. -“Bob, you will get it all. I could not rest -easy in my grave if I knew you were to be<span class="pagenum">[83]</span> -cheated out of it. You five boys will bear -testimony to what I say? Thank you! Now, -Bob, cover me up from the night air. Good-night!”</p> - -<p>Mr. Davenport sank back on his pillows -and soon breathed the sleep of exhaustion, -while the rest of us, who couldn’t bear to -think of lying down, went out upon the porch. -Of course I was glad to see that the cowboys -had got over their suspicions of Elam and -me, and one would have thought from some -expressions they used that such a thing had -never been heard of, even in Texas. We -lighted our pipes and sat down to smoke on -it, hoping that the thing would come clearer -to us under the influence of the weed. The -only thing the cowboys blamed Mr. Davenport -for was that he did not expose -Coyote Bill when he found out what his intentions -were. And how had Bill happened -to get acquainted with Henderson? That -was one thing that they could not understand.</p> - -<p>“This thing isn’t settled yet, by a long -ways,” said Frank, who, having emptied one<span class="pagenum">[84]</span> -pipe, filled up for a fresh smoke. “Just the -minute anything happens to the old man, that -fellow Henderson will come on here and lay -claim to that pocket-book. But Bob will -already have it safe in his good clothes. I -want to see the man that says it is his.”</p> - -<p>“So do I,” said Lem. “He won’t say it a -second time, I bet you!”</p> - -<p>“Father spoke about his keeping me until -I was twenty-one, and then my signature -would amount to something,” said Bob, when -the conversation lagged a little. “What -would Henderson do? I guess I’d know -more then than I do now.”</p> - -<p>“That would make no difference,” said -Frank. “He could keep you on bread and -water until you would be glad to sign -anything.”</p> - -<p>“Would he shut me up?” exclaimed Bob, -looking at me.</p> - -<p>“He might put you into a lunatic asylum,” -I answered.</p> - -<p>“Great Scott! And all the time I would -be as sane as he is!”</p> - -<p>“That would make no difference, either,”<span class="pagenum">[85]</span> -said Frank. “There are plenty of men who -run an insane asylum who would be glad to -take a patient on such terms as he could offer. -Ten or fifteen thousand dollars at the end of -six years would make him open his eyes. -Before you had been with him a week you -would see all sorts of things.”</p> - -<p>“Well, this beats me!” gasped Bob. -“And I just as sane as anybody! Such -things aint right.”</p> - -<p>“I know they are not right,” said Lem. -“There are plenty of things that happen in -this world that you know nothing about, and -money will do a heap of things.”</p> - -<p>“But Henderson has no ten thousand dollars -to give such a man.”</p> - -<p>“No, but he would soon get it. I tell you -your father has done right in watching you.”</p> - -<p>We all smoked two or three pipes of -tobacco and then Lem said he was getting -sleepy, whereupon we all followed him into -the ranch and went to bed. I don’t suppose -that Bob slumbered a wink that night, but -I slept as soundly as though such men as -Coyote Bill had not been within a hundred<span class="pagenum">[86]</span> -miles of us; and yet he came back that same -night and stole the rest of his bedding. A -little further examination showed us that Mr. -Davenport’s favorite riding horse was also -missing, and then we knew that if we ever -caught him again salt would not save him. -The man had been guilty of stealing horses, -and that was enough to hang him. When I -had made these observations I went back to -tell them to Mr. Davenport.</p> - -<p>“Of course the man is plucky,” said he, -“and it is going to get him into serious -trouble some day. Now, I want you boys -to come here and sign as witnesses to my -signature. I take my solemn oath that I -wrote this myself,” he added, placing his -forefinger upon his sign manual, “and that -everything in this will is just what I want it -to be. Now, boys, place your own signatures -there. Now, Bob, you sign right there as -witness to their signatures. There, I guess it -is all right. If anything happens to me, get -this pocket-book into your hands as soon as -possible.”</p> - -<p>There was one thing that occurred to me<span class="pagenum">[87]</span> -right there, although I did not say anything -about it. Mr. Davenport seemed to be thoroughly -convinced that something was going to -happen to him during his ride to Trinity, and -since he knew it, why didn’t he give his -pocket-book up to someone else? That, it -seemed to me, would be the surest way, for -everybody who knew anything about the matter -would know right where the will ought to -be found in case anything “happened” to the -invalid. I thought the matter over while I -was getting ready for breakfast, and concluded -that Bob or somebody else would certainly -see some misfortune on account of that -pocket-book. It stuck close to me, and somehow -I couldn’t get rid of it.</p> - -<p>I pass over the next few days, during which -nothing transpired that is worthy of notice. -We did nothing but talk about Coyote Bill, -and wondered where he had gone now and -where we should be likely to meet him again, -for there were none of us who didn’t expect to -see him once more. He wasn’t the man to -give up twenty thousand dollars because one -attempt to secure it had failed. And then<span class="pagenum">[88]</span> -what would he say to me? I had been guilty -of treachery to him, and that was a fact.</p> - -<p>On the morning of the fourth day, after we -had packed our wagon with water and provisions, -and got all ready for the start, the -cattle from the lower counties made their -appearance. I tell you I never saw so many -head of stock before in my life. They -covered the hills to the right and left as far -as the eye could reach, and as to how deep -they were I don’t know. If a man had all -those cattle in good trim, he would have -nothing to do but sit in his rocking-chair and -sell them. I wondered how many of them -would live to reach Trinity. Not one in ten, -I was satisfied. They flocked into our water-holes, -and in five minutes there wasn’t water -enough left to wet your tongue with. The -strongest fences that could have been made -would not have delayed them a minute. -Presently the leader of the movement appeared -in sight, and came up to the porch -on which we were sitting. His name was -Chisholm, and he seemed the very personification -of good nature. He looked at us boys<span class="pagenum">[89]</span> -because he hadn’t seen us before, and greeted -us in his hearty Western fashion.</p> - -<p>“How-dy!” said he. “Are you all ready -to start? I hope you’ve got a little mite of -water laid by for us, for we haven’t had a -drink in so long that we don’t know how it -tastes.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes! we’ve got a drink for you,” said -Mr. Davenport. “Go into that building right -there and you will find two barrels. Fill up -your keg with them.”</p> - -<p>“By George! you are the right sort,” -said Mr. Chisholm. “I was afraid some of -our beeves would drink it all up before we got -here and not give us any.”</p> - -<p>“Have you lost many cattle coming here?” -asked Mr. Davenport.</p> - -<p>“Well, sir, the road is just lined with -them,” answered Mr. Chisholm, getting off -his horse and slipping his bridle over its -head. “If you follow the dead beeves, you -can go straight to my ranch. Nobody ever -heard of such weather as this before. It -doesn’t look like rain in this part of the -country.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[90]</span></p> - -<p>“No, indeed,” said Mr. Davenport. “It has -been dry and hazy every day as long as I can -remember. Do you think we will get up to -Trinity with any beeves?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, we’ve got to. It is our only show.”</p> - -<p>“Do you think we shall have a fight up -there?” asked Bob.</p> - -<p>“Certain! What would you do if you were -in their place? They think they are in the -right, and we know we are, and the first one -of our cattle that goes down to the water in -Trinity will be tumbled over. I am afraid -that they will outnumber us. The Rangers -and the farmers and the police—I don’t know. -But our cattle must have water and grass; we -won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”</p> - -<p>“Do you know ’Rastus Johnson?” said -Mr. Davenport suddenly.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I know him,” said Mr. Chisholm, -looking around. “What of him?”</p> - -<p>“He stole my favorite riding horse this -week.”</p> - -<p>“Aha! That wasn’t all he did either,” said -Mr. Chisholm, looking hard at the invalid.</p> - -<p>“No, it wasn’t,” replied Mr. Davenport,<span class="pagenum">[91]</span> -who took out the pocket book, told what was -in it, and of the attempt that had been made -to steal it a few nights before. When he -mentioned the name of Coyote Bill Mr. Chisholm -almost jumped from his chair, and so -did the men who had been driving the wagon. -They had obeyed orders and filled up their -empty barrel, took a good drink themselves, -and brought along a cupful for their leader. -Then they sat down and waited until Mr. -Chisholm got ready to start, and listened to -the story.</p> - -<p>“Coyote Bill!” said Mr. Chisholm, in dismay. -“I have wanted to find that fellow for -more’n a year, and here I’ve run up against -him two or three times during the last six -months. It is a pity that boy didn’t shoot -him. What were you thinking of?” he -added, turning fiercely upon Elam. “Didn’t -you know that it would put five thousand -dollars in your pocket?”</p> - -<p>“No, I never heared of that,” replied -Elam, somewhat startled to find out that he -had had a pull on a man worth that sum of -money.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[92]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, the stock-raisers down in our -county would give that much for him any -day. You had a chance to make yourself -rich and then went and threw it away. Dog-gone -such a shot!”</p> - -<p>“Look here, friend,” said Elam, straightening -up in his chair and fastening his eyes -upon Mr. Chisholm, “I didn’t shoot him -because I couldn’t; that’s why. What would -you ’a’ done if a man had jumped on you -while you were flat in bed an’ seized the -pistol, an’ turned it t’other way? I done my -best.”</p> - -<p>“Well, maybe you did, but it sounds -kinder funny to me. I wish he would give -me such a shot as that. Where do you think -he is now?”</p> - -<p>“I do not know,” answered Mr. Davenport. -“He has gone off with that horse, and he certainly -won’t stop until he gets among friends. -I am willing to trust Elam with my life. -There are not many of you can shoot as he -can.”</p> - -<p>This went a long way toward cooling the -hot temper of Elam, although I noticed that<span class="pagenum">[93]</span> -during the first part of the time we were in -the drive he kept one eye fastened upon Mr. -Chisholm the whole time. He didn’t like the -imputation that had been cast upon his -prowess. If the leader had been in Elam’s -place, and had Coyote Bill’s grasp on his -throat and wrist, he might have been led -to believe that the desperado had plenty of -strength as well as pluck.</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm and his men slept at the -ranch that night, and bright and early the -next morning we were on the move. We -packed up in something of a hurry when we -got fairly ready to go, and I speak of it here -so that you may have no difficulty in understanding -what happened afterward. Not a -single one of the herd was in sight. We followed -along the ground they had passed over, -and it was as bare as your hand. Not a blade -of grass was to be seen. If it had not been -for the grain we had provided for our horses -in the wagons, they would have fared badly, -indeed, and then they didn’t like the grain -any too well. It was only when they were -about half starved that they would touch it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[94]</span></p> - -<p>I never knew what starving cattle were -before, for although I had been a week at the -ranch, I had never been out to see what was -going on. The nearest herd was probably -half a day’s journey distant. I stayed in the -ranch with Mr. Davenport almost all the time. -I had not seen the walking skeletons which were -now shambling before us, but now I saw them -all too plainly. Every once in a little while -we would come across some stricken animal -who had laid down, and was waiting for death -to come. And it was so all along our route. -Whichever way you turned your eyes you -were sure to see some dead cattle.</p> - -<p>“I’ll just tell you what’s a fact, Mr. Davenport,” -said I, after counting thirteen dead -animals, who could not go any further. “If -we keep on losing cattle at this rate we’ll -have to go at something else when we get up -to Trinity. There will be no need for the -Rangers and farmers to gather up there, for -we shan’t have many animals to shoot.”</p> - -<p>“It looks that way to me, I confess,” said -the man, looking down at the horn of his -saddle. “But you know what Mr. Chisholm<span class="pagenum">[95]</span> -said. We must go on; it’s our only -show.”</p> - -<p>For three weeks we were in the drive (the -journey could have been made in one week if -the cattle had been in trim), seeing nothing -new—nothing but dead animals and a prairie -that looked as hard as the road. During all -this time there was a little party of us that -were kept in a state of suspense, and it was -all the more painful to us because we could -not say anything about it. Mr. Davenport -was failing rapidly; anybody could see that, -and now and then some cowboy looked pityingly -at Bob. And Bob knew it all the -while, and took pains to keep it from his -father, and from us, too. He would joke and -laugh with him all day, and when night came -would roll over and cry himself to sleep. No -son ever tried harder to make a parent’s last -days happy.</p> - -<p>“I tell you I’d like to see that Clifford Henderson -about now,” said Tom Mason. “That -boy has cried himself to sleep again. Bob -hasn’t got anything here anyway, and I’d -like to see somebody come up and take away<span class="pagenum">[96]</span> -his last cent from him. He shouldn’t get -away with it.”</p> - -<p>Things went on in this way until the -wooded shores of Trinity were in plain sight, -and that brown-whiskered farmer came out in -company with a deputy sheriff to hold a consultation -with Mr. Chisholm—“the boss,” he -called him. You all know what that “consultation” -amounted to. It was defiance on -one side and threats to have our cattle shot on -the other. That brown-whiskered man must -have been crazy, if he thought that our small -force of sixty men could turn those beeves -back when they had got “a sniff of that -water” that was flashing along on the other -side of the willows, for they were already -bearing down upon it with the irresistible -power of an avalanche. All the cowboys in -the State could not have turned them from -their purpose. I looked at Mr. Davenport to -see what he thought about it.</p> - -<p>“Well, boys, this begins to look like war,” -said he, with an attempt at a smile. He was -very pale, but he clutched his rifle with the -hand of one who had made up his mind to die<span class="pagenum">[97]</span> -right there. “Two hundred against sixty is -big odds, but we must face the music. Our -cattle must have water, or we shall lose more -than half we’ve got left before morning. Go -and water your horses, and then come back -and see if you can’t arouse some of these -beeves. If you can only induce them to go -ahead a mile further they will have water -enough.”</p> - -<p>“You will remain close by the wagon?” -enquired Bob.</p> - -<p>“I will stay right here,” returned his -father. “When you want me come right -back to the wagon.”</p> - -<p>The events of the next quarter of an hour -proved one of two things: either that the -farmers, when they saw the immense herd -approaching their ambush, realized how -utterly impossible it was to stop them, and -that the attempt to do so would only result in -a useless waste of life, or else that the sheriff, -acting upon Mr. Chisholm’s advice, had prevailed -upon them to fall back and give the -famishing cattle a chance at the water. At -any rate, to Bob’s great relief, the shot for<span class="pagenum">[98]</span> -which he was waiting and listening was not -fired, and the cattle dashed through the willows -and almost buried themselves in the -stream. When Bob and his friends reached -the bank,—and they were obliged to ride at -least a mile up the bayou before they could -find a place to water their horses,—the stream -being literally filled with the thirsty beeves,—they -saw the farmers gathered in a body -five hundred yards away, and Mr. Chisholm -and some of the other wealthy cattle-owners -were talking to them.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VI.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">MR. DAVENPORT’S POCKET-BOOK.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“It is too late for them to begin a fight -now,” said Bob, with a long-drawn sigh -of satisfaction. “Here’s water enough in -abundance and grass enough to last the stock -for a day or two; but where shall we go and -what shall we do after that? Who are those -over there? More farmers, I suppose, for if -they were cattlemen they would not come -from that direction.”</p> - -<p>As Bob said this he directed our attention -to a long line of horsemen, who, moving in a -compact body, were rapidly approaching the -place on which the farmers stood. They -moved four abreast and didn’t scatter out -enough from the ranks to be farmers, and -therefore I knew them to be something else.</p> - -<p>“They are soldiers,” I said.</p> - -<p>“Texas Rangers!” exclaimed Bob. “I am -glad to see them, for they won’t let us fight,<span class="pagenum">[100]</span> -anyway. Their object is to preserve order on -the frontier, and they will arrest anybody -who doesn’t obey them. Let’s wait a few -minutes and see what they are going to do.”</p> - -<p>We waited, and in a short time saw that -the farmers were not as glad to see them as -we were. The column halted and the three -officers in command rode up to see what the -trouble was about, and in two minutes were -surrounded by a wall of clenched fists, which -were flourished in the air. The farmers -seemed bent on telling their story before the -cattlemen could get in a word, but presently -we heard a loud voice commanding silence, -and after that everything became as quiet as -could be. One man had been called upon to -tell what he knew, and the others consented -to wait until he got through.</p> - -<p>“I guess there won’t be any fighting as long -as the Rangers are here, and so we will go -back and see to the cattle,” said I. “We’re -going to have a hard time in getting them -over the hill, so that they can see the water, -but if we can do that for even one it will be -just so much money saved.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[101]</span></p> - -<p>If anybody has tried to get cattle up when -once they have laid down and abandoned -themselves to their fate, he will know what a -time we had of it. Whips didn’t do any -good. The only thing we could do was to use -our lariats upon them and fairly drag them to -their feet. In this way, by taking two boys -to each cow, we managed to get half a dozen -of them to the top of the hill, where they -could see their companions, and by that time -it was pitch dark. We didn’t know whose -cows they were, and that made no difference. -We saw several other men engaged as we were, -and when the last squad of them came along -we joined them and rode toward the wagon.</p> - -<p>“Let the balance go,” said one of the cowboys. -“If the cool night air of the prairie -don’t revive them nothing else will. I believe -I would like to have a drink of water -myself.”</p> - -<p>“We got along without a fight, didn’t -we?” said Bob, who seemed to know everybody -on the plains.</p> - -<p>“Of course; but it looked pretty blue for a -while, I tell you. The farmers can’t begin a<span class="pagenum">[102]</span> -fight now, anyway. They ought to have -pitched into us the moment we came in -sight.”</p> - -<p>“Does anybody know where our wagon -is?” I enquired.</p> - -<p>Nobody did. They were on the hunt for -their own wagons themselves, and the only -thing they could do was to keep on going -until they found them. That seemed to be -the only thing for us to do, too, so we rode -down to the willows, and every time we saw a -team we sent one of our number in to make -enquiries. When it came my turn I went in -and found only two men, who were engaged -in getting their supper.</p> - -<p>“That’s Mr. Davenport’s wagon up there in -the bend,” said one, pointing up the river. -“Do you belong?”</p> - -<p>I replied that I did belong there, and that I -was somewhat anxious to find it, for I was -in need of something to eat.</p> - -<p>“I hope you aint any relative of the man -who owns it,” said the cowboy. “If you are -you will find him as dead as a smoked -herring.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[103]</span></p> - -<p>These words were all I wanted to hear. A -queer pang shot over me when I thought of -Bob. How was I to break the news to him?</p> - -<p>“Why, how did anybody find it out?” I -managed to say at last.</p> - -<p>“Oh, he’s there! They found him breathing -his last on the plains, and brought him in. -Say, do you know what hold Chisholm has -got on him? He has got a guard over him, -and won’t let nobody go nigh him.”</p> - -<p>“It ’pears to me that he’s got some documents -on him that he does not want to give -up,” said the other cowboy. “If you belong -there, why, of course, you will know all -about it.”</p> - -<p>I never had anything come quite so hard as -I did in riding back through those willows to -the place where Bob sat on his horse, for I -didn’t know how in the world I could tell him -of his father’s death; but when I got within -sight of him I found that Mr. Chisholm was -ahead of me. When he found that Bob -didn’t come in with the rest of the cowboys -he had come out to find him, believing that -he could tell him better than anybody else. I<span class="pagenum">[104]</span> -saw that he had been very easy about it, but -it was all Bob could do to stand it. Elam -Storm was his friend. He did not go to anyone -else, but rose up close to him and threw -both his arms around his neck.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Elam! you’re the only friend I’ve got -now,” said Bob, striving hard to keep back -his sobs.</p> - -<p>Elam stammered and coughed, and looked -all around for help. Finally he glanced appealingly -at me, but what could I say?</p> - -<p>“He was brung in about half an hour ago,” -said Mr. Chisholm, drawing his hand hastily -across his face. “And although we have had -two doctors at him, whom we found among the -Rangers, they say it is too late to do anything. -They say it is something like heart disease.”</p> - -<p>“Was no one near him when he was -taken?” I asked, feeling that I must say -something.</p> - -<p>“There were a dozen men near him,” was -the answer. “They got to him as quickly as -they could, but couldn’t be of any use. And -I’ll tell you that he had his left hand tightly -clasped on his pocket-book,” said Mr. Chisholm,<span class="pagenum">[105]</span> -riding up closer to me and speaking in -a whisper. “So that is safe.”</p> - -<p>I breathed easier after that, and fell in -beside Mr. Chisholm, who led the way slowly -toward the wagon. We found it completely -surrounded by men—Rangers, farmers, and -cowboys—who had come in to see about it; -for it was seldom that a loss like this happened -during a drive. But they paid no -attention to us. Their gaze was fixed upon a -man who had attempted to go into the wagon, -but the guard had stopped him. We worked -our way gradually through the crowd, and -Bob, who gave little heed to what was going -on around him, threw himself from his horse, -and made his way into the wagon.</p> - -<p>“Elam,” said he, “you must go with me. -I feel safer when you are around.”</p> - -<p>The guard, prompted by a sign from Mr. -Chisholm, allowed him to pass, and nobody -made any effort to stop him, but the man who -was talking with the guard was well-nigh -furious.</p> - -<p>“Who’s that who allows a stranger to go -in to my brother?” said he, turning fiercely<span class="pagenum">[106]</span> -upon Mr. Chisholm. “I guess I have got -more right in there than he has.”</p> - -<p>“Who be you?” asked Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“I am Clifford Henderson, if it will do you -any good to know it,” answered the man. “I -haven’t seen my brother for eight years, and I -claim the right to go in to him.”</p> - -<p>“That’s nothing more than fair, Aleck,” -said one of the cowboys. “He has as good a -right to see him as anybody.”</p> - -<p>So that was Clifford Henderson, was it? -Mr. Chisholm turned and gave him a good -looking over, and Tom Mason and I did the -same; and I was forced to make the confession -that, as far as resemblance went, Bob was -a long way off. Henderson was the very picture -of the dead and gone Mr. Davenport. He -was a man of rather large size, dressed like the -Texans that stood around him; and, if he had -allowed his whiskers to grow into a goatee, -instead of that flowing beard, he could easily -have passed himself off for his brother. I am -free to say that I didn’t know enough about -law to know which way the property would -turn, but then what did these men care about<span class="pagenum">[107]</span> -law? Bob’s father’s signature, backed up by -the names of all of us, and witnessed by Bob -himself, would bring him the legal right to -everything he owned. But there was one -thing against Henderson: He got mad when -he was told that he could not see his brother. -Mr. Chisholm evidently noticed this and resolved -to profit by it.</p> - -<p>“Well, sir, you are as like your brother as -two peas,” said Mr. Chisholm, at length.</p> - -<p>“I know I am,” said Henderson, taking off -his hat and turning around so that everybody -could see him. “I haven’t seen him in a -long time, and I demand the right to see him -now.”</p> - -<p>“All right! You shall have it,” said Mr. -Chisholm, and riding up close to the wagon -he called out: “Bob, have you got that -pocket-book?”</p> - -<p>“Hold on!” exclaimed Henderson. “That -pocket-book is just what I want. There are -some papers in it that relate to me.”</p> - -<p>“Hand it out here,” said Mr. Chisholm, as -Elam answered in the affirmative from the -wagon; and when his hands closed upon the<span class="pagenum">[108]</span> -pocket-book, he put it into his inside coat.</p> - -<p>“Now you can see your brother as soon as -you please.”</p> - -<p>“But I want that thing you put inside of -your coat,” said Mr. Henderson, and I didn’t -blame him for showing anger. “All my -future depends on what you have there.”</p> - -<p>“We’ll have some supper first; after that -you can all come here and we’ll listen to -the different tales this book has got to -tell.”</p> - -<p>“Different tales?” ejaculated Henderson. -“There’s only one tale it can tell, and that is, -that all his property belongs to me. Who is -that stranger whom you allowed to go inside -the wagon? I want him out of there when I -go in.”</p> - -<p>“Bob!” shouted Mr. Chisholm; “have you -got through in there?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” sobbed Bob.</p> - -<p>“Why, a person would think that the dead -man was some relative of his!” said Henderson, -in surprise. “To tell you the truth, I -never saw the boy before.”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, come out,” said Mr. Chisholm.<span class="pagenum">[109]</span> -“Be careful to look in all his pockets -to see that you don’t miss anything.”</p> - -<p>Elam and Bob came out in obedience to Mr. -Chisholm’s instructions, and it was plain to -everybody standing around that there was -no sham about their feelings. Elam’s face -looked as long as your arm, while Bob had -evidently been crying, and I took notice of -the fact that it had an effect upon the men -standing around. Of course there were two -sides to the question. Some were in favor of -Bob, while others believed that Henderson had -the right on his side; and still others were -willing to wait until the matter had been thoroughly -investigated before they inclined to -either side. It was a big jury of four hundred -men, and somehow I didn’t feel at all -uneasy.</p> - -<p>“Now, sir, you are at liberty to go in as -soon as you please,” said Mr. Chisholm, -waving his hand toward the wagon.</p> - -<p>“Yes; and thanks to you these strangers -have got everything they wanted,” returned -Henderson angrily.</p> - -<p>“Look a-here, pardner, I am in favor of<span class="pagenum">[110]</span> -doing whatever is right,” said our leader, -throwing more emphasis into his words than I -had seen him use before. “This pocket-book -has two tales to tell. If they speak in your -benefit you shall have it. Tony, catch up! -Boys, I am going to eat supper with you -to-night.”</p> - -<p>Henderson went into the wagon, the men -turned away to hunt their own wagons and -get a bite to eat, and Tony began his preparations -for supper. Mr. Chisholm sat down on a -little mound of grass, rested his hands upon -his knees, and looked thoughtfully at the -ground; we boys stood around waiting impatiently -for him to speak, and all watched for -Henderson to come out of the wagon. He -was gone a long time, and during his stay in -there he threw everything about in the -greatest confusion. He didn’t leave a single -thing the way he found it, and he was in so -great a hurry to find something of which he -was in search that our fellows had to go to -work and straighten up things. I knew he -wasn’t making any friends by his unceremonious -conduct. He at length appeared,<span class="pagenum">[111]</span> -and, if his looks indicated anything, he was -madder than he was when he went in.</p> - -<p>“Things have come to a pretty pass, I must -confess,” said he, and he was almost boiling -over with fury. “I must wait the pleasure -of strangers, till they get ready to let me have -my brother’s things! What kind of a law do -you call that?”</p> - -<p>“It’s the law in this State, whatever it may -be elsewhere,” said Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“Upon my word, I never saw this boy -before,” continued Henderson. “He is some -little upstart that my brother has seen since -he came to Texas. He wouldn’t have adopted -anything like him, anyway.”</p> - -<p>“Why, Clifford Henderson, I know you,” -said Bob. “I remember when I used to see -you in St. Louis——”</p> - -<p>“You never saw me before in your life,” -returned Henderson, with a scowl on his forehead -that might have made Bob tremble if -he had been alone. “And I never saw you -before.”</p> - -<p>“Easy, easy!” exclaimed Mr. Chisholm -soothingly. “It will all come out when we<span class="pagenum">[112]</span> -have had our supper. Until then just rest in -peace.”</p> - -<p>Henderson started off with the air of a man -who would have snatched things bald-headed -if he had only possessed the opportunity, and -when he was well out of hearing Mr. Chisholm -continued:</p> - -<p>“Bob, you want to keep mum and answer -such questions as I shall ask you by and by. -These boys have all signed the will in your -favor? Well, that’s enough. Let’s see him -get around that.”</p> - -<p>“But I can’t help thinking that he has -got something back of it,” said Bob, between -his sobs. “He goes about it so confidently -that I am really afraid of him. He -denies that he ever saw me.”</p> - -<p>“Of course. That’s to be expected. But -you are sure that you have seen him before?”</p> - -<p>“Why, I knew him the minute I put my -eyes on him,” said Bob, looking up. “He -was always the very picture of my father, -and if father had wanted his property to go to -him he would have said so. He would have -told you so, Mr. Chisholm, while you were<span class="pagenum">[113]</span> -sitting on the porch listening to his story. -He would have told these boys so while he was -telling them the history of the pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>“Well, take it easy. Things will come out -all right in the end.”</p> - -<p>There was silence around that camp fire -while we were eating supper, until Frank, -the cowboy, came in and sauntered up for his -share of it. He was evidently big with news, -for when he had helped himself to a plateful -and began looking around for a place to sit -down, he said:</p> - -<p>“Henderson’s got something that didn’t -belong to him. He’s been searching that body. -He has got a hundred dollars in cash.”</p> - -<p>“What did he say?” exclaimed Mr. -Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“I say, he’s got a hundred dollars in cash -that he is going to put in his pocket and keep -there. He says he found it in the wagon, -and don’t mean to let anybody take it -away from him.”</p> - -<p>“We’ll see about that,” said Mr. Chisholm. -“The money has got to go where the pocket-book -goes.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[114]</span></p> - -<p>After that there was more silence until we -had all finished our suppers, and got our -pipes out, and then the men began to stroll in -one after the other. I noticed, too, that almost -all the cowboys, some of the farmers, and a -good many of the Rangers appeared to side -with Mr. Chisholm, for they took particular -pains to place themselves pretty close to him. -Henderson was one of the first to appear, and -when he seated himself on a log opposite our -leader, he must have been surprised at the -meagre showing he had.</p> - -<p>“Well, boys,” said Mr. Chisholm, knocking -the ashes from his pipe, “we are all here, are -we? If you know of anybody that’s back -send ’em on, for we want this thing done up in -order. I’ll appoint you all as jurymen, and -we’ll show some people out there in the settlements -that we can do some things as well as -they can. The first thing that is done when a -man dies is to read his will; but first I must -have every article that belongs to him. You -know it all goes where the will goes, don’t -you?”</p> - -<p>Of course that was settled. All the boys<span class="pagenum">[115]</span> -standing around agreed to that. But Mr. -Chisholm wasn’t satisfied. He put it to a -vote, and such a sonorous “Aye!” as resounded -through that grove of willows was -never heard there before.</p> - -<p>“I have no business to act as judge, but I -know a story which may fit well into the -case,” Mr. Chisholm hastened to explain, -“and consequently I shall put everything to -a vote. It’s settled, then, that I must have -every article that belongs to Mr. Davenport. -Henderson, I’ll thank you to hand over that -hundred dollars.”</p> - -<p>“What hundred dollars?” enquired the -man; but a person could see that he was -slightly uneasy. He did not like Mr. Chisholm’s -way of talking.</p> - -<p>“The hundred dollars you got while you -were in the wagon,” returned Mr. Chisholm. -“You done something when you were in the -wagon that you had no business to do. You -searched the body.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I did it because I thought he had -some papers about him that I had more business -with than anybody else,” said Henderson;<span class="pagenum">[116]</span> -and when he uttered the words he looked at -Mr. Chisholm as if to ask him what he was -going to do about it. “I knew I couldn’t get -them while a stranger was about.”</p> - -<p>The man must have been crazy to talk this -way in the presence of four hundred men who -were assembled as a jury to try his rights of -property. He was making enemies fast. I -knew that around his camp fire he had talked -to fellows who were gathered there until he -had brought them to his own way of thinking; -but they didn’t suppose that he was going to -act the dunce at the first opportunity.</p> - -<p>“You say you won’t hand them out?” enquired -Mr. Chisholm, and anybody could see -that he was getting mad.</p> - -<p>“No, I won’t! The money is mine!”</p> - -<p>“Hand ’em out here!” roared Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“I tell you I won’t do it. It belongs to -me!”</p> - -<p>Our leader was a man who would not take -this for an answer. He slowly and deliberately -arose to his feet, the cowboys, especially -his own and Mr. Davenport’s, drawing -nearer to him, and when he got up the shining<span class="pagenum">[117]</span> -barrel of a six-shooter was looking Henderson -squarely in the face. The man turned pale -and stepped back. He gazed around at the -cowboys, but none seemed ready to help him. -On the contrary, they all folded their arms, -and that was as good a sign as he wanted.</p> - -<p>“What kind of a law do you call this?” -said Henderson, putting his hand into his -pocket. “If I had a pack of Comanches to -decide for me I would stand just as much -show.”</p> - -<p>“Well, it is the law here, and you are a fool -for bucking against it,” said Mr. Chisholm, as -the money was placed in his hands. It was -a large pile of money to contain one hundred -dollars, and I was glad to see that he -spoke about it. “Judging by the contents -of your pocket you got rather more than a -hundred dollars while you were about it,” he -added, with a smile. “So far so good! Now -the next thing is the reading of the will.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm, who was the coolest man I -ever saw to pass through such an ordeal, -seated himself on the grass hummock again, -and produced the pocket-book from inside<span class="pagenum">[118]</span> -his coat. He opened it and laid it upon his -knee, and of course we all strained our necks -to get a glimpse of it. The first thing that -came into view was a little pile of letters, -all endorsed, and confined by a rubber band -such as business men use to keep their correspondence -in one place. Mr. Chisholm -pulled the topmost one out and looked at it.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VII.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">TOM HAS AN IDEA.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“The first thing I have struck here is a -receipt for $23.40 paid to Lemuel Bailley, -dated October 23, 18—. Why, that’s a -long time before the drought came,” said Mr. -Chisholm, looking up. “Is Bailley here?”</p> - -<p>“Here, sir,” responded Bailley, who was -one of Mr. Davenport’s cowboys. “I remember -of giving Mr. Davenport that receipt. I -wanted it to—to——”</p> - -<p>“Go on a spree with,” interrupted Mr. -Chisholm. “Well, you got it, didn’t you? -The next is also a receipt. And so is the next -one, and the next one. In fact I don’t see -anything but receipts here.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm continued to call out the -names of the payees of the receipts, some containing -money paid to the cowboys, some -relating to supplies of various kinds purchased -at the store, handing each one to<span class="pagenum">[120]</span> -some man who stood near him to see if he -was right, until he had but few papers left in -the bundle. The longer he read the more -astonished he became, until finally he turned -the pocket-book upside down to show that it -was empty.</p> - -<p>“That’s all,” said he. “There is nothing -but receipts in it. What is your pleasure -with the pocket-book? Shall it go to this -man who has not grieved any over Mr. Davenport’s -death——”</p> - -<p>“I don’t want it,” said Henderson, who -was paler now than when he was looking into -Mr. Chisholm’s six-shooter. “The pocket-book -I wanted contains papers that relate to -me. I have nothing whatever to do with the -receipts.”</p> - -<p>“Or shall it go to the boy who has done -nothing but mourn for him ever since he was -brought in?” said Mr. Chisholm, paying no -heed to the interruption. “Of course the -money goes with it.”</p> - -<p>“Now you’re talking,” said Henderson, -brightening a little. “Give me the money -and let this boy have the pocket-book. It’s<span class="pagenum">[121]</span> -mine, and I don’t see why you should want to -keep it from me.”</p> - -<p>“And you say you never saw this boy -before?” said Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“Never in my life,” returned Henderson. -“When I saw that boy come by me and go -into the wagon I was dumfounded.”</p> - -<p>“Bob, you say you have seen this man -before?”</p> - -<p>“I used to see him every day in St. Louis,” -replied Bob, who was very much cast down. -“He used to live at our house.”</p> - -<p>“He is very much mistaken. He never -saw me. I have never been in St. Louis in -my life.”</p> - -<p>“Seeing that Henderson is next of kin,” -said one of the farmers, stepping forward, “I -think the money ought to go to him.”</p> - -<p>“And the pocket-book to Bob?” added -Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“Why, in course. I think so.”</p> - -<p>“Is that in form of a resolution?”</p> - -<p>“Well, yes.”</p> - -<p>“Can I get a second to it?”</p> - -<p>The answer that came up from four hundred<span class="pagenum">[122]</span> -throats was enough to show Bob that all -his hopes of winning the money was gone, -even before the motion was put; but put it -was, and it was carried unanimously.