Page:Ritchie - Trails to Two Moons.djvu/84

 this here Elk Waters from down Panhandle way."

Gone in an instant was the flush from the cheeks of both men; sped was the light of battle from their eyes. Their whole attitude was one of slightly bored lassitude; to Timberline's new lead Andy made languid answer as he speared a half peach from his can with a fork and pouched it.

"You were sayin' he was infortunate" quoth Andy.

"Infortunate 's a mild word for poor Elk's case," drawled Timberline, as he tilted his fruit can and poured out a spoonful of sirup. "First year they moved up from the Panhandle into this Big Country Elk's old man got bit by a hydrophoby skunk. It did n't take on him for nigh a week, then he went just a-rarin'; peared like he figured he was a skunk with a bushy tail, an' finally Elk had to kill him with an ax."

"Sho!" chuckled Andy in sympathy.

"Then Elk's brother, little Elk, sorta fell into bad company up on the Musselshell an' the Vigilance Committee had to run him down an' hang him to a cottonwood limb one cold day in January."