0
SUNDAY MA V ., . . '
MUICNING ASTOuIAN. ASTORIA. OREGON. Q
51. JlBk MMMft MMMHH I aU.......! - Mlll-I. .4. . . . I . . , .... f
JDiuy.-s
Tender f o o t
Jj' COPYRIGHT br I. I. M.CLURE CO. L
5 C-V-iW
ll'HlNO one spring of the early
seventies Hilly Knapp ran a
species of road house or hotel
ut the crossing of the Dead-
wood ami Big Horn trail through Cus
ter valley. Traveler changing from
one rout to tli other frequently top
ped there overnight. He sold accom
modations for man and beast, compris
ing plenty of whisky and plttuty of bay.
That waa the (mat auy one could aay
of It. The hotel waa of logs, two ato
ned, with partitions of sheeting to In
ure a certain privacy of eight If not
of aound; hud three beds and number
of hniika and boasted of a woman cook,
aoe of the first lu the hills. Hilly did
Hot run It long, lie waa too restless.
.The personnel of the establishment
cotulsted of Hilly and the woman al
ready mentioned and an ancient Pistol
ty tlMt name of Charley. The latter
wore many firearms and had good
deal to aay, but had never, aa Hilly ex
' presitf d It, "made good." This la the
west could not hare been for luck of
opportunity. Ills functions were those
of generul factotum.
One evening Hilly sat chair tilted
against the logs of tin hotel, waiting
for the stage, lly and by It drew lu.
Charley hobbled out, carrying buckets
of water for the horses. The driver
flung the reins from him with the lord
ly liwolemn of bis class, descended
slowly mid swaggered to the barroom
for bis drink. Hilly followed to servo
It.
"Luck!" said the driver and crooked
his elltow.
"Aiiythlug new!" queried Hilly.
"Nope."
"Held upr
"Not."
That exIiHUxted the sltuatton. The
two men puffed silently for a moment
t their pipes. In an Instant the driv
er turned to go,
"I gut you a tenderfoot," bo remark
ed casually. "1 reckon he's outside.''
"(luess I ambles forth and sees what
fer a tenderfoot it Is," replied Hilly, j
hastening from behind the bar.
The tenderfoot was seated on a small
trunk Jmit outside the door. As be held j
hla hut In Ma tin.t.U Ullto ,.n.il,l 1,1
top . in 11 I f v vi tt u p hi
domelike naii! head, iteneatn ttie dome
was a little pink end white fsce, and
below that were narrow, sloping shoul
ders, a flat client and bandy legs. He
wore a light check suit and a flaunet
ehlrt whose collar was much too large
for him. Hilly took thin all In while
paselng. As the driver climbed to the
seat the hotel keeper commented.
"8sy, Hen." said he. "would you stuff
It or put It under s glims cnne?"
"I'd servo It a liiy TimIoo" replied
the driver briefly, mid he brotiKht his
long IshIi ft Nhnped arros" the four star
tled backs of hlx borne.
Billy turned to n relnspectlon of bis
guest nml met n deprecating smite.
"Can I get a shakedown here for to
night?" he Inquired In a high, piping
voice.
"You kin." replied Hilly shortly and
begun to howl for Charley,
That patriarch appeared around the
corner, as did likewise the cook, a
The tenderfoot. ,
black eyed, red checked creature, after
ward counted by Billy aa one of his
eight matrimonial ventures.
"Snake this stranger's war bag Into
th' shack," commanded Billy. "Aud,
Nell, Jest nnt'rally rustle a few grub."
The strunger picked up a small band
atchel and followed Charley Into the
' balldlng. When, a little later, he reap
peared for supper he carried the band
bag with him and placed It under the
bench which flanked the table. After
ward bo deposited It next bis hand
.while enjoying a pipe outside. Nat
urally all this did not escape Billy.
"Stranger," said he, "yo' seems
mighty wedded to that thar satchel."
"Yes, sir," piped the stranger. Billy
snorted at the title. "I has some per
sonal belongings which Is valuable to
me." lie opened the bog and produced
a cheap portrait of a rather cheap look
ing woman. "My mother that was,"
said ho.