</p> - -<p>“Now all opposed say ‘No’!” said Mr. -Chisholm.</p> - -<p>There was no one at all who answered. -Those who didn’t vote wanted to think the -matter over before giving their decision. Mr. -Chisholm had placed his hand in his pocket -and brought out the roll of bills, which he -gave to Henderson, and at the same time he -laid the pocket-book on Bob’s knee. The -latter’s hands closed about it as though it had -contained the will he had expected to find -there. He didn’t care a cent for the money—he -would have given it all to have his father -back to him, but the pocket-book was something -that Mr. Davenport had handled. He -would cherish it as long as he lived.</p> - -<p>“There’s somebody in camp who has removed -that pocket-book that I wanted to -see,” said Henderson, as he clutched the bills -and thrust them into his pocket. “I know -my brother well enough to understand his<span class="pagenum">[123]</span> -business, and when he saw his end coming he -didn’t let the matter drop here. He has got a -will somewhere.”</p> - -<p>“Lem! Frank!” shouted Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>The two cowboys instantly stepped forward.</p> - -<p>“You were the first to get to Mr. Davenport -when he fell off his horse?” continued -our leader.</p> - -<p>“We were,” answered the two cowboys, in -concert.</p> - -<p>“Did you watch carefully to see that nobody -else touched him?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, we did. We knew he had that -pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>“Was the guard that was placed over him -a reliable person?”</p> - -<p>“There’s none better. Mebbe you’ll say -we took it!” said Frank, seeing that Henderson -gazed at him with a smile of disbelief on -his face. “You say that once an’ you won’t -say it again!”</p> - -<p>“I am not saying anybody took it,” -said Henderson. “I am simply saying that -it is gone. Anybody can say that, I suppose?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[124]</span></p> - -<p>“Yes; but you say what you had on your -mind an’ see how you will come out! We -know a story worth a dozen of yours.”</p> - -<p>“Easy, easy!” said Mr. Chisholm, catching -Frank by the arm. “This matter is settled -for the time being. Now we will go to bed -and sleep on it. Maybe it will look different -to us in the morning.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm filled his pipe with great -deliberation, and the four hundred men who -had stood around to settle the case, taking it -for granted that the court had adjourned until -more evidence could be obtained, strolled off -to their own camps. I was glad to see that -very few of them went with Henderson. Although -they had decided in his favor, giving -him the money and Bob the receipts, somehow -they didn’t feel right about it. But the -question was, where was the will?</p> - -<p>“Of all the mean, sneaking courts that ever -I heard of——” began Frank.</p> - -<p>“Now, Frank, that will do,” said Lem, -taking him by the arm and leading him away. -“I know what you want to say, and whenever -you get to talkin’ you let out some swear<span class="pagenum">[125]</span> -words that don’t sound well. Mr. Chisholm -is bossin’ this thing.”</p> - -<p>“But he never asked us to tell our story,” -continued Frank. “We uns could have -knocked that fellow’s case higher than the -moon.”</p> - -<p>“An’ he never told his own,” said Elam.</p> - -<p>“What good would it have done to tell -everything we knew when there was no will -to back it up?” said Mr. Chisholm, throwing -back a brand upon the fire with which he had -lighted his pipe. “When we get the will -we’ll talk to him. Bob, did you ever know -your father to have two pocket-books like the -one you have got in your clothes?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir. I never saw him have but the -one,” said Bob, taking out the pocket-book and -looking at it. “The man has got everything -father owned. But, believe me, I don’t care -for that. I am young and can easily make a -living.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm drew his hand hastily across -his eyes, as I had seen him do before, and -started off for his own camp, while the rest of -us sat down to think the matter over. I never<span class="pagenum">[126]</span> -saw men and boys so completely done up as -we were, who were sitting around that fire, -and I will venture to say that Bob thought -less about the money than we did. He had -been brought up in the belief that it was all -his own, and now he had lost it. I tell you I -felt sorry for him. He sat gazing into the fire -for a short time, then spoke a few words to -Elam, who went off and returned with his -blankets. He made up a bed under the -wagon and laid down there with Bob. Tom -Mason was the second one who was badly perplexed. -He would gaze steadily into the fire, -as if he there hoped to find a solution to some -problem he was working out in his mind, and -then at me, moving his lips, as he always did -when anything troubled him, and finally he -arose and gave me a nod, which I readily -understood. I followed him through the -willows, and finally stood on the edge of the -prairie, where the cattle, having got their fill -of the water, were lying down. There were -no sentries out to-night. A stampede was the -last thing we had to fear.</p> - -<p>“Say, Carlos, did you hear what Mr. Chisholm<span class="pagenum">[127]</span> -had to say to Bob about his father having -another pocket-book like the one he had in -his clothes?” he whispered, after looking all -around to make sure that there was no one -within hearing. “Now, it has just occurred -to me that perhaps there is another one, and -that Mr. Davenport put it into his pocket.”</p> - -<p>“But Bob says there isn’t any other,” said -I, jumping at the conclusion. That very -same thing had been running in my own -mind, and I was anxious to hear what Tom -thought about it. “It looks like the pocket-book -that he slammed in his hands when he -told us his story.”</p> - -<p>“That may be; but I tell you he has got -another,” said Tom earnestly. “The other -one is hidden somewhere about the house.”</p> - -<p>“I wish I was as certain of it as you are,” -said I.</p> - -<p>“Well, now, the only way we can find out -is to go there and give everything a good -overhauling, when there is nobody there to -prevent us,” said Tom.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you suppose that Henderson has -thought of that already?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[128]</span></p> - -<p>“Let him. Who cares? We will go there -and give things another examination after he -has left. I tell you, Carlos, it is our only -chance,” insisted Tom. “And with that -pocket-book in our hands we can carry the -day, I bet you.”</p> - -<p>“Do you mean to go without letting anybody -know it?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly. Henderson will wake up and -find Bob here, and that is all he cares for. I -don’t suppose he has taken a single glance at -us. Will you go?”</p> - -<p>“We’ll have to see Mr. Chisholm first.”</p> - -<p>“Exactly. I don’t imagine that our horses -can stand the trip——”</p> - -<p>“They’ve got to stand it,” said I, for Tom -was so anxious about the matter that I began -to feel some of his enthusiasm. “If Mr. -Chisholm thinks it safe I will go. But, Tom, -we have men to deal with who are just as cunning -as we are. I’ll bet you that we find that -ranch overhauled when we get there.”</p> - -<p>“They can’t travel faster than we can,” -said Tom confidently.</p> - -<p>“Yes, they can. They are working for<span class="pagenum">[129]</span> -money now, and they will travel night and -day.”</p> - -<p>“Well, let’s go and see Mr. Chisholm. -We can’t do anything as long as we stand -talking here. I don’t know where his camp -is; do you?”</p> - -<p>No, I didn’t know where the camp was, but -that made no difference to me. The only way -I could find it was to look for it, and that I -proceeded to do, leaving Tom outside on the -prairie. We walked along the edge of the -willows until we saw a light shining through -them, and then I walked in. It proved to be -Mr. Chisholm’s camp. There were a dozen -men standing around in little groups talking -about the incidents of Mr. Davenport’s death, -and a little apart from all of them sat Mr. -Chisholm, smoking, as usual.</p> - -<p>“I guess Henderson didn’t feel very good -over the decision we reached, giving him the -money and Bob the receipts,” said one of the -men. “Five hundred dollars is what he got, -and that aint nothing to him. Where did he -come from, anyhow?”</p> - -<p>“He’s a speculator,” said another. “He<span class="pagenum">[130]</span> -don’t do anything, but just buys and sells -cattle. He’s got a nice little thing in having -Mr. Davenport’s cattle, if they were only in -good trim.”</p> - -<p>“But that aint what he wants,” said a -third. “Mr. Davenport has got some money -somewhere in some bank or another, and he -wants authority to draw it out.”</p> - -<p>That was all I wanted to hear, so I stepped -up to Mr. Chisholm and gave him a friendly -nudge. Then I walked off to the place where -I had left Tom Mason, and he followed along -after me. I could see that he was very much -depressed, so after he had gone a short distance -out of hearing of the men who stood at -the fire, I said:</p> - -<p>“Mr. Chisholm, Tom Mason thinks there is -another pocket book.”</p> - -<p>“There now,” said he, and he stopped as -suddenly as though I had aimed a blow at -him. “That thing has been running in my -head, too. But what made Tom think of it?”</p> - -<p>“Here he is, and he can explain the matter -for himself,” I answered. “Now, Tom, give -it to Mr. Chisholm just as you gave it to me.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[131]</span></p> - -<p>It did not take Tom long to do that. Tom -was a good talker when he had anything on -his mind, and he had Mr. Chisholm with him -from the start. The man listened intently -until he got through, and then gave Tom a -slap on the back that I thought would have -driven him into the ground.</p> - -<p>“Them’s the very points that I have been -running over in my own head ever since the -court adjourned,” said he gleefully. “Now, -how are you going to work it? Do you -intend to go off without letting anybody know -it? Remember that you have got some men -to deal with that are just as smart as you are. -There’s something about that Henderson that -I don’t like any too well.”</p> - -<p>“That is just what we intend to do,” -replied Tom. “From some things I have -heard of the man I don’t like him too well -myself, and we can get to the house and give -the things a thorough overhauling before he -gets there. If we can find the pocket-book -we’ll come back and tell you of it, and all you -will have to do will be to go to that bank and -stop the money.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[132]</span></p> - -<p>“But I don’t know where the bank is,” -said Mr. Chisholm. “That’s what’s bothering -of me now. It may be some bank in St. -Louis.”</p> - -<p>That was a set-back that Tom hadn’t -thought of. He looked at me and then -looked down at the ground.</p> - -<p>“Never mind. You go on up to the house -and search high and low for that pocket-book. -Don’t leave a stone unturned that one -can hide a pocket-book under, and when you -get through come back and tell me what luck -you have had. I guess if anybody can find it -you can.”</p> - -<p>“I think so too, Mr. Chisholm,” said I. -“Tom’s the luckiest fellow I ever saw. He -found the nugget when we had almost given -up the search.”</p> - -<p>“The nugget?” repeated Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; the one that Elam Storm lost -fourteen years ago. He knew it was around -there somewhere, but no one could tell him -where it was. Tom in poking around and following -what he considered to be a blind trail, -stumbled onto it.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[133]</span></p> - -<p>“Why, I didn’t hear anything about -that,” said Mr. Chisholm, casting a glance of -admiration upon Tom. “Was there much -into it?”</p> - -<p>“It was as big as he could lift,” I replied. -“Elam has got the most of it in a belt under -his clothes. We came here to buy cattle, you -know.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I must hear all about that some -day. Now you go and hunt for that pocket-book, -and don’t you come back without it. -Take plenty of grub along so that you will -have something to eat, for if you don’t you -will be up a stump. Good-by, and good luck -to you!”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm turned about and walked into -the willows, and Tom and I stood and looked -at each other. He had wished us good luck -the same as if we were going on a day’s journey, -and yet it would take us a week to go -back to the ranch, and another week to get -back to camp, to say nothing of the difficulties -we would meet on the way. I didn’t mind it -in the least, but I saw that Tom didn’t know -what to think about it. When he got into a<span class="pagenum">[134]</span> -place that he could not think his way out of, -he turned to me.</p> - -<p>“Is that all he has to say to us?” -asked Tom.</p> - -<p>“What more do you want?” I enquired. -“He has bid us good-by and told us to take -plenty of provisions along, and that’s about -all he can do. Now, Tom, can you saddle -our horses without arousing anybody? If -you can, I will go to the wagon and get -some grub.”</p> - -<p>Yes, Tom could do that, and he started off -at once to carry out his part of the programme. -The horses were hitched in the -outer edge of the willows, and consequently -he had nothing to do but to make two trips -to the fire after our saddles and weapons; -while I had to work in the presence of everybody, -and there were two men around our -camp fire that I did not want to know anything -about it. They may have been all -right, but Mr. Davenport had not taken them -into his confidence and that made me suspicious -of them. When I got within reach of -the circle of light thrown out by our camp<span class="pagenum">[135]</span> -fire I moved with cautious footsteps, for Elam -and Bob were sleeping under the wagon, and -threw aside the canvas covering before I -stepped in. Merciful Heavens, what a sight -there was presented to my gaze! Everything -in the wagon had been pawed over, and furthermore, -some of the things had been thrown -upon the body of Mr. Davenport. It was -some of that Henderson’s work, and showed -how badly he felt over the death of his -brother! If I had been in the humor to do it -I could have had some shooting done in that -camp inside of five minutes, but instead of -that I sprang into the wagon and removed -the articles of desecration, and placed the -blanket evenly over the figure as it was -before.</p> - -<p>“This is one thing I shall always blame -myself for,” said I, under my breath. “I -ought to have brought Mr. Chisholm here -at once, and showed him what that man is -capable of doing. I believe I could have -turned the tables in short order without the -long ride that is before me.”</p> - -<p>So filled with rage that I could hardly see,<span class="pagenum">[136]</span> -I proceeded to select the grub that was to do -Tom and me during our ride to Mr. Davenport’s -ranch and back: two slices of bacon -and a bag to put them in, some meal, and a -little salt. That was all we took with us. I -lowered them to the ground and was about -to follow them, when I saw that Frank was -awake and looking at me. Placing my finger -upon my lips I walked over and talked to him.</p> - -<p>“Where are you fellows going?” he asked, -in his ordinary tone of voice. “One would -think you were going to skip the camp.”</p> - -<p>“And so we are,” I replied, in a whisper. -“Tom Mason and I are going after the missing -pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>“Carlos,” said he, in the same cautious -whisper, “your head is level. I tell you that -man has a pocket-book——”</p> - -<p>“I know he has, and we are going after it,” -said I, anxious to bring the interview to a -close as soon as possible. “If we are missed -don’t you say one word. I say, Frank, that -Henderson is a mighty mean chap. When he -went into the wagon looking for the pocket-book -he threw the things all about. He<span class="pagenum">[137]</span> -didn’t even take pains to see that they went -on the floor, either.”</p> - -<p>“The blamed skunk!” said Frank, raising -himself on his elbow. “You don’t mean to -say that he threw them on——”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I do. He threw them all over him. -But it is too late to remedy the matter now. -I put them off where they belong, and I only -tell you this so that you can make him shut -his mouth if he begins working his chin too -much to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>“Dog-gone you! why didn’t you tell me -before you touched the things? I would have -made him take them off himself. Well, good -luck to you! Look everywhere for that -pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>If Tom had been there he wouldn’t have -found any fault with Frank’s parting, for he -threw into his grip all the strength that a -strong man could. After I had received the -assurance that he wouldn’t notice our absence -on the morrow, I gathered up the provisions -and started for the prairie. Tom was already -there, and he was holding by the bridle the -two horses which he had saddled, and our<span class="pagenum">[138]</span> -weapons laid beside him on the ground. -When I told him what work Henderson -had made in the wagon he was utterly -dumfounded.</p> - -<p>“Why didn’t you tell somebody of it?” he -asked.</p> - -<p>“Because I put the things back where they -belong,” I replied.</p> - -<p>“Well, you ought not to have done it. -That would have made me mad enough for -anything.”</p> - -<p>“Well, keep still, and let us mount our -horses and go on. You can say more about it -when we get further away.”</p> - -<p>By this time I had given him some of the -provisions, which I saw him fasten behind his -saddle. I did the same with the others, and -when I had gathered up my weapons we -mounted and rode away into the darkness. I -was satisfied that no one but Mr. Chisholm -and Frank knew of our absence.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VIII.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">TOM’S LUCK.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">It was just such a night as you would take -if you wanted to go a-fishing. The moon -shone down on us through a thick haze, such -as we had seen many a night since our arrival -on the prairie, and every little sound that -broke the stillness could be heard a long way -off. We could distinctly hear the Rangers -talking, and their camp was on the other side -of Trinity. Everything that approached us -on the plains—even the cattle, which, having -had a rest after their drink, were beginning to -crop the grass—loomed up on us to twice -its natural size, and everything betokened -rain; but we had seen so many such nights -as that in Texas that we never gave it a -moment’s thought. We walked our horses -until we could no longer hear the Rangers -talking, and then put them to a little faster -gait.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[140]</span></p> - -<p>“I can’t get over the way that man Henderson -has acted,” said Tom. “It seems to -me that you ought to have told somebody -of it.”</p> - -<p>“How many men did you ever see killed in -a fair, stand-up fight?” I asked.</p> - -<p>“None, I am glad to say.”</p> - -<p>“I have, and that’s the reason I didn’t tell -anybody what I saw. Henderson wouldn’t -have been alive now.”</p> - -<p>“I guess, after all, you did for the best,” -added Tom; “but I would have been too mad -to take a second thought. How do you suppose -Henderson knew that his brother was -with this outfit?”</p> - -<p>I replied that he didn’t know it at all. He -was only a speculator, and when the Rangers -were ordered out to preserve the peace he -came out with them, to see if he could find -something that was worth buying.</p> - -<p>“And if we don’t find the will he’s got a -fine lot now,” I said. “Just think of the -eight or nine thousand head of cattle he got -from Mr. Davenport. Now that he has got -them here he can sell them for five dollars a<span class="pagenum">[141]</span> -head, easy enough. That will be more than -enough to put him on his feet.”</p> - -<p>“But I tell you that will is going to spoil -his kettle of fish!” answered Tom, as confidently -as though he had the document in his -pocket. “You will see that we will have it -in our hands when we come back this way.”</p> - -<p>I wished then that I felt as confident of it -as Tom did, but somehow I saw too many -difficulties in the way. In the first place, -there was Henderson, who wouldn’t believe -that that pocket-book was the only one Mr. -Davenport had, and would be equally certain -to send someone to the ranch to look for it. -And if he found it, I wasn’t sure that we -could get it away from him. When a man -pulls a loaded gun on you and tells you to -stand where you are, you had better stand. -Then, again, there was the invalid, with all -his eccentricities of hiding things where no -one would ever think of looking for them; in -fact, I didn’t believe he could have found it -himself if he had been going to the ranch -with us. Taking these two things into consideration, -I thought we had undertaken<span class="pagenum">[142]</span> -something of a scheme. But I said nothing -about it, for I did not want to discourage -Tom. Everything depended on him.</p> - -<p>For hours we rode along, talking over matters -and things that had fallen to our lot in -Texas, and were beginning to look around for -a belt of post oaks, in which we could camp -for the day, when Tom, who was going on -ahead, suddenly stopped and held up his -finger. I had heard the same sound, but -didn’t think it best to speak of it. Presently -it came again, faint and far off, but there was -no mistaking it.</p> - -<p>“It is thunder, as sure as I am a foot high,” -said Tom, his face brightening as if he had -just discovered something.</p> - -<p>“It is, for a fact! I heard it long ago, -but you were so busy talking that you didn’t -notice it,” I replied. “I really believe it is -going to rain.”</p> - -<p>“Grant that it may be a deluge. I will -gladly swim from here to the ranch if they -will only send water enough. There is some -timber straight ahead, and the sooner we -reach it the sooner we will be safe.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[143]</span></p> - -<p>It did look like rain, sure enough, and even -our horses felt the coming breeze and were not -disposed to wait for the spur. One would -have thought there was a regiment of cavalry -camped in the woods toward which we were -hastening, for the animals neighed to each -other as fast as they could take breath. The -sky became overcast, after a while the moon -was completely shut out from our view, and -then everything was as dark as one could -wish; but we were already headed for the -timber and did not care for that. At last we -were fairly inside the protecting branches, and -then the storm came. What a deluge it was! -It wasn’t a “norther,” such as we would have -expected a month or two later, but a regular -downpour of rain, and the lightning flashed -incessantly. Whatever it may have been for -us—and we were as wet as drowned rats -before we had staked out our horses—we -knew it was the life of half our cattle in the -drive. We whistled and sang as we took our -saddles off our horses and put them on the -leeward side of the trees so that we could -keep out of the storm, and all the while it was<span class="pagenum">[144]</span> -so dark that we couldn’t see each other. Let -some of you who haven’t seen a drop of rain -for sixteen months, and the streams were all -dry, and you had to carry your water from a -distance, imagine how good it seemed to us. -Every time the lightning flashed with unwonted -fury, and it seemed to us that one or -the other of us had been struck, I would call -out as soon as I could make myself heard: -“Tom, are you there yet?” and the answer -that came back was always a cheering one: -“Yes, I’m here yet. A man who was born to -be hanged can’t be struck by lightning.”</p> - -<p>To make a long story short the storm continued -all that day and never let up a bit; -and Tom and I slept through it all. We -picked out a comfortable position on the side -of the trees opposite the storm, and wrapping -up head and ears in blankets, went off into the -land of dreams. When we awoke the storm -had passed and the moon was just coming up, -and our first thought was to get something to -eat; for it had rained so hard all day that -any attempt to start a fire would have been -useless. Overjoyed as we were to see the<span class="pagenum">[145]</span> -rain, we still had sense enough to take care -of our provisions. Tom had the salt stowed -away inside of his coat so that the water could -not get at it, and the meal I had provided for. -I had taken the bag that contained it in -between my knees and covered it over with -my blanket, and although the outside of the -meal was wet, the inside of it was perfectly -dry.</p> - -<p>“Remember, now, that you are to get three -meals in one,” said Tom, handing out the salt -and going out to attend to the horses which, -having eaten all the boughs within reach, now -showed a disposition to get at the grass. “I -am as hungry as a wolf.”</p> - -<p>It took an hour to get supper, and we did -full justice to it. By that time the horses had -got their fill of the grass, and I never saw -them act so much like themselves as they did -when we brought them in to put the saddles -on them. They acted as though they were -impatient to be off.</p> - -<p>“Now we are fairly afloat again,” said -Tom, after we had ridden out on the prairie -and put our horses into a gentle lope. “I<span class="pagenum">[146]</span> -wonder if that man Henderson has missed us -yet?”</p> - -<p>“You may be sure he has,” I replied. -“And if he doesn’t send somebody to head us -off or come himself, I shall miss my guess. -We mustn’t think we are going to have this -all our own way.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, I don’t!” said Tom hastily. “But -let me get the first pull at it and I’ll find that -pocket-book. My luck never went back on -me yet.”</p> - -<p>I had not been long on the plains before I -became really amazed at the sight that was -presented to me. One, to have been with us, -would have thought that we had purposely -left a good portion of our herd behind, a -prey for the wolves, for as far as our eyes -could reach we saw cattle that had been -abandoned by us as unfit to go farther, deliberately -engaged in cropping the grass. The -rain had revived them and they were doing -what they could to save themselves. There -must have been a thousand head within the -range of our vision, and I knew that the -cattlemen would soon be out after them. I<span class="pagenum">[147]</span> -expressed this hope to Tom and was surprised -to find that he did not agree with me.</p> - -<p>“You hope the cattlemen will come out -after them?” said he, looking amazed. -“Well, I don’t! The men will be certain to -see us——”</p> - -<p>“They won’t be out for a day or two, and -consequently we’ll be beyond their reach,” -I answered. “I am not afraid of the cattlemen. -It is that Henderson that I am -afraid of.”</p> - -<p>We were eight days on the road, and all the -time our horses showed signs of increased -vigor, and at last we came across some things -which Tom remembered; and finally the -whitewashed walls of the ranch came into -view. Then Tom began to look sober. It -was easy enough to talk about finding the -pocket-book, but to <em>find</em> it was a different -thing. We approached the ranch with fear -and trembling because we didn’t know who -had been there since we left, but we found -everything just as it ought to be. We -thought it necessary to stake out our horses -because the rain had started the grass so<span class="pagenum">[148]</span> -much that they would have strayed off before -we had left them an hour.</p> - -<p>“Now, Tom,” said I, as I drove the picket-pin -into the ground and picked up my rifle -and put it on the porch, so as to have it -handy, “come on and show us your luck. -Your luck never went back on you yet, and -this is the time to prove it. Yes, sir; everything -is just as we left it,” I added, as I -pushed open the door. “There has nobody -been here.”</p> - -<p>Tom placed his rifle in one corner of the -cabin and walked over to Mr. Davenport’s -bed as confidently as though he already felt -the pocket-book in his grasp, picked up the -clothing one by one and shook them out, -placing the articles carefully on the floor, so -that he wouldn’t have to look at them again, -and I sat down in the invalid’s rocking chair -and watched his movements. But not a thing -happened to come out. At last he came to -the mattress, but here, too, his luck was at -fault. Slowly and by handfuls he took out -the hay with which the mattress had been -stuffed, but not a thing in the shape of a<span class="pagenum">[149]</span> -pocket-book did he find. Then he removed -the wooden slats that held the bed up and -cautiously scrutinized every opening, and -even looked under the bed itself, but it was -all in vain. Whatever else the invalid did -with his property, he certainly hadn’t hid it -about where he lay.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<img src="images/i_p148.jpg" width="600" height="428" alt="" /> -<div class="caption"><p class="center"><span class="smcap">The Search for the Missing Pocket-book</span>.</p></div> -</div> - -<p>“I declare, my luck has played me false -for once in my life,” said Tom, seating himself -on the bed and giving up with blank -despair. “I was sure that pocket-book was -hidden somewhere about his bed.”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, I must take a hand,” said I, -pulling over one of the other beds. “Here -are plenty of others to be examined. Let’s -pull them all to pieces.”</p> - -<p>Tom went to work once more, but I knew -we were on the wrong scent. We pulled all -the beds to pieces, and then I got a chair and -devoted myself to the rafters, especially all -around the house where they came down to -the wall, and Tom got a sharp stick somewhere -and pried up the stones there were in -the fireplace, but not a thing did we find. -We spent at least an hour on the inside of the<span class="pagenum">[150]</span> -ranch, and then, utterly discouraged, we went -out on the porch and I pulled out my pipe.</p> - -<p>“My luck has gone back on me, too,” -said I. “Where do you suppose Mr. Davenport -hid that thing?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t believe he could tell himself if he -were alive,” answered Tom. “He must have -felt very bad when he hid it, for he took the -wrong pocket-book. Do you imagine he hid -it under the house?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know. We might as well look -everywhere, now that we are here. There is -one thing about it,” I added, “he didn’t -know but he had the right one at the time -he fell from his horse. When he fell he put -his hands on his pocket-book. Who are -those coming there?”</p> - -<p>I did not need to point out the direction of -the three men who were approaching, because -they were in plain sight, and Tom saw them -readily enough. They were coming fast, too, -as if they feared they might be too late. Tom -never changed his position, nor did he make -an effort to pick up his rifle.</p> - -<p>“It is somebody coming to look for the<span class="pagenum">[151]</span> -pocket-book,” said he. “Let them go on and -see what sort of luck they will have. It -wouldn’t surprise me if they went straight -to it.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir; they can’t do that!” said I -hastily. “We have been to every spot in the -ranch,—in the cupboard, the fireplace, the -beds,—and I would like to see them haul out -a thing the size of that pocket-book that we -have missed. I declare, it is Henderson and -Coyote Bill. They’re there as big as life. -Now, where did Henderson find Coyote Bill -so quickly? That is what I should like to -know.”</p> - -<p>I was in something of a trap; I could see -that plainly enough. If Coyote Bill should -accuse me of treachery, there was only one -thing he could do with me. They came up as -swiftly as their horses could foot it, and I saw -that one of them carried his revolver in his -hand. We sat there on the porch and looked -at them. Coyote Bill was the first one who -spoke.</p> - -<p>“Morning,” said he cheerfully. “Did you -boys find it?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[152]</span></p> - -<p>“We found never the thing,” answered -Tom. “We stayed here in hopes that you -would go straight to it. We have been in -every place and it isn’t there.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you two can stand up and put your -hands above your heads,” said the stranger. -“We’ll begin the search by going through -you first.”</p> - -<p>“Say, Pete, you won’t find anything -there,” interposed Bill.</p> - -<p>“I’m going through them to find out,” -answered Pete. “I am going to look in every -nook and corner of the place before I go -away. That pocket-book is here and we are -going to have it.”</p> - -<p>With one accord Tom and I arose to our -feet, extended our hands above our heads, -and Pete put up his revolver and proceeded -to “sound” us very thoroughly. He felt in -all our pockets, and run his hand over the -seams of our clothing, to see if there was anything -there to remind him of papers that had -been stowed away.</p> - -<p>“You needn’t be so particular,” said I. -“We have been here about an hour before<span class="pagenum">[153]</span> -you came, and we haven’t had time to stow -away any papers. We wouldn’t be foolish -enough to do that, anyway.”</p> - -<p>“Never you mind,” said Pete. “I am -going through you. Some of you boys know -where that pocket-book is, and I’m going to -know too, before I get through with you.”</p> - -<p>“Holy Moses! Just look a-here!” said -Coyote Bill, who just then entered the house. -“If the pocket-book was in here those boys -have got it, sure.”</p> - -<p>“But I tell you we haven’t got it,” said I. -“We are just as anxious to find it as you are.”</p> - -<p>“Are you going to give it up?” said Pete, -once more drawing out his revolver. “Where -is it?”</p> - -<p>“You can shoot if you please, but I tell -you that you won’t make anything by it,” -I replied, looking him squarely in the eye. -“That pocket-book is hidden where no one -will ever find it.”</p> - -<p>“Do you know where it is?”</p> - -<p>“No, I don’t! And that is the honest -truth.”</p> - -<p>“Aw! Pete, let him alone,” said Bill.<span class="pagenum">[154]</span> -He stood just on the threshold with his -hands against his hips, but making no effort -to continue the search we had begun. “He -hasn’t got it. It isn’t here, and we might as -well go under the house. Have you boys -looked up among the rafters?”</p> - -<p>“Yes; we have looked everywhere.”</p> - -<p>I wasn’t as thoroughly cowed as some boys -might have been, for I saw that Coyote Bill -was disposed to be friendly toward me; so I -had plenty of time to study the expression on -Henderson’s face. When he first rode up to -the ranch it wore a determined look which -said that he knew we had the object of which -we were in search, and that he was bound to -have it; but when he watched the results of -Pete’s examination, and stood in the door and -witnessed the confusion that Tom and I had -made in the cabin, the expression of serious -resolve he had on his countenance gave way -to a look of intense and bitter rage. The -ranch looked as bad as the wagon did when he -got through with it. If he had been alone -and held the power in his hands I wouldn’t -have felt so much at my ease.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[155]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, you see it isn’t here, don’t you?” -said Coyote Bill soothingly. “I don’t believe -the old man had any other pocket-book, -anyway.”</p> - -<p>“That’s my opinion,” said Pete. “If he -had, where is it?”</p> - -<p>This was enough to set Henderson fairly to -boiling, but he dared not show it.</p> - -<p>“I say he did!” said he, striving hard to -keep down his rising anger. “What made -Bob look so blue when the contents of this -pocket-book were read? I tell you that the -old man had another, and it is somewhere -in this house.”</p> - -<p>“I think he had another one, too,” I answered, -wishing to keep on good terms with -Bill. Although he didn’t say much, I could -see that he was on the very point of using his -revolver; and as I had seen something of that -kind once or twice before, I did not care to see -another. “He has got another pocket-book -somewhere, but whether he took it in the -wagon with him or left it here in the house, I -don’t know.”</p> - -<p>“Where is it, then?” asked Bill.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[156]</span></p> - -<p>“That’s more’n I know.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t like to take such a ride as this for -nothing, and I am going under the house,” -said Bill. “Come on, Pete.”</p> - -<p>“But aint you afraid to trust these boys -here alone?” asked Pete.</p> - -<p>“No. I trusted one of them before I made -any move; didn’t I, Carlos?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, and he went back on you,” said -Henderson. “If he didn’t you would have -got the pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>“Did you go back on me, Carlos?”</p> - -<p>“That’s a pretty question for a man to -ask,” I answered, scowling savagely at Henderson. -“I knew you could shoot as well as -anybody.”</p> - -<p>“That’s what I knew, too. Come on, Pete! -If Henderson is afraid to trust them, he can -stay here with them.”</p> - -<p>But that was something Henderson was not -prepared to do. He wanted to be close to the -men when they found that pocket-book, for -there was so much in it that he was afraid -to trust them alone with it; so when they -moved off and crawled under the ranch, he<span class="pagenum">[157]</span> -went with them. Tom and I returned to our -seats on the porch, saying never a word to -each other, and for an hour listened to the -movements of the men that were under the -house. Sometimes I was almost certain they -had found it, but when they came out after -their search was over, I told myself that the -invalid had never hidden anything under -there, for they were as dirty as they could -well be. They were all mad, but Coyote Bill -brightened up when he saw me.</p> - -<p>“Well, Carlos, you think you won’t go with -me?” said he.</p> - -<p>“And steal cattle?” I exclaimed.</p> - -<p>“Well, that’s what some folks call it,” said -Bill, with a laugh.</p> - -<p>“No, I think I will stay here and be honest. -I find I can make a living better that way than -I can by stealing. Are you going to give up -the search?”</p> - -<p>“We might as well. There is no pocket-book -here, or if there is it is hidden where no -one will ever find it. So we may as well give -it up and go down there to Trinity.”</p> - -<p>Henderson was not yet satisfied. He had<span class="pagenum">[158]</span> -given the under part of the house a good overhauling, -had prodded every little mound of -earth that looked as though it might recently -have been thrown up, and now he was going -to try the upper part. He had brought a -stick with him, and with it he dug down in -the fireplace until he went so far that the -solid earth resisted his efforts, and all the -while the men stood by watching him. After -that he devoted his attention to the things we -had taken off the beds, throwing them into -one corner, and when the last handful of hay -had been tossed aside he was obliged to confess -that there was nothing there.</p> - -<p>“Are you satisfied now?” asked Bill. “If -you are, we are going.”</p> - -<p>“That pocket-book is somewhere about this -ranch, and I know it,” said Henderson. “I -don’t like to give it up.”</p> - -<p>But all the same, when he saw his companions -mounting their horses, in readiness to -go away, he followed their example. They -went away without saying a good word to us. -Tom settled back in his chair and crossed his -legs, while I filled my pipe and looked at him.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[159]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER IX.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">HENDERSON IS ASTONISHED.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“Where is all your luck gone now, -Tom?” I enquired.</p> - -<p>“It’s gone,” said Tom disconsolately, -“and I am left here flat on my back. I could -have taken my oath that the pocket-book was -hidden somewhere about that bed. What -do you suppose made that Coyote Bill so -friendly with you? If there had been any -other man than you here he would have -talked rough to him.”