The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-18
A MAGDALEN OF THE FRONTIER.


past the brilliant temptation Of the Con
tinual" saloon and the less tempting facade Of
Trellcotts opposition establishment, big JIM
the driver found an unthonged spot on the
side or his horses, and so persuaded them to a
final squirt, which should emphasize the sudden
ness of the pull-up on the postofice corner. All
the mon l~ounging there under the cottonwoods
swayed and surged for a vantage ground whence
to peer into the stage.
"Notad-dp passenger cried ALI Dixon. "Boys,
this camps peterin' out just about as fast as the
law allows, an a little more so. This is
the fourth night the coachs come in empty.
What the h-l"-
DRY up, Afr 1t was Bruce Stewart, the
blonde young deputy sheriff, who rode guard
over the treasure box, now nimbly springing
down from the top, Winchester in hand. Give
us a rest on your French talk. That's an old
lady in there-a sanity old tenderfoot-Go d help
her here"
He opened the coach door and made a baluster
OF his strong young arm.
Now ma'am. here you are at the office, 1t
you'd like to inquire. Maybe some. of these old
citizens might tell you about your daughter
sorry I'm a stranger here, you might say with
an admonishing frown at the crowd. He guided
the old lady into the house, and pulled forward
a big chair, then faced the gathering group,
flushed and breathing hard. "Well, this stumps
mel" He pushed his way to the door, then rails
ing his voice again, cried loudly in slangy Span
ish: PLAY numskull, every man-jack of you!
That poor old soul has ZONE out here to find her
daughter, that she thinks is teaching school
she told me all about it, coming up on the stage.
1t won't do to let her find out about it tonight,
anYway-its Carried
Then Mr.. Stewart retreated with precipita-
ton. He had killed his man at Georgetown, an
adjacent camp, and, as to physical daring. per
haps no man in the county had greater hardl-
hood. But his moral courage was not equal to
this situation, and so Bruce Stewart fled the
field.
Every man in the ~postofice drug store had un-
derstood the young deputy's admonition, and all
eyes turned on the tiny old figure sitting in their
midst, all Quaint and travel-worn, but still quite
self possessed. A very little old lady she was.
with delicate features and wax-like coloring. A
bunch of teathery white curls escaped from her
bonnet at either temple, in a fashion of years
long gone. Her ralnent was not Anticipated,
either as to fabric or fashioning, and yet, to a
fanciful mind, it would suggest a lingering fra
GRANGE of lavender and faded rose leaves, or
kindred essences, whose very memories now are
relegated amid the things of a shadowy past.
After the secession of Bruce Stewart. the old
lady sat a few moments glancing about with
quiet composure. If the novelty of the scene
surprised her she made no signs. Neither did
she succumb to fatigue, She held her light shape
erect as a girls when she approached the post
master.
Are you the gentleman in charged" she said,
| WILL Il PRECISE courtesy ana Def JnlIli SOU lOu6
was a vocal rendering of of old-fashioned slant
ing, Italian chirography, "Ah-the postmaster
yes, Then no doubt you will be able to direct
me to my daughter-Miss Platt. She-she is
engaged in the profession of teaching"
Doctor Lucas adjusted his glasses on his thin,
sharp nose, and looked at here closely. He was
probably the only man in the room who had not
felt a thrill of chivalric sympathy at sight of
her. He was a lean, dark, sallow, snappish
little man, in chronic il-humor, thanks to the
rapid decline of business in the town, and the
brow-beating of his virago wife, Tonight
he was in even worse than usual
temper, on account of the coach's late arrival and
the crowd in the drugstore keeping him on duty
there, wnIle an over. worked deputy, visible
through the glass front of the postoffice inclos-
ure, struggled alone through distribution of the
mail. He would have liked to drive the con
course without and close the doors upon them.
Failing safety in that measure, he obeyed his
instinct to bully a creature weaker than
himself.
There's only one schoolmaham in town, and
he'sa mani" he snarled. Il don't know anything
about your daughter-she's not my sort. You'd
better go over to Daniels. Guess they can give
you all the information you want"
She looked at him in doubt and wonder. In
all her life her exquisite delicacy and femininity
had warded off from her such roughness as this.
A murmer of indignation began in the room, but
it was silenced by one sweeping glance of sig
nificance from the bright blue eyes of a man
who came forward and bent his stately head to
the old lady with perfect creole grace.
THAT suggestion is not a bad one; our friend
here is uncultured and unmanneriy, but he
means well-we will take it for granted that he
means well. Madam, will you accept my escort
to seek your daughters 1t may be an undertake
ing of time--life in this section is busy and
hu~stling-people are self %centered, and pay little
attention to their neighbors-the faculties of
perception and observation become diminished"
- AS he led his charge away, the pleasant ca
dence of his soft, Southern tone died away in
the safe generalizing of platitudes' uttered with
the intent of soothing while he gained time.
Every man in the drug store breathed freer,
satisfied of this issue of this difficult and painful
matter. since George Locke's tact and ingenuity
would direct its arrangement. But one young
fellow walked briskly to the postmaster, rubbing
his broad hands in a very agony of indignation
and disgust. His jaunty attire, astute, slim
German face. and sliding step made up an anon
alous ensemble. This was Barney Holman. the
butcher. He exercised a shrewd business fac
ulty, and was always amply in funds: his un-
failing generosity with these resources
gave hun an assured standing among men. and
might have secured him position in the hetero-
geneous social life of the town had he cared for
such distinction. Moreover, his very soul was
instinct with the innate chivalry that strikes
root deeper than that which is learned at court
''See here, DR.. Lucas" he said, Pm peaceful
minded and all that, but l just can't stand no
such onry way of talkin' to a lady-and an old
lady, too! I'd have taken a hand myself, but
why, to talk to a lady, it just breaks me all up.
But I'd just 8 soon tell a man what | think of
him--even II its not very compllInentary-as L
would to lasso a cr1tter. And | think it's mighty
rough for you to abuse and talk hard to an old
lady about her daughter that she can't help
about. and you got half a dozen half breed kids
runnin' around up here in chihuahua, without
any schoolin, and learnin' to steal and fill the
dance houses. l believe a man can be a man, if
he is a gambler-if ne amt a tin horn gambler
and / think a man can stand way up in a town
and still want jumpin' on the worst kind. And
l wouldn't stop much at doin' it,"
Rarn1VfS TRADE met with aDprOVal. mora mar
ticularly the clause referring to the hapless half
cast children DR.. Lucas had ignored since his
marriage. Such a storm of reproach assailed
DIR. Lucas as to make him bend his craven head
Matters might have become serious for him but
for the reaction of laughter ovet Bob Nugents
tinsv dlctnm Bob was a gentleman DRINK Or