Billy snorted again and went Inside.
Ho bated sentiment of all kinds. The
two men sat opposite each other and
ate supper, which was served by the
red checked girl. The stranger kept his
By STEWART
EDWARD
WHITE
eye on bis plate while ah waa In the
room. He perched on the edge of the
nencn witn bis feet tucked under him
ana resting on their toes. When she
approached, the muscles of hi shoul
ders and upper arms grew rigid with
embarrassment, causing strange, awk
ward movements of the banda. He an
swered lo monosyllables. (
Billy ate expansively and earnestly.
Toward the close of the meal Charley
lipped Into place beside him. Charley
waa out of humor and found the meat
cold, .
" yore soul, Nell," he cried,
this yere ain't fltten fer a hog to eat."'
The girl did not mind, nor did Hilly,
It waa the country' mode of speech.
The stranger dropped bl knife.
"I don't wonder yo don't Ilk It,
thenr auld be with a funny little flare
or anger.
"Meanln wbatr shouted Charley
threateningly.
"Tou ahore mustn't epeak to a lady
that way," replied the stranger firmly,
In bis little piping voice.
Hilly caught the point and exploded
In a mighty guffaw.
"Hully fer you!" be cried, alapplng
bis knee. "Btruck pyrits"-be pro
nounced It "pie rights" "fer shore that
trip, Charley."
The girl, too. laughed, but quietly.
Rue was a little touched, though Just
this winter she bad left Bismarck be
cause Uie place would have no more of
her.
In the face of Hllly's approval the
old man fell silent
About midnight the four Inmates of
the frontier hotel were awakened by a
tremendous racket outside. The stran
ger arose, fully clothed, from hla bunk
and peered through the narrow open
window, A dozen horses were stand
ing grouped In charge of a slnglo
mounted man, ludlstlngutehable In the
dark. Out of the open door a broad
band of light streamed from the saloon,
whence came the noise of voice and of
boots tramping about.
"It Is IllHrk Hank," said Billy, at bis
elbow, -Hln.k Hank and his outfit.
He bltcbe to this yere snubbln post
occasional
Black Hank In the bills would have
translated to Jese James farther
outh,
The stranger turned suddenly ener
getic. "Don't you make no fight?" be nuked.
"Fight T' sold Hilly, wondering.
"Fight! Co'ne not. Hunk ain't plun
derln' me none. He Jent ambles along
and helps himself, und leaves the dust
fer It every shot I Jest lay low bud
lets lilm operate. I never has no deal
In's with him, understand. He Jest
nat'rally waltzes lu and plants his grub
books on what he needs. I doesn't
know HllVtlllllff nhnnf It I'm ,lna,
asleep." I '"
Ho lieatowed a shadowy wink upon ! "T,1Pro ou are-" 8,18 whtopertd,
the stranger ! showing him tho open window.
Below, the outlawa moved here and ! "Tlmnk J'ou" he 8tmBiered painful
tl,ere j ly. "I assure you I wish"
Billy!" shouted n commanding voice. Ti6 lrl ,auhcd UIlder her bath
"Billy Kuapp'" "Tbut'a all right," she said heartily.
Tho hotel keeper looked perplexed. "l owe ou for ?a,Un old whlsk
"Now whafa he tollln' me fer?" he off his bronc," and she kissed him.
asked of the man by his side.
"Billy," shouted the voico again, i
"come down here, you alwash. I want
to palaver with you."
"All right. Hank," replied Billy.
Ho went to his "room" and buckled
on a heavy belt, then descended the
steep stain.
Tho barroom waa lighted and filled
. with men, Some of them were eating
j and drinking; others were strapplug
' nrAvtfllnnll Infn tinHahl, fnl-til i rnL,ufr
! tho corner of the bar a tall figure of s. I
man lea nod, smoking a man lithe, ac
tive and muscular, with a keen, dark
face and black eyebrows which met
, over his nose. Billy walked directly
10 tins man.
"What I It?" be Inquired ahortly.
"Thla yere ain't In th' agreement." ,
"I know that," replied tho stranger.
Then leave yore dust and vamoose."
