WILLAMETTE FAKMElt : SALEM, OKEQOJN, AUGUST 2, 1887
BY BRET HARTE.
Copyrighted by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., afad
published by arrangement with them.
"now, men," said Ijbv, wirn a broodf, grat-.-fled
smile, laying down hb whip and ptotol
within reach and comfortably nettling tha
pillow behind his back, "we'll have a quiet
confab. A sort of old fashioned talk, eh I
You'ro not looking well, Manuel. You're
drinking too much again. It spoil your
oomploxlon."
"Let mo go, captain," pluadoJ tho man,
emboldened by the good humored voice, but
not near onough to notice a peculiar light in
tho Bixsaker's uye.
"You've only Just conio, Manuel, and at
considerable trouble, too. Well, what hoyo
you got to any! What's all this about F,
What are you doing horol"
Tho captured man shuffled his fuet ner
vously, and only uttered an uneasy laugh of
coarse discomfiture.
"I mo. You're banbiul. Well, I'll help
you along. Comol You know that Halo
was away and thoso womou wcro hero with
out n man to help thorn. You thought you'd
llud soino money hero, and have your own
way gvnorally, oh!"
Tho tone of Leo's voice Inspired him to
confidence; unfortunately, it inspired him
with familiarity also.
"I reckoned I had the right to n Ilttlo fun
on my own account, cap. I reckoned cz ono
gentleman In tho profession wouldn't Inter
fcro with nnother gentleman's Ilttlo gamo,"
ho continued coarsely,
"Stand up."
"Wot for" .
"Up, I sayl"
Manuel stood up and glanced at him.
"Utter a cry that might frighten these
womou, and by tho living Ood they'll rush
In here only to llml you lying dead on the
floor of the houso you'd have polluted.
Ho grasKxl the whip nml laid tho lash of
It heavily twice over Urn rulllau' shoulders.
Writhing in suppressed agony, tho man fell
Imploringly on hU knout,
"Now, listen I" said !o, softly twirling
(he whip in the air. "I want to refresh your
memory, DM you over Jeani, when you
were with mo Iwforo I was obliged to kick
you out of gentlemen's comany to break
Into n private bouse I Answerl"
".Vow, Ihlenl" saW Let.
"No," stammered the wretch.
"Ulil you ever learn to rob a woman,
child, or any but u nun, and that faco to
faool"
"No," repeated Manuel.
"Did you ever loam from me to lay n finger
upon a woman, old or young, in anger or
klndnessi"
"No"
"Thon, my poor Manuel, It's as I feared;
civilization has ruined you. Farming nod a
simple, bucullo life have perverted your mor
als. 80 you were running olf with tho stock
ami that mustang, when you got stuck in tho
snow; anil tho luminous Idea of this little
giuuo struck you f Kill That was another
mistake, Manuel; I never allowed you to
think when you were with me."
"No, captain."
"Who's your filondf
"A l l cowardly nigger from the Sum
mit," "I ngrvo with y on for onco; but hohiiMt't
had 11 very brilliant example. Where's ho
gone now f
"To b-ll, for all I carer
"Thou I wautjou to go with him. Listen.
If them's u way out of tho place jmi know It
or can 11 nil It. I give you two days to do it
j oil and he. At tho end of that time tho
order w III Ut to shoot ) on on tight. Now
take olT your Ixwto."
The mnn'sdark faco visibly whitened, lib
teeth chattered in supcrMitlou terror.
"I'm not going to shoot you now," said Ic,
smiling, "mi you will have a chance to die
with your txtot on, If you am uiortltIous.
1 only want you to exchange them for that
pair of Halo's In the corner The fact U I
have taken a fancy to jour. That fashion
of wearing the slockliigsouUldo strikes moui
one of the iioatcat things out,"
Manuel sullenly dmw olT his Inmts with
their mulllcd coloring, and put on the one
designated.
