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25 - Hopalong Cassidy's Rustler Round-Up by Clarence Edward Mulford · Hopalong Cassidy's Rustler Round-Up

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  Speaker 1: Apelong Cassidy's Rustler round Up by Clarence Edward Maulford, Chapter
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  Speaker 1: twenty five. Mister e Walt draws cards tax e Walt, cowpuncher, prospector,
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  Speaker 1: sometimes a rustler, but always a dude, rode from El
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  Speaker 1: Paso in deep disgust at his steady losses at Farrow
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  Speaker 1: and Monty. The pecuniary side of these caused him no worry,
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  Speaker 1: for he was flush. This pleasing opulence was due to
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  Speaker 1: his business ability, for he had recently sold acclaim for
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  Speaker 1: several thousand dollars. The first operation was simple, being known
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  Speaker 1: in Western phraseology as jumping, and the second, somewhat more complicated,
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  Speaker 1: was known as salting. The first of the money spent
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  Speaker 1: went for a complete new outfit, and he had parted
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  Speaker 1: with just three hundred and seventy dollars to feed his vanity.
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  Speaker 1: He desired something contrasty, and he procured it. His sombrero
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  Speaker 1: of gray felt, a quarter of an inch thick, flaunted
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  Speaker 1: a band of black leather, on which was conspicuously displayed
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  Speaker 1: a solid silver buckle. His neck was protected by a
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  Speaker 1: crimson kerchief of the finest heaviest silk. His shirt in
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  Speaker 1: pattern the same as those commonly worn in the cow
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  Speaker 1: country was of buckskin, soft as a baby's cheek and
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  Speaker 1: impervious to water, and the angora goatskin chaps, with the
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  Speaker 1: long silken hair worn outside, were as white as snow.
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  Speaker 1: Around his waist ran loosely a broad black leather belt
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  Speaker 1: supporting a heavy black holster in which lay its walnut
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  Speaker 1: handled burden. A forty four caliber six shooter and thirty
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  Speaker 1: center fire cartridges peaked from their loops fifteen on a side.
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  Speaker 1: His boots, the soles thin and narrow, and the heels high,
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  Speaker 1: were black and of the finest leather. Huge spurs having
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  Speaker 1: two inch ros vowels, were held in place by buckskin straps,
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  Speaker 1: on which also were silver buckles. Protecting his hands were
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  Speaker 1: heavy buckskin gloves, also waterproof, having wide black gauntlets. Each
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  Speaker 1: dainty hawk of his dainty eight hundred pound buckskin pony
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  Speaker 1: was black and a black star graced its forehead. Well
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  Speaker 1: groomed with flowing mane and tail, and with the brand
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  Speaker 1: on its flank being almost imperceptible, the animal was far
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  Speaker 1: different in appearance from most of the cow ponies. Vicious
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  Speaker 1: and high skirted, it cavorted just enough to show its
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  Speaker 1: lines to the best advantage. The saddle, a famous Cheyenne
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  Speaker 1: and forty pounds in weight, was black, richly embossed, and
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  Speaker 1: decorated with bits of beaten silver which flashed back the sunlight.
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  Speaker 1: The pommel hung a thirty foot coil of braided horsehair rope,
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  Speaker 1: and at the rear was a Sharp's fifty caliber breech
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  Speaker 1: loading rifle, its owner having small use for any other make.
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  Speaker 1: The color of the bridle was the same as the saddle,
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  Speaker 1: and had supported a heavy eye bit which was capable
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  Speaker 1: of a leverage sufficient to break the animal's jaw. Tex
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  Speaker 1: was proud of his outfit, but his face wore a frown,
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  Speaker 1: not there only on account of his losses, but also
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  Speaker 1: by reason of his mission. For under all his finery
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  Speaker 1: beat a heart as black as any in the cow country.
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  Speaker 1: For months he had smothered hot hatred, and he was
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  Speaker 1: now on his way to ease himself of it. He
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  Speaker 1: and Slim Trevens had once exchanged shots with Hopolong in
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  Speaker 1: Santa Fe, and the month which he had spent in
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  Speaker 1: bed was not pleasing, and from that encounter had sprung
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  Speaker 1: the hatred that he had been in the wrong made
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  Speaker 1: no difference with him. Some months later, he had learned
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  Speaker 1: of the death of Slim, and it was due to
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  Speaker 1: the same man that Slim had again been in the wrong.
