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didn't even take the trouble to answer； but his Winchester lay across his lap。
There wasn't no humour in the situation for him。
〃How much is your water for humans？〃 asks one emigrant。
〃Can't you read that sign？〃 Texas Pete asks him。
〃But you don't mean two bits a head for HUMANS！〃 yells the man。
〃Why； you can get whisky for that！〃
〃You can read the sign； can't you？〃 insists Texas Pete。
〃I can read it all right？〃 says the man； tryin' a new deal； 〃but they tell
me not to believe more'n half I read。〃
But that don't go； and Mr。 Emigrant shells out with the rest。
I didn't blame them for raisin' their howl。 Why； at that time the
regular water holes was chargin' five cents a head from the government
freighters； and the motto was always 〃Hold up Uncle Sam；〃 at that。 Once
in a while some outfit would get mad and go chargin' off dry； but it was a
long； long way to the Springs； and mighty hot and dusty。 Texas Pete and
his one lonesome water hole shorely did a big business。
Late one afternoon me and Gentleman Tim was joggin' along above
Texas Pete's place。 It was a tur'ble hot dayyou had to prime yourself to
spitand we was just gettin' back from drivin' some beef up to the troops
at Fort Huachuca。 We was due to cross the Emigrant Trailshe's wore in
tur'ble deepyou can see the ruts to…day。 When we topped the rise we
see a little old outfit just makin' out to drag along。
It was one little schooner all by herself； drug along by two poor old
cavallos that couldn't have pulled my hat off。 Their tongues was out； and
every once in a while they'd stick in a chuck…hole。 Then a man would get
down and put his shoulder to the wheel； and everybody'd take a heave； and
up they'd come； all a…trembling and weak。
Tim and I rode down just to take a look at the curiosity。
A thin…lookin' man was drivin'； all humped up。
〃Hullo； stranger；〃 says I； 〃ain't you 'fraid of Injins？〃
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〃Yes；〃 says he。
〃Then why are you travellin' through an Injin country all alone？〃
〃Couldn't keep up；〃 says he。 〃Can I get water here？〃
〃I reckon；〃 I answers。
He drove up to the water trough there at Texas Pete's； me and
Gentleman Tim followin' along because our trail led that way。 But he
hadn't more'n stopped before Texas Pete was out。
〃Cost you four bits to water them hosses；〃 says he。
The man looked up kind of bewildered。
〃I'm sorry；〃 says he； 〃I ain't got no four bits。 I got my roll lifted off'n
me。〃
〃No water； then；〃 growls Texas Pete back at him。
The man looked about him helpless。
〃How far is it to the next water？〃 he asks me。 〃Twenty mile；〃 I
tells him。
〃My God！〃 he says； to himself…like。
Then he shrugged his shoulders very tired。
〃All right。 It's gettin' the cool of the evenin'； we'll make it。〃 He
turns into the inside of that old schooner。
〃Gi' me the cup； Sue。〃
A white…faced woman who looked mighty good to us alkalis opened
the flaps and gave out a tin cup； which the man pointed out to fill。
〃How many of you is they？〃 asks Texas Pete。
〃Three；〃 replies the man； wondering。
〃Well； six bits； then；〃 says Texas Pete； 〃cash down。〃
At that the man straightens up a little。
〃I ain't askin' for no water for my stock；〃 says he； 〃but my wife and
baby has been out in this sun all day without a drop of water。 Our cask
slipped a hoop and bust just this side of Dos Cabesas。 The poor kid is
plumb dry。〃
〃Two bits a head；〃 says Texas Pete。
At that the woman comes out； a little bit of a baby in her arms。 The
kid had fuzzy yellow hair； and its face was flushed red and shiny。
〃Shorely you won't refuse a sick child a drink of water； sir；〃 says she。
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But Texas Pete had some sort of a special grouch； I guess he was just
beginning to get his snowshoes off after a fight with his own forty…rod。
〃What the hell are you…all doin' on the trail without no money at all？〃
he growls； 〃and how do you expect to get along？ Such plumb tenderfeet
drive me weary。〃
〃Well；〃 says the man； still reasonable； 〃I ain't got no money； but I'll
give you six bits' worth of flour or trade or an'thin' I got。〃
〃I don't run no truck…store；〃 snaps Texas Pete； and turns square on his
heel and goes back to his chair。
〃Got six bits about you？〃 whispers Gentleman Tim to me。
〃Not a red；〃 I answers。
Gentleman Tim turns to Texas Pete。
〃Let 'em have a drink； Pete。 I'll pay you next time I come down。〃
〃Cash down；〃 growls Pete。 〃You're the meanest man I ever see；〃
observes Tim。 〃I wouldn't speak to you if I met you in hell carryin' a
lump of ice in your hand。〃
〃You're the softest _I_ ever see；〃 sneers Pete。 〃Don't they have any
genooine Texans down your way？〃
〃Not enough to make it disagreeable；〃 says Tim。
〃That lets you out；〃 growls Pete； gettin' hostile and handlin' of his rifle。
Which the man had been standin' there bewildered； the cup hangin'
from his finger。 At last； lookin' pretty desperate； he stooped down to dig
up a little of the wet from an overflow puddle lyin' at his feet。 At the same
time the hosses； left sort of to themselves and bein' drier than a covered
bridge； drug forward and stuck their noses in the trough。
Gentleman Tim and me was sittin' there on our hosses； a little to one
side。 We saw Texas Pete jump up from his chair； take a quick aim； and
cut loose with his rifle。 It was plumb unexpected to us。 We hadn't
thought of any shootin'； and our six…shooters was tied in； 'count of the
jumpy country we'd been drivin' the steers over。 But Gentleman Tim；
who had unslung his rope； aimin' to help the hosses out of the chuckhole；
snatched her off the horn； and with one of the prettiest twenty…foot flip
throws I ever see done he snaked old Texas Pete right out of his wicky…up；
gun and all。 The old renegade did his best to twist around for a shot at us；
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