</p> - -<p>“And perhaps have done something -rough,” I added. “I don’t know what -made him act so, unless he had an idea that -he was going to get me to go off with him. -He is going to see some trouble some day. -But what about breakfast? I am getting -hungry.”</p> - -<p>“Let us put some of these stones back<span class="pagenum">[160]</span> -where they belong and cook our breakfast in -here,” said Tom. “Somehow I don’t feel -like going out in the woods. That pocket-book -is concealed around here, and I would -like to know where it is.”</p> - -<p>I shrugged my shoulders, and seized a -bucket to go out and bring some water, and -Tom, taking that as an answer that he could -guess the matter as well as I, went in to put -some of the stones back in the fireplace. I -was not gone more than ten minutes, and -when I came back I found Tom on the porch -fairly convulsed with excitement. He could -hardly stand still.</p> - -<p>“Say, Carlos, where are the men that were -here?” he stammered, as plainly as he could -speak.</p> - -<p>“They have just ridden over that hill out of -sight,” I replied. “Is anything up?”</p> - -<p>“There’s no chance for them to come -back?”</p> - -<p>“Of course not. They are gone.”</p> - -<p>“There isn’t any of their party loafing -around ready to come back and see what we -have found, is there?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[161]</span></p> - -<p>“Why, Tom,” I exclaimed, “have you -found the pocket-book?”</p> - -<p>“Come in here,” said Tom, seizing me by -the arm and dragging me into the ranch. -“Now, there’s the pocket-book—— Well, it -isn’t in plain sight, but it is so near it that -you will think those men ought to have discovered -it. See here!”</p> - -<p>Tom seized a stick which one of the men -had used and began poking around in the -ashes that covered the hearthstone. No one -had thought of moving that stone, for it was -so large that the sticks which supported the -chimney came down on each side of it; but -the dirt under the edges of it had been thrown -out, until it was found that there was nothing -there. The ashes which concealed it were -those that had been left there from the last -fire Mr. Davenport had made, when he didn’t -feel like going out of doors, and there was -scarcely enough of them to cover a quarter of -a dollar, let alone a good-sized pocket-book; -but Tom knew right where to go, and with the -second prod he brought out the pocket-book—the -identical mate to the one that was now in<span class="pagenum">[162]</span> -camp. Mr. Davenport had concealed it there -on the morning after Coyote Bill had made an -effort to steal it, and had forgotten where he -put it. The one that contained the receipts -he had placed under his pillow, and when -we got ready to start in the morning,—we -packed up in something of a hurry, you will -understand,—he had taken that one with him! -I was profoundly astonished. I jumped forward -and picked up the pocket-book, giving -it a slap or two in my hands to clear it of the -ashes that clung to it, and opened it.</p> - -<p>“I tell you my luck hasn’t gone back on -me yet,” said Tom, who was overjoyed at his -discovery.</p> - -<p>“Why, Tom, how did you find it?” I -asked. I couldn’t think of anything else to -say.</p> - -<p>“I have been thinking about it all the -time,” answered Tom. “And I couldn’t -think of any place in the house that had not -been looked into except these ashes, so I -began to poke into them. At the second jab -I made, out came the pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>I looked around until I found a chair, and<span class="pagenum">[163]</span> -then seated myself to examine the pocket-book; -for you will remember that we had -taken a long ride, and we did not want to -take another with the same object in view. -The papers were all folded neatly away, and -as I opened the first one I came to, my eyes -caught the words: “In the name of God, -Amen.” That was the will, and it was all -right. I looked at the conclusion, and there -were the names of all of us as witnesses. The -next paper I opened was a letter of instructions -to Bob, and told him how to carry on -his business if he wanted to make a success -of it.</p> - -<p>“I don’t want to look any further,” I said, -folding up the papers. “Tom, you’ve got it -as sure as the world.”</p> - -<p>Tom did not make any reply at once. He -went out on the porch and all around the -ranch to make sure that there was no one -listening to us.</p> - -<p>“Say, Carlos!” he exclaimed, as soon as he -came back, “I’ve found the will, and now you -have got to take charge of it. If you see anybody -coming toward us on the way home, just<span class="pagenum">[164]</span> -take out the pocket-book and drop it into the -grass, and then when they have gone we’ll -come and find it. How does that strike -you?”</p> - -<p>“That will do,” I replied. “Then we can -say that we don’t know where it is, only we’ll -have to keep a close watch of landmarks to -find the place where we hid it. I wish I had -your luck.”</p> - -<p>“I wish you had too,” replied Tom, with a -smile. “I notice that everybody is poking -fun at me on account of it, but I tell you -sometimes it comes handy. Now, if you will -go out and cook breakfast I’ll put everything -back as I found it.”</p> - -<p>The breakfast didn’t amount to much, for -we were anxious to begin our homeward -journey to see what effect the result of our -search would have upon Bob. There was not -one man in ten, who knew what we were going -to the ranch for, who would have predicted -our success, and we were equally anxious to -hear what Lem and Frank would have to say -about it. I heard Tom strike up a lively -whistle in the ranch while I was gathering<span class="pagenum">[165]</span> -wood for the fire, and in a few minutes he -came out.</p> - -<p>“Say!” he exclaimed. “What will you -bet that Henderson isn’t getting a good going -over by this time?”</p> - -<p>“I am quite sure he is,” said I. “You -know Pete said he didn’t believe Mr. Davenport -had another pocket-book, and Coyote -Bill agreed with him. But we knew a story -worth two of that!”</p> - -<p>“I know it. And to think that we should -find it before they were fairly out of sight of -the building. Who—pee! My luck never -went back on me yet.”</p> - -<p>Tom went back to his work, and when I -had the bacon fairly under way and the corn -bread done, I invited him to come out and eat -breakfast, if his excitement would allow him -to eat any. He had the things mostly picked -up. Two of the beds hadn’t been touched, -and we would leave them for the cowboys -who wouldn’t have anything else to do. He -came, and the way the breakfast disappeared -was a caution. He ate more than I could have -eaten to save my life, and I came to the conclusion<span class="pagenum">[166]</span> -that the excitement was not all on his -side. In half an hour more we were on our -homeward journey, and during the whole of -that ride there was nothing happened that -was worthy of narration. We performed the -ride almost entirely by daylight. When we -slept it was in a grove of post-oaks, and any -one who had come upon our camp would not -have found the pocket-book. I took particular -pains to hide it before we turned in, -and when morning came it was always there. -It rained for two days during our journey, but -we didn’t mind that, and it was not long -before we began to strike the advance guards -of our cattle. No fight had occurred between -the farmers and our outfit, because the former -were men and knew just what they would do -under the same circumstances. They and the -Rangers camped on the other side of Trinity -to see that we did not drive our cattle over, -and when it rained the Rangers knew that -their work was done and started at once for -home, while the farmers remained a few days -longer to guard their crops. Almost the first -man we saw was Clifford Henderson, who was<span class="pagenum">[167]</span> -out trying to sell his stock to some cattlemen, -but the cattlemen did not like the way he had -come in charge of it, and would not consent to -buy. When he saw us approaching he rode -to meet us, accompanied by three or four of -the men whom he had been trying to induce -to buy his cattle.</p> - -<p>“I am glad I don’t feel the way I did when -I last saw this stock,” said Tom. “I tell you -I was glum then, and didn’t know whether -my luck was going to stand me in hand or not. -There comes Henderson, but he has got some -of our men with him, so that we need not be -afraid. It beats me how he can associate with -fellows like Coyote Bill, and then hold up his -head when he gets among honest men.”</p> - -<p>“He knows that we won’t tell of him until -the proper time comes,” said I. “I’ll bet -you that by the time this business is settled -you can’t put your hands on him.”</p> - -<p>“Where will he go?”</p> - -<p>“He’ll put out. Just as soon as he finds -the will in our hands he will skip. You see -if he don’t.”</p> - -<p>But at this moment Henderson came along<span class="pagenum">[168]</span> -as though he had a perfect right to be there. -He was talking, and laying down some law to -the men.</p> - -<p>“I tell you that pocket-book was the only -one Mr. Davenport had,” said he. “When -he was taken with that fit and fell from his -horse, he placed his hands upon it to be sure -that it was safe. Here are the boys; you can -ask them. Did you find it?”</p> - -<p>“Find what?” I asked; for I knew that -Tom would expect me to do all the talking.</p> - -<p>“Find the pocket-book,” continued Henderson. -“These men insist that there is -another one somewhere, and that I haven’t -got any right to the cattle. Now I want to -know if you found it.”</p> - -<p>“We looked over every place that you -looked and didn’t find any,” I answered. -“Every place except under the house.”</p> - -<p>“And I don’t blame you for not going -there,” said Henderson, with a laugh. “We -went under there and got as dirty as so many -pigs. You saw me come there with two men, -didn’t you?”</p> - -<p>“You certainly did.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[169]</span></p> - -<p>“And I looked everywhere for the pocket-book -and didn’t find it,” added Henderson. -“In fact I examined everything, and not a -thing in the shape of a pocket-book did I discover. -I tell you, gentlemen, there is none -there. Now, I can sell you these cattle -cheaper than you can buy them anywhere -else. I have got to go North on business, -and I may not come back; and I want -to get rid of everything I have got down -here.”</p> - -<p>“Of all the impudence I ever heard, you are -the beat,” I muttered, and it was all I could -do to keep from pulling out the pocket-book -and shaking it under Henderson’s nose; but -I knew that wouldn’t do. I must first place -the pocket-book in Mr. Chisholm’s hands, and -then I could say what I had a mind to. -While Henderson was talking he kept his -eyes fastened upon one man, and another in -the group looked as fixedly at me. I scowled -at him repeatedly, and finally the man brightened -up and said slowly:</p> - -<p>“I’d like to buy these cattle, because I can -get them cheaper than I can anywhere else;<span class="pagenum">[170]</span> -but I want to be certain that the man has got -a right to them before he lets ’em go.”</p> - -<p>“All the will that was made was in that -pocket-book,” said Henderson impatiently. -“And you all saw that there was no will at -all. Being next of kin I am entitled to all his -property.”</p> - -<p>“<em>But</em>,” continued the man, “the boys say -they did not find anything while you were -there. Now I want to know if they found -anything after you left. That’s what’s -a-bothering of me.”</p> - -<p>I didn’t make any reply to this question, -I wanted it to be put to me before I answered. -The men all looked at me, but I remained as -dumb as one of the cattle that were feeding -around.</p> - -<p>“You don’t answer that question,” said the -man.</p> - -<p>“Do you ask it of me?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly I do. There is nobody else to -answer it.”</p> - -<p>“Then you have got me pinned down to -a fine point, and if I reply to the question I -shall do so truthfully. I did find something<span class="pagenum">[171]</span> -after he left—or rather Tom did, and it -amounts to the same thing.”</p> - -<p>“What was it?”</p> - -<p>“A pocket-book.”</p> - -<p>“Where is it?” shouted Henderson, his -eyes blazing with excitement. “Hand it out -here!”</p> - -<p>“It’s in my pocket, and there it will stay -until I can give it into the hands of Mr. -Chisholm,” I answered, as firmly as I could. -“In it is a will which relates to Bob Davenport——”</p> - -<p>“It is a fraud!” exclaimed Henderson, -turning all sorts of colors. “Hand it out -here so that I can look at it! I am not going -to be cheated out of my cattle in this way.”</p> - -<p>“The will is in Mr. Davenport’s own hand-writing, -and to it are attached our signatures, -with Bob as a witness.”</p> - -<p>“It’s a fraud—a clean and scandalous lie!” -vociferated Henderson. “How much do you -boys calculate you are going to make out of -this?”</p> - -<p>“Not a red cent!” I replied indignantly. -“But you can talk of making some money<span class="pagenum">[172]</span> -out of it when you come to the ranch in company -with such men as——”</p> - -<p>“That is neither here nor there,” interrupted -Henderson, who saw in a minute that -I was about to expose him. “I want you to -show me that will. I can tell you whether or -not it is genuine.”</p> - -<p>“Well, boys, let’s go and hunt up Mr. -Chisholm,” said one of the men, who saw that -we were getting down to a fine point. “He is -the lawyer in this business and will know -exactly what ought to be done.”</p> - -<p>“I am just as good a lawyer as he is, and I -don’t need one; and furthermore, I won’t -have any!” declared Henderson. “I tell you -I want to see the will. I will know whether or -not it is genuine. I am here alone and you -are five to my one. Let me see it, I tell you!”</p> - -<p>Henderson was about as near crazy as a man -could get and live, and if we had been alone I -should have objected to show him the pocket-book; -but there were two men there whom I -was not afraid to trust. I looked at one of -them, and he said:</p> - -<p>“As he is the next of kin I think he has a<span class="pagenum">[173]</span> -right to see the will. You may show it to -him without any fear that he will get away -with it. Get on the other side of him, -boys!”</p> - -<p>“If you are going to watch me in this way, -you can keep your old will!” said Henderson, -as plainly as he could speak, which, owing to -his excitement and rage, might have been -taken for something else. “You will find -that there is a surrogate in this county who -has to have the will proved, and I shall start -in search of him before I am an hour older. -Keep away from that horse. What are you -putting your hands on him for?”</p> - -<p>Two of the men, without paying any attention -to what he said, “got around on the -other side of him,” one laying his hand upon -his bridle and the other drawing his revolver -and resting it across the hollow of his arm. I -saw that Henderson was fairly cornered, and -without any further comments I pulled out -the pocket-book and gave it to the spokesman. -When Henderson’s eyes rested upon it it was -all he could do to keep from snatching it.</p> - -<p>“That first paper is the will,” said I. “It<span class="pagenum">[174]</span> -is signed by Robert Davenport, who, when he -showed us the will, said: ‘I take my oath -that this is my proper signature,’ or words to -that effect. Tom Mason and I signed it, -while Elam Storm made his mark. He can’t -write, you know. Bob Davenport signed it -as a witness.”</p> - -<p>“I see you are all against me, but I want to -see the will,” said Henderson. “You had -better mind what you are about, for they have -a queer way of dealing with men in this part -of the country who swear to a lie!”</p> - -<p>“By gum! the boys have got it, sure -enough,” said the spokesman, as he ran his -eye rapidly over the paper. “‘In the name -of God, Amen! I, Robert Davenport, being -thoroughly convinced of the uncertainty of -life, do hereby give and bequeath to my son, -Robert Davenport, all the property of which I -may die possessed, to wit:’ There you have -it. Do you want to see it?”</p> - -<p>The man who held the revolver raised it to -a level with Henderson’s head, the man who -had his grip on the bridle tightened it, and -the spokesman passed the will over to Henderson.<span class="pagenum">[175]</span> -My heart was in my mouth, for I did -not know but the man, in his rage, would kill -himself; but he did nothing of the sort. He -ran his eye rapidly over the paper, and I saw -that he was trying to find the name of the -bank in which Mr. Davenport’s bonds were -deposited for safe keeping, and then I -interfered.</p> - -<p>“That’s enough!” I exclaimed. “He -doesn’t want to get at the name of that -bank, because he may get there before we do. -Take it away from him!”</p> - -<p>“You are too late, young man,” said Henderson, -as he readily gave up the will. “And -now, I will bid you good-by. You are a pack -of thieves, the last one of you!”</p> - -<p>He made an effort to spur up his horse, but -the man who held his bridle was not to be -taken unawares.</p> - -<p>“Take that back!” he exclaimed.</p> - -<p>“Well, you want me to call you something, -don’t you?” said Henderson.</p> - -<p>I think he was the coolest man I ever saw. -That was twice he had looked into the muzzle -of a revolver when the man who stood behind<span class="pagenum">[176]</span> -it was just on the point of shooting, but he -never changed color.</p> - -<p>“Take it back!” said the man. “One—two——”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, you are gentlemen, the last -one of you,” said the culprit. “Now, let me -go, and when you get down to Austin you -may be sure you will find me there. There -isn’t any law against that, I suppose?”</p> - -<p>“No; you can go and come when you are a -mind to; but you be sure that you don’t come -around our camp to-night!”</p> - -<p>“You may be sure that I shall never come -around there again. The next time you see -me I shall be backed up by law!”</p> - -<p>The man who held his bridle released it, -and we sat in our saddles and saw Henderson -gallop away, while the one who held the will -folded it up and returned it to me. Henderson -evidently knew where he was going, for -he went in an awful hurry, and somehow I -couldn’t get it out of my mind that Bob was -going to see trouble over the will after all. -As we turned about and went back to camp I -said to our spokesman:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[177]</span></p> - -<p>“Who is that officer who is going to examine -the will? I suppose we shall have to -go to Austin with Bob?”</p> - -<p>“The surrogate? Yes, he is called that in -some States, but what in the world he is called -here I don’t know. I never had anything to -do with the proving of wills, but we will go -and see Mr. Chisholm. He will know all -about it. By gum! you fellows got it, -didn’t you? And you say that he and two -other men were there in the house and all -over it and never found it? Tell us all -about it.”</p> - -<p>It did not take me long to tell the cattlemen -the history of our trip to the ranch and -back, but I left out all allusions to Coyote -Bill. I could do that and I knew that Tom -wouldn’t betray me. When the spokesman -asked me who the men were, I could tell him -that one was Henderson and the other was -’Rastus Johnson. Who the other was I -didn’t know, for I had been on the ranch all -the time, and my opportunities for making -acquaintances were very slight. I determined -to tell Mr. Chisholm all about it, for I assure<span class="pagenum">[178]</span> -you I did not feel like having secrets from -my friends.</p> - -<p>“’Rastus Johnson! I never knew him, but -his knowing something about that pocket-book -proves that he is a snake in the grass. -I wonder if he has anything to do with -Coyote Bill?”</p> - -<p>“There comes Bob Davenport!” exclaimed -Tom suddenly. “He is more interested in -what we have to tell than anybody else.”</p> - -<p>I never was so glad of an interruption in my -life. It got me out of a lie, plain enough. I -looked around, and there was Bob waving his -hat to us. It seems that the loss of his cattle -had not hurt him any, for he had his coat off -and was working with Mr. Chisholm’s men. -When I saw him coming I pulled out the -pocket-book and waved it over my head.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[179]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER X.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">OFF FOR AUSTIN.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">What Bob Davenport thought when he -saw me waving that pocket-book to -him, I don’t know. I held it extended in my -left hand and tapped it with my right as if to -say, “Here’s your will,” until he came up, -and then I saw his face was whiter than it was -when he thought he had lost his cattle.</p> - -<p>“You’ve got it! You’ve got it as sure -as the world!” he exclaimed, as soon as -he came within speaking distance. “Is it -mine?”</p> - -<p>“Tom Mason found it for you, and it is all -yours,” said I. “I don’t know how much -there is in it, because I haven’t read the will; -but I heard your father say that it was -all yours.”</p> - -<p>With hands that trembled Bob took the -pocket-book and opened it; and as he gazed -upon the hand-writing of his father now laid<span class="pagenum">[180]</span> -away among the willows, his eyes filled with -tears. Mr. Davenport, I afterward learned, -had been buried near the scene of his death, -and the cattlemen had made a heavy box and -loaded it with stones to protect it from the -wolves. Bob had not yet recovered from his -father’s sudden death, but Clifford Henderson -was not at the funeral, and when remonstrated -with by the cattlemen for his want of -sympathy for the fate of his brother, said -gruffly:</p> - -<p>“Why should I want to see him buried? -He drove me away from home by his ingratitude -eight years ago, and I have never got -over it. He seems to have one mourner there, -and that is enough.”</p> - -<p>Bob Davenport, we repeat, read the will -from the beginning to the end, also the letter of -instructions, and we sat on our horses waiting -for him to finish. When he was through he -folded up the letter, closed the pocket-book, -and handed it back to me.</p> - -<p>“Why, Bob, it is yours,” I said.</p> - -<p>“No,” he replied; “you fellows found it. -I should never have seen it if it hadn’t been<span class="pagenum">[181]</span> -for you, and I wish you to take and hand it to -Mr. Chisholm. When he says I may have it -all, I will take it; not before. I left him here -at the wagon when I came up.”</p> - -<p>We followed Bob back to the wagon, and -there we found Mr. Chisholm, smoking as -usual. He knew there was something up, for -we had waited almost fifteen minutes for Bob -to read the letter, but he said not a word -until I rode up and gave him the pocket-book. -Then he opened it and read the first line of -the will, after which he folded it up and -placed it in his own pocket.</p> - -<p>“Is it all right?” he asked.</p> - -<p>“It is all there,” replied Bob. “I read the -whole of it.”</p> - -<p>“Which was the lucky fellow?”</p> - -<p>I jerked my thumb over my shoulder toward -Tom Mason, and in another moment Mr. Chisholm -had him from his horse.</p> - -<p>“By George, Tommy, you did nobly!” said -he, lifting Tom from the ground with one hand -and giving him a grip with the other that -must have brought tears of pain to his eyes. -“I believe now that you found the nugget,<span class="pagenum">[182]</span> -but I was not prepared to swallow it all -when I first heard of the story.”</p> - -<p>“Course he did! Didn’t he find my -nugget when it had been buried out of -sight longer than I can remember? Give -us your grip, Tom.”</p> - -<p>We looked up, and there was Elam Storm -coming around the wagon. He had his -sleeves rolled up, and a person who knew -him would have hesitated about shaking -hands with him; but Tom took it without -ceremony. There was genuine affection between -the two boys, and it showed itself -in the way they greeted each other.</p> - -<p>“Now, boys,” said Mr. Chisholm, who -could not have been more delighted if the will -he had in his possession had deeded some -property to him instead of to Bob, “the next -thing is something else. I wish when you -start out again that you would see every -cowboy that you can, and tell him to come -to my wagon after supper, for I have got -some things that will interest them. I promised -to do some more talking to them when -I got the will, and now I am in a condition<span class="pagenum">[183]</span> -to do it. Tell Henderson to come -along too.”</p> - -<p>“Henderson won’t be here,” said our -spokesman.</p> - -<p>“Ah! Skipped out, has he?”</p> - -<p>“Yes. He said we were thieves, the last -one of us, and we asked him to take it back -and never show his face in our camp again. -He left in a mighty hurry, and I guess he was -going somewhere.”</p> - -<p>“Humph!” said Mr. Chisholm, with a -sidelong glance at me. “Well, you send all -the boys up here. We have something here -now that will put a different look on the -matter.”</p> - -<p>“Now, Bob,” continued our spokesman, -“we haven’t had a chance before to tell you -how pleased we are at your good fortune. -Shake!”</p> - -<p>“Oh, I took it for granted,” said Bob, -accepting the cowboys’ hands, one after the -other. “You have been so good to me ever -since I lost my cattle that I knew you sympathized -with me. I am glad to receive your -congratulations.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[184]</span></p> - -<p>We stood there at the wagon and saw the -cowboys ride away and Elam engaged in conversation -with Tom, and then I motioned to -Mr. Chisholm to follow me off on one side. -There were two things that I wanted to speak -to him about.</p> - -<p>“You know when Henderson read that will, -do you not?” I began.</p> - -<p>“I thought I did,” he replied. “You had -him cornered so that he couldn’t get away or -destroy it?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir. He read it rapidly, much more -so than I could have done if I had had the -paper, and he wanted to get at the name of the -bank where the money was kept on deposit—that -is, where the bonds were kept. Then I -interfered and the men took the paper away -from him.”</p> - -<p>“Well?” said Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“He said I was too late,” I continued. -“And then he gave me to understand that he -had got all he wanted. He said that the next -time I saw him would be in Austin——”</p> - -<p>“W-h-e-w!” whistled Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“Yes. And then he would have the law to<span class="pagenum">[185]</span> -back him up. He would go to the surrogate -and challenge the will. Now, it seems to me -that he could make us a heap of trouble by -doing that.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm knocked the ashes from his -pipe and filled up for another smoke, all the -while keeping his eyes fastened upon me. I -knew he was thinking deeply about something, -and made no attempt to interrupt him.</p> - -<p>“Well?” said he, when he had come to -some conclusion.</p> - -<p>“And there’s another thing I wanted to -speak to you about,” I continued. “I can’t -help it because Coyote Bill should be so -friendly with me, can I?”</p> - -<p>“Why—no; if you haven’t done anything -to make him so.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you know what Mr. Davenport told -you, don’t you? He thinks because I lost -my cattle I am down on everybody who has -not lost theirs. Now, he was one of the party -who came up there to search the house.”</p> - -<p>“That doesn’t matter. You couldn’t have -kept him away from there if he was a mind to -come, and I confess I thought something was<span class="pagenum">[186]</span> -up when Henderson came up missing the next -morning.”</p> - -<p>“But I don’t want to get these men down -on me because he acts so. He asked me if I -was going with him and help him steal cattle, -and I told him I was not. He tried his best -to get me interested in the matter before he -made any move, but I wouldn’t do it, and it -was only by taking Elam into my confidence -that I was able to upset him.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you just let Coyote Bill go and -trust to me,” said Mr. Chisholm, giving me -his hand to shake. “If anybody says anything -to you about it send them to me. But -I don’t know what to make of Henderson’s -going to Austin. If he should get the cattle -thrown into the hands of a trustee, and have -some sort of an arrangement made by which -he could keep the bonds out of our grasp—— Who-pee! -By George! We would be in a -fix then.”</p> - -<p>“But could he do that?” I asked, alarmed -at the proposition. “Just see all the writings -we would have.”</p> - -<p>“He could do it if we had a thousand times<span class="pagenum">[187]</span> -as much. He could just challenge the will, -and by giving some little pettifogger money -enough, and promising him as much more if -succeeded, he could have it thrown into chancery -and keep us out of it forever. He could -do it easily enough. I never did like that -man Henderson, anyway.”</p> - -<p>Of course Mr. Chisholm made things different -from what they were, and anybody could -see that he didn’t know much about law; but -it had an effect upon me, as I didn’t know anything -about the ins and outs of the profession. -I had never had any experience in it in my -life, and I was appalled by his story of what -that bad man could do in the way of contesting -the will if he tried. It was Bob’s, and -why couldn’t Bob have it? In a new State -like Texas, law was not considered to be of as -much use as it was in some older communities, -and there was but one thing I could -think of to use in Henderson’s case, and that -was, to get him out of the way. I looked at -Mr. Chisholm and could see that he was -thinking of the same thing.</p> - -<p>“There is but one way out of it,” he continued,<span class="pagenum">[188]</span> -after he had thought the matter over, -“and that is a revolver shot. That will end -all difficulty. This thing that he has got on -his side may be law, but it is not justice.”</p> - -<p>“There may be a better way than that,” I -added, for I was disposed to be a boy of -peace, “and it won’t do any harm to try it, -for it will bring mischief to no one but Henderson. -If we could prove that he was in -cahoots with Coyote Bill——”</p> - -<p>“Set me down for a blockhead!” exclaimed -Mr. Chisholm, once more extending his hand. -“But you are the very boy I want. You -think of everything before I do. Of course -we can prove it, for didn’t you and Tom -Mason see him and talk with him when he -came out there to the ranch? Carlos, you be -around to-night, for we are going to Austin. -We’ll take along sufficient men to keep -Coyote Bill away from us if he sees us on the -way, and go down and prove the will. Now, -keep mum, for I don’t want any man around -here to know it. So long!”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm and I returned to the wagon, -and I invited myself to the dinner which<span class="pagenum">[189]</span> -Elam had served up in great shape for Tom -Mason. Of course Bob was there and his face -was radiant. I didn’t exactly understand -what Mr. Chisholm meant by saying that we -would go down to Austin to prove the will, -but I was in for it. He seemed to think there -was going to be a fight before we got there, -but when I looked at Bob, so joyous now -when he had been so distressed and cast -down when he thought he had lost all his -father’s property, I told myself that I was in -for that too. There was one thing about it: -Clifford Henderson wouldn’t get those bonds, -or the cattle either, by simply asking for them.</p> - -<p>“Tom Mason is the one you want to thank -for finding that pocket-book,” I said, as I sat -down beside him. “Elam, have you got a -slice of bacon for me?”</p> - -<p>“I know just what you both did and what -you passed through when you were there,” -said Bob. “This is no place for me to thank -you. I will do that at some future time.”</p> - -<p>For the first time it occurred to me that -Bob might want to give Tom some present for -being so lucky, and I was strongly in favor of<span class="pagenum">[190]</span> -that. For myself I didn’t want anything, for -I had sold all my property to Uncle Ezra, who -still had some of my money left in case I -should happen to find him when dead broke; -but Tom had suddenly taken it into his head -that he must return home with the amount of -money he had stolen from his uncle, and I -was in favor of helping him out. When Bob -got all his cattle and bonds safe to himself, -that would be the time for him to act. I -resolved that if he ever said anything to -me, I would tell him just what I thought -about it.</p> - -<p>Between joking and laughing and driving -on the wagon to meet the cowboys at nightfall, -we passed the time agreeably enough. -Just before dark we came within sight of a -grove of post-oaks which had been selected -for our encampment, and there we found a -colony of wagons and almost all the cowboys. -Mr. Chisholm was there. He had ridden his -horse hard all the afternoon in the effort to -find all the men attached to his outfit to summon -them to appear at this hour, and when -we got up there I found that there were two<span class="pagenum">[191]</span> -wagons missing. Everyone was glad to see -Bob. I never knew that boy had so many -friends, especially when Lem and Frank came -up, whom Mr. Chisholm had found herding -some cattle on the furthest flanks. Of course -they shook me warmly by the hand, but -devoted the most of their time and attention -to Tom Mason.</p> - -<p>“I knowed you would find it, pilgrim,” -said Lem, holding fast to Tom with one hand -and patting him on the shoulder with the -other. “Whenever I lose anything I am -going to send you after it.”</p> - -<p>Supper didn’t take much time, for all hands -were anxious to hear what was in the will, so -as soon as the motions had been gone through -they flocked up around the wagon to listen. -The time came for Mr. Chisholm to lay by -his pipe, which he did, and drew out the -pocket-book.</p> - -<p>“I reckon we’ll find a little better reading -in this one than we did in the last,” said he, -holding it up where all could see it. “Has -our friend Henderson come in yet?”</p> - -<p>Although they all knew that the culprit<span class="pagenum">[192]</span> -was miles from there by that time, they all -looked at each other, but no one spoke.</p> - -<p>“I reckon he’s skipped,” continued Mr. -Chisholm. “’Cause he was allowed to have -the reading of these papers I hold here; and -when he said we were all thieves, our friends -told him to be careful how he showed his face -in our camp to-night. The first paper I hold -in my hand is indorsed: ‘The last will and -testament of Robert Davenport.’ I will now -read it.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm took off his hat and laid it -down beside him, and in a much slower and -more deliberate manner than he had used in -reading the contents of the other pocket-book, -the one that contained the receipts, he proceeded -to read the paper he held in his hand. -The testator made Robert Davenport the heir -to everything he possessed, horses, cattle, and -bonds, which were deposited for safe keeping -in the Merchant and Cattlemen’s Bank of -Austin, with a few exceptions. To each of his -cowboys, “for services long and faithfully -rendered,” he gave the sum of one thousand -dollars, and then came something I was glad<span class="pagenum">[193]</span> -to see. To his half-brother, Clifford Henderson, -“to show that he had not forgotten -him,” he gave the sum of one dollar, and he -hoped that before he got through spending it -he would learn that honesty was the best -policy. The will was somewhat long, and I -was pleased to note one thing: the name of -the bank in which the bonds were kept did -not occur on the first page, but on the second! -and Henderson, when reading it, had read all -he wanted to see on the first page! By reading -that and going off in such a hurry he -tried to play a bluff game on us. He did not -know the name of the bank at all!</p> - -<p>After that followed the letter of instructions, -which was so plain that anybody could -have understood it, and it wound up with the -entreaty to Bob to be honest; but having been -brought up all his life in that way the testator -did not think that Bob would depart from it. -Bob told me afterward that the letter talked -just as plainly as his father would to him. -Bob was very much overcome, and during the -reading he sat with his hands covering his -face, and I could see the tears trickling<span class="pagenum">[194]</span> -through his fingers. By the time Mr. Chisholm -was through all the cowboys had their -hats off. He folded up the paper and waited -for somebody to make known his pleasure -concerning it. It was a long time before -anyone spoke. They seemed to be as much -affected by the reading of the will as Bob was.</p> - -<p>“The will seems to be all right, Mr. Judge,” -said the oldest cattleman at last, “and I move -it be accepted by this meeting.”</p> - -<p>“Second the motion!” shouted a dozen men -at once.</p> - -<p>The motion was put and carried (we knew -that Henderson didn’t have a friend among -those cowboys), and then the pocket-book was -laid upon Bob’s knee. He was a rich man at -last. There were fifty good rifles to back him -up, and if Henderson or any of Coyote Bill’s -band had been there to take exceptions to it, -he would have been roughly handled. At -almost any other time they would have called -upon Bob for a speech, but instead of that -they let him go. He passed the pocket-book -back to Mr. Chisholm, with a few words expressive -of his gratitude, and begged him to<span class="pagenum">[195]</span> -keep it for him until the matter was quite -settled, and arose and went off into the darkness. -He wanted to be alone, and none of us -intruded upon him.</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm was now prepared to carry -out the rest of his programme, and as soon as -the cattlemen had gone away he called some -of his cowboys to him and told them he -wanted them to take charge of Mr. Davenport’s -wagon on the following morning, for he -was going to Austin. He didn’t enter into any -explanations, for a ride of a hundred miles -was nothing for their employer to undertake, -but they agreed at once, and he sent them away.</p> - -<p>“Now,” said he, “the next thing is something -else. All you boys who have been -remembered in Mr. Davenport’s will, sit up -close around me, for I have something to tell -you. We must go to Austin as quickly as -we can, for we don’t know but that man Henderson -has gone there to challenge the will.”</p> - -<p>“Will you allow me to say a word right -there, Mr. Chisholm?” I asked. “That man -Henderson doesn’t know the name of the -bank in which the bonds are deposited.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[196]</span></p> - -<p>“How do you know?”</p> - -<p>“Because he read only the first page of -the will. If you took pains to notice, the -name doesn’t occur except on the second page, -and consequently he could not have seen it.”</p> - -<p>“Well, by George! I never noticed that. -Did any of you boys take notice of it? -But I have got the will in my pocket. -We can easily satisfy ourselves on that -point. It is so,” he added, after referring to -the will, “and you are just the boy—— But -look here! If Henderson knows how, he can -just go down there and challenge the will, -anyway. He can say he doesn’t like the -way that property has been left, and so -make us some trouble on account of it.”</p> - -<p>“Who will he have to go to when he -challenges it?” I asked.</p> - -<p>“Blessed if I know!”</p> - -<p>“I’d just like to meet him to-morrow,” -said Frank.</p> - -<p>“Here too,” said Lem. “You wouldn’t -have to do all your shooting alone, I can -tell you.”</p> - -<p>“But you see you aint likely to meet him,”<span class="pagenum">[197]</span> -said Mr. Chisholm. “Now, I think we had -better go to Austin right straight, in order to -get the start of him. Catch up!”</p> - -<p>“Do you mean that we are all to go?” -I asked.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I do mean all of you; everyone who -is remembered in Mr. Davenport’s will, and -Bob and those of us who witnessed his -signature. Even Elam will have to go, for -he made his mark. I know the president of -that bank down there, for he holds a thousand -dollars or two of my money, and perhaps a -word coming from me will help straighten -the matter out. Lem, you and Frank get the -grub together. Elam, you hunt up Bob.”</p> - -<p>And this was all the ceremony that was -employed in getting under way. In a few -minutes more there were ten of us, all well -mounted and armed and with provisions -enough to last us to Austin, who rode away -from the camp. I made up my mind to one -thing, and that was if Coyote Bill should discover -us and try to get that pocket-book away, -he would have a good time in doing it.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XI.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">HENDERSON IN NEW BUSINESS.