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  Speaker 1: Also made no difference, for he realized the fact and
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  Speaker 1: nothing else. Lately he had been told of the death
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  Speaker 1: of Slippery Trendly and Deacon Rankin, and he accepted their
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  Speaker 1: passing as a personal affront. That they had been caught
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  Speaker 1: red handed in cattle stealing of huge proportions and received
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  Speaker 1: only what was customary under the conditions formed no excuse
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  Speaker 1: in his mind for their passing. He was now on
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  Speaker 1: his way to attend the carnival at Muddy Wells, knowing
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  Speaker 1: that his enemy would be sure to be there. While
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  Speaker 1: passing through Las Crusis, he met Porus Johnson and Silent Solmes,
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  Speaker 1: who were thirsty and proclaimed that fact, whereupon he relieved
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  Speaker 1: them of their torment, and looking forward to more treatment
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  Speaker 1: of a similar nature. They gladly accompanied him, without asking
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  Speaker 1: why or where. As they left the town in their rear,
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  Speaker 1: Texts turned in his saddle and surveyed them the cynical smile.
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  Speaker 1: Have you heard anything of Triendly, he asked? They shook
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  Speaker 1: their heads him, and the deacon was killed over in
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  Speaker 1: the Panhandle, He said, what chorused The pair Jack Dorman,
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  Speaker 1: Shorty Danvers, Charlie Teal stiff Hat Bailey, Bill Jackson, Terry
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  Speaker 1: Nolan and Sailor Carson was lynched. What they shouted, Fish O'Brien,
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  Speaker 1: p Knuckle, Schmidt, Tom Wilkins, Apache Gordon, Charlie of the bar,
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  Speaker 1: Y pinob Scott Hughes, and about twenty others died fightin'.
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  Speaker 1: Poris looked his astonishment. Cavalry, and I'm going after the dogs.
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  Speaker 1: Who did it? He continued, ignoring the question. Are you
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  Speaker 1: with me? You used to paddle with some of them,
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  Speaker 1: didn't you? We did, and we're sure with you, cried Poris.
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  Speaker 1: You're right, endorsed silent, but who done it? That gang
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  Speaker 1: was punching for the Bar twent The hop along Cassidy
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  Speaker 1: is the one on Pine and four you fellows can
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  Speaker 1: take care of Peter's and conners. The two stiffened and
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  Speaker 1: exchanged glances of uncertainty and apprehension. The outfit of the
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  Speaker 1: Bar twenty was too well known to cause exuberant joy
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  Speaker 1: to spring from the idea of war with it and
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  Speaker 1: well in the center of all the tales, concerning it
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  Speaker 1: were the person's tax had named to deliberately set forth
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  Speaker 1: with the avowed intention of planting these was not at
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  Speaker 1: all calculated to induce sweet dreams. Texts sneered his contempt.
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  Speaker 1: You're sure uneasy. You ain't ascared, are you? He drawled,
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  Speaker 1: Porous relaxed, and made a show of subduing his horse.
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  Speaker 1: I reckon, I ain't scared plumb to death. You can
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  Speaker 1: deal me a hand, he asserted. I'll draw cards too,
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  Speaker 1: hastily announced, silent, buttoning his vest. Tell us about that
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  Speaker 1: jamboree over in the Panhandle. Tex repeated the story as
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  Speaker 1: he had heard it from a bibulous member of the
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  Speaker 1: Barred Horseshoe, and then added a little of torture as
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  Speaker 1: a sauce to wet their appetites for revenge. How did
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  Speaker 1: Trendley cash In, asked Porus. Nobody knows, except that bum
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  Speaker 1: from the tin cup. I'll get him later. I'd a
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  Speaker 1: got Cassidy up in Santa Fe too, if it wasn't
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  Speaker 1: for the sun in my eyes. Me and Slim loosened
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  Speaker 1: up on him in the plaza, but we couldn't see
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  Speaker 1: nothing with him a standin against the sun. Where's Slim
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  Speaker 1: now asked Porus, I ain't seen him for some time.
