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don't　have　so　many　limitations。　　I　make　a　turn　now　and

then。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　must　take　them；〃　said　Tommy；　loading

his　arms　with　the　bundles。



〃Bless　you；　young　master！〃　　recited　the　burglar；

obedient。　　〃Second…Story　Saul　will　never　forget　you。

And　now　hurry　and　let　me　out；　kid。　　Our　2；000　words

must　be　nearly　up。〃



Tommy　led　the　way　through　the　hall　toward　the　front

door。　　Suddenly　the　burglar　stopped　and　called　to　him

softly：　〃Ain't　there　a　cop　out　there　in　front　somewhere

sparking　the　girl？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Tommy；　〃but　what　　〃



〃I'm　afraid　he'll　catch　me；〃　said　the　burglar。　　〃You

mustn't　forget　that　this　is　fiction。〃



〃Great　head！〃　　said　Tommy；　turning。　　〃Come　out

by　the　back　door。〃







　　　　　　　　　　　A　CHAPARRAL　CHRISTMAS　GIFT



The　original　cause　of　the　trouble　was　about　twenty

years　in　growing。



At　the　end　of　that　time　it　was　worth　it。



Had　you　lived　anywhere　within　fifty　miles　of　Sun…

down　Ranch　you　would　have　heard　of　it。　　It　possessed

a　quantity　of　jet…black　hair；　a　pair　of　extremely　frank；

deep…brown　eyes　and　a　laugh　that　rippled　across　the

prairie　like　the　sound　of　a　hidden　brook。　　The　name　of

it　was　Rosita　McMullen；　and　she　was　the　daughter　of

old　man　McMullen　of　the　Sundown　Sheep　Ranch。



There　came　riding　on　red　roan　steeds　　or；　to　be　more

explicit；　on　a　paint　and　a　flea…bitten　sorrel　　two　wooers。

One　was　Madison　Lane；　and　the　other　was　the　Frio　Kid；

But　at　that　time　they　did　not　call　him　the　Frio　Kid；　for

he　had　not　earned　the　honours　of　special　nomenclature…

His　name　was　simply　Johnny　McRoy。



It　must　not　be　supposed　that　these　two　were　the　sum

of　the　agreeable　Rosita's　admirers。　　The　bronchos　of　a

dozen　others　champed　their　bits　at　the　long　hitching

rack　of　the　Sundown　Ranch。　　Many　were　the　sheeps'…

eves　that　were　cast　in　those　savannas　that　did　not　belong。

to　the　flocks　of　Dan　McMullen。　　But　of　all　the　cavaliers；

Madison　Lane　and　Johnny　MeRoy　galloped　far　ahead；

wherefore　they　are　to　be　chronicled。



Madison　Lane；　a　young　cattleman　from　the　Nueces

country；　won　the　race。　　He　and　Rosita　were　married　one

Christmas　day。　　Armed；　hilarious；　vociferous；　mag…

nanimous；　the　cowmen　and　the　sheepmen；　laying　aside

their　hereditary　hatred；　joined　forces　to　celebrate　the

occasion。



Sundown　Ranch　was　sonorous　with　the　cracking　of

jokes　and　sixshooters；　the　shine　of　buckles　and　bright

eyes；　the　outspoken　congratulations　of　the　herders　of　kine。



But　while　the　wedding　feast　was　at　its　liveliest　there

descended　upon　it　Johnny　MeRoy；　bitten　by　jealousy；

like　one　possessed。



〃I'll　give　you　a　Christmas　present；〃　he　yelled；　shrilly；

at　the　door；　with　his　。45　in　his　hand。　　Even　then　he　had

some　reputation　as　an　offhand　shot。



His　first　bullet　cut　a　neat　underbit　in　Madison　Lane's

right　ear。　　The　barrel　of　his　gun　moved　an　inch。　　The

next　shot　would　have　been　the　bride's　had　not　Carson；　a

