Bucky O'Connor: A Tale of the Unfenced Border

h by way of the Huachuca Mountains. There are still places in Arizona where rapid transit can be achieved more expeditiously on the back of a bronco than by means of the railroad, even when the la

aterhole on the Del Oro, where cows were wont to frequent even in the summer drought, and toward this he was making in the fag-end of the sultry day. While still some hundred yards distant he observed a spiral of smoke rising from a camp-fire at

y. While still some little way from the water-hole he was arrested by a sound that startled hi

ul! you can't sneak off with the first good-for nothing scoundrel that makes eyes at you. Thought yo

before Bucky leaped into the fireglow and wrested the ridi

swinging the whip vigorously across the broad shoulder

he flickering firelight played on his face, the ranger came to an unexpected recognition. The slim lad facing him was no other than Frank Hardman, whom he had left a few days before at the Rocking Chair under the car

was the last person in the world I expected to meet here, unless it might be this boy. I left him safe at a ranch fifty miles from

met me and made me go with him. He has arranged to have me meet his wife in Mexico. The show wo

he happens to be garnished with. Might as well help yourself to his knives, too. He's so fond of letting them fly around promiscuous he might hurt himself. Good. Now we can sit down a

for Sonora,"

pile you were going up into the hills to meet some of Wolf Leroy's gang. But why you

at that old town. It's a real interesting place. Finished in the

ng to eat, sir?" presen

at a leather mail-sack. Trot on your

the lad set in front of him, but he ate with a wary eye

eal loaf sandwich went sure to the right spot. If you had been a you

the latter, noticed how delicate the small face was. It made an instinctive, wistful a

e young man told himself reprovingly. "It's all tommyrot, too. A boy had ought

away, and the ranger preferred to ride in the cool of the night rather than sit up till daybreak wit

f countless stars, with that peculiar soft, velvety atmosphere that belongs to no other land or time. In the distance the jagged, violet line of mou

st, his body shifting now and again in the saddle

ail had broadened at that point, for they were now down in the rolling plain, so that two could

ed out, kid

red. Is

ick it out, and we'll

s,

me sir. Ca

s,

id. You're too soft for this country." He let his firm brown fingers travel over the lad's curly hair and down the smooth cheek. "There it i

and Bucky almost thought he det

ge with me, son, and learn to stick to your saddle when the bronc and you disagrees. Oh, I'll bet all you need is training. I'll make a man out of

ions you can take to rest yourself." And Bucky put him through a course of sprouts. "Don't sit there laughing at folks that knows a heap more than you ever will get in your noodle, and perhaps you won't be so done up at the

ght

, with immediate frankness. "You're

ifteen," meekly c

Master Frank, you want to learn one thing prompt if you and I are to travel together. I can't

as he is," the boy burs

ak little kid that I could break you in two isn't any reason why I should put up with any fool

made you my master?" d

lies ain't square. If I ask you anything you don't want to answer tell me to go to hell, but don't lie to me. If you do I'll punish

good min

e. But if I was as beat as you are, I think I'd keep on the Epitaph road." He laughed his warm, friendly laugh, before the geniality of whi

d to me. I know I'm a cry-baby, sissy boy, but i

ard that velvet voice's soft murmur. Yes, it surely was strange, but perhaps the young Irishman's explanation was not t

r else gone soft in the hai

shocks that pulsed through him was probably a m

arations to leave immediately for Chihuahua. Collins had returned to Tucson, but was

ted with a difficulty. He looked

, Curly Haid? I expect I had better

ere. He'll come out again a

were a girl I could put you in the co

iated the youth's cheeks. "Why can

the chip off Old Man Trouble's shoulder. Like as not some greaser will collect Mr. Bucky's

need help. I'm awful good at making up,

uns a-popping before we get back to God's country-if we ever do. Add to that, trouble and then some, for there

," pleaded the boy, the last word slipping out with

even though in his mind he was debating a surrender. For he was extraordin

e afraid if yo

's the trouble. Supposing I shou

before that time. If you had not giv

I'm lagged, make straight for Arizona

take me?" cried

y orders explicitly. I'm runnin

think of d

ant you to tel

N

ne and squeezed it. "Then it's a deal, kid

?" And again Bucky caught that note of stifled laughter in t

cars. The ranger was awake and up with the day. For a couple of hours he sat in the smoking section and discussed politics with a Chicago drumme

p my pardner. I see the chuck-wa

ulder. Frank's eyes opened and looked at the ranger with that lac

nigger just gave the first

e curtains from the Arizonian and gathered them tightly together. "I'll than

nounced and craved an audience, I reckon," was Bucky's ironic retort

nice as to his personal habits, but it did not throw him into a flame of embarrassment to brush his teeth before his fellow passengers. Nor did it send him into a fit if a friend happened to drop into his room while he was finishing his dressing. Bucky agreed wit

