Mark rode out to check his rabbit snares. When he got there he was surprised to find a hawk caught in one of them. "Golly day, a hawk," said Mark. 
He got a burlap bag off of Blueboy and put it over the hawk until he could take the noose off of him. "Now how did a smart bird like you get caught in my rabbit snare?" Asked Mark. He then grabbed a hold of the hawk's feet. "Hold still," said Mark, "I ain't gonna hurt you." He put the hawk in the bag and tied him fast to his saddle. He then went on to check his other snares before heading home. When he got to another snare it was all broken up. "Doggone, whatever it was must have gotten away," said Mark. He glanced over a ways and saw a campfire burning. He went to check it out. Just then he heard someone say "Don't move, boy!" A man came out from behind a tree with a large branch in his hand. "I said don't move!" The man then charged at Mark with the branch, or so Mark thought. Mark didn't know there was a rattlesnake there ready to strike. The man then pushed Mark aside and beat the snake to death. He apologized to Mark for scaring him. "Thanks mister," said Mark. Mark was upset and had to walk away.
Mark was grateful and brought 
Walt didn't want repaid for what he had done. He was willing to earn whatever I was willing to give him by mending fences and branding cattle. That was fair enough and we shook hands on it. He never did say where he was coming from or where he was going. He's been a lot of places and has a lot of places to go. Some people would call that being a saddle bum, but not him, he called it being a free man. He was happy with his life that way and wouldn't have it any other way.
wanted poster. I asked Micah if he'd taken to advertising. "Not me, him," meaning Flack, 
me if there was something bothering me. I told him that according to the description on the poster, the man that Flack was looking for has been at my ranch the last three days. I asked Micah to give me twenty-four hours to try to convince Walt to turn himself in. He was reluctant. I knew I had put Micah in a bad situation. He agreed, but told me I had until the next day at sundown to bring Walt into town or he was coming out to the ranch after him, in hopes of not picking up the pieces. "Lucas, why do you want to do it this way?" Asked Micah. "He saved Mark's life," I replied. Just by his look, I knew he understood.
On the ride back to the ranch I had told Mark about Walt. He found it hard to believe. He felt that Walt was too nice of a man, and if Walt was all that bad he wouldn't have done what he had done for him. Mark felt that this couldn't be the man on the poster, he hadn't given us any reason to think of him in a bad way. I agreed with him; but felt we couldn't take any chances. I told him not to let on that he knew anything. I would handle it.
Walt took the snakeskin from the snake that he had killed and made Mark a band for his hat. Mark was thrilled with his present that Walt made him. He asked Walt where he had learned to do this. He told Mark he just picked it up, he also told him snakes were good for a lot of things. "Look Pa, I got me a rattlesnake band for my hat. Wait to the kids see this at school, Wahoo!" Yelled Mark, twilling his hat and showing how proud he was of it. I told Mark to thank Walt and go to bed. "Thanks Walt, thanks a lot," said Mark. Walt was glad Mark liked his gift. "I do, I really do," said Mark. After Mark went to bed I told Walt that I had run into a friend of his in town. I then showed him the poster on him. According to the wanted poster his name was Reed Young. He was wanted for murder. Walt told me that he wouldn't deny it. 
It was him, but the rest was a lie, he never killed anyone. He told me, at one time he did carry a gun; but for food and protection. He said he never used it on anyone. About two years ago he was down in Hobbs. He was just having a drink to wash the dust down. There was a gunfight. There were five of them and one of them got himself killed. They blamed Walt. He was a stranger in town. They found he had an empty cartridge in his gun. He tried to tell them he used the shot to kill a rabbit for some food. He felt they didn't hang him because their conscience would have bother them. So they gave him five years. He said he ain't no more guilty then that hawk that Mark has feathered out there. Walt was in trouble. I wanted to help. He wanted to be free, but as long as he had to run he couldn't be free. I told him about Micah, my friend the Marshal. And that he could turn himself over to him, not Ely. I told him Ely didn't know he was here. He agreed to turn himself in, but only to Micah, not Flack.
Mark and I rode into town the next day. Mark and I parted ways at Micah's office. Mark was on his way to school when Flack rode by him. Flack noticed the snake band on Mark's hat and some how knew Walt had made it. He cut Mark off right before he got to school. Flack asked Mark where he got the hat, with that he grabbed it from Mark's head. He asked mark if he made the snakeskin band. When Mark told him it was none of his business, he grabbed him by his coat. He then ask Mark again. Mark was scared and told him that someone gave it to him. Flack told him that he only knew of one man who could make those bands like that and this man learned how to make them in prison. He asked Mark if he was McCain's boy. When Mark didn't answer him, he said....."That's what I thought." He threw Mark's hat to the ground and rode off towards the McCain 
Ranch. Mark jumped down off of Blueboy; grabbed his hat and headed for the cut off to the ranch.
Walt was outside of the house when Mark rode in hollering, "Walt, Walt, Walt, it Flack, Flack's coming!" Walt rushed inside and got the rifle from above the fireplace. "It's Flack, he's coming up the main road, I took the cut off," hollered Mark. "Your Pa double crossed me, now I've got to face Flack alone," said Walt. "It wasn't Pa, it was me, the hat, the snakeskin!" The old rifle above the fireplace didn't work. The only other gun we had other then
my rifle was at the blacksmith's getting fixed. They heard Flack outside. He was hollering Walt's name and heading for the house. Walt told Mark to get in his room and took him by the arm and put him there. Flack busted in with his gun drawn and said....."Well now ain't this nice, well killer, looks like I got to teach you a lesson. I don't like nobody bustin' out of my jail. You did, so I guess I got to teach you a lesson," said Flack. Walt begged him not to, but with that Flack hit him across the face with the gun and Walt fell to the floor. Mark tried to stop him and told him not to touch Walt. Flack shoved Mark and that made Walt mad. He charged at Flack, they fought. Walt just kept beating Flack over and over again. "You killed your last man Flack, you got no right being alive!" Said Walt. He just kept beating him again and again. "That's enough Walt, your killing him," hollered Mark. "Let him go Walt, let him go, please stop!" Just then Micah and I rode up and heard the commotion. In no time we headed for the house. Mark grabbed a hold of Walt and hollered again "Walt please, you told me you could never kill anyone. You told me you couldn't." Mark Hollered louder, "listen to me, listen to me, let him go!" With that Walt came to his senses and left Flack go. By then we
were in the house. Micah checked Flack. He was in bad shape. "It was self defense Pa, he was going to kill Walt," said Mark. "Looked like he finally got what he deserved," said Micah. "I guess I would have killed him if it wouldn't have been for Mark. I'm ready to go back with you now Marshal," said Walt.
Mark decided to let 'The Hawk' go. So we set him free. "You know Pa, Walt was right all along. That bird never did nothing to get chained up for. Think Micah will be able to help Walt, maybe get him off?" Asked Mark. I told him that I'd say his chances were as good as the Hawks when he bought him home.
bitten by a rattler, but by Walt Hake.