sheepman；　possessed　a　mind　with　triggers　somewhat　well

oiled　and　in　repair。　　The　guns　of　the　wedding　party

had　been　hung；　in　their　belts；　upon　nails　in　the　wall　when

they　sat　at　table；　as　a　concession　to　good　taste。　　But

Carson；　with　great　promptness；　hurled　his　plate　of　roast

venison　and　frijoles　at　McRoy；　spoiling　his　aim。　　The

second　bullet；　then；　only　shattered　the　white　petals　of　a

Spanish　dagger　flower　suspended　two　feet　above　Rosita's

head。



The　guests　spurned　their　chairs　and　jumped　for　their

weapons。　　It　was　considered　an　improper　act　to　shoot

the　bride　and　groom　at　a　wedding。　　In　about　six　seconds

there　were　twenty　or　so　bullets　due　to　be　whizzing　in　the

direction　of　Mr。　McRoy。



〃I'll　shoot　better　next　time；〃　yelled　Johnny；　〃and

there'll　be　a　next　time。〃　　He　backed　rapidly　out　the

door。



Carson；　the　sheepman；　spurred　on　to　attempt　further

exploits　by　the　success　of　his　plate…throwing；　was　first　to

reach　the　door。　　McRoy's　bullet　from　the　darkness　laid

him　low。



The　cattlemen　then　swept　out　upon　him；　calling　for

vengeance；　for；　while　the　slaughter　of　a　sheepman　has

not　always　lacked　condonement；　it　was　a　decided　mis…

demeanour　in　this　instance。　　Carson　was　innocent；　he

was　no　accomplice　at　the　matrimonial　proceedings；　nor

had　any　one　heard　him　quote　the　line　〃Christmas　comes

but　once　a　year〃　to　the　guests。



But　the　sortie　failed　in　its　vengeance。　　McRoy　was　on

his　horse　and　away；　shouting　back　curses　and　threats　as

he　galloped　into　the　concealing　chaparral。



That　night　was　the　birthnight　of　the　Frio　Kid。　　He

became　the　〃bad　man〃　of　that　portion　of　the　State。

The　rejection　of　his　suit　by　Miss　McMullen　turned　him

to　a　dangerous　man。　　When　officers　went　after　him　for

the　shooting　of　Carson；　he　killed　two　of　them；　and　entered

upon　the　life　of　an　outlaw。　　He　became　a　marvellous　shot

with　either　hand。　　He　would　turn　up　in　towns　and

settlements；　raise　a　quarrel　at　the　slightest　opportunity；

pick　off　his　man　and　laugh　at　the　officers　of　the　law。　　He

was　so　cool；　so　deadly；　so　rapid；　so　inhumanly　blood…

thirsty　that　none　but　faint　attempts　were　ever　made　to

capture　him。　　When　he　was　at　last　shot　and　killed　by　a

little　one…armed　Mexican　who　was　nearly　dead　himself

from　fright；　the　Frio　Kid　had　the　deaths　of　eighteen　men

on　his　head。　　About　half　of　these　were　killed　in　fair　duels

depending　upon　the　quickness　of　the　draw。　　The　other

half　were　men　whom　be　assassinated　from　absolute

wantonness　and　cruelty。



Many　tales　are　told　along　the　border　of　his　impudent

courage　and　daring。　　But　he　was　not　one　of　the　breed　of

desperadoes　who　have　seasons　of　generosity　and　even　of

softness。　　They　say　he　never　had　mercy　on　the　object

of　his　anger。　　Yet　at　this　and　every　Christmastide　it　is

well　to　give　each　one　credit；　if　it　can　be　done；　for　what…

ever　speck　of　good　he　may　have　possessed。　　If　the　Frio

Kid　ever　did　a　kindly　act　or　felt　a　throb　of　generosity　in　his