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  Speaker 1: Slim's with trendly replied tex Cassidy handed him over to
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  Speaker 1: Saint Pete at Cactus Springs. Him and Conners sicked their
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  Speaker 1: outfit on him and his vigilantes beIN. Helped some by
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  Speaker 1: the O bar O. They wiped the town plumb off
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  Speaker 1: the earth. And now I'm goin to do some wipin
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  Speaker 1: of my own account. I'll prune that gang of some
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  Speaker 1: of its blossoms afore long. It's cost me seventeen friends
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  Speaker 1: so far, and I'm going to stop the leak or
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  Speaker 1: make another. They entered Muddy Wells at sunrise on the
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  Speaker 1: day of the carnival, and eating a hearty breakfast, sallied
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  Speaker 1: forth to do their share toward making the festivities a success.
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  Speaker 1: The first step considered necessary for the acquirement of case
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  Speaker 1: and polish was begun at the nearest bar, and Text,
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  Speaker 1: being the host, was so liberal that his friends had
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  Speaker 1: reached a most auspicious state when they followed him to
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  Speaker 1: Tom Lee's. Text was too wise to lose his head
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  Speaker 1: through drink, and had taken only enough to make him
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  Speaker 1: careless of consequences. Porus was determined to sing Annie Lourie,
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  Speaker 1: although he hung on the last word of the first
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  Speaker 1: line until out of breath, and then began anew silent,
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  Speaker 1: not wishing to be outdone, balled at the top of
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  Speaker 1: his lungs a medley of music hall words to the
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  Speaker 1: air of a hymn. Texts, walking as awkwardly as any cowpuncher,
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  Speaker 1: approached Tom Lee's, his two friends trailing erratically, arm in
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  Speaker 1: arm in his rear. Swinging his arm, he struck the door,
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  Speaker 1: resounding blow, and entered hand on gun as it crashed back.
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  Speaker 1: Porus in silent, stood in the doorway and quarreled as
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  Speaker 1: to what each should drink, and compromising, lurched in and
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  Speaker 1: seated themselves on a table and resumed their vocal perpetrations.
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  Speaker 1: Texts swaggered over to the bar and tossed a quarter
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  Speaker 1: upon it corn juice, he laconically exclaimed. Tossing off the
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  Speaker 1: liquor and glancing at his howling friends, he shrugged his
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  Speaker 1: shoulders and strode out by the rear door, slamming it
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  Speaker 1: after him. Porous in silent, recounting friends who had cashed in,
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  Speaker 1: fell to weeping, and they were thus occupied when Hoplong
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  Speaker 1: and Buck entered, closely followed by the rest of the outfit.
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  Speaker 1: Buck walked to the bar and was followed by Hopolong,
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  Speaker 1: who declined his form as offer to treat. Tom Lee
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  Speaker 1: set a bottle at Buck's elbow and placed his hands
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  Speaker 1: against the bar. Friend O Yorn just hit the back trail,
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  Speaker 1: he remarked to hop Along, he was prime sum for
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  Speaker 1: trouble too, he added, yes, drawled hop Along with little interest.
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  Speaker 1: The proprietor restacked the few glasses and wiped off the bar.
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  Speaker 1: Them's his pardners, he said, indicating the pair on the table.
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  Speaker 1: Hopolong turned his head and gravely scrutinized them. Porus was
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  Speaker 1: bemoaning the death of Slim trevends and hop Along fromed.
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  Speaker 1: Don't reckon, he's no relation of mine, he grunted. Well
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  Speaker 1: he ain't your sister, replied tom Lee, grinning. What's his brand,
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  Speaker 1: asked the puncher. I reckon, he's a Maverick, though you
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  Speaker 1: put your brand on him up to Santa Fe a
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  Speaker 1: couple of years back. Since he's throwed back on your range,
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  Speaker 1: I reckon he's yarn if he wants him. I reckon
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  Speaker 1: tex is some sore, remarked hop Along, rolling a cigarette.
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  Speaker 1: I reckon he is, replied the proprietor, tossing buck's quarter
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  Speaker 1: in the cash box. But say you should order see
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  Speaker 1: his rig. Yes, he's sure a cow punch dude, my,
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  Speaker 1: but he's some sumptuous and high falutin and bad wife.
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  Speaker 1: He reckons the lord never brewed a more high toned
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  Speaker 1: brand of cussedness. That's his'n he sure reckons he's the
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  Speaker 1: baddest man that ever simmered. How'd you look? As the
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  Speaker 1: leadin' man in a neck tie festival? Blazed Johnny from
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  Speaker 1: across the room, feeling called upon to help the conversation.