"Now open the door "
He did sit, Kalkuer was ulivady waiting
ut the thrcnhold. "Turn Manuel loom with
the other, Nod, hut disarm him first, Thoy
might iurrel, The habit of carrying arms,
Muuuol," added I-o, ai Kalkuor took a pistol
und how hi knife from the halthrccd, "is of
itMlf provocathouf vlolemtiaud Inconsistent
with a bucolic and astoial life."
When Kalkner nturuel he said hurriedly
to his companion. "IH jou think it wUo,
(loorge, to let thuwe hellhounds loot! Uood
(lo.ll 1 could scarcely let my grip of hU
throat go when I thought of what they wero
hunting."
"My dear Nod," said Uv, luxuriously en
sconcing himself under the bedclothes again
with n slight shiver of delicious waimth, "1
must want you against allow lug the natural
pride of a higher walk to prejudice you
against tho general level of our profession.
Indeed, 1 was quite struck with the Justice of
Manuel's protest that I was interfering with
certain i iide pioov" of his own toward re
sults itlimxl at by others."
"(Jeorso!'' Interrupted Kalkner almost
sjniMv
ft WmH
"Well. I admit it's getting ratuenato in
the evening for pure philosophical Inquiry,
and you aro Urol. Practically, then, it ucu
wIho to let them get away lcforo they discov
ered two things. One, our exact relations
here with these women; and the other, how
many of us wcro here. At present they think
we aro three or four In po&csslon and with
tho consent of tho women."
"The dogs!"
'Thoy are paying us tho highest compli
ment thoy can concclvo of by supposing us
cleverer scoundrels than themselves. You
are vory unjust, Ned."
"If they escajxj and tell their storyl"
"Wo shall have tho rare pleasure of know
ing wo are better tbiA'i people, believe, us.
And now put thoso lioots away somewhere
whero wo can produce them If necessary, as
cvidonco of Manuel's evening calL At pres
ent we'll keep tho thing quiet, and in tho
early morning you ran Dud out whero they
got In and remove any traces tbey havo left.
It Is no use to frighten tho women. There's
no fear of their returning."
"And If thoy get away!"
"Wo can follow in their tracks."
"If Manuel gives tho alarm I"
"With Ills burglarious boots left behind in
tho house! Nc much! Clood night, Ned.
Go to lied."
With theso words Leo turned on his sldo
and quietly resumed hi Interrupted slumber.
Kalkner did not, howovcr, follow this sensible
advice. When ho was sutlsflcd that his friend
was sleeping ho ojienctl tho door softly and
looked out. He did not appear to bo listen
ing, for his eyes wero fixed upon a Bmall pen
cil of light that stole across tho passago from
tho foot of Kate's door. Ho wutched It until
It suddenly disappeared, when, leaving tho
door partly ojicn, ho threw himself on his
couch without removing Ills clothes. Tho
slight movement awakenod tho sleeper, who
as beginning to feel tli3 (icccmIou of fever.
Ho moved restlessly,
"floorge," said Kalkner, softly.
"Ye."
"Whero was It wo passed that old Mission
church on tha road one dark night, and saw
the light burning before tho figure of tho
Virgin through tho wlndowl"
There was a moment of crushing silence,
"Does that mean you'ro wanting to light tho
candle again!"
"No."
"Then don't llo there Inventing sacrilegious
conundrums, but go to sleep."
Nevertheless, in the morning his fever was
slightly worse, Mrs. Hale, offering her con
dolence, said, "I know that you havo not
liecn resting well, for oven after your friend
met with that mishap In tho hall, I heard
your voices and Kato says your door was
oien all night. You have a little fever, too,
Mr. Kalknor."
(Icorgo looked curiously at Kulkner's palo
faco it was burning.
CHAPTER V.
Tls spied and fury with which Clinch'
ntvalcado swept on In the direction of tho
mysterious shot left Halo no chance for re
flection. He was conscious of shouting in
coherently witli tho others, of urging his
horse irresistibly forward, of momentarily
exiectlng to meet or overtako something, but
without any further thought, Tho figures of
Clinch and Ilawlins Immediately before him
shut out the pros)ect of the narrowing trail.
Unco only, taking advantage of a sudden halt
that throw thrm confusedly together, ho
managed to ask a question.