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“I will get even with you for this. Bob -is not your son, and I will see that you -don’t adopt him, either. Whenever I see a -notice of your death—and you can’t live forever—I -will hunt that boy up and make him -know what it is to be in want, as I am at this -moment.”</p> - -<p>I don’t suppose that when Clifford Henderson -shouted this defiance at his brother, on -the day he left him, after Mr. Davenport had -refused to take any further steps toward paying -his debts, that he really intended to go -to Texas, or, if he did, he never expected to -meet Bob there. He wanted to get away by -himself and think over his misfortune; for he -considered it a misfortune when his brother, -who was fairly rolling in wealth, should decline -to advance him the small sum when he -was so much in need of it. Henderson was<span class="pagenum">[199]</span> -in sore straits—that is, for him. He had -money, but he was anxious to get a little -more, in order to go into a speculation in -which he was certain to lose all he had; and -it was when his brother declined to meet this -demand that he went into a rage.</p> - -<p>“Old Bob wants me to go to work,” said -he, as he turned and shook his fist at the -house. “Not if I know it! I have seen him, -when he was not any older than I am, looking -around for a chance to put his money at interest, -and he never would have anything to -do with what I suggested to him. Never -mind; he is ’most dead with consumption, -and I will see what will become of Bob after -that.”</p> - -<p>When he got a little further along the -street whom should he meet but the man -with whom he intended to go into the speculation. -It was buying waste land on the outskirts -of the city, which might some day be -profitable enough, but which would take -double the amount that he had to improve it.</p> - -<p>“Well, Clifford, did you try your -brother?” he exclaimed, as soon as he got<span class="pagenum">[200]</span> -within speaking distance. “I know you -have, for a fellow would not look as glum -as you do who had met with any success.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I have tried him,” said Henderson, -taking the opportunity to whisper a few -choice swear words. “I have tried him, and -he can’t see it. He had but a few dollars left, -and he wants to invest that for Bob. Bob! -Everything is for Bob! I wish I could get -rid of that boy.”</p> - -<p>“You know I told you, when he came back -from the mines and brought that boy with -him, that your cake was all dough,” said his -friend, who was about as disgusted as a man -could well be. “Why did not you take my -advice and put him away long ago?”</p> - -<p>“Because I was a fool—that’s why! You -see I was afraid somebody would get -onto it.”</p> - -<p>“They won’t if you do as I tell you. But -it is none of my funeral. If you can’t go into -the speculation I must go and hunt up somebody -else. I must have some of those acres -up there, for I know there is money in them. -Before I would be tied down by a little boy!<span class="pagenum">[201]</span> -Good gracious! Why don’t you push him -overboard?”</p> - -<p>“I never have a chance to go fishing with -him,” said Henderson.</p> - -<p>“No matter. You could make chances -enough, I dare say. How does the boy feel -toward you?”</p> - -<p>“Friendly enough. I don’t think old Bob -has mentioned my name to him for a long -time.”</p> - -<p>“Does his tutor go with him everywhere?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, everywhere. He can’t go out around -the block without the tutor sticks close at his -heels. If he would only send the boy to -school I would have a better show.”</p> - -<p>“Do you know where the boy sleeps?”</p> - -<p>“I bet you I do, but I don’t intend to fool -around there,” said Henderson, growing -alarmed. “He sleeps in a room opening off -from the tutor’s, and I tell you I wouldn’t -take a hand in it. That tutor is a big man -and is a match for both of us.”</p> - -<p>“Could he get away with a sand-bag?” -said the friend, shutting one eye and looking -at Henderson with the other. “A man has<span class="pagenum">[202]</span> -to be wide awake to meet such a thing as -that.”</p> - -<p>“You may try it if you want to, and I’ll -give you half you make,” said Henderson. -“My brother is going to die in the course of a -year or two, and by the end of that time I -shall have money enough.”</p> - -<p>“You can if he dies without making a will; -but how do you intend to get around it if he -names the boy as his heir?”</p> - -<p>“If he doesn’t adopt him it is all right. I -tell you that would make me mad. In that -case I should probably wake up and do -something, and I should find myself in jail -before I was a week older.”</p> - -<p>“Not if you manage rightly. But I must -go on. I must have that land before three -o’clock or the fat will all be in the fire.”</p> - -<p>The friend walked away and Henderson -kept on his road down the street. We can -see from his conversation that he was not a -bad man at heart, but he ought to have been -rich, and in that case he would in a very short -time have found himself penniless. His expectations -ran greatly ahead of his income,<span class="pagenum">[203]</span> -which at this time amounted to just nothing -at all. All he made aside from his brother’s -allowance was what he gained from little -speculations, and, furthermore, he was in the -hands of men who generally called on him for -everything they wanted, and with a fair prospect -of getting it. But now that Mr. Davenport -had refused him any more money,—he -had told him in plain language that he would -have to pay his own debts in future,—their -occupation was gone, and they must look elsewhere. -He sent for his clothing during the -day, and took up his abode at the hotel, -where he tried to make up his mind what he -ought to do.</p> - -<p>“I have my choice between two courses of -action,” said he, as he lighted a cigar and sat -down in his room to think the matter over. -“One is, to shut Bob up in a lunatic asylum; -and the other is, to go fishing with him and -shove him overboard. Now, if anyone can -tell me which of those two is the safest, I will -be ready to listen to him. Nothing else -seems likely to happen to him.”</p> - -<p>The worst of it all was, Mr. Davenport<span class="pagenum">[204]</span> -knew that something was about to happen to -Bob. Almost a year before, when Mr. Davenport -had refused to advance money for some -of Henderson’s schemes, the latter had so far -forgotten himself as to make threats against -Bob. It alarmed his father, who at once took -Bob out of school and placed him under the -protection of a private teacher, a stalwart -man, a born athlete, and ready to hold his -own against all the men that Henderson could -bring against him. He slept, too, in a room -adjoining Bob’s, so that the boy was under -his care night and day. And it was all done -so quietly that Bob never suspected anything. -Wherever he went his tutor was ready to go -with him; he was a man whom he liked, and -he supposed that everything was just as it -should be.</p> - -<p>“That was a bad thing for me,” soliloquized -Henderson, knocking the ashes from his cigar. -“If I had kept still about that I might have -got rid of Bob, and no one would have been -the wiser for it, but now he is lost to me.”</p> - -<p>Of course his determination to push Bob -overboard when he went fishing with him was<span class="pagenum">[205]</span> -knocked in the head by this arrangement, and -so was his desire to steal him away and lock -him up. This last, which was the idea of -the man he had left but a few minutes ago, -held out brighter promises than anything -else; and he had even gone so far as to -engage the doctor who was to take charge of -it, promising him five thousand dollars when -the boy was delivered into his hands, and as -much more if his object was successful. But -there he stopped. Henderson didn’t have the -pluck to go ahead with it, and there the -matter laid for over a year. Now it was -brought back to him with redoubled force. -Everything was going to Bob; he could see -that plainly enough, and it was high time he -was doing something. In fact, it had been -that way ever since Mr. Davenport returned -from the mines with this little nuisance, -picked up none knew where.</p> - -<p>“He must go, and that’s all about it,” said -Henderson, rising from his chair and hurriedly -pacing the room. “If he won’t go -overboard he must be locked up; my luck -and everything else depend upon it. I will<span class="pagenum">[206]</span> -go out now and see what Scanlan has to say -about it, for I am determined that I will not -put up with him any longer.”</p> - -<p>Scanlan was the friend he had left an hour -or so before, and when found he didn’t have -the money to enable him to go on with that -speculation. There were few Hendersons in -the field for him to call upon, and they were -as hard up as he was.</p> - -<p>“I guess the land will have to go to somebody -else,” said he, as he described his ill -luck. “I want just five hundred dollars, and -nobody seems to have it.”</p> - -<p>“I could get it, if it were not for my -brother,” said Henderson; and when he -spoke the word “brother” he fairly hissed it -through his teeth. Scanlan looked up in surprise. -“Have I forgotten to tell you that old -Bob invariably speaks of that little snipe as -my brother?” he continued. “He has been -with him now for four years, and he thinks -that I can get used to calling him by a relationship -that really never existed.”</p> - -<p>“How old is the boy, anyhow?”</p> - -<p>“Seven years old. Old Bob took him when<span class="pagenum">[207]</span> -he was only three. I only wish the Indians -had come down on them and massacred the -last one of the lot. Not old Bob, of course, -for I am indebted to him for a pocketful of -rocks, but that young one I wish I had never -seen.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t see what his pocketful of rocks -has got to do with you,” said Scanlan.</p> - -<p>“Neither do I. I do think,” added Henderson, -as though he was considering the -matter for the first time, “that if I would go -home and behave myself, and wait until the -old man dies, I could really get hold of some -of his money, but how much would I get? -Not twenty thousand, and that isn’t enough -to buy an oyster supper.”</p> - -<p>“How much is the old man worth?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know. A cool million.”</p> - -<p>“Whew!” whistled Scanlan. “And are -you going to stay back and let that boy cheat -you out of it? If you do I shall never be -sorry for you.”</p> - -<p>“That’s is just what I don’t want to do, -and I came down here to talk to you about -kidnapping him and putting him under lock<span class="pagenum">[208]</span> -and key,” continued Henderson, looking all -around to make sure that no one overheard -him. “I say let him be locked up at once.”</p> - -<p>“Now you are talking,” said Scanlan. “If -you had decided on that several years ago you -would have had no trouble; but now I tell -you it is going to be uphill work. We’ve got -the tutor to overcome, and that is going to be -all that we two can do. Now, what do you -propose?”</p> - -<p>A long conversation followed, and the substance -was that the matter was left entirely -in the hands of his friend Scanlan. Henderson -had never been in the habit of defying -the police by engaging in any kidnapping -schemes, and he did not propose to begin now. -He wanted the boy got rid of, when and how -he didn’t care, so long as no effort was made -against his life. That was too dangerous. -And there, we may add, the thing rested for a -whole year, until one day Henderson heard -something in a few moments’ talk with the -tutor, who had waited outside while his pupil -was in a store making some purchases, that -set him post haste after Scanlan.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[209]</span></p> - -<p>“The dog is dead now,” said he, drawing -Scanlan into a doorway where they could talk -without being overheard, “and I don’t know -whether to be glad or sorry over it. My -brother is going to Texas!”</p> - -<p>“To Texas?” exclaimed Scanlan. “What -in the world should take him into that far-off -region?”</p> - -<p>“He had a relative down there engaged in -the cattle business, and he has died leaving -his property to old Bob. Don’t it beat the -world how some fellows can get along without -lifting their hands? Now, if he had left those -cattle to me who stand so much in need of -them——”</p> - -<p>“If that boy goes to Texas he’ll be out of -reach of you,” interrupted Scanlan.</p> - -<p>“Yes; but see what danger he’ll be in.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know that he will be in any danger—more -than he is here,” said Scanlan. -“Remember that if he stays there long -enough to get acquainted he will have any -number of rifles to back him up.”</p> - -<p>“What do you mean by that?”</p> - -<p>“Why, supposing his father dies and<span class="pagenum">[210]</span> -leaves no will. It would put you to some -trouble to prove that you are next of kin. -You see your names are different. If they -made up their minds that he was the heir, it -would be good-by to you.”</p> - -<p>“And you believe it would be best to kidnap -him very soon?” asked Henderson, his -courage all leaving him.</p> - -<p>“Certainly I do! If he goes down there -you are a poor man for your lifetime. Now -is the chance. I tell you I would not miss it -for anything!”</p> - -<p>This brought the matter squarely home to -Henderson, and he decided that he would -take that night to sleep upon it. He rolled -and tossed on his bed without ever closing his -eyes in slumber, and when morning came he -had made up his mind to do something.</p> - -<p>“Scanlan will have to do it all,” said he, -and his compressed lips showed that he had -looked at the matter in all its bearings. “I -will keep just behind him and show him the -room where the boy sleeps, and he can throw -the quilt over him and secure him without -any help from me. Then if that old tutor of<span class="pagenum">[211]</span> -his jumps in on us, why I will get out of the -way. But I must leave my way of escape -clear.”</p> - -<p>Henderson carried out his programme by -going to the bank, drawing out his money, and -depositing it somewhere about his person. -Then he packed his trunk as if for a long -journey, and then told Scanlan that he was -ready for business.</p> - -<p>“I knew that was the decision you would -come to, so I got the carriage and made it all -right with the driver,” said Scanlan. “I -have got an extension bit, which is about the -only thing we need, to enable us to get in -through the basement door. Now, Cliff, how -much am I going to get for this? I do all the -work and you stand by and look on. I ought -to have a considerable sum for that.”</p> - -<p>“Why, I guess what I am to give the -doctor——” began Henderson.</p> - -<p>“Not much,” said Scanlan, with a laugh. -“What you will give the doctor won’t faze -me. Say a tenth of what you make.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, my goodness!” stammered Henderson.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[212]</span></p> - -<p>“I have got the paper here, it is all drawn -up, and I guess it is all right,” continued -Scanlan, drawing a folded document from his -inside pocket. “Just run your eye over -that.”</p> - -<p>“A hundred thousand!” gasped Henderson.</p> - -<p>“That isn’t a drop in the bucket to what -you will have if you succeed,” said Scanlan -coolly. “You will see that the paper says -‘if successful.’ If you don’t succeed in the -job, why that is my lookout. If you do, I -shall want the money. If the arrangement -doesn’t suit you, get somebody else to try -his hand.”</p> - -<p>That was just what Henderson was afraid -of, and things had gone too far for him to -back out. He felt as though he was signing -his death warrant when he was affixing his -signature to the document, but when it was -done the writing did not look much like his -bold penmanship.</p> - -<p>“So far so good,” said Scanlan, coolly surveying -the signature. “But you are a little -nervous, Cliff. Now you keep that tutor off<span class="pagenum">[213]</span> -me and I will get the boy. You meet me here -at ten o’clock, and when morning comes that -fellow will be under lock and key.”</p> - -<p>“I have done it,” said Henderson, going -out on the street and wending his way toward -his brother’s house. “I have gone too far to -back out. Here I have gone and signed a -paper and placed it in the hands of that man -Scanlan, and he can use it on me at a moment’s -warning. He’s a desperate fellow. I -wish I felt as certain of success as he does.”</p> - -<p>Somebody has said that when a man is -going to the bad he finds everything greased -for the occasion; that is, he finds it easy -enough to go down hill; but almost impossible -for him to get back. I am not well enough -posted in literature to know who it was that -said it, but perhaps some of you boys who are -fresh from your books may be able to name -the person. Henderson found it so, and it all -dated from the moment he signed that paper. -He was afraid to back out now, and so he must -go on. He walked by his brother’s house -once or twice, and then went back to his -hotel. He didn’t eat any supper, and he<span class="pagenum">[214]</span> -didn’t want any; but when it came near -time for him to meet Scanlan he stepped -into a store and bought a heavy oak stick, -which he thought would be strong enough to -floor the tutor or anybody else that took a -hand in rescuing the boy, and pronounced himself -ready for the business. There were still -three hours for them to pass in some way, for -Scanlan did not think it safe to make a move -before one o’clock, and the time seemed to -slip away before they knew it. They found -the carriage right where Scanlan said they -would, and in a few minutes were set down -within a few doors of Mr. Davenport’s house. -When they got out the hack-driver thought it -time to speak about his money.</p> - -<p>“Look here!” said he; “which one of you -gentlemen is a-going to pay me a hundred -dollars for this trip? Kidnapping a sane -person and taking him off to a lunatic -asylum——”</p> - -<p>“My dear sir, kidnapping is something -we don’t have any hand in at all,” said -Scanlan. “We are going to take this fellow -out of the house with the full consent of<span class="pagenum">[215]</span> -his father, but we don’t want his aunts to -know anything about it. The hundred dollars -are all right. This man is a detective, -and will pay you when we get the passenger -to the asylum. Are you satisfied?”</p> - -<p>The hack-driver had nothing further to say. -All he wanted to know was who would give -him his money when the trip was over. He -mounted to his box, being instructed to keep -himself within hailing distance, and the two -kept on toward Mr. Davenport’s residence. -All was dark and silent within, except the -light that was kept burning in the tutor’s -room.</p> - -<p>“We have got to keep out of that,” said -Henderson, pointing toward the window. “If -we allow ourselves to come within reach of -it I shall be recognized; then good-by to -me.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we must look out for that,” said -Scanlan, who did not feel any more fear than -if he was sitting down to his supper. “Keep -close beside me, and be ready to knock the -tutor down if he takes a hand in the rumpus. -That’s all you have to do.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[216]</span></p> - -<p>In a few minutes they reached the basement -door, where they were free from interruption, -and Scanlan, producing his extension bit, went -to work in earnest. He first cut out a circular -opening in the door above the bolt, then -thrust his hand in and cautiously removed -the fastenings, and the door swung open. -They entered and Scanlan closed the door -behind him.</p> - -<p>“I think you had better leave it open,” -said Henderson, who trembled as if he was -seized with a sudden attack of the ague. -“We might be discovered.”</p> - -<p>“In that case we’ll have something to -light us out,” said Scanlan. “But be sure -you kick over the blaze before you go -out.”</p> - -<p>With the words Scanlan took from his -pocket a small piece of candle, which he -lighted and stood upon the table, embedded in -some of its own grease. Then he stopped and -looked around him. The house was silent as -if it had been deserted, and having satisfied -himself on this point, Scanlan motioned for -Henderson to lead the way up the stairs.<span class="pagenum">[217]</span> -The steps were carpeted, and moreover, being -shod with rubbers, the men gave out no sound -as they ascended to the first floor, the leader -easily finding and opening all doors that -barred his progress. That one lock passed -at the basement door had opened the way -for them.</p> - -<p>At length they came to the front hall, and -here some more strategy was made use of. -Henderson carefully unlocked the door and -placed the key on the outside, and then cautiously -led the way up the second stairs to the -floor above. He stopped every once in a while -to listen, but he heard nothing suspicious, -and presently pushed open a door that gave -entrance into the room in which the little -boy was sleeping. With a motion of his -hand, Henderson pointed him out, and then -moved through the room to take a look at the -tutor. He lay upon his back with his arms -extended over his head, revealing muscles -that made Henderson tremble. Something, I -don’t know what it was, went through the -tutor all of a sudden, and he started up in -alarm to find a strange face in his door<span class="pagenum">[218]</span> -He gazed at it a moment, and then thrust -his hand under his pillow. When it came -out it had a revolver in its grasp. Henderson -took one look at it and turned and took -to his heels.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[219]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XII.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">HE DOES NOT SUCCEED.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“Halt! Clifford Henderson, I know -you!” shouted the tutor, in a stentorian -voice, as he threw off the bedclothes -and started on a furious race for the intruder. -“I know you, and you had better halt.”</p> - -<p>He supposed, of course, that the object of -his visit was robbery—and had no intention of -using one of the cartridges in his revolver—until -he came to his bedroom door and there -saw Scanlan, who had thrown a quilt over the -boy’s head and started on a run after Henderson, -and then he stopped as if somebody had -aimed a blow at him. Then he saw that -abduction was a part of Henderson’s scheme, -and in an instant his revolver was covering -Scanlan’s head.</p> - -<p>“Put that boy back on the bed where he -belongs,” said the tutor.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[220]</span></p> - -<p>Scanlan took one look at the revolver, and -at the man who held it, and readily obeyed.</p> - -<p>“Now throw the quilt off his head, so that -he can breathe,” said the tutor; and the readiness -with which Scanlan complied disarmed -the tutor, who lowered his revolver.</p> - -<p>This was the move that Scanlan was waiting -for. In an instant he dropped on all-fours, -shot under the out-stretched hand that held -the deadly weapon, caught the tutor around -the legs and tumbled him over on his back. -It was all done with the greatest ease, and -when the tutor scrambled to his feet Scanlan -had disappeared. He ran hastily to the head -of the stairs, and he saw Scanlan’s coat-tails -vanishing as he made his way to the basement. -He had tried the front door, but Henderson -had gone out there and had locked the -door behind him. The tutor tried the front -basement door also, and in the meantime -Scanlan had already gone out at that very -door, not forgetting to knock over the candle -in his hurried flight. That was the last they -saw of Scanlan. By the time the tutor had -returned to his room he found Mr. Davenport<span class="pagenum">[221]</span> -there, sitting on the bed and talking to -Bob.</p> - -<p>“Why, this looks like a case of abduction,” -said Mr. Davenport, when the tutor -came in. “Did I hear you say that you -recognized Clifford Henderson as one of the -assailants?”</p> - -<p>“Well, I thought it was he, but I might -have been mistaken,” replied the tutor, who -did not want to say anything that would add -to the old man’s fears.</p> - -<p>“Don’t deceive me. I heard your voice -plain enough, and that was what you said. -Never mind, Bob. We’ll soon be far enough -away from him, and able to enjoy life in our -own way. Now I will go back to bed. No; -the men had to take themselves off without -getting anything,” he added, to the servants -who came flocking into the room at that -moment. “I wish you would find out where -they got in and shut the window or door, -whichever it is. Clifford Henderson! That -man isn’t going to let me forget him, is he?” -he muttered to himself. “I must see him and -tell him that if he does not leave town I shall<span class="pagenum">[222]</span> -have him arrested. I shall remember the -tutor for this.”</p> - -<p>And in the meantime where was Clifford -Henderson? You know that before he went -into this business he drew his money from the -bank and packed his trunk for a long journey. -He saw the need of it now. He never -travelled faster than he did when he rushed -from that door. He saw Scanlan in the act of -lifting the boy from the bed after throwing -the quilt about him, but did not stop to speak -to him. He made for the stairs, two jumps -took him to the front door, and paying no -heed to the friend he had left behind in a bad -scrape, he ran through and locked the door -behind him. And he had heard his name -mentioned, too!</p> - -<p>“I declare I am done for now,” muttered -Henderson, as he took his best pace down the -sidewalk, utterly forgetful that there was a -carriage in waiting for him, “and the next -thing will be to avoid the police that my -brother sets after me. For he will arrest me -as sure as I live. Scanlan will be arrested -too, and there is that paper I gave him with<span class="pagenum">[223]</span> -my name signed to it. Ow! <em>Ow!</em> Don’t I -wish that everybody was in danger the same -as I am?”</p> - -<p>If Henderson hadn’t been so frightened that -he was unable to look behind him, he would -have seen Scanlan come out of the basement -door and take his flight in another direction; -but Henderson couldn’t think of anything but -the tutor’s stentorian voice. “I know you -and you had better halt!” It seemed to ring -in his ears louder than ever the farther he got -from the house, so that he increased his pace, -and the first thing he knew ran slap into the -arms of a policeman, who happened at that -moment to come around the corner.</p> - -<p>“Hallo, here!” cried the officer. “Where -are you going in such a hurry?”</p> - -<p>“Do you know whether or not the <em>Commonwealth</em> -has sailed from this port yet?” asked -Henderson.</p> - -<p>“No, I don’t!” answered the officer.</p> - -<p>“Well, my trunk is at my hotel, already -packed, and I am in haste to catch her. I -hope I shall get there before she sails.”</p> - -<p>“Why don’t you take a carriage?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[224]</span></p> - -<p>“I will just as soon as I get to my hotel. -Which way is the Planter’s House from -here?”</p> - -<p>“Go down this street to the next corner, -and then go five blocks. Good luck to you!”</p> - -<p>“That thing is done easy enough, but the -next policeman that stops me will be worse,” -said Henderson, continuing on his way. -“He’ll say there is a signature waiting for -you that I want you to explain, and how will -I get out of it? Well, we’ll wait until that -time comes. I must do the best I can to -escape now.”</p> - -<p>Henderson knew where the Planter’s House -was as well as anybody, but he followed the -policeman’s directions. By the time he -reached his destination he was pretty well -winded. He engaged a carriage at the door, -paid his bill at the hotel, and saw his trunk -perched up beside the driver.</p> - -<p>“Go fast now, for I have not a minute to -waste,” said Henderson. “Get me down -there before that steamer sails and I will give -you two dollars.”</p> - -<p>In an hour more Henderson was snug in bed<span class="pagenum">[225]</span> -and listening to the puffing of the engines -which were bearing him down the river. He -had taken passage on a little boat that was -bound for New Orleans and had the room all -to himself. In spite of his joy over his escape -he could not help feeling bitter toward Scanlan. -Why had he signed that paper? Scanlan -would be sure to be apprehended,—he -couldn’t get away from that pistol,—and he -would be searched at the police court, and the -whole thing would come out against him.</p> - -<p>“Never mind; he’s in a bad fix,” said Henderson, -pounding a pillow into shape to fit his -head. “And I don’t know but that I am in a -worse one. I hope they will send him up so -that I will never see him again. And then -what will my friends think?”</p> - -<p>Filled with such thoughts as these we may -readily conceive that Henderson’s journey -down the river was not a pleasant one, and it -was only after they had left Cairo, and were -fairly afloat for New Orleans, that he recovered -his usual spirits. He remained in New -Orleans for a single day, and then took passage -for Galveston, from which place he went<span class="pagenum">[226]</span> -to Austin. He deposited his money there in -the bank, secured a second rate boarding -house, and settled down to see what the fates -had in store for him.</p> - -<p>“Thank goodness, I am a free man at -last!” said Henderson. “I have not heard a -word from St. Louis since I left there, but I -only hope Scanlan has got his just dues. -And here is the place Bob was going to come. -Well, I’ll keep clear of him. I hope I may -never hear of him again.”</p> - -<p>As the years rolled by and nothing was -heard about his attempted abduction of Bob, -or of Scanlan either, Henderson began to -think that the matter was forgotten. By -behaving himself Henderson made many -friends in Texas, for it is not always the good -who have blessings showered upon them -except in story books. He made an honest -effort at reform, and it is possible that he -might have succeeded if it hadn’t been for -one thing. He was a speculator in cattle,—he -never was known as anything else,—and he -finally got into the habit of riding out on the -prairie, taking no money with him, to see<span class="pagenum">[227]</span> -what he could buy. For Texas was a new -State, we had only just got through the war -with Mexico, and everybody who had any -wrong done him, or had got into difficulty -with his fellow-man, came to Texas to begin -over again. Anyone, too, who found the law -too strict for him in older communities, could -come here and get out of the reach of it.</p> - -<p>On one occasion Henderson started out -alone to visit some ranches he had heard of, -but which seldom drove any of their cattle to -market. It was just about the time the -drought was commencing and Henderson was -anxious to get beyond reach of it, out on the -plains where water was abundant and grass -plenty. If he could once reach that spot he -was sure that he could make something nice -out of his cattle; but the trouble was the -drought spread all over that part of Texas. -He was mounted on an old dilapidated horse, -carried his revolver strapped around his waist, -and had but three or four dollars in his -pocket—not enough to pay anybody for the -trouble of robbing him. But after he had -been on the journey for two weeks, during<span class="pagenum">[228]</span> -which time he met one or two parties who -would just as soon rob him as not, he came to -the conclusion that he had undertaken his -ride for nothing. There was an abundance -of cattle for sale, but the difficulty was they -would not bring any more in Austin than he -was willing to pay on the spot, and one day -he turned around with the intention of going -back, when he saw a horseman on a distant -swell coming toward him. As he evidently -wanted to communicate with him, Henderson -rode on to meet him.</p> - -<p>“You won’t get any more than your -trouble if you try to rob me,” said Henderson. -“I’ll wait and see what he wants. Perhaps -he knows of some cattle around here that I -can buy.”</p> - -<p>“How-dy, pilgrim,” said the horseman -when he came up. “Have you been travelling -fur to-day?”</p> - -<p>“I have been out ever since daylight this -morning,” said Henderson. “Why do you -ask?”</p> - -<p>“’Cause I didn’t know but you had seen -some cattle bearing the mark of bar Y. R. as<span class="pagenum">[229]</span> -you came along. Haven’t seen any, have -you? There is probably a hundred head got -away from me night before last, and I can’t -find hide nor hair of them. They have gone -off in search of grass and water. We haven’t -got any here to speak of.”</p> - -<p>“No, I haven’t seen any, and I may as well -turn around and go back. This drought extends -over the whole of the country.”</p> - -<p>“Bless you, yes! We got word the other -day from a ranch twenty miles the other side -of us that they are packing up and getting -ready to go to Trinity.”</p> - -<p>“Why, the farmers won’t allow that. They -will shoot the last beef you have.”</p> - -<p>“Well, it will take a right smart deal of -ammunition to do that,” said the horseman, -with a grin. “’Cause why? there will be about -seventy-five thousand head, mebbe more, that -will have to be shot; and when the farmers -are doing that, what do you suppose we’ll be -doing?”</p> - -<p>“I suppose you will be shooting too. Do -you own these cattle?”</p> - -<p>“No; they belong to a man named Davenport<span class="pagenum">[230]</span> -who lives over that way about twenty -miles.”</p> - -<p>“Davenport!” exclaimed Henderson, who -was taken all aback.</p> - -<p>“Them’s the words I spoke, pilgrim,” said -the horseman, looking at Henderson in surprise. -“Maybe you know the man?”</p> - -<p>“Is he Robert Davenport?” enquired Henderson, -scarcely believing that he had heard -aright.</p> - -<p>“I believe that is what they call him sometimes.”</p> - -<p>“And he’s got a little boy named Bob?”</p> - -<p>“Well, he aint so very little now. He was -little when he came here, but he’s growed -to be right smart. Maybe you know the -man?”</p> - -<p>“Did he come here from St. Louis?”</p> - -<p>“Look a-here, pilgrim; suppose you let me -ask some questions. How do you happen to -know so much about the man? He’s my employer, -and a mighty good man he is.”</p> - -<p>“I beg your pardon! but when I heard you -speak his name I concluded that I knew him. -I knew a man of that name once who was<span class="pagenum">[231]</span> -almost dead of consumption. But of course -it can’t be the same one.”</p> - -<p>“Well, now, between you and me,” said the -cowboy, considerably mollified by this explanation, -“he is as good as dead already. -Sometimes, when I get up in the morning, I -look around to see if he is all right, and there -he is sitting on the porch. He gets up before -I do.”</p> - -<p>“Bob hasn’t got his tutor with him, -has he?”</p> - -<p>“His which?” asked the horseman.</p> - -<p>“His private teacher,” explained Henderson. -“He used to have one sticking to his -heels wherever he went.”</p> - -<p>“No; he’s alone. You will ride on and -see him? It is only a matter of twenty -miles.”</p> - -<p>“No; I can’t. I will come out and see -him at some future time. My business just -now——”</p> - -<p>“Now, pilgrim, you asked a good many -questions regarding that man. I want to -know if he has been doing something up in -the States.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[232]</span></p> - -<p>“Not a thing! Not a solitary thing, I -assure you.”</p> - -<p>“’Cause if he has, I won’t let no man set -there on his horse and tell me that,” continued -the horseman, growing sullen again. -“He’s as fair and square a man as there is.”</p> - -<p>“He hasn’t been doing anything wrong. -You may mention my name when you get -home, and see if he doesn’t back up my -story.”</p> - -<p>“What did you say your name was?”</p> - -<p>“Clifford Henderson. I can easy tell him -that, because if he has let so many years go -without arresting me he’ll not begin now,” -said he to himself. “This man doesn’t know -where I live and I won’t tell him.”</p> - -<p>“Well, if you haven’t seen them cattle, I’ll -go,” said the horseman, turning his nag about. -“I’d feel a heap safer if you would go on with -me—but I tell you, you would have to explain -why you asked so many questions. So long!”</p> - -<p>I may interrupt my story here long enough -to say that when the horseman went home he -reported his accidental meeting with Henderson, -together with the questions he asked, at<span class="pagenum">[233]</span> -which Mr. Davenport was greatly alarmed, -although he tried not to show it. That very -night worked a change in Bob’s fortunes -which he did not like. Up to this time he -had been permitted to go as he pleased among -the cattlemen, who all liked him and did their -best to teach him, but now he was obliged to -remain indoors, or at least within reach of his -father’s voice. His father couldn’t bear to -have him out of his sight. The very next day -the will was drawn up; and although Mr. -Davenport frequently promised himself that -the first time he went to Austin he would go -through the process of adopting Bob, so as to -give him the whole of his money in case anything -happened to him, he never got beyond -the sound of his own dinner horn. It was a -terrible thing for the invalid to reflect that he -had brought Bob up to believe that he was his -own son, and somehow he could not straighten -it out.</p> - -<p>Henderson was on nettles when he rode -away from the horseman. He knew that his -brother was somewhere in Texas, and he -hoped he was on a cattle ranch far out of<span class="pagenum">[234]</span> -reach of him; but the way the horseman -pronounced the name fairly took his breath -away.</p> - -<p>“Of all the men that I ever expected to -hear of, that Davenport is the beat!” said -Henderson, throwing his reins upon his -horse’s neck and shoving his hands into his -pockets. “I don’t believe I have thought of -him for six months, or if I did, I thought of -him as dead, and here he has turned up when -I least expected it. By George! all my -desire to possess his wealth comes back to -me; but how I am to get it I don’t know. -That boy has plenty of rifles to back him up, -as Scanlan said he would.”</p> - -<p>This was the one thing of which I spoke that -effectually destroyed all Henderson’s idea of -making a better man of himself. It was easy -enough to be good when temptation was not -thrown in his way, but when temptation came, -he was no better than anybody else. He rode -along for two hours, thinking over Bob’s -habits, and wondering if it would be possible -for him to steal the boy away, as he had been -on the point of doing in St. Louis, and not<span class="pagenum">[235]</span> -until the sun began to set did he look around -for a camping-place.</p> - -<p>“I wish Scanlan was here now,” said he. -“I am sure he would be apt to think of something. -There’s three men,” he added, shading -his eyes with his hand and gazing toward -a belt of post-oaks in which he intended to -make his camp. “I wonder if they are good-natured, -or if they mean to go through my -pockets? Time will tell.”</p> - -<p>When he first discovered the three men in -the timber two of them were lying down, and -the other was moving about as if making -preparations for supper. One saw his approach -and called the attention of the others -to it, and then all got up and looked at him. -Evidently the men were not inclined to trust -strangers, for he saw that one of them, whom -he took to be spokesman, raised up without -anything in his hands, while the others stood -with their rifles in the hollow of their arms. -Henderson thought this looked a little suspicious, -but kept on and in a few minutes -was close enough to the camp to accost the -men.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[236]</span></p> - -<p>“How do you do, strangers?” said he.</p> - -<p>“How-dy, pilgrim,” said the spokesman.</p> - -<p>“Have you got room in your camp for -another person?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes! There’s plenty of room round -here.”</p> - -<p>“I’ve got some things in my haversack that -may assist you in making out your supper,” -said Henderson.</p> - -<p>“Well, alight and hitch,” said the spokesman. -“There’s plenty of room for your -horse here too.”</p> - -<p>Henderson dismounted and removed the -saddle from his horse, the men with the rifles -regarding him suspiciously. When he had -thrown his saddle down by the fire, he coolly -unhitched his revolver and flung it down beside -it; whereupon the men with the rifles -drew a long breath of relief, and deposited -their weapons beside the trees where they had -taken them from. Henderson noticed this, -and said, as he made his lariat fast to his -horse’s neck:</p> - -<p>“You seem to be on the lookout for something. -I am a trader.