"My dust Is there," said Black Hank.
placing his band on a buckskin bag at
his side, "und you're paid, Billy Knapp. her Lnnds and Pacing her head be
I want to ask you a question. Stand-1 tween her bnM ttrma- "Women In the
Ing Rock has sent $00,000 to Buck Tall, i e8t. a ,east women like Nell, do not
Tho messenger went through here to-1
day. Have you seen him?"
"Narry messenger," replied Billy In
relief. "Stage goes empty."
Charley had crept down the stairs
and Into the room.
"What u blazes you doln' yere, you
ranlkaboo IJIt?" asked Billy trucu
lently. "That thar stage ain't what you calls
empty," observed Charley, unmoved.
A light broke on Billy's mind. He re
membered the vallso which the strau
ger had so carefully guarded, aud,
though his common sense told him that
bn Inoffensive noncombatant, such as
his guest, would hardly be chosen as
express messenger, still the bare possi
bility remulned.
"Yo're right," he assented carelessly;
"thar Is one tenderfoot who knows as
much of rldln' express as a pig does
of war."
"I notice he's almighty particular
'bout that thar carpetbag of hls'n,"
Insisted Charley.
The man against tho counter had lost
nothing of the scene. Billy's denial,
hla hesitation, his half truth, all looked
suspicious to him. With one swift
round sweep of the arm he hud Billy
covered. Billy' arm abot over bli
bead without the necessity of t com
mand. The men ceased their occupations
nd gathered about. Scenes of thli
sort were too common to elicit com
ment or arouse excitement. They
knew1 perfectly the lalseea-fair rela
tlona which obtained between the two
westerners,
"Now," said Black Hank angrily In a
low tone, "I want to know why you
tried that monkey game."
Illlly, wary and unafraid, replied that
be bad tried no game, that be bad for
gotten the tenderfoot for a moment and
that be did not bellove the latter
would prove to bo the sought for ex
press messenger.
One of the men, at a signal from bl
leader, relieved Billy' belt of consid
erable weight. Then the latter wa
permitted to alt on cracker box. Tw
more mounted the little atalr. In a
moment they returned to report that
tbo upper story contained no human
Mings, strange or otherwise, except
the girl, but that there remained a
mall truuk. Under further orders they
dragged the trunk down Into the bar
room, It waa broken open and found
to contain clothe of the plainsman's
out, materlul and state of wear, a neat
ly folded Mexican saddle showing use
and a rawhide quirt.
Tenderfoot!" aald Black Hank con
temptuously.
The outlaws had already scattered
outside to look for the trail. In this
they were unsuccessful, reporting In
deed that not the faintest sign Indicat
ed escape In any direction.
Billy knew bla man, The tightening
of Black Hank'a close knit brow
meant but one thing. One does not gain
chieftainship of any kind In the west
without propping ascendency with
acts of millions decision. Billy leaped
from his cracker box with the sudden
ness of the puma, seized Black Hank
firmly about the waist, whirled him
Into a sort of shield and began an ear
nest struggle for the Inwtant possession
of the outlaw's drawn revolver. It wa
gallant attempt, but unsuccessful.
In a moment Hilly was pinioned to the
floor snd Ulack Hank was rubbing bis
abraded forearm. After that the only
question was whether It should be rope
or bullet.
Now, when Hilly bad gone down
atalrs the strunger had wasted no more
time at the window. He had In his
possession $."iO,Ot)U lu greenbacks which
be was to deliver as soou as possible
to the Buck Tall agency In Wyoming,
The necessary change of stage lines
bad forced him to stay overnight at
Billy Knnpp's hotel.
The messenger seized bis bsg and
softly ran along through the canvas
partitioned rooms wherein Billy alept
to a narrow window which be had al
ready noticed gave out almost directly
Into the pine woods. Tbo window was
of oiled paper, and Its catch baffled
btm. He knew It should slid back,
but it refused to slide for him. He
did not dare to break the paper be
cause of the crackling noise. A voice
at bis shoulder startled blm.
"I'll show you," whispered the red
cheek ed girl.