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  Speaker 1: He'd be a Howlin's success son, replied, Skinny Thompson, judgin
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  Speaker 1: by his friends, what we elevated over in the panhandle?
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  Speaker 1: Lanky Smith leaned forward with his elbow on the table,
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  Speaker 1: resting his chin in the palm of his hand. Is
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  Speaker 1: he waltz still a layin' for you? Hop along? He asked?
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  Speaker 1: Hop along, turned wearily and tossed his half consumed cigarette
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  Speaker 1: into the box of sand, which did duty as a cuspidore.
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  Speaker 1: I reckon so, and he sure can hatch whenever he
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  Speaker 1: gets good and ready too. He's probably a bruden over
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  Speaker 1: past grievances, offered Johnny, as he suddenly pushed Lanky's elbow
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  Speaker 1: from the table, nearly causing a catastrophe. You'll be broodin
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  Speaker 1: over present grievances. If you don't look out, you're everlastin nuisance,
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  Speaker 1: you growled Lankie, planting his elbow in its former position,
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  Speaker 1: with an emphasis which conveyed a warning. These bantams ruffle
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  Speaker 1: my feathers, remarked red. They go around braggin about the egg.
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  Speaker 1: They're goin' a lay an, doin' enough cacklin to furnish
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  Speaker 1: music for a dozen than when the if fare comes off,
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  Speaker 1: you'll generally find they's been setting on a doorknob. Did
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  Speaker 1: you ever see a hen leave the walks of peace?
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  Speaker 1: And bugs? And Russell Hell bent across the trail plumb
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  Speaker 1: in front of a Cayus, asked Buck, they'll leave off
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  Speaker 1: rustling grub and become candidates for the graveyard just for cussedness. Well,
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  Speaker 1: a whole lot of men are the same way. How
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  Speaker 1: many times have I seen them swagger into a gin
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  Speaker 1: shop and try to run things sudden and hard, and
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  Speaker 1: that with half a dozen better men in the same room,
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  Speaker 1: there's sure a plenty of trouble a comin to every
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  Speaker 1: man without rustling around for more. Remember that time you
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  Speaker 1: and Frenchy tried to run the little town of Frozen
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  Speaker 1: Nose up in Montana, asked Johnny, winking at the rest.
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  Speaker 1: And we did run it for a while, responded Buck.
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  Speaker 1: But that only goes to show that most young men
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  Speaker 1: are chumps. We were just about your age, then, red,
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  Speaker 1: laugh to the youngster's discomfiture, that little squib of yorn
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  Speaker 1: sure touched her off. I reckon, we irrigates on ya
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  Speaker 1: this time, don't we. The more the kid talks, the
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  Speaker 1: more money he needs, remarked Lankie, placing his glass on
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  Speaker 1: the bar. He had to blow me in, Skinny twice
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  Speaker 1: last night. I got two more after you left, added Skinny.
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  Speaker 1: He's sure order practice keeping still. At one o'clock, Sharp
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  Speaker 1: hop Along walked up to the clerk of the hotel
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  Speaker 1: and grinned. The clerk looked up. Hullo, cassidy, he exclaimed, genially,
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  Speaker 1: what was all that fuss about this mornin? When I
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  Speaker 1: was away? I haven't seen you for a long time,
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  Speaker 1: have I? How are you? That fuss was a full joke.
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  Speaker 1: Of bucks, and I wish they had been thrown out.
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  Speaker 1: Hop Along replied, what I want to know is if
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  Speaker 1: miss Dean is in her room. You see, I have
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  Speaker 1: a date with her. The clerk grinned. So she's ro
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  Speaker 1: you too, has she? What do you mean, asked Hopolong
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  Speaker 1: in surprise. Well, well, laughed the clerk. You punchers are easy.
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  Speaker 1: Any third rate actress that looks good can rope you fellows.
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  Speaker 1: All right, now, look here, Laura, you keep shy of
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  Speaker 1: her corral, or you'll be broke so quick you won't
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  Speaker 1: believe you ever had a cent that's straight. This is
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  Speaker 1: the third year that she's been here, and I know
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  Speaker 1: what I'm talking about. How did you come to meet her?
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: Hop Along explained the meeting, and his friend laughed again.