heart　it　was　once　at　such　a　time　and　season；　and　this　is

the　way　it　happened。



One　who　has　been　crossed　in　love　should　never　breathe

the　odour　from　the　blossoms　of　the　ratama　tree。　　It　stirs

the　memory　to　a　dangerous　degree。



One　December　in　the　Frio　country　there　was　a　ratama

tree　in　full　bloom；　for　the　winter　had　been　as　warm　as

springtime。　　That　way　rode　the　Frio　Kid　and　his　satellite

aW　co…murderer；　Mexican　Frank。　　The　kid　reined　in

his　mustang；　and　sat　in　his　saddle；　thoughtful　and　grim；

with　dangerously　narrowing　eyes。　　The　rich；　sweet　scent

touched　him　somewhere　beneath　his　ice　and　iron。



〃I　don't　know　what　I've　been　thinking　about；　Mex；〃　　

he　remarked　in　his　usual　mild　drawl；　〃to　have　forgot　all

about　a　Christmas　present　I　got　to　give。　　I'm　going　to

ride　over　to…morrow　night　and　shoot　Madison　Lane　in

his　own　house。　　He　got　my　girl　　Rosita　would　have

had　me　if　he　hadn't　cut　into　the　game。　　I　wonder　why　I

happened　to　overlook　it　up　to　now？〃



〃Ah；　shucks；　Kid；〃　said　Mexican；　〃don't　talk　foolish…

ness。　　You　know　you　can't　get　within　a　mile　of　Mad

Lane's　house　to…morrow　night。　　I　see　old　man　Allen

day　before　yesterday；　and　he　says　Mad　is　going　to

have　Christmas　doings　at　his　house。　　You　remember

how　you　shot　up　the　festivities　when　Mad　was　married；

and　about　the　threats　you　made？　　Don't　you　suppose

Mad　Lane'll　kind　of　keep　his　eye　open　for　a　certain

Mr。　Kid？　　You　plumb　make　me　tired；　Kid；　with　such

remarks。〃



〃I'm　going；〃　repeated　the　Frio　Kid；　without　heat；

〃to　go　to　Madison　Lane's　Christmas　doings；　and　kill

him。　　I　ought　to　have　done　it　a　long　time　ago。　　Why；

Mex；　just　two　weeks　ago　I　dreamed　me　and　Rosita　was

married　instead　of　her　and　him；　and　we　was　living　in　a

house；　and　I　could　see　her　smiling　at　me；　and　　oh！　　hl；

Mex；　he　got　her；　and　I'll　get　him　　yes；　sir；　on　Christmas

Eve　he　got　her；　and　then's　when　I'll　get　him。〃



〃There's　other　ways　of　committing　suicide；〃　advised

Mexican。　　〃Why　don't　you　go　and　surrender　to　the

sheriff？〃



〃I'll　get　him；〃　said　the　Kid。



Christmas　Eve　fell　as　balmy　as　April。　　Perhaps　there

was　a　hint　of　far…away　frostiness　in　the　air；　but　it　tingles

like　seltzer；　perfumed　faintly　with　late　prairie　blossoms

and　the　mesquite　grass。



When　night　came　the　five　or　six　rooms　of　the　ranch…

house　were　brightly　lit。　　In　one　room　was　a　Christmas

tree；　for　the　Lanes　had　a　boy　of　three；　and　a　dozen　or

more　guests　were　expected　from　the　nearer　ranches。



At　nightfall　Madison　Lane　called　aside　Jim　Belcher

and　three　other　cowboys　employed　on　his　ranch。



〃Now；　boys；〃　said　Lane；　〃keep　your　eyes　open。　　Walk

around　the　house　and　watch　the　road　well。　　All　of　you

know　the　'Frio　Kid；'　as　they　call　him　now；　and　if　you

see　him；　open　fire　on　him　without　asking　any　questions。

I'm　not　afraid　of　his　coming　around；　but　Rosita　is。　　She's

been　afraid　he'd　come　in　on　us　every　Christmas　since　we

were　married。〃



The　guests　had　arrived　in　buckboards　and　on

horseback；　and　were　making　themselves　comfortable

i