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[237]</span></p> - -<p>“Oh, you are, are you?” said the spokesman.</p> - -<p>“Yes. And I have only got a few dollars -in my pocket, so that it would be useless for -anybody to think of robbing me. I came out -here for the purpose of getting some cattle, -but I found that the drought was ahead of me. -The stock isn’t worth what their hides and -tallow would cost. Now,” he added, having -driven down his picket pin and seated himself -near the fire, “I’d like to know why all you -Texans pronounce me a ‘pilgrim’ as soon as -you see me. Is there anything about me that -reminds you of the States?”</p> - -<p>“Well, yes. The way you sit your horse is -against you. A Texan does not sit bent over, -with his hands on the horn of his saddle, as if -he feared that the next step would pitch him -overboard. And then those gloves. A Texan -doesn’t wear them.”</p> - -<p>“And I have been here almost eight years,” -said Henderson. “I guess I shall have to -ride a little more in order to get accustomed -to the customs of the country. What did you -say your name was?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[238]</span></p> - -<p>“I didn’t say,” returned the spokesman.</p> - -<p>“My name is Henderson,” replied the guest, -who wished most heartily that he had gone -somewhere else. He didn’t like the way the -spokesman answered his last question.</p> - -<p>“My name is—— Which one do you -want?”</p> - -<p>“Why, the one you go by, of course.”</p> - -<p>“Well, the name that I go by just now is -Coyote Bill,” said the man, pushing his -spurred heels a little closer to the fire. “You -have heard of me, I reckon?”</p> - -<p>Henderson was startled to hear this name. -He had heard of him a good many times while -in Austin, and had never expected to meet -him in this unceremonious manner. He knew -that he was in the power of a desperado of the -worst sort.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[239]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XIII.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">HENDERSON MEETS COYOTE BILL.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“Yes, that is the name I go by now,” -said Coyote Bill, grinning when he -saw Henderson’s expression of astonishment. -“What my other name is no one in this -country knows. Whenever you hear that -name spoken you will know what I look like. -I came to this country the same as you did.”</p> - -<p>“The same as I did?” echoed Henderson, -his surprise increasing. “What do you mean -by that?”</p> - -<p>“Why, you got into some trouble up there -with the police and had to skip, that’s what -I mean. A man of your education does not -come down to this country of his own free -will.”</p> - -<p>“Well, that’s a fact,” said Henderson, -breathing easy again. A desperate scheme -had occurred to him, suggested by the outlaw’s -last words. He was wishing for Scanlan<span class="pagenum">[240]</span> -all the time, thinking that he would be likely -to propose something by which he could -possess himself of his brother’s wealth, and -right here was the man who, by a little -management, could be induced to act Scanlan’s -part. He would try him at any rate, -but he wanted first to see how much Coyote -Bill knew about him.</p> - -<p>“Are these all the men you have in your -band?” asked Henderson, at length.</p> - -<p>“No,” laughed Bill, as if the very idea -amused him. “I’ve got one or two more scattered -around on the plains somewhere.”</p> - -<p>“That means that you have thirty or forty -more,” said Henderson.</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ve got some in Austin, and that’s -where they have seen you. Although I had -never seen you before, I knew you the -moment you hove in sight.”</p> - -<p>Again Henderson breathed easy. He knew -he hadn’t said anything about his kidnapping -scheme in Austin, or anywhere else, that -Coyote Bill could have got hold of it, and -consequently Bill was just guessing at his -reason for being in Texas.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[241]</span></p> - -<p>“Who are those men? What did I say in -their presence that led them to guess why I -had come down here?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, you said enough! I aint going to tell -you just what you said, for fear that you -would know those men when you get back. -Is the man around here that you have got -anything against?”</p> - -<p>“I will speak to you after a while,” said -Henderson, turning his gaze toward the rest -of the men at the fire.</p> - -<p>“Oh, you may speak freely here! I never -go into anything without their consent. It’s -share and share alike here. But if you would -rather speak to me alone, why it is all right. -Have you got supper ready?”</p> - -<p>The man appealed to nodded, and pointed -to a pile of bacon and corn bread that was -waiting for them. It was such a supper as -Henderson, in his St. Louis home, would have -turned up his nose at, but he was ready for it -now. During the meal but little was said, -and Henderson, out of the corner of his eye, -took a good survey of the man that everybody -called Coyote Bill. He didn’t look like such<span class="pagenum">[242]</span> -a desperate fellow, by any means, and all -the men who had had experience with him -described him as a very different person. -This proved that Bill did not always lead his -bands, but gave the movement into somebody -else’s hands, and appeared only when out of -reach of the settlers. He was as neat as a new -pin, and showed by every move he made that -he had been well brought up. After supper -he lighted his pipe and motioned to Henderson -to follow him out on the plains. When -out of reach of everybody he threw himself -down on the grass and invited Henderson to -do the same.</p> - -<p>“Now, then,” said he, “I am ready to hear -all your plans.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know that I have got any,” said -Henderson.</p> - -<p>“Yes, you have,” said Coyote Bill, in a -tone that showed he was not in a mood to -argue the matter. “A man needn’t come -around here with such a face as you have -got on you and tell me anything like that. -What was the reason you did not go on -and see Davenport? I saw you talking with<span class="pagenum">[243]</span> -a cowboy of his not more than three hours -ago.”</p> - -<p>“Where were you?” asked Henderson, -more astonished than ever.</p> - -<p>“We were just behind a neighboring swell, -not more than half a mile away. Your names -are not alike, but still you must be some kin -to Davenport. What relationship are you?”</p> - -<p>“I am his half brother.”</p> - -<p>“That makes you next of kin, don’t it? -Well, now, if that man dies, who is going to -inherit his property?”</p> - -<p>“I am, if it were not for that little nuisance -he has picked up somewhere. You see it was -just this way.”</p> - -<p>With this introduction Henderson went on -and gave Coyote Bill a full history of the boy -Mr. Davenport had adopted in the mines; or -rather, he intended to adopt him, but he -didn’t do it. He had brought him up from -a little boy to think his property was all his -own, giving no heed to the half brother who -might want some of it.</p> - -<p>“And when I asked him for a little -money—five hundred dollars were all I<span class="pagenum">[244]</span> -wanted—he got up on his ear and said I -couldn’t have it. That made me mad, I tell -you, and I left his house for good.”</p> - -<p>“And never went into it again?” enquired -Coyote Bill.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I went into it once more,” said Henderson, -thinking he might as well tell the -truth, now that he was about it. “I went in -and made an effort to steal the boy. I didn’t -get caught at it, but my partner did, and I -reckon he’s serving the penalty before this -time.”</p> - -<p>“What were you going to do with him?” -asked Coyote Bill, and it was plain that he -had a big respect for Henderson.</p> - -<p>“I was going to put him in a lunatic asylum. -I was going to keep him there until he -became of age, and then get him to sign his -money over to me. I tell you he would have -done it before he had been there two weeks.”</p> - -<p>“And he just as sane as you are?” said -Bill. “Didn’t you know that the authorities -would have turned—— By the way, how -much is the old man worth?”</p> - -<p>“He’s worth a million of dollars. I know<span class="pagenum">[245]</span> -that he would have turned the place upside -down in the effort to find Bob, but I tell -you I would have been willing to risk it.”</p> - -<p>“A million dollars! And you want to get -hold of some of that money?”</p> - -<p>“I tell you I want to get hold of all of it,” -said Henderson. “It is mine, and I don’t see -why he should want that little nuisance to -cheat me out of it. The thing would be safe -enough if I could get somebody to trust. I -want him to go to the old man’s ranch and -find out where he keeps his bonds hidden. -It would be no trouble at all for him to steal -them.”</p> - -<p>This was all Henderson found it necessary -for him to say on that subject; Coyote Bill -“caught on” immediately. He understood -that Henderson wanted him to go to the -ranch and steal those bonds. He arose to a -sitting posture and smoked audibly while he -meditated.</p> - -<p>“It seems to me that that could be easily -done,” said he.</p> - -<p>“Why, I know it could! If I was as I -used to be in my brother’s house, I would<span class="pagenum">[246]</span> -gain the whole thing in a week. But the -trouble is I threatened him when I left. I -told him that if Bob ever lived to become his -heir, I would follow him up and make him -know what it was to be in want as I was at -that moment.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll try it,” said Bill.</p> - -<p>“You will?” asked Henderson, so overjoyed -that he could scarcely speak plainly. -“I didn’t suppose that you would go there -yourself, but thought that maybe you could -find some man to send in your place.”</p> - -<p>“I would rather go myself, because I will -know that everything has been done. You -see, there isn’t one man in ten who knows -me. I could go there and pass myself off for -a miner.”</p> - -<p>“That’s the idea! The old man has been -there, and you could tell him what you -pleased. Have you ever been in the mines?”</p> - -<p>“No. I am as close to them as I care to -get. If I find that strategy won’t work, I -suppose I could put the Indians on them.”</p> - -<p>“Indians?” said Henderson.</p> - -<p>“Certainly. I was on my way to the reservation<span class="pagenum">[247]</span> -when I saw you talking to the old -man’s cowboy. You see, I don’t find much -work to do, and I am going there to rest up -a bit. This drought will soon be over, and -then I shall have more than I can do.”</p> - -<p>“What do you call your business, anyway?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, stealing cattle. I take them to a -little fertile spot in the Staked Plains, kill -them for their hides and tallow, and give the -meat to the Indians. I am chief of about a -hundred men, and they will go their lengths -for me.”</p> - -<p>“Well, well! I didn’t know that.”</p> - -<p>“You see that I can easily get the money, -or whatever it is that he is keeping from you. -Now, I want to know how much I am to get -for this. Say a half a million.”</p> - -<p>“I will give you half of whatever I make. -Can anything be fairer than that? It may be -more and it may be less than half a million.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, that’s fair. Now let’s go back to -the fire and see what the men think of this. -You had better go to bed, and we’ll see how -it looks in the morning.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[248]</span></p> - -<p>Henderson could scarcely sleep at all that -night, and when he did he awoke to find that -Coyote Bill and his men were still discussing -the subject. The method of stealing the -bonds instead of stealing the boy promised -much better than his original scheme, for he -would have no hand in it. Coyote Bill would -be alone in the matter, and if he should be -detected and could not be prevailed upon to -tell who his accomplice was—— Ah! That -was something he hadn’t spoken to Bill about. -In the morning he would broach that subject, -and tell Bill never to mention his name. If -he did, all his hope of success would be gone. -He finally fell asleep and awoke to find breakfast -waiting for him. Bill greeted him with -a good-morning, and immediately referred to -their last night’s conversation.</p> - -<p>“Well, I am going to try it,” said he. “I -have never stolen any of Davenport’s cattle, -and I don’t suppose there is anyone on his -place who knows me.”</p> - -<p>“If you are caught, don’t mention my -name,” said Henderson. “He knows me, and -he don’t expect any good of me, either.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[249]</span></p> - -<p>“If you knew me, pilgrim, you wouldn’t -mention that at all,” said Bill; and anybody -could see that he was growing mad about it. -“I shall not call the name of Henderson once -while I am there. If anybody says anything -to me about you I shall say I don’t know -you.”</p> - -<p>After breakfast Bill shook Henderson by -the hand and started and walked away. He -took nothing with him except his brace of -revolvers and an old dilapidated blanket, -which he slung over his shoulder. He left his -rifle and horse in charge of his men, who were -to bring them to him at some future time, -Henderson didn’t know when or where it was. -Bill didn’t exchange any plans with Henderson, -for he had made up his mind what he -wanted to do and he didn’t care to have anyone -know it. Henderson gazed at him in surprise -as he walked away.</p> - -<p>“There’s a man who is going into trouble,” -said he. “I could have given him some -things that I think would have helped him -out.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you lose no sleep worryin’ about<span class="pagenum">[250]</span> -him,” said one of the men. “He knows what -he is going to do. Now you can find your -way back, can’t you? We have got to leave -you here.”</p> - -<p>Yes, Henderson could get along now all -right, and he gladly parted with the men, -after dividing his corn meal and bacon with -them, for he was anxious to get away by himself -and think the matter over. He hadn’t -known what happiness was before in a long -while.</p> - -<p>“If one of the men from whom I have just -parted,” said he, as soon as he was out of -hearing, “had told me that he was the chief -of a hundred men who would go their lengths -for him, I should have believed him; but -that is a queer thing for that neat-looking -fellow to say. How easily that villain fell in -with my plans! If I had been going there -knowing what he does—— Whew! I believe -I should have got some advice from somebody.”</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Coyote Bill walked along toward -Mr. Davenport’s ranch, keeping a lookout for -horsemen who were on the watch for stray<span class="pagenum">[251]</span> -cattle, whom he intended to dodge, and revolving -in his mind certain plans for stealing -the bonds; for be it known that he put -implicit faith in Henderson’s word. No man -could come to him and talk as earnestly as he -did when there was nothing behind it. He -tramped all that day, found a camp at night -in a belt of timber with which the country -was thickly interspersed, laid down without a -fire, and at ten o’clock reached his destination. -He was really foot-sore and weary -when he got there, for walking so far was -something to which he was not accustomed, -and was glad to see the man for whom he was -looking sitting on the porch.</p> - -<p>“Good-day to you, sir!” said Coyote -Bill, lifting his hat. “Is this Mr. Faber’s -ranch?”</p> - -<p>“Come up and sit down,” replied Mr. -Davenport. “You have travelled far and you -look completely exhausted. Faber! I don’t -know such a man as that. He can’t have a -ranch anywhere about here.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, sir,” said Bill. “I believe I -am tired, and if it will suit you will sit down<span class="pagenum">[252]</span> -for a while. May I make bold to ask for -something to eat?”</p> - -<p>“Eat? Yes, you can have all you want. -Bob, hunt up the cook and get something. -Have you travelled far, sir?”</p> - -<p>“About a hundred miles, afoot and alone.”</p> - -<p>“I guess that a drink of water would help -you. We haven’t got much, but what we’ve -got you are welcome to. Bob,” he added, as -the boy came back after seeing the cook, -“scare up a drink of water for this gentleman. -I speak of you, sir, as your clothes -warrant me to speak. You are not a Texan. -You haven’t been long enough in this country -to become accustomed to their way of talking. -You are from the States.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; from Wisconsin,” said Bill, -rightly concluding that Mr. Davenport would -not be acquainted with anybody in that far -off State. “I was engaged in doing a good -business in Milwaukee, but I fell in with some -fellows who were going to the mines, and -there I lost what little money I had.”</p> - -<p>“Did you go to California?”</p> - -<p>“No; to Denver.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[253]</span></p> - -<p>“Then how did you happen to get way off -here? This is not the road to the States.”</p> - -<p>“I know it; but I wanted to find my partner, -who is in this country engaged in the -cattle business.”</p> - -<p>“Well, Mr. Faber, if that’s his name, -hasn’t got a ranch anywhere around here. -The men who live beyond me are Mr. Chisholm——”</p> - -<p>Here Mr. Davenport went off into a paroxysm -of coughing, to which Bill listened -with great concern pictured on his face.</p> - -<p>“I am afraid you are talking too much,” -said he. “Doesn’t this climate agree with -your health?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes! I should probably have been in -my grave long ago if I had not come down -here. Now, sir, your meal is ready. Will -you step in and sit down to it?”</p> - -<p>Bill thanked him, and went in to a much -finer spread than he had been accustomed to -while roaming with his men. He ate until he -was ashamed of himself, and came out on the -porch with the air of one who had enjoyed a -good meal. There was one thing about it he<span class="pagenum">[254]</span> -told himself: No matter what misfortunes his -cattle might meet with, Mr. Davenport intended -that those who were dependent upon -him should fare the best.</p> - -<p>“I have a little money left,” said he, “and -I want to know——”</p> - -<p>“Keep your money in your pocket,” returned -Mr. Davenport. “When I have -twenty-five thousand head of cattle to sell for -a dollar apiece I can easily afford to give you -something to eat. Sit down. You say you -were in the mines at Denver. What sort of -work are they having there?”</p> - -<p>This was the very point that Coyote Bill -had been dreading, but he had gone over it so -many times since leaving Henderson in camp, -that he had it at his tongue’s end. He knew -no more about mining than he had been able -to glean from the conversation of his men, -some of whom were fresh from Mexico, and -perhaps he got the two pretty well mixed up. -For example, he told of one mine he had -been in where they had been obliged to go -down twelve hundred feet before they could -get gold in paying quantities. Then Mr.<span class="pagenum">[255]</span> -Davenport began to look at him suspiciously. -There might be some men at some future time -that would be able to go down that distance, -but there were none there now.</p> - -<p>“I believe you are up to something,” said -he to himself. “But what in the world it is -I don’t know. I believe I will keep you here -for a while and find out.” Then aloud he -said: “Where are you going now? If your -friend isn’t around here, where do you think -you will find him?”</p> - -<p>“I guess I had better go back to Austin -and work around there at something until -I can earn money enough to take me home,” -said Bill, hoping that Mr. Davenport would -suggest something else to him. “Any little -thing that I can do will help me along.”</p> - -<p>“How would you like to stay here and -work on this ranch?”</p> - -<p>“That would be all very well, but I can’t -ride. I should have to do something about -the house or I shouldn’t earn my money.”</p> - -<p>“You look like a man who could sit a -horse.”</p> - -<p>“I know it; but they buck and jump so<span class="pagenum">[256]</span> -that they throw me right off. When I was in -the mines I devoted myself entirely to work.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I will tell you what I will do. I -can find some work for you around the ranch -that you can turn your hand to.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, sir.”</p> - -<p>“It won’t be much—like making the beds, -for instance. Besides, you look completely -exhausted. You can stay here until you -somewhat recover yourself and make some -enquiries among the cowboys, and perhaps -you will learn something about your partner. -I am determined to know what you are at,” -added Mr. Davenport to himself. “Can it -be that you are any ways implicated with -Clifford Henderson? Well, I have got my -will made out, and I will see what you will do -to it.”</p> - -<p>Thus it came about that Coyote Bill became -an inmate of Mr. Davenport’s house. When -the cowboys came in at supper time he was as -respectful to them as he was to Mr. Davenport, -addressed them all as “sir,” when he -was speaking to them, and by giving them -a sharp look when they came in made up his<span class="pagenum">[257]</span> -mind that there was no one among them who -recognized him. He looked them squarely in -the eye when he talked to them, and listened -while they told him of the men who lived -beyond them. There was no Mr. Faber in the -lot. He must be inside of them somewhere.</p> - -<p>“What do you think of that fellow, Lem?” -asked Frank, as the two met under the trees -to smoke their evening pipe. They had left -Bill in the house and he was busy at work -with the dishes.</p> - -<p>“He is here for no good, that’s what I think -of him,” said Lem, seating himself under the -nearest tree. “He has been out to Denver, -and came out here to find somebody he never -heard of. He never had a pardner named -Faber, and what do you think of his going -into a mine that extended twelve hundred feet -under the ground? I tell you he has never -been near Denver.”</p> - -<p>“And he can’t ride!” added Frank. “I -see the marks on his boots where he has had -spurs on. I tell you he wants to be mighty -careful how he acts around here.”</p> - -<p>“Do you mind them six-shooters he’s got?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[258]</span></p> - -<p>“I do, and I aint afraid of them, nuther. -I guess I can get a pistol out as quick as he -can. Just keep your eye on him and we’ll -see what he is going to do.”</p> - -<p>The days grew into weeks and the weeks -into months, and still Coyote Bill stayed -around the house. In fact he didn’t say -a word about going since he was settled there. -He seemed to think that the man he was in -search of was somebody he couldn’t reach, -and he was content to remain where he was. -Mr. Davenport kept his eye out at all times, -and the only thing he found against Bill was -when he caught him trying to pick his desk. -He came suddenly into the room where Bill -was at work, and the position he caught him -in was enough to condemn him. But Bill was -equal to it. He greeted him with a good-morning, -and proceeded to tumble up his bed -as though nothing was the matter.</p> - -<p>“Why do you have this door shut?” -enquired Mr. Davenport, with more sternness -than he had ever thrown into his words. “I -generally leave it open.”</p> - -<p>“I found it shut when I came in, sir,” said<span class="pagenum">[259]</span> -Bill. “I always make it a point to leave -things as I find them. It’s a fine day outside, -sir.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, of course it is a fine day here in this -country,” said Mr. Davenport, who was wishing -every day that it would rain. “We never -see any clouds here.”</p> - -<p>Things went on in this way until we came -there, and for once Mr. Davenport forgot himself -and took us into his confidence. I had -noticed ’Rastus Johnson, and I didn’t think -there was anything strange about it, except -that he seemed to sympathize with me, -because I had lost my cattle. But, then, that -was something that fell to everybody down -there, and besides I had more than made my -loss good. Finally, the time came when I -bearded the lion in his den, and, prompted by -Elam, called him by his right name. Of -course he was thunderstruck, but I think I -did the best thing I could under the circumstances. -He made up his mind to steal the -pocket-book at once, and boldly proposed the -thing to me as if I had agreed to “become -one of them.” I got out of it somehow, and<span class="pagenum">[260]</span> -that was the night that he and Elam got into -that “scrap.” He went off, as I expected he -would, and I did not see him again until he -and Clifford Henderson came to the ranch to -hunt up the missing pocket-book. You saw -how he treated me while he was there. Tom -Mason’s luck came in; he found the pocket-book, -and I hadn’t seen Bill since. And now -Henderson was gone, and I concluded that -with all those men watching us we couldn’t -reach Austin without a fight. But we had -ten good men, and they were all good shots. -And I saw that others felt the same way. -Well, let it come. I was sure of one of them, -anyway.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[261]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XIV.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">PROVING THE WILL.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">When Clifford Henderson turned his -nag and galloped away from us, he -was about the maddest man I ever saw -mounted on horseback. When I said away -from “us,” I mean from the three or four -men whom he had been trying to induce to -buy his cattle, and Tom Mason and myself. -He had good reason to be angry. He had -come out to the ranch while we were there; -and although he had things all his own way, -and one of the men who were with him had -searched us to prove that we didn’t have the -pocket-book, he had hardly got out of reach -of the house when Tom had it in his possession. -That was as neat a piece of strategy -as I ever heard of, this finding the pocket-book -after he had got through looking for it, -and I didn’t wonder that he felt sore over it. -He meditated about it as he rode along, and<span class="pagenum">[262]</span> -the more he thought about it, the more nearly -overcome with rage was he.</p> - -<p>“To think that that little snipe should have -gone and found the pocket-book after I had -got done looking for it—that’s what bangs -me!” he exclaimed, shaking his fists in the -air. “No wonder they call him Lucky Tom. -But there is just this much about it: the -pocket-book is not going to do him any good. -I’ll go and see Bill about it, and then I’ll go -to Austin, find the surrogate before he does, -and challenge the will. By that means I shall -put him to some trouble before he can handle -the stock as he has a mind to.”</p> - -<p>Henderson evidently knew where he was -going, for he went at a tremendous rate until -nearly four o’clock in the afternoon, stopping -only twice at some little streams that he -crossed to allow his horse time to get a drink, -and then he rode into a belt of timber where -he found Coyote Bill waiting for him. He -had two men there with him as a body-guard. -Henderson got off his horse, removed his -saddle, and turned the animal loose before he -said a word. Bill was watching him all the<span class="pagenum">[263]</span> -time, and concluded that he had some bad -news.</p> - -<p>“Well,” said he impatiently, “as soon as -you get ready to speak let us hear from you.”</p> - -<p>“I can easily think of myself as being -fooled in this way, but for a man like you, -who makes his living by cheating other folks, -I don’t see any excuse at all for it!” said Henderson, -as he threw himself on the ground -beside Bill. “We have lost the pocket-book!”</p> - -<p>“Did those boys find it?” asked the man, -starting up in amazement.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; they have found it! I have seen -the will.”</p> - -<p>“Why, how in the name of common sense -did they find it?” said Bill, who could not -believe that his ears were not deceiving him. -“And you have seen the will?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I have. Everything goes to that -boy, dog-gone the luck!”</p> - -<p>“Tell us all about it. I don’t understand -it.”</p> - -<p>“You know we saw them when we got to -the ranch, and they found the pocket-book.<span class="pagenum">[264]</span> -That’s all I know about it. When they -returned they found me trying to sell the -cattle to some of the outfit, and they produced -the will. I saw it and read a portion of it.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you are a pilgrim, and that’s a fact. -Why didn’t you destroy the will? I’ll bet -you that if they showed me the will they -would never see it again.”</p> - -<p>“Suppose there was a revolver pointed -straight at your head. What would you do -then?”</p> - -<p>“You were a dunce for letting them get -that way.”</p> - -<p>“Suppose there were three men, and while -one of them had your head covered with a -pistol, another should ride up and lay hold of -your bridle? I don’t reckon you would help -yourself much.”</p> - -<p>“Did they have you that way? Then I beg -your pardon,” said Bill, extending his hand. -“They didn’t give you much show, did they? -But you threatened them, didn’t you?”</p> - -<p>“No; I simply told them that I was next of -kin and wanted to see the will. I could tell -whether it was a fraud or not. I recognized<span class="pagenum">[265]</span> -my brother’s handwriting at once, but I told -them it was a lie out of the whole cloth.”</p> - -<p>“And does the will make the boy his heir?”</p> - -<p>“It does. Now I want to go to Austin and -get there before Chisholm does. I can put -him to some trouble before he handles that -stock.”</p> - -<p>“Is Chisholm going there?”</p> - -<p>“He must, to get the will probated.”</p> - -<p>“Then you just take my advice and keep -away from Austin. Chisholm would shoot -you down as soon as he would look at you. -You don’t know Chisholm. He’s a mighty -plain-spoken man when he’s let alone, but you -get his dander up and he’s just lightning. He -has got an idea that you are trying to cheat -Bob out of his money and that you are -a rascal. No, sir; you keep away from -Chisholm.”</p> - -<p>“But what am I to do? Am I going to sit -still and allow myself to be cheated? That’s -the way folks do things in St. Louis.”</p> - -<p>“Yes; but it isn’t the way they do here. -You needn’t allow yourself to be cheated out -of that money.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[266]</span></p> - -<p>“What do you propose to do?”</p> - -<p>“Put the Indians on him.”</p> - -<p>“The Indians?” exclaimed Henderson.</p> - -<p>“Certainly,” said Bill coolly. “What do you -suppose I have got the Indians for if it isn’t -to help me out in a job of this kind? You -said you wanted him shut up until he signed -his property over to you, and I don’t think -you will find a better place.”</p> - -<p>“Why, my goodness, they will kill him!” -said Henderson, horrified at the idea of making -Bob a prisoner in the hands of those -wild men.</p> - -<p>“I’ll risk it. Just put him among the -Indians with the understanding that he is -to remain there until he signs his property -over to you, and he’ll soon sign, I bet you.”</p> - -<p>Henderson was silent for a long time after -this. He didn’t see any other way out of it. -The idea of his going to Austin and being shot -by that man Chisholm was not exactly what -it was cracked up to be. He knew that Chisholm -would shoot if he got a fair chance, for -he had already seen him behind his revolver; -and he didn’t care to give him another such a<span class="pagenum">[267]</span> -chance at him. Coyote Bill gave him time -to think the matter over and then said:</p> - -<p>“Suppose the Indians do kill him; what -then? It will only be just one stumbling -block out of your way. What do you say?”</p> - -<p>“Are the Indians much given to making -raids on the stockmen hereabouts?” asked -Henderson.</p> - -<p>“They do it just as often as they get out of -meat,” answered Bill. “The only thing that -has kept them from it has been the drought. -They know what these white men are up to. -All this country will be settled up some day, -and then what will they do to get something -to eat? It will be perfectly safe putting the -Indians on him.”</p> - -<p>“Well, go on with it,” answered Henderson. -“Remember, I don’t go in for lifting a hand -against his life. I want him to know what it -is to be in poverty. That’s what I am up to.”</p> - -<p>“Well, if you find any more poverty-stricken -people in the world than the Comanches -are, I will give it up,” said Coyote -Bill, with a laugh. “Let him stay among -them. I will agree to keep him safe for<span class="pagenum">[268]</span> -twenty years. Now I will go and see what the -men think about it. What do you say to that, -Zeke? This is a squaw-man,” he added, turning -to Henderson. “The chief and all of them -do just as he says.”</p> - -<p>“I say you can’t find a purtier place to put -a man than among the ’Manches,” said Zeke, -as he pulled a pipe out of his pocket and -filled up for a smoke. “If you want to -put him whar he’ll find poverty, put him -thar.”</p> - -<p>“But I am afraid to trust the Indians with -him,” said Henderson. “They might kill -him.”</p> - -<p>“Not if the chief says ‘No,’ they won’t. -This here is our chief,” he answered, waving -his hand toward Coyote Bill. “We aint -beholden to nobody when he says we shall -go on a raid, an’ I think it high time we were -doin’ something. It’s almost sixteen months -since we have seen any cattle, an’ we’re gettin’ -hungry.”</p> - -<p>“Does Sam think the same way?” said Bill.</p> - -<p>The man appealed to nodded, and so it came -about that we did not see any of Coyote Bill’s<span class="pagenum">[269]</span> -men while we were on our way to Austin. In -fact there were not enough of them. It would -have taken twice the number of our company -to have placed their hands on that pocket-book, -feeling as we did then.</p> - -<p>I never was more shaken up than I was -when I rode into Austin, but I didn’t say -anything about it. Accustomed as I was to -travelling long distances on horseback, I must -say that, when we rode up to our hotel and -dismounted, I didn’t have strength enough to -go another mile. Chisholm was as lively as -ever. He got off his horse with alacrity, -looked around him and said:</p> - -<p>“There! Two hundred miles in considerably -less than forty-eight hours. I guess Henderson -can’t beat that. Seen anything of -him around, have you?”</p> - -<p>The men all answered in the negative.</p> - -<p>“I wish you boys would take these horses -back to the stable,” said he, “and the rest -of you stay by when I call you. When you -come back go into the living room with the -rest of the boys. Lem, you and Frank seat -yourselves on the porch and keep a lookout<span class="pagenum">[270]</span> -for Henderson. If you see him I needn’t -remind you that you are to pop him over.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, Mr. Chisholm!” exclaimed Bob.</p> - -<p>“It has to be done,” said Mr. Chisholm -earnestly. “We have stood as much nonsense -as we can. He has tried his level best -to steal our money from us, and now we have -got to a place where we can’t be driven any -further. I’ve got a little business of my own -to attend to. Mr. Wallace, who has a thousand -dollars or two of mine, is, I think, a -man I can trust.”</p> - -<p>So saying Mr. Chisholm started off, and -we all departed on our errands—Frank and -Lem to the porch to keep a bright outlook -for Henderson, the most of the men to the -sitting room of the hotel to wait Mr. Chisholm’s -return, and us boys to take the horses -to the stable. I was surprised when I saw -how Bob took Mr. Chisholm’s order to heart—to -pop Henderson over. I declare I didn’t -feel so about it at all. If Henderson so far -neglected his personal safety as to continue -to pursue Mr. Chisholm when he was on the -very eve of getting the money, why, I said,<span class="pagenum">[271]</span> -let him take the consequences. Bob didn’t -say anything, but I well knew what he was -thinking about. If he had had a fair opportunity -he would have whispered to Henderson -to keep away from the porch.</p> - -<p>“You musn’t do it, Bob,” I said to him.</p> - -<p>“Why, Carlos, I can’t bear that anybody -should get shot,” he answered. “And then -what will they do to Lem and Frank for -obeying that order of Mr. Chisholm’s?”</p> - -<p>“They won’t do anything to them. Mr. -Chisholm is willing to take his chances. -Don’t you know that they never do anything -to anyone who shoots a man in this -country?”</p> - -<p>When we had put the horses away we returned -to the porch, and found Lem and -Frank there keeping a lookout for Henderson; -but I would have felt a good deal more -at my ease if we had known of the interview -that Henderson had held with Coyote Bill -in regard to putting the Indians on Bob. -We took a look at them and then went into -the sitting-room to wait for Mr. Chisholm. He -was gone about half an hour and then he<span class="pagenum">[272]</span> -showed himself. He stopped to exchange a -few words with Lem and Frank, and then -coming into the sitting-room ordered us to -“catch up!” We knew by that that he was -ready for us, so we fell in two abreast and -followed Mr. Chisholm down the street.</p> - -<p>I wondered what the people in the Eastern -cities would have thought of us if they had -seen us marching down the street, ten of us, -all with a brace of revolvers slung to our -waists. The pedestrians got out of our way, -and now and then some fellow, with a brace -of revolvers on, would stop and look at us -to see which way we were going. But we -did not care for anybody. We kept close -at Mr. Chisholm’s heels until he turned into -a narrow doorway, and led us up a creaking -pair of stairs. Upon arriving at the top he -threw open a door, and we found ourselves -in the presence of three or four men who -sat leaning back in their chairs with their -heels elevated higher than their heads, having -a good time all by themselves. There -were a lot of papers and books scattered -about, and I took it at once for a lawyer’s<span class="pagenum">[273]</span> -office. They looked at us in surprise as we -entered, and one of the men took his feet -down from the desk.</p> - -<p>“Shut the door, Lem,” said Mr. Chisholm. -“Now, which of you men is it who proves -the wills? You see,” he added, turning with -an air of apology to the other men in the -room, “these fellows are mostly remembered -in the will, and so I brought them along. I -never proved a will before, and so I wanted -men enough to back me up.”</p> - -<p>“That is all right,” said the surrogate. -“Where’s the will?”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm produced his pocket-book, -Bob’s pocket-book, rather, the one that had -taken Tom and me on a four weeks’ journey -into the country, and produced the papers, -while the rest of us stood around and waited -for him to read them. The lawyer read it -in a free-and-easy manner until he came to -the place where Bob was spoken of as worth -half a million dollars, and then he suddenly -became interested.</p> - -<p>“Where’s the man?” said he.</p> - -<p>“Here he is, right here,” said Mr. Chisholm.<span class="pagenum">[274]</span> -“It is a big sum of money for him -to be worth, but he is big enough to carry it.”</p> - -<p>“Why, sit down, gentlemen! If you can’t -get chairs enough to accommodate you, sit -on the table. A half a million dollars! -Does anybody challenge this will?”</p> - -<p>“Not that I know of,” answered Mr. Chisholm. -“It is all there, and we want it all, -every bit.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll have it for you in half an hour,” -answered the lawyer. “Suppose you come in -again in that time.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir! Our time is worth nothing, and -if it is all the same to you, we’ll have that -will before we go out. When I get through -here I have got to go to the bank. Take your -time. We want it done up right.”</p> - -<p>Whether there was something in Mr. Chisholm’s -manner—there certainly was nothing -in his words—that convinced the lawyer that -haste was desirable, I don’t know; but he got -up with alacrity, went to his books, and began -writing, while the rest of us disposed of ourselves -in various attitudes about the room. -The rest of the men went on with their conversation<span class="pagenum">[275]</span> -where our entrance had interrupted -it,—it was something that afforded them a -great deal of merriment,—and now and then -the lawyer took part in it, leaving his work -and coming over to where the men were -sitting to make his remarks carry weight. -Mr. Chisholm watched this for a long time -and at last boiled over.