She was wrapped loosely In a blan
ket, her hnlr falling about her shonlder
and her bare feet showing beneath her
coverings. The little man suffered at
once an agony of embarrassment In
which the thought of hla errand wa
lost. It was recalled to him by the
j.uo messenger, iremouiig wiia sen
consciousness, climbed hastily through
tho window, ran the broad loop of the
satchel up his arm and, Instead of
dropping to the ground, as the girl bad
expected, swung himself lightly Into
the branches of a rather large scrub
oak that grew near. Bhe listened to
the rustle of the leaves for a moment
a he nea red the trunk and then, un
able longer to restrain her curiosity In
regard to the dolnga below, turned to
, ,
As she did so two men mounted.
They examined the rooms of the upper
story hastily, but carefully, paying
scant attention to her, and departed
aweurlng. In a few moment they re
turned for tho stranger's trunk. Nell
followed as far as the stairway. There
she heard and saw things, and fled In
bitter dismay to the back of the house,
when Billy Kuapp waa overpowered.
At the window she knelt, clasping
wecP - But sne came near Suddenly
she raised her head. A voice next ber
1 ear had addressed her.
j She looked here and there and
around, but could discover nothing,
j "Here, outside," came the low, guard
! ed voice. "In the tree."
I Then she saw that the little stranger
bad not stirred from his first sighting
place.
! "Beg your pardon, ma'am, for star
j tling you or for addressing you at all,
j which I shouldn't, but"
I "Oh. never mind that!" cried tho girl
; Impatiently, shaking hack her hair. So
! deprecating and timid were the tones
! that, almost without an effort of the
' M - fu.l .1.- . ...II ..1.1. . .1... t,..,..
lmaginuuun, nuv couiu pieiure uie wi;c
man's blushes and his half uliUlii'!
method of delivery. At this nupi-en:
moment his littleness and lad; ;f !
assertion jarred on her mn;d. "Wli
you doln' there?. Thin:;M y-.ni'd vc
moosed."
"It was safest here," e;:ph!!i ;! t!:i
stranger. "I left no trail."
She nodded comprehension of t!:
common sense of this.
"But, ma'am, I took the liberty ot
speakln' to you because you seems to
be In trouble. Of course I ain't got no
right to ask, an' If you don't car to
tell me"
Tliey'r goln' to kill Billy 1" brok
Nell with a sob,
"What Tor?"
"I don't Jest rightly make out.
They're after somo one, and they think
Billy's caeheJu' blm. I reckon it's you.
Billy ain't cacbelu' nothlu', but they
thinks ho Is,
"If me they' after all right enough,
Now you know where I am, why don't
you tell them on' save Billy?"
Tho girl started, but her keen west
eru mind saw the dliilculty at once,
"They thinks Billy pcrtats you Jcsl
the same." -
"Do you love him?" axled the stran
ger,
"(Jod knows I'm purty toush," con
fessed Nell, sobbing, "but I Jent d"
that!" Ami she dropped ber head
Knln.
The luvlxlble stranger lu the gloom
full silent, considering.
"I'm a purty rank proitosltiou my
self," snld he (it last us If to himself,
"and 1 got u Job on hand which snitie
I oughta put through without givln' at
tention on anything elite. As usual
play, folks don't care for me, mid I
don't care much for folks, women es
pecial. They drives me plumb tired
reckon 1 don't stack up very high on
the blue chips when It comes to cash
In' lu with that sex auyhow, but In
general they gives me as much notice
aa they lavishes ou a doodle bug. I
ain't carln', you understand, nary
bit, but onct In a dog's age I kind of
bankers for a decent look from one of
them. I ain't never hod no women
folk of my own never. Sometime I
think It would be some scrumptious
to know a little gal's wait In' for me
omewheres. They ain't none. They
never will be. I ain't built that way.
You treated me white tonight. You're
the first woman that ever kissed me of
her own accord."
The girl beard a faint scramble, then
the soft put of some one landing on
bi feet. Peering from the window,
she made out a faint shadowy form
stealing around the corner of the ho
tel. She put her hand to ber heart
and listened. Her understanding of
the stranger's motives was vague, but
she had caught bis confession that ber
kiss bad meant much to blm and even
In ber anxiety she felt an Inclination
to laugh. She bad bestowed that caress
as she would have kissed the cold end
of a dog's nose.
