 The book failed to find a wide audience and sold just a few copies; nevertheless, although filled with many errors of fact, "The Authentic Life" served afterwards as the main source for most books written about the Kid until the 1960s.Thus was established the mythic stature of Pat Garrett as the heroic lawman in pursuit of the villainous but romantic desperado, Billy the Kid.The lawman and former ranch hand Charlie Siringo first told his version of the Kid's story in a chapter of his book, "A Texas Cowboy" (1885).