</p> - -<p>“See here, Mr. Lawyer,” said he, and I -knew by the way he spoke the words that his -patience was all exhausted; “I would thank -you to attend to our business first.”</p> - -<p>The lawyer was evidently a man who was -not in the habit of being addressed in this -way. He took a good look at Mr. Chisholm, -at his revolvers, then ran his eye over the rest -of us, and choking down something that appeared -to be rising in his throat, he resumed -his writing. After that there was no trouble. -The men ceased their conversation, and the -lawyer went on with his writing to such good -purpose that in fifteen minutes the document -was done.</p> - -<p>“Now, who is this boy’s guardian?” asked -the lawyer.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[276]</span></p> - -<p>“He hasn’t got any that I know of,” said -Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“How old are you?” he added, turning to -Bob.</p> - -<p>“Sixteen,” was the reply.</p> - -<p>“Then you must have a guardian,” said the -lawyer. “Hold on, now,” he continued, when -he saw Mr. Chisholm’s eye begin to flash and -his hand to reach toward his pistol. “This -guardian is a man who can exercise much or -little control over this property. He can say -you shall or you shall not spend your money -for such particular things; but all the while -the boy can go on and do as he pleases. It -does not amount to anything.”</p> - -<p>“Is that paper all ready for his signature?” -asked Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“It is all ready for the signature of his -guardian,” said the lawyer. “But I tell you -it won’t amount to anything so long as he has -no one on it to act as his guardian. Why -don’t you sign it, sir? You seem to be on -good terms with him.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm did not know what to say, -and so he looked around at us for a solution.<span class="pagenum">[277]</span> -But the men all shook their heads and looked -down at the floor. They didn’t want anyone -to act as Bob’s guardian, but would rather -that he should spend the money as he pleased. -Finally Bob came to the rescue.</p> - -<p>“I will sign it with Mr. Chisholm, but with -no one else,” said he. “This lawyer knows -more than we do.”</p> - -<p>“And won’t you never ask my consent -toward spending your money?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir; I never will.”</p> - -<p>“Then I will sign it. Remember, Bob, -there aint to be any foolishness about this.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm took the pen from the -lawyer’s hand and signed his name in bold -characters, and although there was no occasion -for Bob’s signature in a legal point of -view, the lawyer was afraid to object to it, for -there were too many pistols in the party.</p> - -<p>“There, now; it is all right, and you’re -master of that money,” said Mr. Chisholm, -drawing a long breath of relief. “Nobody -can get it away from us now. How much?”</p> - -<p>“Ten dollars,” said the lawyer.</p> - -<p>As Bob didn’t have any money, Henderson<span class="pagenum">[278]</span> -having taken all he had, Mr. Chisholm -counted out the ten dollars, after which he -held out his hand for the will. There was -where he made another mistake. The surrogate -kept that will upon file, and then there -was no chance of its being lost, and anyone, -years hence, if there happened to be any legal -points with regard to the disposition of this -property, could have the will to refer to. But -Mr. Chisholm didn’t know that.</p> - -<p>“I will take that document if you have got -through with it,” said he.</p> - -<p>“The will?” said the lawyer. “As soon -as you go away I shall lock it up. Then it -will be safe.”</p> - -<p>“You will, eh?”</p> - -<p>In an instant his revolver was out and -covering the lawyer’s head. The other men -sprang to their feet, but before they could -make a move they were held in check by four -revolvers held in the hands of our own party.</p> - -<p>“I have just about submitted to all the -nonsense I can stand with regard to this will,” -said Mr. Chisholm, in stern tones. “You -made me sign it as a guardeen when I aint got<span class="pagenum">[279]</span> -no business to, and now you want to go and -take the will away from us. Hand over that -document! One—two——”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<img src="images/i_p278.jpg" width="600" height="433" alt="" /> -<div class="caption"><p class="center"><span class="smcap">Probating the Will.</span></p></div> -</div> - -<p>“There it is, and you can take it,” said the -lawyer, turning white. “But I tell you it -won’t amount to anything as long as you have -it in your hands. There’s the notice of probate. -You can take that down to the bank -with you, and that is all you want.”</p> - -<p>“He is right, Mr. Chisholm,” said Bob, -who seemed to keep all his wits about him.</p> - -<p>“Has he a right to take the will away from -us?” demanded Mr. Chisholm, in a stentorian -voice.</p> - -<p>“I have got wills here that were left by -parties long before you ever came to this -country,” said the lawyer, turning to his safe.</p> - -<p>“Not by a long sight you haven’t,” said -Mr. Chisholm. “I want you to understand -that I have been in this country long before -you ever came out of a pettifogger’s office in -the North. You can’t take that will away, -and that’s all about it.”</p> - -<p>“Here is Jerry Wolfe’s,” said the lawyer, -taking from his safe a big bundle of papers all<span class="pagenum">[280]</span> -neatly endorsed as he had filed them away. -“You knew him, didn’t you?”</p> - -<p>“Well—yes; and a right smart business -man he was. Did his guardeen leave his -papers here?”</p> - -<p>“His executor did, and that amounts to the -same thing. And all those in there are -wills.”</p> - -<p>“That may be law, but it isn’t justice,” -said Mr. Chisholm, putting up his revolver -and stepping back; whereupon the men in his -party, who held their pistols in their hands, -let down the hammers and returned them to -their cases. “Have you got done with us?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; we are all through.”</p> - -<p>“Well, if you are right, I am sorry I pulled -my revolver on you; if you are wrong, I’m -sorry I didn’t use it. You see, I never had -any experience before in proving wills, and I -never want to have another, unless I can have -someone at my back who knows more than -I do.”</p> - -<p>“I assure you, it is all right,” said the -lawyer; and, to show that he was in earnest, -he cordially shook hands with Mr. Chisholm.<span class="pagenum">[281]</span> -“You go down to the bank, and if Mr. Wallace -doesn’t say that it is all right, I’ll make -it so.”</p> - -<p>I, for one, was glad to get out of reach of -that surrogate’s office. There was too much -pulling of revolvers to suit me. I fell in behind -Mr. Chisholm, who led the way toward -the bank.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[282]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XV.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">TOM GETS SOME MONEY.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">I have often quoted our leader as saying -that Mr. Wallace was a man whom he -could afford to trust, seeing that he had the -handling of a thousand dollars or two of his -money. In point of fact, he had more than -that. He had two hundred thousand dollars -of money in his hands that Mr. Chisholm’s -signature was good for—not banknotes, for -they were not as good then as they are now, -but specie; and when a man put specie in -the bank, he always wanted to get the same -when he signed a check. The bank was not a -great way off, and in a few minutes we were -standing in the presence of the cashier.</p> - -<p>“Is Mr. Wallace in?” asked Mr. Chisholm, -gazing over the heads of three or four men -who had come there to do business.</p> - -<p>“Step right into his private office,” said the -cashier. “He is waiting for you.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[283]</span></p> - -<p>The private office was a little room that -opened off the rear of the bank, and when we -filed in you couldn’t have gotten another man -in edgeways. Mr. Wallace was engaged with -some papers, but laid them all down when he -heard our big boots clattering on the floor.</p> - -<p>“Hallo, Chisholm!” said he. “Well, you -found ’em, didn’t you? Are these men all -remembered in the will? Where’s the boy? -Sit down.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t see much chance to sit down -here,” said Mr. Chisholm, looking around. -“But, if it suits you just as well, I won’t sit. -Most of these men are remembered in the -will, and some of ’em aint. I brought ’em -along with me so as to give me plenty of backing. -This thing of probating wills aint what -it’s cracked up to be.”</p> - -<p>“Why, what’s the matter?” asked Mr. -Wallace.</p> - -<p>“We found that little surrogate like you -was telling me of, and he won’t let me have -the will. Said he would lock it up, and it -would be safe.”</p> - -<p>“That’s all right. Supposing you should<span class="pagenum">[284]</span> -die to-morrow and the will should fall into -the hands of some dishonest person. Where -would you be? The will is there, and anybody -can get a copy of it; but nobody can -touch the will itself.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, ah! That’s the way the thing -stands,” said Mr. Chisholm, and I thought he -felt a little sheepish over the way he had -acted in the surrogate’s office. “Then I was -wrong and he was right. But then,” he -added, a bright idea striking him, “he made -me sign it as guardeen. I had no business to -do that.”</p> - -<p>“How old is the boy? Sixteen? Well, of -course he had to have somebody, and he -thought you would do. Where is the boy? -I haven’t congratulated him yet.”</p> - -<p>“Here he is, right here,” said Mr. Chisholm, -seizing Bob by the arm and pushing -him forward. “He is a pretty fellow to have -a guardeen, is he not? He knows more about -taking care of his money than I do.”</p> - -<p>Bob blushed like a school-girl when he was -pushed out into view, but he returned the -pressure of Mr. Wallace’s hand, and promptly<span class="pagenum">[285]</span> -accepted the seat that was given to him. The -president then went on to tell Bob that he had -nearly seven hundred thousand dollars’ worth -of bonds and stocks, and about forty thousand -dollars in specie; did he want some -of it?</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir. I should like about ten thousand -dollars.”</p> - -<p>“All right. Mr. Chisholm, will you sign -for that?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, I won’t,” said Mr. Chisholm, -frightened at the amount. “You said you -wouldn’t ask me how to spend your money.”</p> - -<p>“Bob can’t get it without you sign it,” said -Mr. Wallace. “I will make out the check -and you’ll sign it, of course. You are not -going to kick, the first thing!”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm looked around to see what -the rest of us thought about it, but none of us -had anything to say. Mr. Wallace wrote out -the check, and then motioned to Mr. Chisholm -to take his chair and sign it; and our -leader obeyed without a word of protest. Mr. -Wallace then went out of his private office, -and in a few moments returned with his arms<span class="pagenum">[286]</span> -filled with bags containing bright new gold -pieces.</p> - -<p>“I’ll count them out for you if you want -me to,” said he, “but then the whole sum is -right here and the bags are sealed. What do -you want of such an amount of money, any -way? You can’t spend it out there on the -ranch.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir. But some of these men have -been remembered in father’s will, and I want -to pay them up.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” said Mr. Wallace. “Well, then, -what’s the reason you can’t pay them right -here? It will make a less load for you to -carry.”</p> - -<p>“Now, Mr. Wallace, I have got something -to say about that,” said Mr. Chisholm. -“Not one cent do you give the men so long -as we are in the reach of bug-juice. I want -them to go home with me as straight as when -they came away.”</p> - -<p>“All right. What shall we do with this -money?”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm immediately stepped forward, -and under his supervision the money was<span class="pagenum">[287]</span> -equally distributed so that each had an equal -weight to carry, but I noticed that Lem and -Frank didn’t get any of it. They were the -ones who were much too fond of “bug-juice.” -They winked at me, but said nothing.</p> - -<p>“Now, Mr. Wallace, I am done with probating -wills,” said Mr. Chisholm. “You -made me sign as guardeen for a boy that is as -well able to take care of his money as I am, -and put my name to checks for which I am -not at all responsible, and I don’t like your -way of doing business.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you want some money yourself?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, not a red cent. The drought is -over now——”</p> - -<p>“This has been fearful weather, hasn’t it?” -asked Mr. Wallace, anxious to get Mr. Chisholm -off on his favorite topic.</p> - -<p>“Fearful! You follow the dead cattle that -we left behind while on our trip to the West -Fork of Trinity, and you can go straight to -my house. We left a trifle of over three million -dollars on the plains, and that’s a heap of -money to come out of poor men’s pockets. I -wish you good-day, sir.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[288]</span></p> - -<p>We all touched our hats to Mr. Wallace -and went out of his private office, and I drew -a long breath of relief. There had been no -shooting done, and I was glad of it. I was -hurrying ahead to get to Mr. Chisholm’s side, -to ask him if that order in regard to “popping -him over”—that is to say, Henderson—was -still in force, when I saw Frank seize Bob by -the arm and pull him back. I stayed back -with him, for I wanted to see how the thing -was coming out. I fell in with Tom Mason -right ahead of Bob and Elam, and Lem and -Frank brought up the rear. This was the -way in which we marched down, and Mr. -Chisholm couldn’t raise any objections to it. -After we had got fairly under way, I heard -Frank say to Bob, in a scarcely audible -whisper:</p> - -<p>“Say, you wouldn’t mind lending Lem and -me a twenty, would you?”</p> - -<p>“I should be glad to, but the bag is sealed -up,” replied Bob.</p> - -<p>“Sh! don’t let Mr. Chisholm know it. You -couldn’t get the seal off’n the bag, could you? -Lem and me is mighty thirsty.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[289]</span></p> - -<p>Bob put his hand into his pocket, and I -could hardly keep from laughing outright -when I saw the contortions his face went -through in order to get the seal off the bag. -He worked as a boy never worked before, and -at last I saw, by the expression on his countenance, -that he had got the bag open. We -were pretty near to the hotel when this happened. -I heard the chinking of the pieces as -Bob drew his hand out and placed two twenty -dollars in Frank’s extended palm.</p> - -<p>“Boys, I will give you that to pay you for -sticking by me,” said he. “Now, be careful, -and don’t take too much.”</p> - -<p>“You’re right; we’ll stick by you,” said -Frank. “If you ever get in a scrape like this -again, send us word. We’ll not take too -much. We are afraid of Mr. Chisholm.”</p> - -<p>They had got the money, and the next -thing was to get the whiskey. Mr. Chisholm -thought he was smart, and, no doubt, he was -in some things; but he had to deal with men -who were as smart as he was. When we got -back to the hotel, Frank and Lem threw themselves -into the chairs they had occupied before,<span class="pagenum">[290]</span> -to keep a lookout for Henderson; but Mr. -Chisholm spoke a word or two to them, and -they got up and went into the house.</p> - -<p>“Now, landlord, catch up,” said Mr. Chisholm. -“Can you get us an early supper? -We want to be away from here in an hour.”</p> - -<p>The landlord was all attention. He was in -and out of the bar a good many times, but -Lem and Frank never went near it. They had -a good deal of time to spend in looking at the -pictures; I saw a half a dozen men talking to -them, and finally they came back to where we -were, and sat down. I winked at Lem, and -he winked back at me, and so I knew he had -got it; but how in the world he <em>got</em> it was a -mystery to me. I did not see him put anything -into his pocket; but, after we had eaten -supper and were about an hour on our journey -homeward, I saw the effects of it very perceptibly. -It did not make Lem and Frank loud -and boisterous, as they generally were when -they were full, but “funny”—all except -when Mr. Chisholm came back and scowled at -them, and then they were as sober as judges. -The next day, however, they were all right;<span class="pagenum">[291]</span> -but when Bob saw Frank stoop down and fill -his hat four times at a stream he was passing, -and drink it empty each time, he said:</p> - -<p>“I am sorry I gave you that money yesterday. -You had by far too much.”</p> - -<p>“I know it,” said Frank. “But with stuff -like this, one can drink all he wants to, and it -won’t go to his head. But we had a good -fill-up on account of your success, and there -wasn’t any shooting done, as I was afraid -there was going to be.”</p> - -<p>“Shooting! I should think not.”</p> - -<p>“Well, now, I was afraid there was going -to be. When Mr. Chisholm was passing that -little stream yesterday, and reached down and -filled his hat, as you saw me doing, it was all -I could do to keep Lem from shooting that -hat away from his mouth.”</p> - -<p>“Why, how far off was he?” enquired Bob, -who had never heard of such a thing as that.</p> - -<p>“We were a hundred yards or so behind -him.”</p> - -<p>“Why, the old villain! He might have -missed the hat, and struck Mr. Chisholm -through the face.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[292]</span></p> - -<p>“That was just what I was afraid he was -going to do, although I have seen Lem, when -he was perfectly sober, put all his bullets into -the same hole at that distance. But he is not -a villain, by any means,” said Frank earnestly. -“It shows what a man will do when -he gets too much old rye in him.”</p> - -<p>I tell you I believed it, and I swore off on -whiskey then and there. And I have kept my -pledge from that day to this.</p> - -<p>Lem and Frank being all right and having -no Henderson to look out for, we were longer -going than we were coming, and it took us six -days to overtake our cattle, which were being -driven slowly toward their respective ranches. -We went a little out of our way to enable Bob -to visit his father’s grave, and stood around -with our hats in our hands while Bob’s eyes, -his face suffused with tears, gazed upon the -scene he never was to see again. I supposed, -of course, that Bob, having been admitted by -all hands to be the heir of that property, -would be allowed to rest in peace; but I did -not know Henderson and Coyote Bill. They -persecuted him from the word go, and it was<span class="pagenum">[293]</span> -to end only with his leaving the country. The -cattle were getting fat now, the full moon was -close at hand, and the Mexicans and Indians -were waking up. I heard the men talking -about it as we rode along, and only wished -I could be there to see some of it; but I tell -you one raid by the Comanches fairly took -that all out of me.</p> - -<p>On the evening of the sixth day after leaving -Austin we came up with the cowboys, who -were camped in a belt of post-oaks, and long -before we got up to them we found that they -had discovered us. Everyone wanted to -know how Bob had prospered, and when Mr. -Chisholm told them he had been successful in -spite of the surrogate’s efforts to cheat him -out of it, you ought to have heard that belt -of post-oaks resound with their cheers. Now -that he had time to think it over, Mr. Chisholm -still regarded the efforts of the surrogate -to keep the will as a fraud, notwithstanding -what President Wallace had told him.</p> - -<p>“Aint he just as likely to die as I am?” he -demanded. “And can’t that Henderson go -there and get that will? I tell you I think it<span class="pagenum">[294]</span> -would have been safer in my own hands than -his. But I am done probating wills now. -The next time anybody dies he can get somebody -else.”</p> - -<p>At last we arrived at our ranch and found -everything there just as we had left it. The -cowboys gazed in surprise at the result of -Tom’s search, for you will remember that he -threw the things in the middle of the floor -and had not had time to replace them. Then -Tom showed them the stick he had used -in unearthing the pocket-book and the -very spot where he had dug it out. There -weren’t ashes there enough to conceal it from -anybody who had tried hard to find it. I -could see that Bob was very grateful to Tom -for what he had done, and consequently I was -prepared for what he had to say to me -afterward.</p> - -<p>It was two weeks before we got our cattle -all rounded out and driven off by themselves -where we could take a look at them. There -were not more than five thousand head, all -the rest that Mr. Davenport had owned having -been left on the prairie as a prey to the<span class="pagenum">[295]</span> -wolves. He must have lost as many as ten -thousand head, which amounted to a considerable -sum. But I ought to say that, long -before this happened, Bob had brought all his -cowboys together and paid them the money -that had been left to them in his father’s will. -It made less weight for him to carry, and, -besides, he wanted it off his mind. I wish I -could put it on paper, the scene he had with -Mr. Chisholm, who positively refused to pay -the money. It raised a roar of laughter, -which made the old man so mad that it was -all he could do to keep from pulling his -pistol; but Bob got around him at last, and -finally he gave in.</p> - -<p>“If it is as you say—that you want some -disinterested party to pay them so that they -won’t believe that they have been cheated—why, -I will do it,” said he, seizing the nearest -bag of gold and emptying it upon the table. -“But you promised that there should be no -foolishness about this. Now, boys, watch me, -and see that I don’t make any mistake. -Frank, you come first. I’ve got an all night’s -job before me.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[296]</span></p> - -<p>But in an hour they were all paid, and not -one of the men had a chance to tell Mr. Chisholm -that he had made a mistake. They -received it reverently, for their minds were -with the man whose liberality had made so -great a change in their fortunes. It was more -money than they had ever had before in their -lives.</p> - -<p>Shortly after that—the very next day it -happened—Bob said to me in a whisper that -he wanted to see me when all the cowboys had -gone to the round-up, so I stayed behind. -Elam had charge of the cooking now, for I -had almost forgotten to say that the Mexican -had discharged himself when we drew near to -the waters of the west fork of Trinity. He -heard that there was going to be a fight, and -so took himself safe out of reach of it. But -then we didn’t care for Elam; he had been -Bob’s friend all the way through, and we were -not afraid to trust him.</p> - -<p>“Say, Carlos, I hardly know how to speak -to you about this,” said Bob, looking down at -the floor. “You say Tom Mason’s friends -are rich?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[297]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, I know what you have on your -mind, and I’ll tell you just what I think about -it,” said I. “You know Tom got into serious -trouble where he lived, and he has somehow -got it into his head that if he can go home -with five thousand dollars, that trouble will -never come up again. How much truth there -is in it I don’t know.”</p> - -<p>“I know all about his troubles, but he -ought not to let them prey so heavily on his -mind. Now, how much has he got left?”</p> - -<p>“I think if you give him three thousand -dollars he will be all right.”</p> - -<p>“That is what I think, too,” said Elam. -“He don’t belong in this country.”</p> - -<p>“I know he don’t. He wants to get up the -States, where quail and black squirrels are -handy, and have some more fights with ‘Our -Fellows.’ On the whole I think the scenes -he passed through with those robbers are -more exciting than the scenes he passed -through here. If he can get a letter from his -uncle, stating that those things have been -forgotten, he’ll go back.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I shan’t stay in his way,” said Bob.<span class="pagenum">[298]</span> -“You think three thousand dollars are all -he needs? I’ll see him this morning. If he -wants more he can have it.”</p> - -<p>“You wouldn’t have found your pocket-book -if it hadn’t been for him,” said I. “He -reminded me of a dog on a blind scent. He -poked around till he found it.”</p> - -<p>This was all that was necessary for Bob to -know, and during that day I saw him several -times during the round-up talking with Tom; -but Tom insisted that he didn’t want anything. -About the time that night came, however, -and the cowboys came in tired and hungry, -Bob tipped me a wink, and I followed -him behind one of the wagons out of sight.</p> - -<p>“I took him right where he lived,” whispered -Bob. “I told him he could go back to -his uncle, who was all the time worrying -about him, with more money than he had -stolen, and he agreed to take time to think it -over.”</p> - -<p>“He took it, didn’t he?” I asked.</p> - -<p>“Yes, and it was all he needed. I shall be -sorry to part with Tom, but then home is the -place for him.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[299]</span></p> - -<p>So it was settled that Tom Mason was to -leave us as soon as he could get a letter to his -uncle. We had always treated Tom as one -of the family, but somehow we got into the -habit of treating him better than usual. But -time went on and we didn’t see anybody who -was going into Austin to take a letter for him. -Meanwhile, we had bidden good-by to Mr. -Chisholm and all his friends, and were fairly -settled down to our business again. But there -was one thing that was different from what it -was during Mr. Davenport’s lifetime. Lem -and Frank stayed about the ranch now -entirely. Bob hadn’t got over his experience -with Henderson and Coyote Bill; in fact, Mr. -Chisholm was the one who recommended him -to keep them always near him, and Bob -intended that, if they came to his house, he -would give them as good as they sent.</p> - -<p>Things went on this way, we repeat, when -one day that Frank was busy with some story -of his cowboy’s life, we heard a terrible -clatter of horses’ hoofs approaching the -house. Frank and Lem were on hand in an -instant, and, with their revolvers in their<span class="pagenum">[300]</span> -hands, went out to see what was the matter, -but there was no sign of Henderson or Coyote -Bill in the men who drew up at the door. -Two of them were soldiers and the other a -civilian, and their appearance indicated that -they had been through something of a fight. -One of the soldiers’ heads was all bloody, in -spite of the handkerchief that had been -bound around it, and the horse of the civilian -seemed ready to drop from a wound in his -side.</p> - -<p>“What’s up? Indians?” demanded Frank.</p> - -<p>“Yes, and they’re most here,” returned the -civilian. “Can you give us a bite to eat and -change our horses for us?”</p> - -<p>“Indians!” repeated Bob. “Come in and -sit down. You can have all the horses you -want. But Indians!” he added with a shudder. -“In all the eight years we have been in -this part of the country we have never known -them to come so far South before.”</p> - -<p>“Well, you will hear them coming now if -you stay here,” said one of the soldiers. -“You had better catch up and go with us.”</p> - -<p>“Why, how did you manage to get on to<span class="pagenum">[301]</span> -them, anyway?” I asked, for like the rest I -had been so overcome with astonishment that -I could not say anything. “You look as -though you have been in a hard fight.”</p> - -<p>“You may safely say that, and the way -they went about it satisfies me that there were -some white men bossing the job,” said the -soldier. “You see there were twenty-five of -us detailed to act as guard to our paymaster, -who had a lot of money—I don’t know how -much—to pay off the men at Fort Worth. -We were going safely along through a pass, -within a day’s journey of the fort, when they -jumped on us. I tell you I never saw bullets -fly so thick before.”</p> - -<p>“Did they kill almost all the guard at one -fire?” asked Bob.</p> - -<p>“They got about half of us, and where the -rest are now I don’t know. Some got through -to the fort probably, and the rest of us, being -cut off, had to save ourselves the best way we -could.”</p> - -<p>“Lem, you and Frank bring up a horse for -each of us,” said Bob suddenly. His face was -pale, but I saw that he had his wits about<span class="pagenum">[302]</span> -him. “You may turn the rest loose, for we -have all got to go now. I wish those boys -who were out with the stock had warning.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll go and tell them,” said Frank.</p> - -<p>“No, you had better stay by me,” said -Bob. “If there are some white men bossing -this, I think you will have all you can do. -Suppose Coyote Bill is among them?”</p> - -<p>“By George! I believe you’re right,” said -Lem.</p> - -<p>He jumped off the porch, and in company -with Frank went out to the corral to catch the -horses that were to carry us safely out of -reach of the Comanches. Bob had found a -cloth and was tying up the soldier’s head; -Elam was skirmishing around the house trying -to find something to eat; the other soldier -was filling up on water, of which he had -long been deprived; and the balance were -busy gathering up their weapons. For myself, -I was thinking over a certain proposition that -had suddenly suggested itself to me. It was -a dangerous thing, I knew; but I didn’t see -who else was to do it.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_303">[303]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XVI.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">A RAID BY THE COMANCHES.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">The thing I was revolving in my own mind -was this: Should I go all by myself and -warn the boys who were herding cattle on the -plains, and so run the risk of being captured -or shot by the Comanches, or should I stay -with Bob and go with him to a place of safety? -For I knew that Lem and Frank would exert -themselves to take him safely out of reach of -danger, while I could not say that for myself. -I would be going right back the way the Indians -were coming, and to be captured—that -is what I was afraid of, for I had seen men -who were taken prisoners by the savages, and -I knew what was in store for me. But those -boys had stood by us when we were in danger -and were willing to do so again. While I was -thinking about it my horse was brought up. -He was a small sorrel, who had brought me in -safety through many perilous places, and he<span class="pagenum">[304]</span> -was lithe and vigorous yet. I did not see but -that, if I got out on the prairie with two or -three Indians after me, I could make a good run -yet, and perhaps be able to overtake my party -before they had got very far away. My mind -was made up. Those boys would not have deserted -me, and why should I desert them? I -put my saddle on him, slipped on my bridle, -and threw the lariat off his neck. Then I -buckled my revolvers about my waist, picked -up my rifle, and mounted.</p> - -<p>“Good-by, boys,” said I.</p> - -<p>“Why, where are you going?” demanded -Bob. “We’re all going off in a minute.”</p> - -<p>“I am going out to warn the boys,” said I. -“I think I will overtake you after a while.”</p> - -<p>“You mustn’t go!” exclaimed Tom. “You -will be certain to be captured, and you know -better than we can tell you what they will do -to you.”</p> - -<p>“I know it perfectly well. But I have no -kith or kin to worry their heads about me, -and I can go as well as anybody. I know -right where they are——”</p> - -<p>“But you have got to go along the road<span class="pagenum">[305]</span> -that the Indians are coming,” said the civilian, -who was utterly astounded by my proposition.</p> - -<p>“I know that too, but somebody must go, or -leave those fellows to be killed. Come and -shake hands with me, boys, and let me go.”</p> - -<p>“You are a brave lad, and I hope you will -come out all right,” said Frank, as the boys -came up one after the other. Elam and Tom -didn’t have a word to say, but they were badly -cut up. Bob’s eyes were filled with tears, and -he clung to me with both hands.</p> - -<p>“Carlos, I am sorry that you have come to -this decision,” said he. “Why can’t somebody -else go? You have been with me so -long that you are like a brother to me.”</p> - -<p>“The best of brothers must part some time -or other,” said I. “If I fall nobody will be -the wiser for it, except you fellows right -around here. Good-by, everybody,” I cried, -and with a circular sweep of my arm to include -all hands, I wheeled my horse and started on -my lonely journey. “There are some fellows -who will be sorry if anything happens to me,” -I soliloquized. “During the time I have been<span class="pagenum">[306]</span> -with them I have never made anybody mad, -and that’s a heap to say for a man who has -been to Texas. Now the next thing for me is -to look out for myself.”</p> - -<p>In spite of all this delay, occasioned by -asking and answering so many questions, not -more than five minutes elapsed before I was -on my way to warn the cowboys. One learns -to think rapidly when living on the frontier, -and while we talked we worked. In a few -minutes I was beyond reach of the grove, and -taking my horse well in hand rode forward -at about half pace, and in half an hour more -this grove was out of sight behind the swells -and the last glimpse of the ranch had disappeared. -I was alone on the prairie, and -a feeling of depression I had never before -experienced came over me. I kept my horse -at half pace because I didn’t know how soon -he would be called upon to exert himself to -the utmost, and I did not want to ride a -wearied nag in my struggle for life. The -horse knew that there was something going -on, for he kept his eyes and ears constantly -on the alert, and having more faith in him<span class="pagenum">[307]</span> -than I had in myself, I watched him closely. -I was certain that he would smell an Indian -long before I could see him.</p> - -<p>At the end of another half hour I began -to wonder why I did not see some signs of -the cowboys, but there was nothing in sight. -Nothing, did I say? Away off to the left -loomed up a body which was lying in the -grass. I couldn’t tell whether it was a beef -or a horse, for it was about half a mile away. -My horse discovered it at the same time and -snorted loudly.</p> - -<p>“There is something over there as sure as -you are a foot high,” said I to myself, looking -all around to see what sort of a place I was -going to get in. I didn’t like the appearance -of things where that body lay. On all -sides of it, except the one by which I entered, -was a ravine, and it was so deep -that I could just see the tops of the willows -growing up out of it—a splendid place -indeed for an ambuscade. I didn’t want -to go in there, and that was the long -and short of it. “I must go in there and -see what that is,” said I, after taking note of<span class="pagenum">[308]</span> -all these little things. “It may be something -that will tell me of the fate of the cowboys.”</p> - -<p>If my horse had refused to go in there I -believe I should have ridden back to the -ranch and never thought that I was guilty of -cowardice; but he didn’t. When I called on -him to go ahead he went, but he did not seem -to be holding his course toward the dead beef -or horse I have spoken of, but turned a little -to the right as if he were seeking evidence -a little further on. Wondering what there -was that my horse had in his mind, I humored -him, and in a few minutes was horror-stricken -at the scene he brought me to. -There, flat on his back, stripped, scalped, -his head beaten in by a stone or some -other blunt instrument, and mutilated beyond -description, lay Sam Noble, one of -our cowboys. Where the other two were -I didn’t know, nor did I waste any time -looking for them. I shall never forget it -as long as I live. He had evidently been -killed before he was captured, which was a -lucky thing for Sam.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<img src="images/i_p308.jpg" width="600" height="428" alt="" /> -<div class="caption"><p class="center"><span class="smcap">Killed by the Indians.</span></p></div> -</div> - -<p>As soon as I could recover my breath I<span class="pagenum">[309]</span> -pulled my horse about and took the back -trail with long jumps, but before my horse -had made half a dozen leaps I saw that I -was captured. Three Indians came riding -out of the ravine on my left, and scarcely -had they been discovered, when three or -four more came from the ravine on my right. -What was I to do? I had heard that when -a white man was surrounded by Indians, if -he would raise his gun in the act of shooting, -every Indian would at once get behind his -horse. I don’t know why that came into my -mind, but I tried it then and there, and in -an instant two of the Indians were out of -sight. They had gone down on the other -side of their horses, so that I had nothing -but a leg and a small portion of the head to -shoot at. The third Indian, however, retained -his upright position, and, holding up -his bare hand to me, shouted:</p> - -<p>“Don’t shoot! We’re friends.”</p> - -<p>You can imagine what my feelings were -as I sat there and listened to those words. -They were my friends, and yet Sam Noble -had been killed that very morning in the<span class="pagenum">[310]</span> -effort to escape from them! While I held -my rifle in my hands and sat there debating -the question, the Indians came quite -close to me, too late to escape, and I yielded -to them like one in a dream. I was able -to tell now what savages looked like in -their war-paint; and although they were -hideous enough before, you can’t conceive -what a difference those streaks of red and -yellow paint made in their appearance. -They looked just awful. The white man -was the only one among them that was not -painted, and I felt more like surrendering -my weapons to him than I did to any of -his savage crew. But I didn’t get the -chance. The first one who held out his -hand for my rifle was an Indian, and I -readily gave it up to him. The other Indian -seized my horse by the bridle, and the white -man, after securing my revolvers and buckling -them around his own waist, open my -shirt and felt all around for the belt that -contained my money; but he couldn’t find it.</p> - -<p>“Where is it?” said he, with something -that sounded like an oath.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[311]</span></p> - -<p>“Where is what?” I asked, for I had by -this time recovered my wits. I had no idea -what would happen to me afterward, but I -knew that so long as I behaved myself with -them I need not stand in fear of bodily harm.</p> - -<p>“The belt,” replied the man. “You -didn’t bring it with you?”</p> - -<p>“It is hidden at the ranch,” I replied. -“We thought that somebody might try to -take it away from us.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we will have to go after it, and -you will have to show us where it is,” said -the man. “But first I must take you down -here to show you to somebody here who -is anxious to see you.”</p> - -<p>“To show me to somebody?” I exclaimed, -lost in wonder, as the redskin who held my -horse turned me around. I wasn’t terrified -any longer. My fright had given place to -something that was stronger than fear, and -I was amazed at the words the man said. -“Somebody” wanted to see me, and I wondered -who that somebody could be. Could -it be Coyote Bill? If it was, I was on nettles. -He would propose to me to “become<span class="pagenum">[312]</span> -one of them,” and when I refused, what -would happen to me? I resolved to follow -that matter up a little.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; there’s a man that wants to see -you,” said he. “He has got a name around -here that you don’t want to know too much -about, too.”</p> - -<p>“Know too much about him? Why, I -know about him already. Is it Coyote -Bill?”</p> - -<p>The man seemed surprised that I spoke -his name so readily. He looked at me as -though he hardly knew what to say.</p> - -<p>“How did you learn what his name -was?” he asked at length.</p> - -<p>“One of my chums guessed it,” I replied. -“Anybody who knows anything about Coyote -Bill would know that he didn’t come on that -ranch for nothing.”