"Lost their track found It again!" shouted
tho ostler, as Clinch, with n cry like the lay
ing of a hound, again darted forward. Their
horses were panting and trembling under
them, tbo ascent seemed to lie growing
steeper, a singular darkness, which even the
density of the wood did not suillcleutly ac
count for, surrounded them, but still their
leader madly urged them on. To Hale's re
turning sense they did not seem in a condi
tion to engage n single resolute man, who
might havo ambushed In the woods or beaten
Uiom In detail In the narrow gorge, but In
another instant tho ren-wii of their furious
haste was manifest. Spurring his horso
ahead, Clinch dashed out Into tho 0cnwith
it rhivrlug shout a shout that as quickly
changed to a yell of imprecation. They w ere
on the llldgo In a blinding snowstorm! The
road hail already vauMiod under their feet,
and with It the freiJi trull thoy had so closely
follow wl I They stood helplessly on tho shore
of a trucklcta white sea, blank anil siotlis of
any trace or sign of the fugitive.
"Tears to me, lioys," said the ostler, sud
denly ranging U'foro them, "ef you'ro not
kalkilatlu' on glitlu' nnother party to dig ye
out, o'd better U huutln' fodder and cover
Instead of roadagcnU. 'Hkuso me, gentle
men, but I'm rc3Hnlhlo for the hews, and
this ain't no time for clivus rfdln'. Wo'ru a
matter o' six mile from the station In a l.
Hue."
"llack to the trail, then," said Clinch,
w heeling his horse ton unl tbo road they had
Just qulttol.
" 'riktise me, Kernel," haid the ostkr, laying
bis hnud on Clinch's ivln, "but that way only
brings us Uick tho road we kem the stage
road three mile further from home. That
throe miles Is on the dh ido, mid by the time
wegt there it will Iw snowed up worse nor
this. The sliortest cut is along the llidge. If
wo hump ourwhos we keiirnMi the dh ido
ufore tho roiul is blocked. And tluit, 'sku-t
me, geutleiuon, b my road,"
There was no time for discussion Tho
road was already palpably thickening under
their feet. Hale's anil was stiffened tohU
side by a wet, clinging snow wreath. Tho
figure of tho others worn almost obliterated
and shtix'loNi It wiu not snowing It was
suowholliugt The huge Uaki, shaken like
enormous feathers out of a vast blue black
cloud, commingled and fell in sprays and
patches. All idea of their former pursuit
was forgotten, the blind rage mid enthusi
asm that had poetbed them was gone.
They dashed after their new leader with only
an Instinct for shelter and succor.
They hail not ridden long when for
tunately, as It seemed to Hale, the character
of the storm changed. Tho snow no longer
fell In such Urge flakes, nor us heavily, A
bitter wind succeeded; the soft snow began
to stiffen ami crackle under the horse' hoofs;
they were no longer weight! and encum
bered bV the drifts uiwu their bodies: the
smaller flake now rustkxl nudnuped against '
tluim like Mud. or bounded fnuu theiu like '
hall, Thoy scorned to ho moving mom ensity
and rapidly, their spirits wcro rising with
tho stimulus of cold and motion, when sud
denly their leader halted,
"It's no use, boys. It can't bo donel This
is no bllzard, but a regular two days' snifter I
It's no longer meltln', but packln' and drift
in' now, Kvru If wo get over tho divide,
wo'ro sure to bo blocked up in the paw."
It wasliuol Tothelrbittordlsappolntment
they could now wo that tho snow had not
really diminished In quantity, but that the
now finely powdered particles wero rapidly
filling all inequalities of tho surface, packing
in long furrows across tho lovcls. Thoy
looked with anxiety at their self-constituted
leader.
"Wo must mako a break to get down In
tho woods again before it's too late," ho said
briefly,
Hut thoy had already drifted away from
tho fringe of larches and dwarf pines that
marked tho fides of tho IUdgc, and lower
down merged into tho denso forest that clothed
tho flank of tho mountain thoy had lately
climbed, and it was with tho greatest diffi
culty that thoy again reached it, only to And
that at that point it was too precipitous for
tho descent of their horses. Dcuumbed and
sjicechless, thoy continued to toll on, opposed
to tho full fury of the stinging snow, and at
times obligod to turn their horses to tho blast
to keep from being blown over the IUdgc.
