Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-09-14

most important member of his audience,
~. you see this poor dogP" He opened
his arms as he spoke, and showed that
what he held was a little brown dog,
diving or dead, so Philip judged from
the helpless manner in which 1t was
lying.
Poor fellow" said Phil in the pity
inc tone one instinctively falls into on
seeing suffering dumb animal.
Are YOU one of the gang" de-
manded the rider, who was clearly not
distinguished for good temper.
Phil looked rather angrily up at the
speaker and met his eve. He was a
man of middle age, dark complexion,
and with remarkably glossy whiskers,
while his eyes were keen, unfeeling
eyes-so thought Phil, as he noted them
in a single glance by the gas-light. 81
know no more of gang than yourself"
retorted Phil. II am only sorry TO see
the poor little dog in such a state. The
man seems fond of him, and you can
not wonder if he feels its loss"
He should feel something else, if
had my will, returned the hOrseman;
land if you are not one of the gang,
you had better be careful how you pick
your companions. for if meet a police
man, / will come back with him; so you
had better clear off," With this he put
spurs 10 his horse and was out of sight
directly.
what made him so terribly out of
temper with you?" said Phil. Had
you had much of a quarrel before
came upg'
"a Yes; we just about did have arow,"
said the man. He killed poor Tiny,
and he did it on purpose. If we had
been in a quieter place, out on the
Downs, for instance, would have put
him -" The man did not finish his
sentence.
What made him say you were a
| card-sharper and so on?" asked Phil,
who regretted the indiscreet question the
moment he had asked it.
"What made him say it?" echoed the
man. "Why, because l am one, that $
why. l have been working the race
meeting down here, but with bitter bad
| luck. i have tried the cards; / have
tried the purse trick; have tried all
| know, but couldn't draw n coin from
the stingy chawbacons about here.
lost every shilling put on the horses;
and now me and Tiny was on the tramp;
and this pipe of tobacco what was
/ smoking was the last | had got, and
neither me nor Tiny knew where TO get
our supper tonight nor our breakfast
! in the morning. But we had been in
such fix before this; and would have
gone without a meal for myself-and
| have done il, mister-before Tiny
l -L,,,1I Ior.n x.-tthN,,t III
he's dead. always had friend while
he was alive, and now -" The
tramp, for such he clearly was, faltered
in his speech here, and under pretense
of pushing back his ragged hair, Philip
saw him draw the cuff of his sleeve
across his eyes.
The young man hesitated a moment,
/ then drawing half a crown from his
pocket, offered it TO the other. This
is not n great DEAL" said Phil, ''but it
will help you to get lodging for to-
night, and tomorrow something may
turn up"
"Wellr' exclaimed the tramp, after a
pause of establishment, II didn't ex-
pect this. mister-I didn't indeed. I'm
very much obliged to you for it; but il
You think was working the oracle foI
this, in telling you what 1 did. I'm
blessed if / want it. l don't, really.
Sleeping in a barn is nothing fresh &c
me; and shouldn't like you to think,
/ though / am thimble- rigger. that
"Oh, nonsense" said Phil. al give
it to you for poor Tiny's sake. | am
fond of dogs myself, so quite under.
stand your sorrow at his death"
Thank you, mister; 1 thank YOU
/ kindly for this half-crown." said the
man. "But, though you've got feel
ing heart, you can't understand what ]
feel at losing this dumb creature. But
if ever | get a chance of squaring it with
that fellow"
"Come! don't talk such dangerous
nonsense" said Phil. IL dare say he
has forgotten all about you by this time
ut any rate, he did not come back with
the police. You know you ought moi
to talk like that"
''He's a bad one--a rank bad one,
spite of his horse and his swell clothes"
Tetorted the other; land always was. ~
always wasr repeated Phil. Have
you ever seen him before?"
The man looked at Phil with a curious
/ slHllc OclOIc reply my, anu lneu Salu'
IBID you see me move out of the light
when he said he knew me? You did.
Well, / didn't want him to recOllect toe
much. P'raps he did see me on the
race-cOurse; for, | tell you freely,
have been there with the cards; but
p'raps he did not. It's Just as likely
he only thought he did. Directly spoke
TO him and told him my opinion, before
you was there. you know, saw a look
come upon his face as if he were trying
to recall something he had seen or heard
a good while ago"
"Well, good night" said Phil; "a
wish you better luck and better trade
Get out OF SandsmOuth anyhow"
Good night, mister. and good lucl
to you," said the tramp. ''As to ny
trade. it's pretty near all that is lef
me. think / saw you in certai,
warehouse to-day; and if am right
you will find there are people in other
trades quite as bad as me. But you've
got kind heart, mister; and if ever
can do you a good turn, will" And
with this they parted.