</p> - -<p>The man said no more, but I was satisfied -from the little he did say that I was -right in my conjectures. There was another -thing that was strange to me, and the longer -I thought of it the more bewildered I became. -This white man had been to school,<span class="pagenum">[313]</span> -had received the benefits of an education, -and how did it come that he was there -among the Indians? There was something -strange about him and Coyote Bill, and I -wanted to get at the bottom of it, but I -may add that I never did. I took a good -look at the man who rode by my side, and -I didn’t see anything more desperate about -him than I had seen about Coyote Bill. -Take his weapons and buckskin suit away -from him, and dress him up in fine clothing, -and he would have passed for a business man -anywhere.</p> - -<p>There was another thing that worried me as -I rode along. I wondered if any such capture -had ever been made by hostile Indians -before. The savages paid no more attention -to me than if I was one of themselves, but -seemed to have given me up entirely to the -white man. As soon as we got through the -willows and came out on the prairie again, we -rode along in single file, the white man just -ahead and the others bringing up the rear, so -escape was simply impossible. I knew I must -see that “somebody” who was so anxious to<span class="pagenum">[314]</span> -see me, and I nerved myself for the test. I -had nothing to fear until I saw him.</p> - -<p>“Can these Indians speak English?” I -asked, at length.</p> - -<p>“No,” replied the white man. “You can say -what you please and they won’t tell on you.”</p> - -<p>“Well, the question I should like to have -you answer is, How in the world you ever -came out here among them?” said I. “You -have been to school and don’t talk as these -Texans generally do.”</p> - -<p>“No, I have been to school; that’s a fact,” -said the man, after hesitating a little.</p> - -<p>“What sent you down here?”</p> - -<p>“Look here, my friend,” said the man, -turning around in his saddle and looking at -me with his snapping gray eyes; “I didn’t -agree to take you into my confidence.”</p> - -<p>He used the very same words to me that -Coyote Bill had used when I asked him the -same question; and he didn’t seem to be -angry about it, either.</p> - -<p>“What made you think anything brought -me down here?” he asked. “What brought -you down here?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[315]</span></p> - -<p>“I came to buy cattle, but the drought had -got in ahead of me and I thought I would -wait until it was over. Hallo! What’s the -matter with you?”</p> - -<p>“You came down here to buy cattle?” -exclaimed the man, looking at me with an -expression of great astonishment on his face.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, I did; and there are two other -boys in my party. But what surprises you -so greatly?”</p> - -<p>“Then your name isn’t Bob Davenport?”</p> - -<p>I said it was not, but I didn’t tell him what -my name was. I knew Bob very well, and -had left him at the ranch that morning. I -didn’t say, however, that he was making hurried -preparations for flight, for I thought that -was something the man could find out for -himself. The man listened in amazement, -and, when I got through, uttered a string of -oaths.</p> - -<p>“Set me down for a blockhead, and you’ll -hit it,” he said, as soon as he could speak. -“I might have known that you were not the -fellow.”</p> - -<p>“Did you calculate to capture Bob?” I<span class="pagenum">[316]</span> -enquired, and my astonishment and delight -were so strong that it was all I could do to -repress them. That is what I meant when I -said that Henderson and Coyote Bill began -persecuting Bob at once on account of his -wealth, and did not intend to let up on him -until he had been driven from the country. I -saw through the whole scheme at once. They -intended to keep Bob a prisoner among the -Indians until he was ready to do just as they -wanted him to do, and that would be to sign -his property over to Henderson. It didn’t -look to me as though that plan would work, -but Henderson evidently knew some way to -get around it.</p> - -<p>“Why, of course I intended to capture Bob -Davenport,” said the man, and it was plain -enough to see that what I had said made him -very angry. “What use are you to me? If -I had known that you were not Bob I -wouldn’t have taken you prisoner.”</p> - -<p>“What would you have done to me?”</p> - -<p>“You saw that man up there that was shot -from his horse, didn’t you?” said he, in a -very significant tone of voice. “Well, you<span class="pagenum">[317]</span> -would have been that way now. I could -make mince-meat of you in two minutes!” he -added fiercely. “There’s timber right ahead, -and the redskins are just aching to get their -hands on you. But then you are a brave -boy; I will say that much for you. It isn’t -everyone who would go on and talk so when -he found himself a prisoner among hostile -Indians. I’ll wait until I see what Coyote -Bill will have to say about you.”</p> - -<p>I tell you I was afraid of this, and my only -hope of salvation lay with Coyote Bill. I -rode along in silence after that and never had -anything more to say. I knew what the man -meant when he referred to the timber right -ahead. All that was needed for him was to -tell the Indians that his protection for me -was withdrawn, and in two minutes I would -have been stripped and staked out, and a -fire burning at one of my feet. All that -stood in his way of saying that was Coyote -Bill.</p> - -<p>“I do know something that I want to tell -Bill,” I said.</p> - -<p>“Very well, then keep it for him,” answered<span class="pagenum">[318]</span> -the man. “I don’t want to talk to -you any more.”</p> - -<p>All that day and until far into the night I -rode along without seeing a living soul, never -once stopping to give our horses a bite to eat, -and then I suddenly became aware that we -were in the camp of Indians. While we were -going along a redskin sprang up on our right -and addressed a few words to us in his native -tongue, and then sank out of sight again. He -was one of the sentries who were out to watch -the cattle and see that they didn’t stampede. -We kept on and in a few minutes reached -the timber. There was no one in sight, and -no preparations made for supper, and I felt -about half-starved.</p> - -<p>“You can take off your saddle and bridle -and camp here under this tree,” said the man. -“Let your horse go where he is a mind to.”</p> - -<p>So saying he rode off, accompanied by all -the Indians save two, whom he left to act as -my guards. As I felt tired and discouraged, -too, it did not take me long to comply with -the white man’s orders, and when I removed -the saddle from the horse I judged by the<span class="pagenum">[319]</span> -way he shook himself and went to cropping -the grass beneath his feet, that he was as -hungry as I was. While I was thus engaged -the Indians bustled about, and when I had -thrown myself on the ground, with my saddle -for a pillow, I found that they had a little fire -kindled; a very little fire, over which a white -man would freeze to death, but they sat -around it and warmed their hands with evident -satisfaction. But not a word was said -about supper, and I began to think I should -have to go hungry to bed, when I heard the -twigs cracking out in the timber, and in a few -minutes up came the white man, accompanied -by Henderson and Coyote Bill. I wasn’t so -surprised to see Henderson there as a good -many people might think. He was with -Coyote Bill, and of course he was bound to -take up with Bill’s companionship.</p> - -<p>“Well, well, Carlos; how are you?” said -Bill; and to show that he was in a humorous -mood, he backed toward a little mound of -earth, sat down upon it, and laughed -uproariously.</p> - -<p>“How do you do?” said I, taking a few<span class="pagenum">[320]</span> -steps toward Bill and extending my hand; for -I thought, if I could lead the man to shake -hands with me, I would be all right.</p> - -<p>“No, I don’t want to shake hands with -you,” said he. “The Indians are on the -watch, and they take that as a sign of friendship. -But what in the world induced you -to come out? Why didn’t you stay at the -ranch? You have got yourself in a pretty -fix!”</p> - -<p>“I say give him a dose of lead,” muttered -Henderson, who was almost overcome with -rage. “I’ll have him out of my way, at any -rate.”</p> - -<p>“That’s enough out of you,” said Coyote -Bill. “Such things are only done here when -I say the word.”</p> - -<p>“Hasn’t that boy been in my way ever since -I have been here?” exclaimed Henderson. -“Didn’t he go out to the ranch and find that -pocket-book?”</p> - -<p>I was astonished to hear Henderson talk -that way. He had been growing worse instead -of better; but, after all, when I came to consider -the matter, I didn’t see that there was<span class="pagenum">[321]</span> -anything so very surprising about it. Some -writer has said that if we don’t grow better we -grow worse, and that was what was the matter -with Henderson. One of the first things he -spoke of in regard to Bob was, that no finger -should be lifted against his life; and here he -was going to shoot me who hadn’t done anything -to him.</p> - -<p>“He got the pocket-book because we were -not fortunate enough to look where it was,” -said Coyote Bill. “Now, Henderson, I don’t -want to hear another word out of you. You -are under my protection now, but the minute -I withdraw it—well, you know what will -happen.”</p> - -<p>“You asked what should be done with that -boy,” said Henderson. “Well, I have told -you.”</p> - -<p>“But I didn’t think you would propose any -fool thing like that,” said Bill. “I must first -take Carlos back to the house with me. You -know where all that money is kept hidden, -I suppose?”</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, I know where it is,” I answered, -considerably surprised. To think<span class="pagenum">[322]</span> -that any man in his sober senses would go off -and leave his money behind him, was ridiculous. -I looked at Coyote Bill to see if he -meant what he said, but it was so dark that -I couldn’t see the expression of his face; but -Henderson evidently knew what he was speaking -about when he said, in a voice choked -with passion:</p> - -<p>“You are going to lay a plan for him to -escape. I wish I could talk to these Indians, -for then I could let them see what you are -up to!”</p> - -<p>“What I choose to do is nothing to you!” -said Bill, as he turned fiercely upon Henderson. -“Once more, and for the last time, I ask -you to keep still. How did you find out that -we were coming, any way?” he added, addressing -himself to me.</p> - -<p>“There were three men came along who -had plainly been in some sort of a fight,” said -I. “We wanted to know what the trouble -was, and they told us.”</p> - -<p>“Ah, yes! Did they tell you about the -mule that got away from us?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know what mule you mean.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[323]</span></p> - -<p>“We got all the money except five thousand -dollars, and that was supposed to be -packed on a mule that lit out. He was shot -three or four times, but I never saw anything -run as he did.”</p> - -<p>“And did he escape?”</p> - -<p>“Well, I should say so. He took right -down toward your ranch, too, and I didn’t -know but you had seen him there.”</p> - -<p>“And yet, in the face of all this——”</p> - -<p>Henderson didn’t say any more, for Coyote -Bill turned around and looked at him. He -thought his companion was in earnest when -he told him to keep still.</p> - -<p>“I didn’t know but that it would be a -good chance for lucky Tom to try his hand -on that mule,” said Coyote Bill, with a smile. -“He has been lucky in finding one pocket-book, -and he might be equally lucky in -this.”</p> - -<p>“He will go down among those rich cattlemen -and be captured,” said Henderson bitterly. -“The men who don’t care a cent for -those five thousand dollars will have just that -much more to jingle in their pockets; while<span class="pagenum">[324]</span> -we, who are hard up for the money—dog-gone -the luck! it is so the world over.”</p> - -<p>Coyote Bill laughed again.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see anything so very laughable -about this matter,” said Henderson. “You -laughed because we got the wrong boy——”</p> - -<p>“That will do,” said Bill. “You are getting -off on your old subject, and I won’t sit -here and be abused. Haven’t had any supper -yet, have you, Carlos?”</p> - -<p>“No, I haven’t; and I feel as though I -could do justice to some corn bread and -bacon.”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, come with me.”</p> - -<p>Turning to the Indians, he addressed some -words to them in their native tongue,—it -sounded like gibberish to me,—and started at -once into the woods, while I picked up my -saddle and bridle and followed behind him.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_325">[325]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XVII.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">MY FRIEND THE OUTLAW.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">“Well, this bangs me completely,” -thought I, as I shouldered my -bundle and stumbled along behind my leader -through the darkness. “But I would like to -know if any white man has ever been captured -before by hostile Indians and treated in this -way. Coyote Bill seems to have the power in -his own hands, doesn’t he? I tell you, he <em>is</em> -a power in this land, and if he will let me get -away from him this time, he’ll never see me -again. I’ll go for the States the very first -chance I get.”</p> - -<p>Bill seemed to know just how fast I could -go to keep up with him, and in a few minutes -I saw a light shining through between the -trees, and presently I was ushered into his -camp. There were three or four men lying -around the fire, and they started up and -looked at us.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[326]</span></p> - -<p>“We have caught the wrong boy,” said -Bill, waving his hand to show that I could put -my saddle and bridle down where I pleased; -“but he has got to show us the place where -that money is hidden before he gets away. -He hasn’t had anything to eat, and is -hungry.”</p> - -<p>I sat down and looked at the men, and, I -tell you, some of them were pretty rough -characters. I was glad indeed that I had -fallen into the power of Bill’s best looking -man, for if I had been captured by any one of -the men sitting there at the fire, I should -have fared badly. They expressed a sentiment -of strong disgust when Bill spoke of -having captured the wrong boy, but no attention -was paid to it. He proceeded to fill a -long pipe very carefully, after which he went -off into the darkness, while another man set -before me some bacon and corn bread. It was -not enough to satisfy my appetite, but I was -glad to get what there was, and in a short -time it had all disappeared. Then I filled my -pipe and settled back for a smoke.</p> - -<p>“Where do you suppose Bill is gone?” I<span class="pagenum">[327]</span> -asked, addressing my enquiries to whoever -had a mind to answer it.</p> - -<p>Henderson was there, and in forming this -question I looked particularly hard at him, -not because I wished him to reply to it, but -because I wished to see how he took matters. -He was as mad as he was in camp when Mr. -Chisholm found that he had got hold of the -pocket-book containing the receipts, and not -hold of the one that contained the will.</p> - -<p>“He has gone off to get permission of the -chief to burn you at sunrise,” said he spitefully.</p> - -<p>“Sho!” said I, for I knew that Henderson -had made this all up out of his own head. -“Then he won’t get the money.”</p> - -<p>“That’s the only thing that makes me think -he won’t do it,” said Henderson. “But you -will be gone up the next time you come here. -How did you know that we were after the -money, anyway?”</p> - -<p>I repeated what I had said to Bill, and that -was nothing but the truth.</p> - -<p>“There were three white men in the party, -and they said, from the way you went about<span class="pagenum">[328]</span> -it, they were satisfied that there were some -renegades bossing the job,” answered I; and -then I was almost sorry I said it. I did not -know how they would take the name “renegades,” -as applied to themselves; but Henderson -was the only one who understood it.</p> - -<p>“And what made us renegades?” he asked, -and I believed that the presence of the men -was all that kept him from doing something -desperate. “We killed almost all the guards -at the first fire—I got two of them, I know, -and I wish we had got them all. Renegades! -That is a vile and worthless fellow,” he added, -turning to the men who were sitting around. -“That’s the kind of men you be.”</p> - -<p>Some of the men laughed, while others -acted as though they didn’t care what men’s -opinions were of them so long as they were -permitted to enjoy themselves. I saw that -Henderson was trying to work the men up to -do something to me before Coyote Bill could -get back, and I didn’t think any more of him -for it.</p> - -<p>“Thar is one thing about that attack that -I shall always be sorry for,” said one of the<span class="pagenum">[329]</span> -fierce-looking men. “You know I, for one, -had occasion to look out for the muels that -had the specie onto them. Tony here got the -man, an’ I shot the muel through the neck. -I could swear to that. Well, that thar muel -turned an’ run like he never run before, an’ -got away with the Injuns completely. He -took right down by your ranch too. Didn’t -see nothing of him, I reckon, did you?”</p> - -<p>I shook my head.</p> - -<p>“Well, thar’s a kind of a lucky feller down -your way, I don’t know what his name is, -who has a mighty fine chance of findin’ -pocket-books when everybody else is done -lookin’ for them, an’ I didn’t know but what -he might try his hand at findin’ that muel -with five thousand dollars in specie strapped -onto him. That would be a pretty good haul -for him, wouldn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, it would,” I replied. “But he -would have to give it up to the paymaster.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, he would, would he?” exclaimed the -fierce-looking man. “If he found it, it would -be his’n, wouldn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“You needn’t look for those boys to do<span class="pagenum">[330]</span> -anything like that,” said Henderson, with a -sneer. “They would give it up to the paymaster -and get five hundred dollars for it. It -is a big thing to be honest!”</p> - -<p>“Well, I think we’ve made as much as you -have by being honest,” said I. “You don’t -seem to be loaded down with money.”</p> - -<p>“But I would have had half a million if it -hadn’t been for you and others like you,” -muttered Henderson between his clenched -teeth.</p> - -<p>“You had all the chance in the world,” I -replied. “No one came near you when you -were searching that house. You see luck -wasn’t on your side.”</p> - -<p>“What did you come here for anyhow?” -asked one of the men. “Folks say that you -came here to buy cattle, but I’ll be switched -if I don’t believe you came here to help -Davenport. You aint got no money to buy -cattle.”</p> - -<p>This started us off on a new topic of conversation, -but Henderson seemed to find fault -with everything I said. I couldn’t reply to a -single question but it would start some spiteful<span class="pagenum">[331]</span> -remark on his part. I really did not see -how the men stood it. Finally Coyote Bill -came back, and I noticed that his pipe was -empty. He had smoked it out with the chief -in gaining his point, and I wanted to hear him -say that he had obtained permission to torture -me at sunrise; but he said nothing of the -kind, so that was one lie of Henderson’s -nailed.</p> - -<p>“Carlos, you had better go to sleep,” were -the first words he spoke. “We have got a -long ride before us in the morning, and you -won’t feel a bit like getting up.”</p> - -<p>“You want to watch him close for fear that -he will escape,” chimed in Henderson, who -could not possibly let a chance go without -saying something.</p> - -<p>“He won’t escape. He won’t try to; will -you, Carlos?” continued Bill, turning to me.</p> - -<p>“Not much,” I said. “Where shall I lie -down so that I will not be in the way?”</p> - -<p>Bill selected a place, and picking up my -saddle and bridle—I do not know what made -me hang on to them, for I did not suppose I -would be allowed to ride my own horse in the<span class="pagenum">[332]</span> -morning—and with a cheery “Good-night, -fellows; pleasant dreams,” I laid down on -it. The majority of the men never paid any -attention to my salutation. Bill was the only -one who noticed it, and he said: “Thank -you; the same to you,” and that made me -think more than ever that he had been well -brought up.</p> - -<p>“That’s a brave fellow,” I heard him say as -I arranged my saddle for a pillow and laid -down with my back to the fire. “It would -be a great pity if anything should happen -to him.”</p> - -<p>“And you are going to give him a chance to -escape in the morning,” growled Henderson. -“I wish to goodness——”</p> - -<p>“Go to bed,” said Coyote Bill, in his ordinary -tone of voice.</p> - -<p>“I wish to goodness that you, or any fellow -like you,” began Henderson, “had sense -enough to see——”</p> - -<p>“Go to bed!” said Bill, and in an instant -his revolver was out and was looking Henderson -squarely in the eyes. This was the third -time that Henderson had been placed in a<span class="pagenum">[333]</span> -similar situation, but on this occasion he -didn’t say anything back. He knew that Bill -was in just the right mood to shoot. He gathered -up his saddle and blanket,—I didn’t have -any blanket to cover myself with, and the -nights were getting cold,—and that was the -last I saw of him that night.</p> - -<p>“I made it,” said Bill, as soon as Henderson -was out of hearing. “I smoked a pipe -with the chief, and he came over to my way -of thinking. Jack, you will ride down to the -house with us in the morning.”</p> - -<p>“But look here, Bill,” said the man who -had done most of the talking with me. -“Don’t you think those boys would be some -kin to the biggest kind of dunces if they went -off to escape from the hostiles, an’ left their -plunder buried where you could find it? -That’s what’s been running in my head ever -since you went out to see the chief.”</p> - -<p>“No, I don’t think so,” replied Bill. -“They went off in a hurry, did they not, and -forgot to take some of their things with them. -We have made thirty thousand dollars this -trip, and that is something worth having.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[334]</span></p> - -<p>“Yes, an’ that dog-gone muel got away -from us. I expect that lucky feller at the -ranch will have him.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we can’t help that. And if I don’t -find the money this time, I have got something -else in store for Bob. I’ll pounce on -him every chance, and steal his cattle by -piece-meal, until he is driven from the -country. And I wish to goodness that he -had never come into it.”</p> - -<p>“Here, too! I don’t believe there was any -half a million dollars wrapped up in his -hide.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, yes! there was. But we can’t touch -it now. Those men have been to Austin and -got the will probated——”</p> - -<p>“What do you mean by that?”</p> - -<p>“They have been to Austin and got it -proved, and the property is all in Bob’s name. -What we would have done if we had captured -Bob in the place of this Carlos, I don’t know. -Henderson thinks he could have got Bob to -sign the money over to him, but what good -would it have done? They’d say right away -that we had gained the signature by fraud, and<span class="pagenum">[335]</span> -then we would have a war on our hands, I bet -you. As it is, we can keep on stealing cattle; -we will have a few Rangers to whip, and that’s -all it will amount to. I am going to bed.”</p> - -<p>I do not know that I was in any condition -to produce sleep, surrounded as I was by men -who had talked with satisfaction of seeing me -tortured at sunrise; but it is a fact that, as -soon as Coyote Bill sought his blankets, I sank -into an untroubled slumber, from which I was -awakened by Bill’s shaking me and ordering -me to catch up. I started up, only to find -that somebody had thrown a blanket over me -while I was asleep, and to see that the camp -of Indians was gone, and that there was no -one in sight except Coyote Bill, his man -Gentleman Jack,—I did not know what else to -call him,—and Henderson.</p> - -<p>“They have all gone away with the cattle,” -said Bill, noting my feelings of surprise. -“You wouldn’t have us stay around here -with eight hundred head of stock to be captured, -would you? They have gone off to the -Staked Plains.”</p> - -<p>I noticed while Coyote Bill was talking that<span class="pagenum">[336]</span> -the guns were scattered all around, and you -will, no doubt, wonder that I did not catch -one of them up and turn the tables on them. -There was a price of five thousand dollars set -upon the head of Coyote Bill, and it would -have been a fine thing for me to march them -all in as prisoners, but I knew a story worth -two of that. One was, I didn’t know how -many pistols Bill had about his person; -another was, there might be some men in -camp a short distance away who would upend -me before I fairly got the gun pointed; -and furthermore, I was firmly convinced that -if I did just as I was told to do, my release -would come in good time, and without the -necessity of shedding anybody’s blood. I tell -you it stands a fellow well in hand to take all -these points into consideration.</p> - -<p>Breakfast over—and we ate it in a hurry, -everyone being obliged to cook his bacon on a -forked stick over the coals—there was nothing -left for us to do but get under way. According -to Bill’s order, I picked up my saddle -and followed him through the woods to the -prairie, and there I found my horse tied up to<span class="pagenum">[337]</span> -a brush. I was glad to see him again, and -when I got on him he was all ready for a race. -During the whole of that day we travelled without -scarcely exchanging a word, but I noticed -that at the top of every swell the outlaws -stopped and carefully examined the ground -before them. But no one was in sight, and -finally, just as the sun was setting, we came -within sight of Bob’s ranch. There was no -one about it, not even a steer or a horse. I -saw that Bill carried my weapons about with -him, and I thought that now was his time to -hand them to me, but Bill had different ideas -in his own mind.</p> - -<p>“Appearances are often deceptive,” said -he. “Carlos, suppose you ride on and see if -there is anybody about that house. If you -don’t find anybody, wave your hat to us.”</p> - -<p>“Anybody can see that he has a fine chance -for escape,” snarled Henderson, who was as -mad now as he had been the night before. -“I wish I had your power!”</p> - -<p>“What would you do with it?” asked -Coyote Bill.</p> - -<p>“I would let him feel one of the bullets in<span class="pagenum">[338]</span> -my pistol,” said Henderson. “You won’t -get anything out of that ranch as long as -you let him escape. He heard every word -you said last night.”</p> - -<p>“Did you, Carlos?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; I did,” said I. I thought I -might as well tell the truth as tell a lie. -My heart was in my mouth, but I looked Bill -squarely in the eye.</p> - -<p>“Well, I want to know if you are going to -tell it?”</p> - -<p>“If you tell me not to, I shan’t. I won’t -say anything about it while you are around. -I shall go for the States as soon as I can get -there, and Tom will go with me.”</p> - -<p>“That will suit me exactly. I am satisfied. -Now, go on and see if you can find anything -around that ranch.”</p> - -<p>Coyote Bill touched his hat—I have thought -more than once from the way he saluted that -he had been in the army—and I rode off. -Some things, which I had gone over so many -times that I had them by heart, promptly -came back to me. I wondered if any man -who was captured by hostile Indians was ever<span class="pagenum">[339]</span> -treated that way before. What Coyote Bill -saw about me; whether he thought there was -something that reminded him of other and -happier days, I don’t know. Anyhow, he -had saved me from a horrible death, and for -that I was grateful. I don’t believe there was -another man in the world that could have -done it. My horse neighed shrilly as he approached -the house, but there was no one who -came out to answer him. I kept on till I got -to the porch, and there I found the door open -and everything in the greatest confusion. The -ranch looked almost as bad as it did when -Tom Mason got through searching for the lost -pocket-book, only the things were not all -piled in the same place. I got off from my -horse and went in. Bob Davenport’s pillow -was on the floor, but the heavy bag of gold -which he had left after paying off his men -was gone. I looked in the place where my -money was hidden and found that it was -gone, too. Bob hadn’t left in such a hurry -that he had forgotten to take his valuables -with him. I knew that Coyote Bill was depending -on something he never could find, but<span class="pagenum">[340]</span> -then I freely forgave him. It was a plan of -his to aid me in my escape. When I had -fully satisfied myself that the money had -been taken, I went out on the porch and -waved my hat to Bill, and then I went into the -grove to look where Sam Noble had concealed -his, but that also had been taken away. Poor -Sam! He would never miss his money now. -And I wondered what had become of the -other two cowboys. I didn’t like to enquire -about it.</p> - -<p>“It is gone, is it?” exclaimed Bill, who at -that moment came galloping up. “Well, we -have had our trouble for our pains. How do -things look in the house?”</p> - -<p>“You can go in and see, but everything -that will be of use to you has been removed,” -said I. “Are you going to burn the house?”</p> - -<p>“Burn it? What should I want to burn it -for? I want Bob to come back here and -live.”</p> - -<p>“And you are mighty foolish for telling me -of it,” said I to myself. “I will never let him -stay in this house again. That’s one thing -that I didn’t promise to keep to myself.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[341]</span></p> - -<p>Coyote Bill tossed his reins to his man and -went in, but he did not spend much time in -looking around. It was plain to him that no -money could be concealed there, and finally -he came out, took my rifle off his back and -handed it to me.</p> - -<p>“There you are,” said he, “and I want you -to understand that the gun hasn’t been fired -since you gave it up. There’s your revolvers. -Now buckle them around your waist, so that -I can see how you look.”</p> - -<p>I wondered what Bill was thinking of when -he did this, but I took the belt and put it -around my waist where it belonged, and -looked up for the man to tell what else he had -on his mind.</p> - -<p>“Now, Henderson, you’re even,” said Bill. -“You said, if you had the power, you’d make -him taste one of the bullets in your pistol. -Now go ahead.”</p> - -<p>I turned toward Henderson, and saw that -his right hand was fumbling with the pistol in -his holster. A minute more and he would -have me covered with it. I looked toward Bill -to see what he thought about it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[342]</span></p> - -<p>“You’re even,” said he, stepping back -a pace or two. “You have got more weapons -than he has.”</p> - -<p>I saw the point Coyote Bill was trying to -get at, and in a second I had Henderson’s head -covered with one of my revolvers.</p> - -<p>“Hands up!” said I hotly; and his hands -came up.</p> - -<p>“Bill, I didn’t think that of you,” said -Henderson, who was fairly beside himself with -rage.</p> - -<p>“You told me that all you wanted was to -get the power in your hands,” said Bill. -“Now you have it, and I don’t see why you -don’t use it. Be quick!”</p> - -<p>I kept my eyes fastened upon Henderson, -and, fearing that Bill’s taunts might lead him -to do something wrong, for which he would -always be sorry,—for there was a good deal of -derision in what Bill said, and it showed what -a high estimation he had of Henderson’s -courage,—I held my revolver in readiness for -a shot, and stepped forward and took his gun -from its holster and handed it to Bill. The -latter took it with an expression of great disgust<span class="pagenum">[343]</span> -on his face, looked at it a moment, and -sent it as far out on the prairie as his sinewy -arm could throw it.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see what your object is in shooting -me, who haven’t done you any harm,” I said, -addressing myself to Henderson, “but I tell -you not to attempt anything with that rifle. -If you do, I will tumble you off your saddle!”</p> - -<p>“Henderson will not attempt to shoot us -with that,” said Bill. “If he does he will -have three of us to contend with, and I think -that is rather more than he can manage. -Now, Henderson, go for Austin as soon as -you can get there.”</p> - -<p>“And give up my share of those thirty -thousand dollars?” exclaimed Henderson, his -astonishment getting the better of his alarm. -“Now, Bill, that isn’t right!”</p> - -<p>Almost before Henderson had got through -with these words of protest, Bill’s hand laid -hold of his revolver, while with the other he -pointed out the direction he was to follow. I -noticed that Jack’s revolver came out also—he -had been sitting in his saddle all this time—and -rested across the horn, directly in range<span class="pagenum">[344]</span> -with Henderson’s person. He saw that -everything was up with him, and without -saying a word turned his horse and rode -away; and I may add that was the last I -ever saw of Henderson. We went to Austin -a short time afterward, and, although we -kept a bright lookout for him, not a thing -did we see of him. Whatever became of him -I don’t know.</p> - -<p>“Well, Carlos, so-long,” said Bill, when -Henderson had ridden away out of hearing. -“I hope you will reach the States in safety. -Put it there.”</p> - -<p>“Are you going to leave me here?” said I, -overjoyed.</p> - -<p>“Yes, I reckon we might as well. What -do you say, Jack?”</p> - -<p>“Let the kid go. He’s a brave lad,” -returned Jack.</p> - -<p>“Now, Bill,” said I, as I took the outlaw’s -hand in mine, “I want to say something, -if I thought you would not take it -to heart.”</p> - -<p>“No preaching, now!” said Bill, with a -laugh.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[345]</span></p> - -<p>“No, I won’t preach. Why do you do -this?”</p> - -<p>“Well, that’s preaching, and I didn’t agree -to answer every one of your questions.”</p> - -<p>“You see something about me that reminds -you of days when you did not do this way,” -said I. “That person don’t know where you -are, and——”</p> - -<p>“That’s neither here nor there,” said Bill -impatiently. “So-long, Carlos. Come on, -Jack.”</p> - -<p>Jack reached down from his saddle in order -to give me a good shake, and then clattered -off up the prairie after Bill. I stood and -watched them for a long time, but neither of -them looked around, and finally the nearest -swell hid them from sight. There was something -good about that man, and I never heard -of him afterward. Probably he lost his life -in some of his numerous raiding expeditions. -But there was one thing about it: He left -one boy behind who was sorry for him.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_346">[346]</span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.<br /> -<span class="cheaderfont">CONCLUSION.</span></h2> - - -<p class="dropcap">When Coyote Bill and Jack had disappeared, -and a glance in the direction -Henderson had gone showed me that he also -had vanished, I began to think about myself. -I was alone on the prairie, but I didn’t care -for that as much as I did for the safety of Bob -Davenport and the men who had gone away -with him. I staked out my horse, and while I -was thinking about it, it occurred to me that -now was the time to find Henderson’s revolver. -I had taken particular notice of where it fell; -and after half an hour’s looking I had the satisfaction -of securing the weapon which had so -nearly been the cause of my death. It was -silver-mounted, of forty-five calibre, just big -enough to take the cartridges intended for his -rifle, and on the trigger-guard bore the name -of its luckless owner, Clifford Henderson.</p> - -<p>“Good!” said I, taking my steps back<span class="pagenum">[347]</span> -toward the ranch. “As often as I look at -it I shall remember him, and if Bob doesn’t -want it, I will always keep it. Let’s see what -effect this bullet would have had upon me.”</p> - -<p>Sitting on a tree close by was a robin—I -knew that the weather was getting cold up -North, for the birds had already come down -to us—and I tried the bullet on the robin -from where I stood, and saw him come down -without his head. If Clifford Henderson was -as good a shot as I was, he could not well -have missed me at that distance.</p> - -<p>The next thing was to find something to eat, -and then came a pipe, during which I thought -the matter over. There was one thing on -which I had long ago made up my mind, even -before separating from Coyote Bill, and that -was that Bob Davenport should not be permitted -to stay in that ranch any longer than I -could help. Coyote Bill was determined to -have that money or drive him from the country. -I gained this much from the conversation -that Bill had had with some of his men, and -how was I to prevent it? I was going to the -States, and I was resolved that Bob should go<span class="pagenum">[348]</span> -too. I was getting sick and tired of so much -pistol-drawing, I did not want to see any more -of it, and I would get back among civilized men. -There was where I belonged, anyway. And -Tom Mason, he must go along too, and relieve -the suspense which I knew his aged relative -would feel at not hearing from him in so long. -He did not know but Tom was dead, and a -letter would go far to cheer him up. But how -should I go to work upon Bob and Tom and -so get them out on the water, where I could -tell them everything? Well, there was another -day coming, and I would see how it looked -after I had slept on it.</p> - -<p>The next day passed and still another, and -in the meantime I employed myself in bringing -order out of the confusion in the ranch -and making it look as though somebody lived -there, and not a sign did I see of the returning -Bob Davenport. I began to think something -had happened to them. I did not dare to go -out to look for them, for I might run across -some men belonging to Coyote Bill’s band, -who wouldn’t treat me half as well as their -leader did, so I thought I had best stay right<span class="pagenum">[349]</span> -where I was. On the evening of the sixth -day, when I had got so worked up that I -didn’t think I could stand it any longer, I was -startled out of a year’s growth by seeing a -body of horsemen approaching the ranch.</p> - -<p>“Is that Henderson?” I exclaimed, feeling -the cold chills creep all over me. “If it is, -he has brought men enough with him to complete -his work. I will give them as good as I -have got.”</p> - -<p>I rushed into the house, and when I came -out my rifle was in my hands and my revolvers -strapped around my waist. The horsemen -had by this time approached near the -ranch, and I could make out that one of them -was Bob Davenport. How I cheered and -yelled at them! An answering yell came in -response, and in a few minutes I was shaking -my friends by the hand. I never hoped to see -them looking so well; there wasn’t one of -them that had been hurt. To repeat the questions -that were propounded to me were impossible, -but in a few minutes I gave them to understand -that I had escaped from the enemy -all right, that I had seen the place where Sam<span class="pagenum">[350]</span> -Noble had been knocked in the head, and that -I had stayed around outside the ranch for -two days before I mustered up courage -enough to return to it. Oh, what a lie that -was! But it served my purpose very well, -and besides I told Bill that I wouldn’t repeat -what he said about Bob, where it would do him -any harm. When I got him away I could tell -him my story. Did I do wrong in keeping -the promise I made to an outlaw? Remember -he was the man who had placed me where I -was that day. If that man had withdrawn -his protection from me I would have died an -agonizing death.</p> - -<p>“Well, you have had a time of it!” said -Bob, who pulled up a chair and seated himself -beside me. “We have been to Austin twice, -and Tom got a letter off to his uncle.”</p> - -<p>“Good enough!” said I, feeling that a big -load had been removed from my shoulders. -“Tom, you and I will go to the States -together.”</p> - -<p>“Are you going, too?” exclaimed Bob. -“Well, I am going, and that will make three. -Elam, here, thinks he can’t go.