At tho end of half an hour tha ostler dis
mounted, and, beckoning to tho others, took
his horse by tbo bridle and began tho descent
When it came to Hale's turn to dismount bo
could not help at first recoiling from tho pros
pect beforo him. Tho trail if It could bo so
called was merely tho track or furrow of
some fallen tree, dragged, by accident or de
sign, diagonally across tho sides of tho moun
tain. At times It npjieared scarcely n foot In
width; at other times a mere crumbling
gully, or a narrow sholf mado by the projec
tions of dead boughs and collected debris. It
seemed iwrllous for a foot passenger; It ap
carcd InipoxslMo for a horse. Nevertheless,
his had taken a step forward when Clinch
laid his hand on his arm.
"You'll bring up the rear," ho said, not un
kindly, "ex you'ro n stranger here. Wait un
til wo sing out to you."
"Hut If I prefer to take tho somo risks as
you all r said Halo, stiffly.
"You kin," said Clinch, grimly. "Dut I
reckoned, as you weren't familiar with this
sort o' thing, you wouldn't kecr, by any
foolishness o' yours, to stampedo tho rock
ahead of us, and break down tho trail, or
send down an avalanche on top of us. Hut
Jutt cz you like."
"I will wait, then," said Hale, hastily.
Tho rebuke, howovcr, did him good ser
vice. It preoccupied hU mind, so that it re
mained unaffected by tho dizzy depths, and
enabled him to abandon himself mechanic
ally to tho sagacity of his horso, who was
contented simply to follow tho hoofprlnts of
the preceding animal, and in a few moments
they readied tho broader troll below without
a mishap. A discussion regarding their fu
ture movements was already taking place. Tha
InqioKslblllty of regaining tho station at tho
tjumralt was admitted; the way down the
mountain to tho next settlement was still left
to them, or tho adjacent woods, if they
wished for an curamimeut. Tho ostler onco
mom assumed authority,
"'ijkusu me, gentlemen, but them horses
don't take no power down tho mountain to
night, Tho stage road ain't a mile off, and I
kalkllato to wait hem till tho up stago comes.
Bho's bound to stop on account of tho snow;
and I've done my dooty when I hand the
horses over to the driver."
"Hut if she hear of the block up yer, and
wait at tho lower station!" said Ituwlhu.
"Then I've done my dooty nil the somo.
'Kkuso me, gentlemen, but them cz hex Uielr
own lion Lin does they like."
As this clearly poinUnl to Hale, he briefly
assured lib cimijmnlons that ho bad no inten
tion of doMirtlng them. "If I cannot reach
Kaglo' Court I shall at least keep as near it
m kksIIiIo. I suppoMi any messenger from
my hoase to the Hiimmlt will learn where I
am and why I am delayed "
"Messenger from your liousel" gasped Unw
litis. "Am you crazy, stranger! Only a bird
would get outer Ingle's now; and it would
hev to lie an eagle ut that I Hot ween your
house and the Kummlt the snow must be ten
feet by this time, to say-fiothlug of the drift
In tho pass."
Halo felt it wo the truth. At any other
time ho would have worried over this unex
lHctod situation, and In utter violation of all
his traditions. He wapat that now, and
even felt a certain relief. He knew his fam
ily wem safe; It wa.t enough. That thoy
wero lockedup securely, and inaqiablo of In
tcrfciiug withhlm, seemed to enhance his
new, half conscious, half shy enjoyment of
an adventurous existence.
