They took to the north, soon passing out of sight.
Im glad to tell you no one else has seen it.
An if you dont want your Texas pride hurt, youd
better not see whatscomin off.
Well, the good, bad old days are over, at least for
Don Carloss Rancho. This is the last letter I shall ever write you, my
friend.
Then came the story, torn from his most secret
heart.
Presently Kiskadden pounded on his desk to stop the
talking. Wal,to come back to yore hearin, which is set for two oclock, Id likeyou to
read thet letter to me.
Brazos realised the game now and what a slim chance
he had for his life. A hoarse voice, thick-tongued fromliquor, rasped
low.
He heard a drip, drip, drip of rain on the
floor.
Both sheriff and jail hadcome to the cattle town.
This is a bad gun-shot,but not necessarily fatal.
The fact of the omission of his noon-daymeal
augured further for his release.
I told my husband, and since then weve grown
closerthan we ever were.
Inskip, you go to hell, hissed Bodkin, enraged at
the sarcasticimplication. Strange to say, we were never drawn into the Lincoln
County War. The bullet bole in his back was shotthere after Neece was daid. An he
didnt see them often an not at all oflate years. An if you dont want your Texas
pride hurt, youd better not see whatscomin off. Hey, riders, called Brazos curtly, I
seen yu before yu seen me.
An mebbe yore years oot heah air too fewfor you to
know what thet means.
An youseldom heah of one of them gettin hanged.
Bodkin, he mighthave a mother or sweetheart. Wal, just off, Im gettin a marriage
licence for Thiry!
Which is tosay, the border of New
Mexico.
All the same, Ill respect yore confidence. The
Texan made no reply nor any move to act upon the command.
Sartinly, Mister Surface, returned the deputy,
hastening to fall outof line. But dont move himtill hes bandaged tight. The loop
spread to fall over Brazoss headand lodge on his shoulders.
Someone had to doit, for the good of all, and no
one but you could.
My informant told me the cowboy came out of the
cabin, unsaddled thehorses, an turned them loose. Fetch Neece in, ended Kiskadden,
and, taking Brazoss arm, he led himinto the office. She said she couldnt see much
sign of Thirys takin Ashs death veryhard.
Theres a new outfit up in the hills, and Britt
doesntlike the prospects one damn little bit. The fact of the omission of his
noon-daymeal augured further for his release.