The Sheriff of Badger

morning and shoot a fellow-citizen before breakfast. This is true; vital statistics and fiction to the contrary, notwithstanding. They are well-grown, two-fisted men, als

. This story has him f

xt. Yes, sir; the best of 'em will. It all depends on how a man feels, I reckon, and what shape his stomach's in. No man ain't always going to do the right thing, and I've never met a feller yet who wa

ttle happened to be his profession. In every other respect Lafe was a normal individual-no better than you or I, and assuredly no worse. Some thought he was worse, and among them a Mrs. Tracey-or

her face what I

ed to pa

You'd better go alone and have it out. Miz Tra

. Floyd assured him, pu

he Tracey gate, her erstwhile friend being on the veranda: "I

lly? I never mentioned your name! Do you re

n with me to hear it, too. You keep your mouth shut about me-do you hear? If you don't, I'll shut i

finical people may even find something to deplore in what Mrs. Floyd did say. Mrs. Tracey answered, tucking her chin into her neck, that she was very, very glad

lady meant something?

hey either swore by him or execrated his name, which ought to be held

ot the tale Mrs. Tracey spread. No man will blame him, and let those of her sex jud

first appeared. He arrived on a freight, presumably. It is my belief he was heading back for Texas on the

this, for he turned round to walk out. They yelled, and prodded at his neck and ribs with poles, but the bull shook his head in settled determination and started down the chute. If he ga

hute!" he yelled from the

tepped down directly in front of the giant Hereford an

ou'll get killed. Com

ere livid wales above the eyes. One lurch forward and this man would be crushed, but the rope cut fiercely and withou

?" said the boss, straddling the f

r did range work, but wears the clothes and does trick roping for the delectation of

hnson said, "but you ain't awake to me

e borrowed rope to Reb. We saw that he was tall and big of bone, and his shoulders had an indolent

y whether there were thirty-seven or forty in the car. He tried to appear grave in confessing this, but was unable to repress a snigger.

d Johnson, in an aside to the buyer, "he woul

imed. "Where did you drop from

ght

ir; se

f unfinished business

n way. Eighty it

two posts, dangling his legs, staring at everything bu

up to the corrals. Wi

" Lafe whispered to a cow

ee the other. Oh, yes. Shore. She's a widow woma

's the one I me

Lafe by the shoulder and jabbered instructions into his ear. Then he caught the caboose rail as it sped by,

s sure rushing it. Glad to do business with you, anyhow. I want you

ots, and a man's felt hat. All the cowboys stopped work to eye her. She was only twenty-two and had an amazingly trim figure. With that

h that she was pumping the big fellow's arm

t's li'

now each other," sai

ether, Tom. Lafe was one of my

over it yet

, "Pleased to meet you, ma'am," very correctly, and shook hands. After the hand shake he looked at Mr

our horse and double up with one of

red off with Floyd and took especial pains to lead him well in advance. There

mean by that?"

? Wh

n't you see her? You'd think we-

ady knows her wa

n we're alone, I love her. But sometimes, whe

nned at her. "It ain't what she does, but it's

oo? Tom did, very first t

t was pleased, nevertheless. As they rode, she studied him without disguise, and remarked that the gray in his hair was an improvement. He was dressed very poorly, and his boots were down a

thinking abou

get much of a hold on me. T

ean of you, Lafe, just because he's forty

chuckling. Abruptly sober: "Sure,

en they both exploded into laughter

er sober you," she called over her shoulder.

" he said amiably, upon which she gave