Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-06
A BLUE GRASS PENELOPE.
By BRET HARTE.
PART SECOND.
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
Mr.. Paterson did not inform his wife
Of the lawyers personal threat TO himself
But he managed, after PoindeXter had
LEFT, to make her conscious that Mrs
Tucker might be a power TO be placated
and feared. s4You've shot of your mouth
az her." he said, argumentatiyely, and
whether you've hit the mark or not you've
had vOur say. Fl you think it's worth
possible 5000 and interest TO keep on,
heave ahead. FL you rather have the
chance Of getting the rest in cash,
you'll let up on her" You don't
suppose" returned Mrs. Patterson
anything bat what that man Of hers
-pOindexter-let's her have" The
Sheriff SAYS retorted Patterson surlily,
"that she's notified him that she claims
the rancho As a giit from her husband
three years agO-and she's in possession
now. and was SO when the execution was
out. Ii don't make no matter" he added.
with gloomy philosophy, who's got a
full hand as long as ace amt got the
cards 70 chip in. 1 wouldn't hev minded
it." he continued meditatiyely, ''ef Spence
Tucker had dropped hint 10 me afOre he
put butt And l suppose said Mrs.
Patterson angrily. YOU'D have put out
tOOf" Il reckon. said Patterson. simply.
Twice or thrice during the evening he
referred. more or less directly. TO this lack
OF confidence shown by his late debtor and
employer, and seemed 10 feel il more
keenly than the loss Of property. He con-
fded his sentiments quite openly TO the
Sheriff in possession. over the whisky ana
euchre With which these gentlemen
avoided the difficulties Of their delicate
relations. He brOOded over il as he handed
the KEYS Of the shop 10 the Sheriff when
they parted for the night, and was still
thinking Of il when the house was closed.
every body gone 10 bed, and he was fetch
ing a fresh jug OF water from the we'll.
The moon was at times ObScured by flying
clOuds-the dUdHt-c0uricTS Of the regular
evening shower. He was STOPPING over
the web, when he sprsng suddenly 10 his
feet again. who's there 80 he demanded
sharply.
"Hush" said a voice, so low and faint
il might have been a whisper Of the wind
in the palisades Of the corral. But, in
distinct as it was, IL was the voice OF the
man he was thinking of as far away. and
il sent thrill of alternate awe and pleas
ure through his pulses.
he glanced quickly around. The moon
was hidden by a passing cloud, and only
the faint outlines of the house he had just
quilted We're visible. is that YOU,
Spencer he said. TREMENDOUSLY.
Yes" replied the voice. and figure
dimly emerged from the corner Of the
corral.
Lay low. lay low-for G6d's sake. =
said Patterson, hurriedly throwing him.
self upon the apparitiOn. THE Sheriff
and his posse are in there
But l must speak to you moment,"
said the figure.
wait" said Patterson. slSncing to-
ward the building. Its blank. shutterless
windows revealed no inner light-a pro-
found silence encOmpaSsed il. Some
quick he whispered. Letting his grasp
Slip down 70 the unreSisting hand OF the
stranger, he half dragged. half led him.
brushing against the wall, into the open
door Of the deserted barrOOm ne had Just
quilted. locked the inner door. poured a
glass Of whisky from a decanter, gave it
to him. and then watch him drain il at a
single draught. The moon came out, and,
falling through the bare windows fun
Hp0H tie strangers -
ace, revealed the
artistic but slightly disheyelled curls and
moustache Of the fugitive, Spencer Tucker.
Whatever NAV have been the real tnfiu-
enee Of this unfortunate man upon his
fellows, il seemed 10 ind expression in a
singular unanimity Of criticism. Patter-
son looked at him with half-dismal,
half-welcoming smile.
.Wen, you are h-n Of a fellow, amt
your
Spencer Tucker passed his hand through
his hair and lifted il from his forehead, with
A gesture at once emotional and theatre
cal. Il am man with a price on me p
he said. bitterly, Give me up to the
sheriff. and you'll get five thousand dol
lars. Help me, and yOu'N get nothing.
That's my id luck, and yours, too, l
suppose"
~,Ff I
clean away. Went OF in a ship"
..Went OF in a boat to ship" inter-
rupted Tucker SaYagely; "went on 10 a
shin that had all my things on board
everything. The crushed boat capsiZed
in a squat lust Of the heads The ship,
On her, sailed away, the men thinking
l was drowned. likely. and that they'd
make a good thing OF my goods
reckon
But the girl, Inez, who was with you,
didn't she make a row.
~Quisn Sabe.'' returned Tucker, with a
reckless laugh. swell, l hung on like
srim death to that boats keel until one OF
those Chinese fishermen, in a dug out,
hauled me in opposite SaneelitO.
chartered him and his dug out to bring
me down here
s.W-hv hereg' asked Patterson, with s
certain OstentatiOus caution that i'll con.
cealed his penSiYe satisfaction.
You may well ask, = returned Tucker
with an equal OstentatiOn Of bitterness
as he slightly waved his companion away
but reckoned / could trust a white
man that I'd been kind 70, and who
wouldn't go back on me. No, no. let me
sos Hand me over TO the Sheriff. -
Patterson had suddenly grasped both
the hands Of the picturesque scamp be
fore him, with an affection that for an in
slant almost shamed the man who had
ruined him. But fuckers egOtism whls
pered that this affection was only a re
co-nition Of his own superiority, and fell
catered. He was beginning 70 believe
that he was really the injured party.
..What l hare and what have AGd j;
yours. Spence" returned Patterson. with
4 sad and simple directness that made
anv further discussion a gratuitous IN
suit. i only wanted 70 know what YOU
reek0ned 10 do here
i want 70 get over across the coast
range 10 Monterey said Tucker. '.Onct
there. one Of those eOasting schooner:
will bring me down 70 Acapulco, where
the ship VIII put in
Paterson remained silent for a mo-
ment. There's a mustang in the corral
you can take-leastways shan't know
rhsrits gone-until tomorrow afternoon
In an hour nom now he added. iooklng
from the window. s'theSe clouds VIII settle
down 10 business. It viii rain; there VIII
BE light enough for you 70 md your way
bv The regular trail over the mountain: but
not enough for any one 70 know you. II
Won can't push through tonight you can lie
over at the Posada on the summit. Them
Greasers that keep il won't know you, and
il they did, they won't 90 back on you.
And If they did 90 back on You nobody
would believe them. It's mighty curl
Ous,s' he added, with gloomy philosophy,
but / reckon it's the reason why ProTl-
dence allows this kind Of cattle 70 live
among white men and others made IN his
IMAGE. Take a piece Of pie, won't you -
he Continued. abandoning this abstract
reflection and producing half Fat pump
Kin pie from the bar. Spencer Tucker
zrasped the pie with one hand and his
Giena's fingers With the other and