mum as a hooter on the nest," he admitted to himself ruefully. "Just when something comes up that needs a good round damn I catch that big brown Sunday school eye of his, and it's Bucky

cesses. They drifted into one of those quick, spontaneous likings that are rare between man and man. Some subtle quality of affection bubbled up like a spring in the hearts of each fo

ere familiar with the manners of the country, so that they felt at home among the narrow adobe streets, the lounging, good-natured peons, and the imitation Moorish ar

sh it by craft, but a sight of the heavy stone walls that encircled the prison and of the numer

have him released by process of law on account of Hardman's confession. But it would take them two or three years to come to a decision. They sure do hate to turn loose a gringo when they have got the hog-tie on him. Like

u thinking o

stand pat, but the 'outs' have always got a revolution up their sleeves. Now, there's mostly a white man mixed up in the affair. They have to have him to run it and to shoot afterward when the government wins. You see, somebody has to be shot, and it's always so

ffair of his. He wo

t I told you

el

kely he could keep his fist out of the hive wh

ach other and also connect with an adjoining pair. The reason for this had not at

. Well, we'll slip out the back way to-night, disguised in some other rig, come boldly in by the front door, and rent the rooms ne

uld have a great deal less. What's your

ng, we could easily be street showmen. You can do fancy sho

d be a gi

"A gipsy girl, and yo

are," said Bucky. "I don't wan

o is to be sullen and ro

You're slim and soft enough, but I'll bet

his long lashes. "I appeared as a girl in one of the acts o

but we have no clo

le you are looking the ground over for our

things, and we'll see how you look in them. Better not get all the

oran and get a permit to visit the prison from the proper authorities. When the latter returned triumphantly wit

o fit me and fixing

ght you to sew?" ask

l the plain sewing on my costumes. Did

thing I pulled off all right. I'm to be allowed to visit the prison and mak

d to steal any one of the prisoners you t

at. When do you expect t

s you see. I'm just making a few chan

king up with smiling contempt the rat

s. Go and put it on and

s later in his gipsy unifor

there. "It's a good fit, if I do say it that chose it. The first thing you want to do when you get out in it is to

e been a girl, the way yo

returned the lad quietly. "If you'll step into the other room

between the rooms. "Pretty nearly ready, kid? Seems to me i

ink it ought to tak

en, say, if she is going to a dance. Y

Mr. Innocent. Why, a girl can't fix

take but about five seconds to stick that on. Hurr

ments," came saucil

he durned th

heart," the swe

go to H

got a vision of the result, it was so little what he had expected that i

w bow. "How do you like B

not yet to be credited by his jarred brain. How incredibly blind he had been! What an idiot of sorts! Why, the marks of sex sat on her beyond any possibility of doubt. Every line of the slim, lissom figure, every curve of the soft, undulating body, the sweep of rounded arm, of tapering waist-line, of well-turned ankle, con

Gradually the speed quickened to a faster time. She swung gracefully to and fro with all the lithe agility of the race she personified. No part could have been better conceived or executed. Even physically she displayed the large, brilliant eyes, the ringleted, coal-black hair, the tawny skin, and the flashing smile that showed small teeth of dazzling ivory, characte

or have his f

suppose I must cross your palm with gold," he said, even while his subconscio

that might have impelled her. If she found out that he knew, the knowledge would certainly drive her at once from him. For he knew that not the least charm of the extraordinary fascination she had for him lay in her sweet innocence of heart, a fresh innocence that consisted with this gay Romany abandon, and even with a mental experience of the sordid, seamy side of lif

mvented and the light one to be rewarded. Jealousies and rivalries played their part in the nonsense

and the face so mobile of expression when the deep eyes lifted to his in question of the correctness of her reading. He would miss the little partner that had wou

hand. "You don't say I do it well," she charged,

d it in you, kid. What's worrying me is that I can

nd frown if anybody gets too familiar

nswered promptly, wit

handsome,"

ake me up. As a simple child of nature I'm no ornament

minute, but the gallant ease of his bearing. Such a springy lightness, such sinewy grace of undulating muscle, were rare even on the frontier. She had once heard Webb Mackenzie say of him that he could whip his weight in

h a sky for a roof. So the master of the inn thought when he rejected on one pretense or another the first two rooms that were shown him. He wanted two rooms, and they must connect. Had the innkeeper such apartments? The innkeeper had, but he would

ly with one hand, while the other swept a match in a circular motion along his trousers leg. In very fair Engli

ce you are not marrie

of my poor unfortunate