The ostler, who had been apjuuvntly lost
in contemplation of the steep trull he hail
Juit descended, suddenly clapped hU liand to
his leg with an ejaculation of gratified ustou
Ishmcut. "Waal, darn my skin ef that ain't Heuuick
er's 'slide' all the timet I heard ft was torn!
what about hero,"
Haw lliu briefly expla'rxl to Hale that u
slide was a rude Incline for tho transit of
heavy good that could not U carried don n
a trail
"And HennlekerV," continued tho man,
"ain't mom nor a inlle away. Ye might try
Heimlcker's at a push, ehi"
Hy a common Instinct the whole i-&rty
looked dubiously at Hale, "Who's Hen
nickerl" he felt compelled to rtsk.
The ostler hotdtatod and glaiieul at the
others to reply. "There am folks," he said
hully at last, "ex Uloeen that Hennlckcr
ain't much better nor the crowd we're hunt
ing; but they don't say it to Hennlckcr. We
needn't let on what we're after."
"I for one," said Hale stoutly, "decidedly
object to any concealment of our purpose."
"It don't follow," said Rawlins carelessly,
"that HeWlcker even know of this yer
robtery. It' hi ginerurgalt we refer to.
Ef yer think it more i-allte, and it make it
more sociable to discus this matter afore
him, I'm agreed." j
"Hale means," said Clinch, "that it
wouldn't l-on the square to take and make'
use of any point we might pick up thero'
agin the road agents I
"CrUlnlv." said I.a!o, It was not ut all
what ho hod meant, but be felt singularly
rclioved at the compromise.
"And cz I reckon Hcnnlckcr ain't sueh a
fool as not to know who wo aro and what
wo're out for," continued Clinch, "I reckon
there ain't any concealment."
"Then It's Ilcnnlckcr'sl" said the ostler,
with swift deduction.
"Hennlckcr it isl Lead on."
Tho ostler remounted his horso and tbo
others followed. Tho trail presently turned
Into a broader track, that bore somo signs of
approaching habitations, and at tho end of
five minutes they came upon a clearing. It
was part of ono of tho fragmentary mountain
terraces, and formed by itself a vast niche,
or bracketed shelf, in tho hollow flank of the
mountain that, to Halo' first glance, boro a
rudo rcscmblanco to Eagle's Court. Dut
there was neither meadow nor open field; the
fow acres of ground had been wrested from
tho forest by ax and fire, and unsightly
' stumps every whtro marked tho rudo and dlf-
flcult attempts at cultivation. Twoorthreo
rough buildings of unplancd and unpalntod
boards, connected by rambling sheds, stood
in tho center of tho amplthcatre. Kar from
being protected by tho encircling rampart, it
seemed to bo tho selected arena for tho com
bating elements. A whirlwind from tho
outer abyss continually filled this cavo of
Eoluswlth driving snow, which, howovcr,
incited as it fell, or was quickly whirled
away again.
A fow dogs barked and ran out to meet tho
cavalcade, but there was no other sign of
any llfo disturbed or concerned at their ap
proach.
"I reckon Hennlckcr ain't homo or he'd her
been on tho lookout aforo this," said tho ost
ler, dismounting and rapping at tho door.
After a sllcnco a female voice, unintelligi
bly to tho others, apparently had somo collo
quy with tho ostler, who returned to tho
party.
"Must go In through tho kitchln can't
ojicn tho door for tho wind."
Leaving their horses In tho shed, they en
tered tho kitchen, which communicated, and
presently como upon a square room filled with
smoko from a fire of green plno logs. Tho
doors and windows were tightly fastened ;
tho only air camo In through tho largo
throated chlmnoy in voluminous gusts,
which seemed to mako tho hollow shell of tho
apartment swell and expand to tbo point of
bursting. Despite tho stinging of tho resin
ous smoko, tho tcmeraturo was grateful to
tho benumbed trnvolcrs. Bcveral cusblonloss
arm chairs, such as wcro used in barrooms,
two tables, a sideboard, half bar and half
cuplKianl, and a rocking chair comprised tho
furniture, and a few bear and buffalo skins
covered tbo floor. Halo sank into ono of tho
armchairs, and, with a lazy satisfaction,
Uirtly born of hi fatlguo and partly from
some newly discovered appreciative faculty,
gazed around tho room, and then at tho mis
tress of tho house, with whom tho others were
talking.
