his life. He was killed by
Sheriff Garret in a room of one of the old houses at Fort Sumner, known
at that time as Maxwell's ranch, July 12, 1881, about two months after
his escape from the Lincoln county jail, and Sheriff Pat A. Garret, one
of the nervest men of that country of nervy men and the only man who
ever pursued the Kid and lived to tell the tale, is at present at the
head of the Customs Service at El Paso, Texas, and to meet him and note
his pleasant smile and kindly disposition, one would not believe him the
man who sent Billie the Kid to his last account. But behind the pleasant
twinkle in his eye and the warm hand clasp there is a head as cool and a
nerve as steady as ever held a 45.

CHAPTER XVII.

ANOTHER TRIP TO OLD MEXICO. I ROPE AN ENGINE. I FALL IN LOVE. MY
COURTSHIP. DEATH OF MY SWEETHEART. MY PROMISED WIFE. I MUST BEAR A
CHARMED LIFE. THE ADVENT OF PROGRESS. THE LAST OF THE RANGE.

On one of these memorable trips after cattle, and with cattle on the
trail, one that I will most likely remember, the longest was a trip to
Old Mexico after a herd of horses. It was on this trip that I fell in
love, the first time in my life. During my wild career on the western
plains I had met many handsome women, and they often made much of me,
but somehow I had never experienced the feeling called love, until I met
my charming sweetheart in Old Mexico. I had perhaps been too much
absorbed in the wild life of the plains, in the horses, and cattle which
made up my world, to have the time or inclination to seek or enjoy the
company of the gentler sex. But now that I had met my fate, I suppose I
became as silly about it as any tenderfoot from the east could possibly
be, as evidence of how badly I was hit. While on the trail with the herd
our route lay along a narrow gauge railroad, and I was feeling up in the
air caused no doubt partly from the effects of love and partly from the
effects of Mexican whiskey, a generous measure I had under my belt,
however I was feeling fine, so when the little engine came puffing along
in the distance I said to the boys I have roped nearly everything that
could be roped, so now I am going to rope the engine. They tried to
persuade me not to make the attempt, but I was in no mood to listen to
reason or anything else, so when the engine came along I put my spurs to
my horse and when near enough I let fly my lariat. The rope settled
gracefully around the smoke stack, and as usual m