The nieu below stairs, after some
discussion, had decided on bullet This
wa out of consideration for Billy's
tandlng as a frontiersman. Besides,
be bad stolen no horses. In order not
to delay matters the execution was
fixed for tho present time and place.
Billy stood with his back to the logs
of bis own botel, bla bands and feet
bound, but bis eyes uncovered. Ho had
never lost bl nerve. In the short res
pite which preparation demanded he
told bl opponents what be thought of
them.
"Proud?" be concluded a long solilo
quy as If to the reflector of the lamp.
"Proud?" ho repeated meditatively.
"This yere Hank' Jest that proud be'
all awelled up like a poisoned pup.
Ain't every one kin corral a man and
git loO.OOO without turnin' a hair."
Black Hank distributed three men to
do the business. There were no hero
ics. The execution of this man was
necessary to blm, not because be was
particularly angry over the escape of
the messenger he expected to capture
that Individual in due time but in or
der to preserve his authority over his
men. He was In the act of moving
back to give the shooters room wheu
he heard tho door open and shut
He turned. Before the door stood a
small, consumptive looking man in
light check suit The tenderfoot car
ried two short barreled Colt' revolv
ers, one of which he presented direct
ly at Black Hank.
" 'Nds up!" he commanded sharply.
Hank was directly covered, so be
obeyed. The newcomer's eye had i
strangely restless quality. Of the otb
er dozen Inmate of the room eleven
were firmly convinced that the weapon
and eye not directed at their leader
were personally concerned with them
selves. The twelfth thought be saw
bis chance. To the bewildered onlook
er mere seemed to be a flash and a
bang instantaneous. Then things were
as before. One of the stranger'a weap
ons still pointed at Black Hank's
breast; the second at each one of the
others. Only the twelfth man, he who
bad seen his chance, had collapsed for
ward to the floor. No one could assure
himself positively that he had dis
cerned the slightest motion on the part
of the stranger.
"Now," said the latter sharply, "one
at a time, gentlemen. Drop your gun!"
This last to Black Hank. "Muzzle
down. Drop It! Correct"
Oue of the men in the back of tho
room stirred slightly on the ball of his
foot
"Steady there!" said the stranger.
The man stiffened.
"Next gent" went on the little man,
subtly Indicating another. The latter
obeyed without hesitation. "Next! Now
you. Now you In the corner."
One after another the pistols clashed
to the floor. Not for an Instant could a
single inmate of the apartment, armed
or unarmed, flatter himself that bis
slightest motion was overlooked. They
were like tigers on the crouch, ready to
spring the moment the man's guard
lowered. It did not lower. The bud
died figure on the floor reminded them
of what might happen. They obeyed.
"Step back!" commanded the stran
ger next. In a moment he had them
standing In a row against the wall,
rigid, upright, their bands over their
heads. Then for the first time the
stranger moved from his position by
the door.
"Call her," be said to Bllly-'the
girl."
Billy raised bis voice. "Nell! Oh,
Nell!" i
la moment she appeared In th
4oorway at the foot of the stain with
out hesitation or fear. She bad slipped
on a dress. When she perceived th
state of affairs, she brightened almost
mischievously,
"Would you Just a soon, ma'am, If
It ain't troublln' you too much, Jost
sort of naturally mi tie Billy?" request
ed th stranger. ;
She did so. The botel keeper stretch
ed his arms.
"Now pick up tbern guns, please."
The two set about It
"Where' that Infernal old repro
bate?" bowled Billy suddenly, looking
bout for Charley,
The patriarch bad quietly slipped
way.
"You m drop tbem arms," advised
the stranger, lowering the muzzles of
bis weapon. The leader started to
ay something.
"You shut up!" said Billy, selecting
bis own revolvers from the heap.
The stranger suddenly picked up one
of the Colt's single action revolvers
which lay on the floor and, holding the
trigger back against the guard, ex
ploded the six charges by hitting the
hammer smartly wltb the palm of hi
hand. In the thrusting motion of this
discbarge be evidently bad design, for
the first six wineglasses on Billy's bst
were shivered. It was wonderful work,
rattling Are, quicker than a self cock
or even. He selected another weapon.
