Wichita eagle., 1886-10-01
9ai11R eagle
A FAITHFUL BROTHER.

face excitement. The hanging of a Chinamai
q fortnight before had not stopped tho rob
bcries of dust, which now came to be of night
~ occurrence. Every man in the camp looked
on his neighbor with distrustful eye, AM
the universal distrust created an irritating
condition Of puLlic sentiment, the popularity
Of which was that each miner felt himself
under the surveillance of bis comrades and
unjustly beneath the blighting shadow o,
suspicion.
When the camp turned out one brigh,
morning and added page to its rather tur
bulent history in the above mentioned episode
leaving the horrid shape dangling to cotton
wood as monument of blind savagery, i!
showed the utmost cheerfulness and good
hulnor. The picturesque and rugged land
scape. the singing of the birds, the sweet, aro-
matte woody odors which hung over the carly
breeze, the dazzling sunlight, the placid calm
of the young day were all in accordance with
the feelings of the boys, who enjoyed On their
return to work the peace of approving coii-
sciences AMI the satisfaction born Of a good
deed iilly performed and yet the poor, inof-
fensiva. half-5liad life which had been so
mercilessly snufTed out was sent into the nlys-
terious beyond for the crimes Of another, and
the Fiat Brokers became dimly conscious of
the fact, as after. few days the robberies
were resumed.
OFF q Chinee was a human, I'll be derned
ef 1 wouldn't feel saca!lin' about sendin hlln
over the divide, said Cold Dollar; but Cod
Dollar was looked upon Us unnecessarily SEN
tinental
Jim Fixes had suffered much. One Of the
rirs: hauls the thieves had made had been
4. IL, sc 4a,,l vp4< hah h.,tt
a shack, and one night, while he was absent
over tho range, il was broken open end the
small hoardinCs of himself and his brother
were again taken BY virtue of his losses he
was made chief prosecutor before Judge
Lynch, but nc seemed unnecessarily severe in
his accusations against the poor chattering
wretch, who only partially understood the
d. nature OF the difficulty.
TOO blamed hard on the yaller devil, see
ing as he's got to hang anyway" said Cara
van" Jones at the trial, which remark caused
"Caravan" to be facetiously installed chief
mourner in tie SUD 'equent ceremonies.
Perhaps Fixes losses had made him hard.
None knew Or cared.
Hc waS tall and angular, with sloping
shoulders, and he came from Missouri. His
hair and whis!iers were dark, but his eyes
were thoss OF a blonde-not O reassu,ing
combination. Then there was JiEls brother
l had almost forgotten him. No one ever
heard bis given name He was too insignifi-
cant TO be accorded nickname. jim in
variably addressed him Is "Say, YOU" and he
was referred to as "him or "Jim's onery
brother" Tho mans appearance was far
from inviting, and there was a general lack
OF color in his entire makeup. He had straw
tinted hair, faded and sunburncd, large,
watery pro:ruding eyes of no particular hue,
and complexion and clothes alike of dead
clay color Never making q positive asser-
ton. holding opinions Ia. were faint and
half-hearted echoes OF those Of his brother,
and having an expression which was stand
ing apology for his presence On earth, his
whole being seemed To be q negative quality
As consequence his Life was a continued
career of sacrifice and self abnegation before
his brother Both had loved the same woman
Jim married her, and uncomplainingly the
brother carried the burden OF his disappoint-
meHt, rs Eo suppo@cd, in secret, but Jim saw
il plainly enough, though no word was spoken.
Jealous. Not q bit Of it. He knew too well
the dog-lil.o fidelity Of his dull relative, and
turned tho sentiment to account in more
ways than one.
The night was hot and lowcry. Flat Broke,
never tranquil, was picture OF wholesale ill
temper. One or two fights had come of
early in the evening down at Lucretia Bor-
gias, which could be directly traced TO slight
ing allusicns or suspicious looks over TIE late
robheries. Lucretia Borgia, who had been
named with the usual disregard TO the fitness
of things, as far az sex was concerned, in
compliment to the quality OF liquor he set
upon his bar, kept the most popular place Of
Flat Brcl>c It was the heart of the camp,
and there lis leading citizens were ever to be
found outside of business hours.
"This yer thing has got to he cleared up"
said Goii Dollar, decisivcly, "or the lil:clies:
camp on the range viii so to pieces. We
don't want any more promiscuous hangin',
fer that doat seem to fetch it," and ho called
his partner aside and fell to discussing the
mystery.
An hour later the s,iriy revclers 81 "Lu
creesh's" .cro startled by the appearance OF
Gold Dollar and his partner with Jim Fikes
between thcr. cool, defiant and cheerful
"'Forc God, gents, I kin prove ycu'ye
struci; the wrong lead"
You'll hey the chance, pardrer," humor-
ously remarked The capto-, md The crowd
laughed.
The news brought the entire camp 10 The
spot il q few moments. 'Lucreesh" was
obliged to cali up ore of his day shift harten-
del,s 70 accommodate the excited gentlemen
Tho sensation took possession Of every one;
even the faro bank dealer in The next room
suspended operations few moments to listen,
proceeding which no mere killing could
bring about. Some were for moonlight
necktie party ct crce; but Gold Dollar de.
murred
"We made 9 miscue when we worked of the
Chinee, an while thet don't count, scein' as
ho war a Chinec. yet we'd a done the same ef
ho WA. q human, an thet would a bin Gil
pleasant
The county had just been organized and an
appeal Isuel calling on tho inhabitants to
submit TO the laws OF civilization, which was
met with dcris:on: but now when Gold Dol
lar argued for a regular trial by the newly
appointed officials the proposition was hailed
with delight rs an amusing novelty.
"Wc'll have scne fun out of the tenderfcot
NONSENSE, ana if she don't work right, she
goes!' was the popular verdict.
While the deliberations werc being coIi-
Quoted Jim's brother hovercd about the out
skirts Of tho camp like a frightened hare,
straining his ears 70 formulate soa,c meaning
from the shouts which echoed up the gulch
from "Lucreosh's." When al opening door
threw path of light out into the night he
shrank atfrighied into the deeper gloom Of
the chaparral. Trembling, feyerish, heart
sick, he skuille,l in the shadows of one idea
that of escape for his brother-hut:ering
within the walls of his dull mind. like help
less bird dashing itself against the bars of its
cage.
In the saloon, with hands bound in front,
elbows on his knees, head down, sat The p,is-
oner, his rlind busy all tho night long turn