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  Speaker 1: Why she knows this country like a book. She can't
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  Speaker 1: get lost anywhere around here, But she's blame clever at
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  Speaker 1: catching punchers. Well, I reckon, I'd better take her go
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  Speaker 1: broke or not, replied hop Along. Is she in her room?
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  Speaker 1: She is, but she's not alone, responded the clerk. There's
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  Speaker 1: a due punch her up there with her. And she
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  Speaker 1: left word here that she was indisposed, which means that
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  Speaker 1: you are outlawed. Who is he asked Hopolong, having his
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  Speaker 1: suspicions that friend of yours e Walt, he sported a
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  Speaker 1: wad this morning when she passed him, and she let
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  Speaker 1: him make her acquaintance. He's another easy mark. He'll be
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  Speaker 1: busted wide open tonight. I reckon, I'll see texts, suggested
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  Speaker 1: hop Along, starting for the stairs, Come back, you chump,
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  Speaker 1: cried the clerk. I don't want any shooting here. What
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  Speaker 1: do you care about it? Let her have him, for
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  Speaker 1: it's an easy way out of it for you. Let
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  Speaker 1: him think he's cut you out, for he'll spend all
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  Speaker 1: the more freely, get your crowd and enlighten them. It'll
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: be better than a circus. This may sound like a steer,
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: but it's straight. Hop Along thought for a minute, and
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  Speaker 1: then leaned on the cigar case. I reckon, I'll take
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: about a dozen of your very best cigars. Charley, got
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: any real high toned brands? Cortes, Panitella, two for a
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  Speaker 1: Simoleon Chancey replied, But seeing that it's you, I'll throw
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  Speaker 1: off a dollar on a dozen. They're a full notion
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  Speaker 1: of the old man, for we can't sell one in
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  Speaker 1: a month. Hop Along dug up a handful and threw
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  Speaker 1: one on the counter, lighting another. You'll light a Cortes
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  Speaker 1: pantella with me, he said, pocketing the remainder. That's five simoleons.
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: She didn't get so long. He journeyed to Tom Lee's
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: and found his outfit making merry. Passing around his cigars,
• 17:32
  Speaker 1: he leaned against the bar and delighted in the first
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: really good smoke he had since he came home from
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: Kansas City. Johnny Nelson blew a cloud of smoke at
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  Speaker 1: the ceiling and paused with a pleased expression on his face.
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: This is a lollapalooza of a cigar, he cried. Where'd
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: you get it? And how many's left? I got it
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: from Charlie, and there's more than you could buy at
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  Speaker 1: fifty a shot. Well, I'll us take a few for luck,
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: Johnny responded, running out into the street, returning in five
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  Speaker 1: minutes with both hands full of cigars. He passed them
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  Speaker 1: around and grinned, they're birds all right. Hop Along smiled,
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: turned to Buck and related his conversation with Chancy. What
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: do you think of that, he asked, as he finished.
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: I think Charlie oughtererby your guardian, replied the foreman. He
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: was replied, hopolong. If we sees texts, we'll all grin
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: hard laughed Red, making for the door, Come on to
• 18:35
  Speaker 1: the contests. Lanky's gone already. Muddy Wells streamed to the
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: carnival grounds and relieved itself of its enthusiasm and money
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: at the booths. On the way, cowpunchers rubbed elbows with
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: Indians and Mexicans, and the few tourists that were present
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: were delighted with the picturesque scene. The town was full
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: of fakirs, and before one of them stood a group
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: of cowpunchers, apparently drinking. In the words of a barker,
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: write this way, gents, and see the woman who don't
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  Speaker 1: eat lived for two years without food. Gents, write this way, gents,
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  Speaker 1: only a quarter of a dollar. Get your tickets, gents.
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: Then see Red pushed forward. What did you say, Pard,
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: he asked, I'm a little off in my near ear.
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  Speaker 1: What's that about? Eatin a woman for two years? The
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: greatest wonder of the age, gents, the wom any discount
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: for the gang, asked Buck, gawking, why don't you quit
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: smokin' and buy the lady a meal? Asked Johnny from
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: the center of the group. The cane you ring, the
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: cane you get came from the other side of the street,
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: and hop Along purchased rings for the outfit. Twenty four
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: rings got one cane, and it was divided between them.