She was tall, gaunt and withered; In spito
of her evident years, her twitted hair was
still dark and full, and her eyes bright and
piercing; her complexion and teeth had long
since succumbed to the vitiating effects of
frontier cookery, and her lips were stained
with tho yellow Julco of a brierwood plpo
sho held In her mouth. Tho ostler had ex
plained their intrusion, and veiled their
character under tho vague epithet of a
"hunting irty," and was now ovldently de
scribing them personally. In hi new found
philosophy the fact that the Interest of hb
host) scorned to In excited only by tho
name of lib companions, that ho himself
was carelessly, and oven deprocatlngly, al
luded to as tho "stranger from Eaglo'"by
tho ostler, and completely overlooked by tho
old woman, gave him no concern.
"You'll havo to talk to Zcnobla yourself.
Dod rot ef I'm gluu to interfere. Bho know
Hennlckcr' wuys, and If sho cboosea to toko
in transient it ain't no funeral o' mine.
Zccnlet You, Zcenlel LookyerF
A tall, lazy looking, handsome girl ap
peared on the threshold of tho next room, and
with n hand on eacldoor iost, slowly swung
herself backward and forward, without en
tering. "Well, maw."
The old woman briefly and unalliirlngly
pictured the condition of the travelers.
"Paw ain't here," liogan the girl, doubt
fully, "and- Howdy, Dlckl Is that you I"
Tho Interruption was caused by her recogni
tion of the ostler, and sho lounged Into tho
room. In splto of it skimp, slatternly gown,
w hose straight skirt clung to her lower limbs,
there was a quaint, nymph-like contour to
her figure. Whether fnu languor, 111 health,
or more probably from it morbid consclous
nctsqf her own height, slio moved with a
slightly affected stoop thnt had become a
habit. It did not seem ungraceful to Hale,
already attracted by her delicate protUe, her
largo dark eyes, und a certain weird resem
blance she hud to some, half-domesticated
dryad.
"That'll do, maw-," she said, dUmin&ing her
parent w lib a nod. "I'll talk to Dick."
As the door closed on the old woman Zo
luiblu leaned her bauds on the back of a
chair, and confronted the admiring eyes of
Dick with a goddetd-lika indifference.
"Now, wot's the use of your playlu' tub
yer game on me, Dick I Wot' tho good of
your ladllu' out that hog wash about hunt In' I
"Hot's IU oochi of your ladUu' out that
hog trash about AuuffnV"
JluntMl 111 tell yer the huntin' you-uns
hev been at! You've been hunUn' George
Leo and hb boy since an hour before sun up.
Votte beu follow lu' a bliud trail uo to th
lUdgo, until tho snow got up and bunted you
right hero) YouVo been whoopln' and ycllln'
and circus ridln' on tho roads like ex yer wos
Comanche?, and frightening all the women
folk within miles that's yer huntln'l You've
been cllmbln'downjiaw'sold slide at last, and
makln' tracks for hero to savo tbo skins of
them condemned government horses of tho
kempany I And that's your huntln'l"
To Hale's surprise a burst of laughter from
tho party followed this speech. He tried to
Join in, but this ridiculous summary of the
result of hb enthusiastic senso of duty left
him the only earnest Iwllever mortified and
embarrassed. Nor was lie. tho less concerned
as ho found tbo girl's dark eyas had rested
onco or twice upon him curiously.
Zcnobln laughed too, and, lazily, turning
tho chair around, dropped Into it, "And by
thb tlmo (Jeorgo Lee's loungln' back In his
chyar and smokln' hb cigar somow bar In Sac
ramento, she added, stretching her feet out
to the II iv, and suiting tho action to tho word
with an imaginary cigar between tbo long
fingers of a thin and not over clean hand
"Wo cave, Zecnlel" said Ilawlins, when
their hilarity had subsided to n moro subdued
and scarcely loss flattering admiration of the
unconcerned goddess before them, "That's
about tbo size of it. Yo kin rako down tho
pile. I forgot you'ro an old friend of
Qcorgo's."