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[351]</span></p> - -<p>In fact I hadn’t looked toward Elam, but I -looked at him now, and his face was as long -as you please. He didn’t like it when his -friends were talking of going away and -leaving him.</p> - -<p>“And that isn’t all,” continued Bob. -“You know that those soldiers who came by -here before you left told us that the savages -had made an attack on the paymaster, and -made an attempt to secure the thirty-five -thousand dollars which he was taking to pay -off the garrison at Fort Worth. They tried -to shoot the mules, and they got all of them -except one, and he ran most all the way to -Austin.”</p> - -<p>“Didn’t they catch him?” I asked; and -I felt that I was going to hear something -thrilling. Bill’s men had spoken of this a -time or two, and predicted that Tom’s luck -would stand him well in hand if he was disposed -to look for this mule, too, but somehow -I didn’t pay much attention to them; -but now I knew that Tom had had a finger -in this also. That fellow just beat the world -for finding things!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[352]</span></p> - -<p>“Has Tom found it?” I continued, so -amazed that I could hardly speak.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir! Tom has found it,” said Bob. -“We heard about it when we were in Austin, -but we had so many other things to think -of that we hardly thought of it again; but -on our way home we ran across the mule in a -little grove of post-oaks.”</p> - -<p>“Dead, was he?”</p> - -<p>“As dead as a door-nail. But we found -the specie all right, and we took it back to -Austin, and gave it to a paymaster there. -You see the paymaster that had charge of -the money was killed in the fight. We told -him that we wanted a thousand dollars for -giving it up, and he said he would write on -to Washington and see what they said -about it.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t want anything for it,” said Tom.</p> - -<p>“That’s what he tried to say when he was -in the presence of the paymaster,” said Bob. -“The United States is worth more than he -is, and I resolved that he should have that -amount of money. That was fair, wasn’t it? -We’ll stop and get it when we go back.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[353]</span></p> - -<p>“Of course it was. But, Bob, what put it -into your head to go up to the States?”</p> - -<p>“Well, I think I will be safer there than I -will anywhere else,” said Bob. “Those fellows -were after my money, I can see that -plainly enough, and I will take it and put it -in some bank out of their reach. Perhaps -then they will let me alone. I have given all -my cattle to Lem and Frank to keep for me -until I come back. You don’t see many cattle -around here, do you?”</p> - -<p>I confessed that I had not seen a head of -stock since I came to the ranch, and that was -six days ago. But I knew where they were. -Those that had escaped the clutches of the -savages were mixed up with Mr. Chisholm’s -cattle, and it would be a week’s job to get -them out.</p> - -<p>“I am glad you have decided to go, and -I didn’t know how I was going to talk -it into you,” said I. “You will have to -see Mr. Chisholm first. He is your guardian, -you know. But what are you going -to do with Elam? He must be provided -for.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[354]</span></p> - -<p>“He has hired him out to Lem and me,” -said Frank.</p> - -<p>I looked at Elam, and he didn’t seem to be -at all satisfied with the change. He sat with -his elbows resting on his knees and his eyes -fastened on the floor. Bob got up, moved his -chair close to his side, and threw his arm over -Elam’s shoulder.</p> - -<p>“If this doesn’t suit you, say the word, and -you will go North with me,” said he. “Our -people up there will be glad to see you.”</p> - -<p>“No, I can’t do it,” said Elam. “I’d see -so many broadcloth fellers up there that I’d -want to get away an’ hide in a belt of post-oaks. -I don’t belong up there, anyway.”</p> - -<p>“But, Elam, I am coming back.”</p> - -<p>“Well, when you come back, I’ll talk to -you. Now, go away an’ let me alone. I can -bear it best by myself.”</p> - -<p>To make a long story short—for we lost no -time in getting out of Texas—we made up our -minds to start for Mr. Chisholm’s bright and -early the next morning. It would take us -two days to get there. Bob had all my -money, as well as the funds belonging to the<span class="pagenum">[355]</span> -cowboys, and we knew that they were safe. -I said nothing about my coming back to -search for the hidden valuables in the hope of -turning them over to Coyote Bill, or about -Henderson’s attempts to draw a revolver on -me, for that was a part of Bill’s plan to aid -me in my escape; and, besides, that was a -secret that was locked in my own breast until -we got to sea.</p> - -<p>“Poor Sam won’t want his money any -more,” said I. “I saw the place where he lost -his life. But the other two cowboys I didn’t -see. I hope they are at Mr. Chisholm’s.”</p> - -<p>I never slept so well in that ranch as I did -that night, for I looked upon it as a little -short of a miracle that my party had all come -back to me. They had travelled all the way -to Austin twice, and had never seen an Indian. -That was better than I did, for I wanted to -tell of the scenes I had witnessed in that -camp, but there was no need of it. When -morning came, and we started on our way, I -kept a close watch of the prairie almost in -fear of seeing some of Bill’s band, but they -had taken their eight hundred cattle away to<span class="pagenum">[356]</span> -be slaughtered, and I never saw them again. -Eight hundred cattle, did I say? I believed -they had more than that. By separating his -band after the attack on the paymaster was -made, the chief had been able to attack half a -dozen ranches almost at the same moment, -and got away with some cattle at each place. -I thought that eight thousand head of stock -would more nearly fill his bill. In due time -we pulled up at Mr. Chisholm’s ranch just at -supper time, and there I saw something that -made me feel good—a couple of fellows sitting -in chairs, who were evidently too badly hurt -to move about. The one had an arrow -through his foot, the other had something the -matter with his arm; but the way they greeted -us proved that there was nothing the trouble -with their lungs. They were the two cowboys -who had been out with Sam Noble herding -stock. But they had not seen me when I was -captured, they were miles away by that time, -and so I breathed easy.</p> - -<p>“Well, by gum! if you fellows aint here -yet,” said Mr. Chisholm. “Where did you -leave the Indians?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[357]</span></p> - -<p>“Didn’t see any while we were gone,” said -Bob, who ran up the stairs to the porch and -fairly hugged the wounded cowboys. “How -do you do, anyway? You have seen some -Indians, haven’t you? How did you boys -manage to escape?”</p> - -<p>It was a story that was soon told. The Indians -got after them down at the gully—how -well I remembered where it was!—and killed -Sam and his horse dead at the first fire. The -others threw themselves behind their horses, -Indian fashion, and got safely off, if we except -the two arrows that went through them.</p> - -<p>“But my money is what troubles me,” said -the one who did the talking. “My money is -what bothers me, dog-gone ’em! They went -to our ranch an’ got everything we had.”</p> - -<p>“How do you know?” asked Bob. “I -slept at the ranch last night, and found something.”</p> - -<p>“I guess you dug it up before you went -away, didn’t you?” said the cowboy, who -was overjoyed to hear that his money was -safe. “I can rest easy now. That’s what -comes of having a friend.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[358]</span></p> - -<p>That night, after supper, the money which -Bob had taken the precaution to carry with -him, when running from the Indians, was -again paid out to the men with the exception -of the thousand dollars due Sam Noble. This -was paid to Mr. Chisholm in the hope that -some of his heirs might claim it, when it was -to be given to them. Then our errand was -broached—that we were going to the States—and -it threw a damper on all of them, all -except Mr. Chisholm. He had been thinking -about it ever since the attack was made upon -the paymaster, and to our surprise and -delight he said:</p> - -<p>“Boys, it is the best thing you can do, and -the sooner you get about it the better you will -suit me. If you were my own boys who were -going off I couldn’t feel worse about it. But -you don’t say anything about Elam.”</p> - -<p>“He doesn’t want to go,” said Bob. “But -we are coming back here again, or at least to -Denver, and if he will buy some cattle and get -back there by next summer, we will see him.”</p> - -<p>“I can’t go,” said Elam. “I don’t belong -in that country anyway.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[359]</span></p> - -<p>The next thing was to arrange it so that -Elam could work for some of the cowboys during -the winter, and so be on hand to buy the -cattle when spring opened up. Finding the -two wounded cowboys there with Mr. Chisholm -slightly interfered with our plans, for -now we were compelled to divide the stock -into four instead of two equal parts; but the -cowboys were all in favor of it, and each one -agreed to take Elam as long as he was willing -to stay with them. But Elam was already -satisfied with the arrangements he had made -with Lem and Frank, and concluded he would -stay with them. When he made this decision -he got up and went out of doors. I could -see that Bob didn’t like it a bit. He wished -he could prevail upon Elam to go North with -him.</p> - -<p>“It isn’t any use,” said Mr. Chisholm. -“He belongs down here, and here he is going -to stay. Now let’s go to bed, all of us. In -the morning I will have you up at the first -peep of day.”</p> - -<p>The next morning we ate breakfast by the -aid of the light thrown out by the camp fire<span class="pagenum">[360]</span> -on the hearth, and before we were fairly -done we received the order “catch up.” I -tell you it was hard work to part from those -wounded cowboys, for we had known them -longer than we had anybody else. The one -who had the arrow through his arm insisted -that he would go to Austin with us, but Mr. -Chisholm, like Uncle Ezra in a similar case, -“put his foot down,” and said he should stay -right there on the ranch and never go out of -it until he came back. We waved our hats to -them as long as we remained in sight, and -when the neighboring swells hid them from -view, we felt that we had parted from some -of our best friends. In due time we reached -Austin and put up at the same hotel we -stopped at before, only Lem and Frank didn’t -receive orders to sit on the porch and look out -for Henderson. We all put away our horses -and bent our steps toward the bank. The -cashier was there, and he said Mr. Wallace -was in his private office. He was busy with -his papers,—in fact he always seemed to be -busy,—but he laid them down when we came -in.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[361]</span></p> - -<p>“Hello, Chisholm,” said he. “What’s -up?”</p> - -<p>“These boys here have made up their -minds to go to the States, and I want to sign -Bob’s papers,” said he. “Get ’em all out -so’t I can have them off’n my mind.”</p> - -<p>“Ah, yes! sit down,” said the banker. -“Bob, how are you? You see, you didn’t go -through any forms the last time you were -here, and I must have some now. If this boy -is going to take his money away from me and -deposit it in some Northern bank, I must -have a paper which authorizes me to give up -the money. It was all right before, but it has -got to be changed now,” he added, when he -saw Mr. Chisholm double up his huge fist -and move it up and down over the table. -“Sit down, and I’ll send for a lawyer to come -right here.”</p> - -<p>It was all very easy for the banker to say -“sit down,” but Mr. Chisholm preferred to -stand, seeing that none of his men could be -seated at the same time. Mr. Wallace sent -for a lawyer, giving some instructions which I -did not understand, and in a few minutes the<span class="pagenum">[362]</span> -gentleman made his appearance with a roll of -papers in his hand. He received some orders -from Mr. Wallace, and in less time than it -takes to tell it the document was ready for -his signature. Mr. Chisholm protested, but -he signed his name, and then the money was -ready for Bob; the banker presenting him -with the box which contained his stocks and -bonds, and with a check drawn on a bank on -New Orleans for the rest of his funds.</p> - -<p>“Now, Bob, good-by,” said the banker, -rising to his feet and extending his hand. “I -hope you will get through with your money -safe. Don’t let anybody steal it from you.”</p> - -<p>“Steal it?” echoed Bob.</p> - -<p>“Certainly. You will find plenty of people -on the road who will gladly relieve you of -that box. Put it in your trunk, and stand -guard over it day and night.”</p> - -<p>“By George! I never thought of that,” -said Bob, looking distressed. “Elam, you -come with me. Mr. Chisholm and Tom will -have to go with the rest to call upon that -paymaster.”</p> - -<p>Tom Mason knew where to find the paymaster’s<span class="pagenum">[363]</span> -office, and with the distinct understanding -that he was to ask for one -thousand dollars for returning that money, -we left the banker, and Bob pursued his way -to his hotel. We found the paymaster there, -and he recognized Tom the moment he -came in.</p> - -<p>“You’re back already, aint you?” said he. -“Well, I haven’t heard from Washington -yet, but I tell you plainly that I don’t think -you will receive more than one-tenth of the -sum you returned to us. Five hundred -dollars will more than pay you for that.”</p> - -<p>“These boys have made up their minds to -go to the States,” said Mr. Chisholm.</p> - -<p>“Very well. You have a power of attorney, -I suppose?”</p> - -<p>“No, I haven’t got that,” said Mr. Chisholm, -wondering what new “form” he would -have to go through.</p> - -<p>“You will have to go to an attorney to get -it,” said the paymaster. “Of course, if he is -going away, I shall have to have authority to -pay the money to somebody.”</p> - -<p>“By gum! Bring on the paper,” said Mr.<span class="pagenum">[364]</span> -Chisholm, looking around for a chair in which -to seat himself.</p> - -<p>“But I haven’t got the paper here. You -will have to go to a lawyer to get it.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Chisholm slowly went out of the paymaster’s -office, and we all followed him. He -kept on without saying a word, and finally he -stopped in the office of the surrogate—the -same man who had looked into his pistol -when he was here before. In a few words he -made known to him the situation.</p> - -<p>“Why, certainly; you must have a power -of attorney if you want to get the money,” -said the surrogate. “I will make you out -one in five minutes. But, mind you, you -needn’t show it until you see a chance of -getting the money.”</p> - -<p>This new “form” was complied with, and -Mr. Chisholm paid the surrogate the sum of -ten dollars for his paper. In fact, I noticed -that he didn’t charge less than ten dollars for -anything. On the way back to the hotel Tom -offered him the money, but Mr. Chisholm -waved it aside.</p> - -<p>“I am willing to pay ten dollars to have my<span class="pagenum">[365]</span> -eyes opened,” said he. “If anybody ever -gets me to sign any papers again, I want to -know it. I am done probating wills.”</p> - -<p>Bob was considerably disappointed when he -found that Tom wasn’t going to get his -money, but of course he saw that it was all -right. The next day we spent in buying -clothes, and devoted the next to the purchase -of souvenirs to remind Tom of his cattle life -in Texas. On the next day Tom’s letter came. -Some parts of it were brief and to the point, -and ran as follows:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>You had better come home now, and forget all about -that five thousand dollars. You didn’t take it anyway, -and why should the matter be laid to you? Your uncle -walks with a cane, and was so excited over your letter -that he brought it to me to reply to it. Come home and -see him at any rate.</p></div> - -<p>Tom Mason was in dead earnest to go home -after receiving that letter. He never expected -to receive a letter like that from Joe Coleman, -but then Joe wasn’t down on him any more -than the rest of “Our Fellows” were. The -very next day we brought our trunks down, -all ready to take the stage to Houston by way<span class="pagenum">[366]</span> -of Clinton, six miles from the sea. Mr. Chisholm -was there as well as the cowboys, but I -couldn’t see anything of Elam. I had already -given him my horse, and the way he received -it told me that he considered that a good-by.</p> - -<p>“Well, boys, if I don’t see you again, -hallo,” said Mr. Chisholm, hastily drawing -his hand across his eyes. “You are going -far away, and there’s no knowing what will -happen to you. So-long.”</p> - -<p>We got aboard, the driver cracked his whip, -and we were whirled away from some of the -best friends a man ever had. Bob was very -lonely after that, and it was only when he -reached Clinton and saw the steamer that was -to carry him across the Gulf to New Orleans, -that he recovered his usual spirits. Tom -Mason now assumed charge—he was more at -home in that line of business than we were—and -in less than half an hour after we reached -Clinton we were aboard the ship, our passage -paid, and we were sitting on the deck watching -the stevedores at their labor. This I -thought to be a good time for my story, and -I brought out the revolver with Clifford<span class="pagenum">[367]</span> -Henderson’s name on the trigger guard, and -for an hour those fellows scarcely interrupted -me. They listened spellbound. When I was -through they drew a long breath of relief.</p> - -<p>“You have kept your word, if it was made -to an outlaw,” said Bob. “Now, what do -you suppose his object was? He has always -seen something about you that took his eye.”</p> - -<p>“I am as much in the dark as you are,” -I replied. “I only know that he saved me -from death.”</p> - -<p>For a long time after this Coyote Bill was -our principal subject of conversation, until the -steamer got under way, and then we had other -topics to talk about. In due time we arrived -in New Orleans and there we spent just one -day, in order to deposit our money in the -bank. We did not know how long we should -remain at Tom Mason’s home, and we thought -that would be the best place for it. At -four o’clock we took passage on a steamer -from which we were not to get off until we -reached Tom’s destination. The torches were -lighted when we drew up to the landing, but -we saw there a carriage and an old gray-headed<span class="pagenum">[368]</span> -man leaning on a cane. I knew it was -General Mason before Tom spoke.</p> - -<p>“There’s my uncle!” he exclaimed, almost -wild with delight. “My goodness, how he -has changed!”</p> - -<p>Tom ran down to the forecastle and cleared -the long jump of ten feet to reach the bank, -and hastened up to where the old man stood. -We turned away, for we did not care to see -that meeting between uncle and nephew, and -when we got our luggage ashore, and the -steamer was backing out to continue her journey -up the river, Tom came down to us. It -was the first time I had seen him cry, but he -blew his nose with a blast like a trumpet.</p> - -<p>“These are the boys who stood up for me -when I was friendless and alone,” said he. -“Bob Davenport and Carlos Burnett. I really -wish Elam was here, so that you could shake -him by the hand, for he is the one who took -me up when I was starving.”</p> - -<p>“Where is he?” ejaculated the old gentleman, -who tried not to show how delighted he -was. “Go and get him. I want to see him.”</p> - -<p>As it was somewhere near a thousand<span class="pagenum">[369]</span> -miles to the place where we had left Elam, we -didn’t say anything about going after him. -We passed it off in some way, and followed -the old man into the carriage. We didn’t go -to sleep at all that night, for the general was -anxious to hear where we had been, and what -we had been doing, since Tom went away. -When day broke I went on the porch and -looked around. There was a splendid plantation; -everything was in apple-pie order, and -a host of servants ready to do his bidding, and -what Tom could make by running away from -a home like that, I didn’t see. I expressed as -much to him when he came out there later.</p> - -<p>“Because I was a fool,” said he. “Nobody -could make anything by running away from -a home like this, but I tell you it has opened -my eyes. I feel as if I had got among friends -from whom I have long been separated.”</p> - -<p>That day I made the acquaintance of “Our -Fellows,” who rode down to see us, and I tell -you I found them good fellows, every one. -Tom Mason was getting up on a par with -Sandy Todd now, for with this exception he -was head and shoulders above every one of<span class="pagenum">[370]</span> -them. His sleeping in the open air for almost -a year had done wonders for him.</p> - -<p>We haven’t been to the plains yet to settle -up with Uncle Ezra and to see Elam, but we -are going as soon as spring opens. After that -Tom will settle down as he used to be before, -only he will have the management of the -plantation. I have been hunting on several -occasions with “Our Fellows,” and if you -could see Tom when he was toasting his shins -in front of our camp-fire and telling his -stories, you would say that none of his adventures -ever had so great an effect on him as -those that befell him in Texas.</p> - -<p class="center p1">THE END.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p class="center xlargefont boldfont">FAMOUS STANDARD<br /> -JUVENILE LIBRARIES.</p> - -<p class="center boldfont p1">ANY VOLUME SOLD SEPARATELY AT $1.00 PER VOLUME</p> - -<p class="center">(Except the Sportsman’s Club Series, Frank Nelson Series and -Jack Hazard Series.)</p> - -<p class="center boldfont p1">Each Volume Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p class="atitle">HORATIO ALGER, JR.</p> - -<p>The enormous sales of the books of Horatio Alger, Jr., -show the greatness of his popularity among the boys, and -prove that he is one of their most favored writers. I am told -that more than half a million copies altogether have been -sold, and that all the large circulating libraries in the country -have several complete sets, of which only two or three volumes -are ever on the shelves at one time. If this is true, -what thousands and thousands of boys have read and are -reading Mr. Alger’s books! His peculiar style of stories, -often imitated but never equaled, have taken a hold upon the -young people, and, despite their similarity, are eagerly read -as soon as they appear.</p> - -<p>Mr. Alger became famous with the publication of that -undying book, “Ragged Dick, or Street Life in New York.” -It was his first book for young people, and its success was so -great that he immediately devoted himself to that kind of -writing. It was a new and fertile field for a writer then, and -Mr. Alger’s treatment of it at once caught the fancy of the -boys. “Ragged Dick” first appeared in 1868, and ever since -then it has been selling steadily, until now it is estimated -that about 200,000 copies of the series have been sold.</p> - -<p class="ir1 p-1">—<cite>Pleasant Hours for Boys and Girls.</cite></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[2]</span></p> - -<p>A writer for boys should have an abundant sympathy -with them. He should be able to enter into their plans, -hopes, and aspirations. He should learn to look upon life -as they do. Boys object to be written down to. A boy’s -heart opens to the man or writer who understands him.</p> - -<p class="ir1 p-1">—From <cite>Writing Stories for Boys</cite>, by Horatio Alger, Jr.</p> - -<p class="stitle">RAGGED DICK SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">6 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $6.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Ragged Dick.<br /> -Fame and Fortune.<br /> -Mark the Match Boy.<br /> -Rough and Ready.<br /> -Ben the Luggage Boy.<br /> -Rufus and Rose.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">TATTERED TOM SERIES—First Series.</p> - -<p class="scap">4 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $4.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Tattered Tom.<br /> -Paul the Peddler.<br /> -Phil the Fiddler.<br /> -Slow and Sure.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">TATTERED TOM SERIES—Second Series.</p> - -<p class="scap"><span style="padding-right:2em">4 vols.</span> <span style="padding-left:2em">$4.00</span></p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Julius.<br /> -The Young Outlaw.<br /> -Sam’s Chance.<br /> -The Telegraph Boy.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">CAMPAIGN SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Frank’s Campaign.<br /> -Charlie Codman’s Cruise.<br /> -Paul Prescott’s Charge.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES—First Series.</p> - -<p class="scap">4 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $4.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Luck and Pluck.<br /> -Sink or Swim.<br /> -Strong and Steady.<br /> -Strive and Succeed.</p></div> -<p><span class="pagenum">[3]</span></p> - -<p class="stitle">LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES—Second Series.</p> - -<p class="scap"><span style="padding-right:2em">4 vols.</span> <span style="padding-left:2em">$4.00</span></p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Try and Trust.<br /> -Bound to Rise.<br /> -Risen from the Ranks.<br /> -Herbert Carter’s Legacy.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">BRAVE AND BOLD SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">4 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $4.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Brave and Bold.<br /> -Jack’s Ward.<br /> -Shifting for Himself.<br /> -Wait and Hope.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">NEW WORLD SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Digging for Gold.<br /> -Facing the World.<br /> -In a New World.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">VICTORY SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Only an Irish Boy.<br /> -Adrift in the City.<br /> -Victor Vane, or the Young Secretary.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">FRANK AND FEARLESS SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Frank Hunter’s Peril.<br /> -Frank and Fearless.<br /> -The Young Salesman.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">GOOD FORTUNE LIBRARY.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Walter Sherwood’s Probation.<br /> -A Boy’s Fortune.<br /> -The Young Bank Messenger.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">RUPERT’S AMBITION.</p> - -<p class="scap">1 vol. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $1.00</p> - -<p class="stitle">JED, THE POOR-HOUSE BOY.</p> - -<p class="scap">1 vol. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Horatio Alger, Jr.</span> $1.00</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[4]</span></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p class="atitle">HARRY CASTLEMON.</p> - -<p class="center boldfont">HOW I CAME TO WRITE MY FIRST BOOK.</p> - -<p>When I was sixteen years old I belonged to a composition -class. It was our custom to go on the recitation seat -every day with clean slates, and we were allowed ten minutes -to write seventy words on any subject the teacher -thought suited to our capacity. One day he gave out “What -a Man Would See if He Went to Greenland.” My heart was -in the matter, and before the ten minutes were up I had one -side of my slate filled. The teacher listened to the reading -of our compositions, and when they were all over he simply -said: “Some of you will make your living by writing one -of these days.” That gave me something to ponder upon. -I did not say so out loud, but I knew that my composition -was as good as the best of them. By the way, there was -another thing that came in my way just then. I was reading -at that time one of Mayne Reid’s works which I had -drawn from the library, and I pondered upon it as much as -I did upon what the teacher said to me. In introducing -Swartboy to his readers he made use of this expression: -“No visible change was observable in Swartboy’s countenance.” -Now, it occurred to me that if a man of his education -could make such a blunder as that and still write a -book, I ought to be able to do it, too. I went home that very -day and began a story, “The Old Guide’s Narrative,” which -was sent to the <cite>New York Weekly</cite>, and came back, respectfully -declined. It was written on both sides of the sheets -but I didn’t know that this was against the rules. Nothing -abashed, I began another, and receiving some instruction, -from a friend of mine who was a clerk in a book store, I -wrote it on only one side of the paper. But mind you, he -didn’t know what I was doing. Nobody knew it; but one<span class="pagenum">[5]</span> -day, after a hard Saturday’s work—the other boys had been -out skating on the brick-pond—I shyly broached the subject -to my mother. I felt the need of some sympathy. She -listened in amazement, and then said: “Why, do you think -you could write a book like that?” That settled the matter, -and from that day no one knew what I was up to until I sent -the first four volumes of Gunboat Series to my father. Was -it work? Well, yes; it was hard work, but each week I had -the satisfaction of seeing the manuscript grow until the -“Young Naturalist” was all complete.</p> - -<p class="ir1 p-1">—<em>Harry Castlemon in the Writer.</em></p> - -<p class="stitle">GUNBOAT SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">6 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $6.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Frank the Young Naturalist.<br /> -Frank on a Gunboat.<br /> -Frank in the Woods.<br /> -Frank before Vicksburg.<br /> -Frank on the Lower Mississippi.<br /> -Frank on the Prairie.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Frank Among the Rancheros.<br /> -Frank in the Mountains.<br /> -Frank at Don Carlos’ Rancho.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">SPORTSMAN’S CLUB SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.75</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">The Sportsman’s Club in the Saddle.<br /> -The Sportsman’s Club Afloat.<br /> -The Sportsman’s Club Among the Trappers.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">FRANK NELSON SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.75</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Snowed up.<br /> -Frank in the Forecastle.<br /> -The Boy Traders.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">BOY TRAPPER SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">The Buried Treasure.<br /> -The Boy Trapper.<br /> -The Mail Carrier.</p></div> -<p><span class="pagenum">[6]</span></p> - -<p class="stitle">ROUGHING IT SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">George in Camp.<br /> -George at the Fort.<br /> -George at the Wheel.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">ROD AND GUN SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Don Gordon’s Shooting Box.<br /> -The Young Wild Fowlers.<br /> -Rod and Gun Club.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">GO-AHEAD SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Tom Newcombe.<br /> -Go-Ahead.<br /> -No Moss.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">WAR SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">6 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $6.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">True to His Colors.<br /> -Rodney the Partisan.<br /> -Rodney the Overseer.<br /> -Marcy the Blockade-Runner.<br /> -Marcy the Refugee.<br /> -Sailor Jack the Trader.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">HOUSEBOAT SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">The Houseboat Boys.<br /> -The Mystery of Lost River Cañon.<br /> -The Young Game Warden.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">AFLOAT AND ASHORE SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Rebellion in Dixie.<br /> -A Sailor in Spite of Himself.<br /> -The Ten-Ton Cutter.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">THE PONY EXPRESS SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Harry Castlemon.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">The Pony Express Rider.<br /> -The White Beaver.<br /> -Carl, The Trailer.</p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[7]</span></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p class="atitle">EDWARD S. ELLIS.</p> - -<p>Edward S. Ellis, the popular writer of boys’ books, is -a native of Ohio, where he was born somewhat more than a -half-century ago. His father was a famous hunter and rifle -shot, and it was doubtless his exploits and those of his associates, -with their tales of adventure which gave the son his -taste for the breezy backwoods and for depicting the stirring -life of the early settlers on the frontier.</p> - -<p>Mr. Ellis began writing at an early age and his work was -acceptable from the first. His parents removed to New -Jersey while he was a boy and he was graduated from the -State Normal School and became a member of the faculty -while still in his teens. He was afterward principal of the -Trenton High School, a trustee and then superintendent of -schools. By that time his services as a writer had become -so pronounced that he gave his entire attention to literature. -He was an exceptionally successful teacher and wrote a number -of text-books for schools, all of which met with high -favor. For these and his historical productions, Princeton -College conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts.</p> - -<p>The high moral character, the clean, manly tendencies -and the admirable literary style of Mr. Ellis’ stories have -made him as popular on the other side of the Atlantic as in -this country. A leading paper remarked some time since, -that no mother need hesitate to place in the hands of her boy -any book written by Mr. Ellis. They are found in the leading -Sunday-school libraries, where, as may well be believed, -they are in wide demand and do much good by their sound, -wholesome lessons which render them as acceptable to parents -as to their children. All of his books published by Henry -T. Coates & Co. are re-issued in London, and many have -been translated into other languages. Mr. Ellis is a writer -of varied accomplishments, and, in addition to his stories, is -the author of historical works, of a number of pieces of popular<span class="pagenum">[8]</span> -music and has made several valuable inventions. Mr. -Ellis is in the prime of his mental and physical powers, and -great as have been the merits of his past achievements, there -is reason to look for more brilliant productions from his pen -in the near future.</p> - -<p class="stitle">DEERFOOT SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Hunters of the Ozark.<br /> -The Last War Trail.<br /> -Camp in the Mountains.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">LOG CABIN SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Lost Trail.<br /> -Footprints in the Forest.<br /> -Camp-Fire and Wigwam.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">BOY PIONEER SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Ned in the Block-House.<br /> -Ned on the River.<br /> -Ned in the Woods.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">THE NORTHWEST SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Two Boys in Wyoming.<br /> -Cowmen and Rustlers.<br /> -A Strange Craft and its Wonderful Voyage.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">BOONE AND KENTON SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">3 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $3.00</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Shod with Silence.<br /> -In the Days of the Pioneers.<br /> -Phantom of the River.</p></div> - -<p class="stitle">IRON HEART, WAR CHIEF OF THE IROQUOIS.</p> - -<p class="scap">1 vol. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $1.00</p> - -<p class="stitle">THE SECRET OF COFFIN ISLAND.</p> - -<p class="scap">1 vol. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $1.00</p> - -<p class="stitle">THE BLAZING ARROW.</p> - -<p class="scap">1 vol. <span class="smcap spreadt">By Edward S. Ellis.</span> $1.00</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[9]</span></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p class="atitle">J. T. TROWBRIDGE.</p> - -<p>Neither as a writer does he stand apart from the great -currents of life and select some exceptional phase or odd -combination of circumstances. He stands on the common -level and appeals to the universal heart, and all that he suggests -or achieves is on the plane and in the line of march of -the great body of humanity.</p> - -<p>The Jack Hazard series of stories, published in the late -<cite>Our Young Folks</cite>, and continued in the first volume of <cite>St. -Nicholas</cite>, under the title of “Fast Friends,” is no doubt -destined to hold a high place in this class of literature. The -delight of the boys in them (and of their seniors, too) is -well founded. They go to the right spot every time. Trowbridge -knows the heart of a boy like a book, and the heart -of a man, too, and he has laid them both open in these books -in a most successful manner. Apart from the qualities that -render the series so attractive to all young readers, they -have great value on account of their portraitures of American -country life and character. The drawing is wonderfully -accurate, and as spirited as it is true. The constable, Sellick, -is an original character, and as minor figures where will -we find anything better than Miss Wansey, and Mr. P. Pipkin, -Esq. The picture of Mr. Dink’s school, too, is capital, -and where else in fiction is there a better nick-name than -that the boys gave to poor little Stephen Treadwell, “Step -Hen,” as he himself pronounced his name in an unfortunate -moment when he saw it in print for the first time in his lesson -in school.</p> - -<p>On the whole, these books are very satisfactory, and -afford the critical reader the rare pleasure of the works that -are just adequate, that easily fulfill themselves and accomplish -all they set out to do.—<cite>Scribner’s Monthly.</cite></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum">[10]</span></p> - -<p class="stitle">JACK HAZARD SERIES.</p> - -<p class="scap">6 vols. <span class="smcap spreadt">By J. T. Trowbridge.</span> $7.25</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">Jack Hazard and His Fortunes.<br /> -The Young Surveyor.<br /> -Fast Friends.<br /> -Doing His Best.<br /> -A Chance for Himself.<br /> -Lawrence’s Adventures.</p></div> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<p class="atitle">ROUNDABOUT LIBRARY.</p> - -<p class="atitle">For Boys and Girls.</p> - -<p class="atitle"><span style="padding-right:2em">(97 Volumes.)</span> <span style="padding-left:2em">75c. per Volume.</span></p> - -<div class="boxad"> - -<p class="p-1">The attention of Librarians and Bookbuyers generally -is called to <span class="smcap">Henry T. Coates & Co.’s Roundabout -Library</span>, by the popular authors.</p> - -<div class="center"><p class="displayinline">EDWARD S. ELLIS,<br /> -HORATIO ALGER, JR.,<br /> -C. A. STEPHENS,<br /> -MARGARET VANDEGRIFT,<br /> -HARRY CASTLEMON,<br /> -G. A. HENTY,<br /> -LUCY C. LILLIE and others.</p></div> - -<p>No authors of the present day are greater favorites with -boys and girls.</p> - -<p>Every book is sure to meet with a hearty reception by -young readers.</p> - -<p>Librarians will find them to be among the most popular -books on their lists.</p> -</div> - -<p class="center p-1"><em>Complete lists and net prices furnished on application.</em></p> - -<p class="center boldfont p1"><span class="xlargefont">HENRY T. COATES & CO.</span><br /> -<span class="largefont">1222 CHESTNUT STREET</span><br /> -PHILADELPHIA</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="chapter"></div><!--Page break for ePub--> - -<div class="transnote"> -<h2 style="margin-top: 0em">Transcriber’s Notes:</h2> - -<p>Harry Castlemon is a pseudonym for Charles Austin Fosdick.</p> - -<p>Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are -mentioned.</p> - -<p>Punctuation has been made consistent.</p> - -<p>Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in -the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors -have been corrected.</p></div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Missing Pocket-Book, by Harry Castlemon - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSING POCKET-BOOK *** - -***** This file should be named 60322-h.htm or 60322-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/0/3/2/60322/ - -Produced by David Edwards, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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