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: As they wended their way toward the grounds. That makes
• 19:56
  Speaker 1: six wheels. She didn't get murmured, hop Long. As they
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: passed the snake charmers booth, they saw Tex and his
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: companion ahead of them in the crowd, and they grinned broadly.
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: I like the front row in the balcony, remarked Johnny,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: who had been to Kansas City. Don't cry in the
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: second act. It ain't real, laughed Red. We'll hang John
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: Brown on a sour apple tree in the panhandle, sang
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: Skinny as they passed them. Arriving at the grounds, they
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: hunted up the registration committee and entered in the contests.
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: As hop Along signed for the revolver competition, he was
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: rudely pushed aside and Texts wrote his name under that
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: of his enemy. Hop Along was about to show quick
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: resentment for the insult, but thought of what Charlie had said,
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: and he grinned sympathetically. The seats were filling rapidly, and
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: the outfit went along the ground looking for friends. A
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: bugle sounded and a hush swept over the crowd as
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: the announcement was made for the first event, Bronco Busting
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: Red Devil never Ridden, Frenchie mc allister Tincup, Montana, meteor
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: killed his man. Skinny Thompson bar twenty Texas Vixen never
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: Ridden left the Allen O bar O, Texas. All eyes
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: were focused on the plain where the horse was being
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: led out for the first trial. After the usual preliminaries
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: had been gone through, Frenchy walked over to it, vaulted
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: in the saddle, and the bandage was torn from the
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: animal's eyes. For ten minutes, the onlookers were held spellbound
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: by the fight before them, and then the horse kicked
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: and galloped away, and Frenchy was picked up and carried
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: from the field. Too bad, cried Buck running from the outfit.
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: Did you see it, asked Johnny excitedly. The cinch busted,
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: another horse was led out, and Skinny Thompson vaulted to
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: the saddle and after a fight of half an hour,
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: rode the animal from the enclosure to the clamorous shouts
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: of his friends left the Allen also rode his mount
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: from the same gate, but took ten minutes more in
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: which to do it. The announcer conferred with the time
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: keepers and then stepped forward. First Skinny Thompson bar twenty
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: thirty minutes and ten seconds, Second Lefty Allen, Oh bar
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: oh forty minutes and seven seconds. Skinny returned to his
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: friend's shamefacedly and did not look as if he had
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: just won a championship. They made way for him, and Johnny,
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: who could not restrain his enthusiasm, pounded him on the
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: back and cried, you, old son of a gun. The
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: announcer again came forward and gave out the competitors for
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: the next contest, steer roping and tying. Lanky Smith arose and,
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: coiling his rope, carefully disappeared into the crowd. The fun
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: was not so great in this but when he returned
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: to his outfit with the phenomenal time of six minutes
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: and eight seconds for his string of ten steers, with
• 23:07
  Speaker 1: twenty two seconds for one of them, they gave him
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: a vociferous greeting. Three of his steers had gotten up
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: after he had leaped from his saddle to tie them,
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: but his horse had taken care of that his nearest
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: rival was one minute over him, and Lankie retained the championship.
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: Red Connors shot with such accuracy in the rifle contest
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: as to run his points twenty percent higher than waffles
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: of the Obarrow and won the new rifle. The main
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: interest centered in the revolver contest, for it was known
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: that the present champion was to defend his title against
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: an enemy, and fears were expressed in the crowd that
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: there would be an accident. Buck Peters and Red stood
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: just behind the firing line with their hands on hips
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: and Texts. Seeing the precautions, smiled grimly as he advanced
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: to the line. Six bottles, with their necks an inch
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: above aboard, stood twenty paces from him, and he broke
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: them all in as many shots, taking twelve seconds in
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: which to do it. Hopolong followed him and tied the score.
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: Three tin balls, rolling erratically in a blanket supported by
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: two men, were sent flying into the air in four shots,
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: texts taking six seconds. His competitor sent them from the
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: blanket in three shots, and in the same time in
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: slow shooting from sights, Texts passed his rival in points
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: and stood to win. There was but one more event
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: to be contested, and in it Hopolong found his joy.