"Ho's a whit man!" said tbo girl decid
edly. "Yo used to know him!" continued Raw
lins. "Onco, Paw ain't in that lino now," she
said simply.
There was such a subllmo unconsciousness
of any moral degradation Involved In thb
allusion that oven Halo accepted It without
a shock. Bho roso presently, and, going to
tho Ilttlo sideboard, brought out a number of
glasses; theso sho handed to each of tho party,
and then, producing a demijohn of whisky,
slung it dexterously and gracefully over her
arm, so that it rested on her elbow liko a
cradlo, and, going to each ono in succession,
filled tbclr glasses. It obliged each ono to
rlso to accept tho libation, and as Hale did so
In hb turn ho mot the dark eye of tho girl
full on hb own. There was a pleased curi
osity in her glanco that made thb married
man of 35 color ta awkwardly as a boy.
Tho tender of refreshments bclns under-
! stood as a tacit recognition of their claim to
a larger hospitality, all further restraint wo
removed. Zenobla resumed her seat, and
placing her elbow on tho arm of her chair,
and her small round chin In her hand, looked
thoughtfully In the Are. "When I say George
Loo' a white man, it ain't bocauso I know
him. It's hb goneral gait Wot' ho over
douo that' underhanded or mean! Nothln'l
You can't sho w tho poor man ho's aver took
plcayuno from. When bo' helped himself
to a pllo It' been outer thyi banks or them
exproa companies, that think it mighty fine
to bust up themselves and swindle tbo poor
folks o' tholr but cent, and nobody talks o'
huntln' them I And does ho keep their money!
No; ho passes It round among the boyi that
holp him, and they put it in circulation. Ho
don't keep it for himself; he ain't got lino
houses In Frisco; bo don't keep fast horses
for show. Like ox not tho critter he did that
Job with ef it was him none of you boys
would havo rid I And ho takes all tho risks
himself; you ken bet your life that every
man with blm was sofo and away dforo h
turned hb back on you tins."
"He certainly drops a Ilttlo of hb money at
draw pokir, Zeunle," said Clinch, laughing,
"no lost 15,000 to (Sheriff Kelly last week."
"Well, I don't hear of tho sheriff hunUn'
him to glvo it back, nor do I reckon Kelly
banded It over to tho exprua It was taken
from. I beard tou won suthln' from him a
spell ago. I reckon you've been hunUn' blm
to find out whar you should return It" Tho
laugh was clearly against Clinch. He was
about to mako somo rallying rejoinder when
the young girl suddenly Interrupted him.
"Ef yo'ro wautln' to hunt somebody, why
don't you toko higher game I Tbar's that Jim
Harklns; go for him, and I'll Join you."
"Harklnsl" exclaimed Clinch and Hale,
simultaneously.
"Yes, Jim Harklns; do you know him!"
sho said, glancing from the ono to the other.
"Ono of my friends do," said Clinch, laugh
ing; "but don't let that stop you."
"Aud you over there," continued Zenobla,
bending ber head and eyes toward Halo.
"The fact b I bellovo he was my banker,"
said Halo, with a smile. "I dont know him
jiersoually."
"Then you'd Mter hunt him beforo bo does
you."
"What's ho done, Zecnlel" asked Rawlins,
keenly enjoying tho dbcomllturo of ibe other.
"What!" She stopped, throw her long black
braid over ber shoulder, clasped her knee
with her hands, and rocking backward and
forward, sublimely unconscious of the appa
rition of a slim ankle and half dropped oft
slipper from under her sh-a'.cned gown, con
Umied: "It mishn't ploaso htm," she said,
slyly, nodding toward Hale.
"Pray don't mind me," sold Hale, with un
necessary eagerness.
''j iffi.'iii (I r ".. i Mr
Cmtioued Next Week )
LADD & REED,
llTU, Ossoox
Iutters aad Hretlers of
Short-Horn Cattle,
OoU-roM sod LtitaUr Shp sud Cljd dtle Uorsc
tfeiSsa
V
"-- ...
ijsg
aszsiHt-tr!'.'mm- :
"jrSii'J