From a pile of tomato can be took one
vv-- J
" 'A'di up!" he commanded tharply.
and tossed it Into the air. Before It
bad fallen be had perforated It twice,
and as It rolled along tho floor be help-
ed Its progression by four more bullet
whlrh left streams of tomato .1nle
ALL
DONE
WITH
MULETEflM
Lace Curtains, Table Linen, Marble Mantels, Mir
rors, Shelves, Statuary, Lamps and Chimneys, Picture
Frames and Glasses, Enameled Bath Tubs and Tile
Work, Oil-cloth, Floors in fact Everything in the House
hold can be made thoroughly and hygienically Clean.
For sale by all druggists and grocers. Ask for and insist on 20-Mule-Tesm
Borax. If your dealer hasn't it don't buy bulk borax, which is often
adulterated. Write to us, tell us his name, enclosing 5c, and we will mail yon
package and include our illustrated booklet, Address,
Pacific Coast Borax Co., San Francisco. CaL
Present Address Pacific Coast Borax C o., Bacon Bldg., Oakland, Calif.
J-Q.
A. BOWLBY, President.
PETERSON, Vice-President.
0. I.
Astoria Savings Bank
Capital Paid In $100,000. Surplus and
Transact a General Banking Business,
168 Tenth Street,
First National Bank of Astoria, Ore,
ESTABLISHED 18S6.
Capital
where Chey Isd bit "Tho room vu
fall of amok. Tbo group watched,
fascinated.
Then the men against tho wall grew
rigid. Out of th film of smoke long,
vivid streams flashed toward tbem,
right and left Ilk the alternating
team of a locomotive's pistons. Smash,
smash, smash, smash, bit tho ballet
wltb regular thud. With tbo twelfth
discharge th din ceased. Midway be
tween tho beads of each pair of men
gainst th wall wa a round hole. No
a wa touched.
A Hence fell. The smok lightened
and blew slowly through tho window
and open door. Th horses, long dnco
deserted by their guardian In favor of
tbo excitement within, wblnnled. The
stranger dropped the smoking Colts and
qnletly reproduced bis own short bar
reled arms from bis side pockets. Billy
broke the spell at last.
"That's shootlnT' be observed, with
sigh.
"The fifty thousand Is outside," said
the stranger. "Do yon want 'vmV
There wa no reply.
"I aim to pull out on one of these
here bronc of your," said be. "Billy,
he's all right He doesn't know nothln'
about me."
Ho collected tho six shooters from
the floor.
'1 Just takes these with mo for a
pell," be remarked. "Yon finds them.
If you looks bard enough, along on th
trail likewise your bronc."
He backed toward the door.
"I'm layln' for th man that stick
bl bead outen that door," bo warned.
"Stranger," called Black Hank as ho
seared the door.
The little man paused.
"Might I ask your name?"
"Mr name is Alfred." resiled tho
I laff
Black Hank looked chagrined.
"I've beard tell of you," be remarked.
The stranger's eye ran over tho room .
and encountered that of th gu-L Ho
shrank into himself and blushed.
"Good night" be said hastily and lis- '
appeared. A moment later the beat of
boofs became audible aa be led th
bunch of horses away.
For an Instant no on spoke. Then
Billy exclaimed, "Hank, I means to
stand pat with you, but yon let that
. kid alone or I plugs you!" Billy was
the only man armed.
"Kid, huh!" grunted Hank. "Alfred
a kid! I've beard tell of him." '
i "What have you beard?" inquired tho
girl.
"He's the plumb best scoot on the
i southern trail and tho best pistol shot
In the west" replied Black Hank,
j Tbo year following Billy Knapp, AI-
"ed and another man named Jim
Buckley took across the hills tho only
wagon tram that dared set out that
summer.
YOUR
.w7Sf-iwfra' ...... -
(HANK PATTON, Cashier.
J. W. GARNER, Assistant Cashier.
Undivided Profit 155,000.
Interest Paid on Time Deposits
ASTORIA, OREQJN.
$100,000
i