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: Shooting from the hip when the draw is timed, is
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: not the sport of even good shots, and when Texts
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: made sixty points out of a possible hundred, he felt
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: that he had shot well. When Hopolong went to the line,
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: his friends knew that they would no taousea shooting such
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: as would be almost unbelievable that the best draw and
• 25:05
  Speaker 1: shoed marksmen in their state was the man who limped
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: slightly as he advanced, and who chewed reflectively on his
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: fifty cent cigar. He wore two guns, and he stepped
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: with confidence before the Marshal of the town, who was
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: also judge of the contest. The iron ball, which lay
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: on the ground, was small enough for the use of
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: a rifle, and could hardly be seen from the rear
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: seats of the amphitheater. There was a word spoken by
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: the time keeper, and a gloved hand flashed down and up,
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: and the ball danced and spun and leaped and rolled
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: as shot after shot followed it with a precision and speed,
• 25:42
  Speaker 1: which brought the audience to a heavy silence. Taking the
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: gun which Buck tossed to him and throwing it into
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: the empty holster, he awaited the signal, and then smoke
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: poured from his hips, and the ball jumped continuously. Both
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: guns emptied in the two hands shoes shooting, He wheeled
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: and jerked loose the guns, which the Marshal wore, spinning
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: around without a pause, the target hardly ceasing in its
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: rolling under his arms. He shot backward and between his legs,
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: leaping from side to side, ducking and dodging, following the
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: ball wherever it went. Reloading the weapons quickly, he stepped
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: forward and followed the ball until once more his guns
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: were empty. Then he turned and walked back to the
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: side of the Marshal, smiling a little. His friends, and
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: there were many in the crowd, torn from their affected
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: nonchalance by shooting the like of which they had not
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: attributed even to him, roared and shouted and danced in
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: a frenzy of delight. Red also threw his guns to
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: hop Along, who caught them in the air, and turning
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: faced Texts, who stood white of face and completely lost
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: in the forgetfulness of admiration and amazement. The guns jerked again,
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: and a button flew from the buckskin shirt of his enemy.
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: Another tore a flower from his breast, and another drove
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: it into the ground at his feet, as others stirred
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: his hair and cut the buckle off his pretty sombrero. Texts.
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: Dazed but wise enough to stand quiet, belt his belt
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: terarloose and dropped to his feet, felt a spur rip
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: from its strap, and saw his cigarette leap from his lips,
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: throwing the guns to red hop along, laughed and abruptly
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: turned and was lost in the crowd. For several seconds,
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: there was silence, but when the dazed minds realized what
• 27:38
  Speaker 1: their eyes had seen, there arose a roar, which shook
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: the houses in the town. Roar after roar thundered forth
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: and was sent crashing back again by the distant walls,
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: sweeping down on the discomfited Deude and causing him to
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: slink into the crowd to find a place less conspicuous.
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: He was white yet and keen. Fear gripped his heart
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: as he realized that he had come to the carnival
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: with the expressed purpose of killing his enemy in fair combat.
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: The whole town knew it, for he had taken pains
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: to spread the news. The woman he had been with
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: knew it from words which she had overheard while on
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: her way to the grounds with him. His friends knew
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: it and would laugh him into forgetfulness as the fool
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: who boasted. Now he understood why he had lost so
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: many friends. They had attempted what he had sworn to attempt.
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: Look where he would, he could see only a smoke
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: wrapped demon who moved and shot with a speed incredible.
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: There was reason why Slim had died. There was reason
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: why Porous and Silent had paled when they learned of
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: their mission. He hated his conspicuous clothes, and his pretty broncho,
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: and the woman who had got him to squander his money,
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: and who was doubtless convulsed with laughter at his expense.
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: He worked himself into a passion which knew no fear,
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: and he ran for the streets of the town, there
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: to make good his boast, or to die. When he
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: found his enemy, he felt himself grasped with a grip
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: of steel, and Buck Peters swung him around and grinned
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: maliciously in his face. You plaything, hoarsely whispered the foreman.
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: Why don't you get away while you can? Why do
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: you want to throw yourself against certain death? I don't
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: want my pleasure marred by a murder. And that is
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: what it will be. If he makes a gun play
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: at Hopolong, he'll shoot you as he did your buttons.
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: Take your pretty clothes and your pretty cayuse and go
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: where this is not known. And if ever again it
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: feels like killing hop Along, get drunk and forget it.
• 29:51
  Speaker 1: End of chapter twenty five. End of hop Along Capassides
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: Rustler round Up by Clarence Edward Maulfer eight