No Trouble for the Cactus Kid (3 page)

Anyway," Texas added, now you know how it was.

When you came into sight, Bantam took a shot at you t o warn you off until he could get out of sight.

"But I guess you got me, so it all went for nothing. I'
m not sorry about Bantam, he was simply no good, but as fo r Y
OU --He would hang for what he had done, and both he an d th e Kid knew it, and the Kid, knowing his man, knew h e would take a chance. Texas went for his gun and the Ki d shot him.

Then he walked over to the hay, which showed n o intention of running away, and recovered the bolt of calico, and then the money from Texas's body.

"Parsons will likely have some folks who can use this,"
h e told hims e lf, then rolled the body over the bank , tumbled rocks and sand over it and, gathering th e reins o f the hay he mounted the paint and headed for home.

When he cantered up to the gate Bonita came running , eyes sparkling with happiness. Having known other girl s before, he was not sure whether it was for him or th e calico, he ha d to content hi m self with the conclusion it wa s pro b a b ly a little of bo th.

"See" she sai
d . "
If you just go into town and com e right b ack , i t's easy to stay out of trouble if you j u st want to. Now this wasn't any trouble , was it?
"

"No, honey, n
o trouble at a ll."

He glanced at the pai nt p ony who was looking at hi m with a skeptical eve. "Yo u sh u t u p!" he told the paint .

The pony yawne
d a nd swished his tail at a fly ,