The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-26
"Whoo oop, hooray.' shouted Bantam.
The whole party crowded noisily into the bar,


The whole party crowded noisily into the bar
room.
Twas misunderstanding, and apologize, /"
said Ag heartily. Whats more. sets 'em No.
Ye kin drink all ye want in the Spread Eagle
twixt no an midnight, but ye cant pay cent"
yell and a wild rush to the bar was the
unanimous response. In the midst of the hilari-
Gus uproar. Billy Wink slipped out unobserved
by anyone except Ag. who was performing won
derfnl feats with glasses and bottles behind the
bar. He went directly to Nell Dingley.
This carousal at the Spread Eagle surpassed
all its predecessors. Probably the free bar was
the cause of it. Not that the assembled gentle
men OF No Go selfshly drank faster because
there was nothing to pay; but the absence of
1nance confined the operations to liquor and ia
citated them In a single hour half the company
were dead drunk. and the rest were nearly so.
with two exceptions Ag had drunk an amount
which. to her, was in effect, nothing at ALL
The other sober person in the room was tall
lean, long-haired and sallow. He did not show
miners clothes or manners. He might have
been a gambler or preacher, according to
how the uniformed observer construed
his closely-shaven face, self-assured man
not himself have explained He had not drunk
with the roysterers entered in the least into
the fellowship Of their spree. The lack Of any
other way OF spending the evening was probably
the only explanation of his presence The others
knew him Arnold Watts. an associate in some
capacity of Colonel Dingley in the mill enter
prise, and their opinions differed as to the truth
OF the rumor that gave him the distinction of kill
ing two men and wouudlng third in scrimmage
down at Gulions Bar Those who believed this
story spoke of him with becoming respect; those
who did not We're occasionally insolent to his face
Ag watched him furtively while seeming to be
wholly engaged in emptying bottles into tum
blers. He sat in tipped-back chair. with his
half-closed eyes idly following the antics of the
men who were yet on their feet and glass of
whisky untouched on the table beside him.
When Billy Wilk returned Ag saw that Nell
DnRey had rejected him. She did not need to
ask him whether the girl had said "yes" or mo. !"
She paused in her work involuntarily, because
she was dumfounded That any woman could
resist Billy's wooing was beyond her comprehen-
sion. She covertly beckoned him to the bar and
poured from the hidden bottle, out of sight. q
brimmer from the private stock. He caught up
the glass and drank the whisky in gulps Lean
ing across the bar and closing her hands over
one of his fists, she said:
''She must be foolin' ye, Billy. Gals will
amoose themselves. Durn her white hide"
She didn't fool me, Ag.' Ard Billy was low,
rapid and earnest in speech. VShe owned she
loved me. There wasn't shadow Of coquetry
IN all she did. I've had her in my arms, Ag-
right atop my heart, here"
''Thar-don't mind that. What made her jilt
YET Skip the rest, an get to that"
Because she must marry the man who sits at
thot table-Arnold Watts. Don't glare at him
he mustn't know what she's told me- He's the
real owner OF the mill, because he owns Colonel
Dingley, and he demands the Colonel's daughter
for wife, He carries in the belt under his
shirt note which the Colonel was somehow
driven to forge. So it's prison for the father or
the altar with the girl. It's heavens truth, Xe.
for she said Oh, could kill the scoundre."
He turned from the bar towards Watts so furi-
ously, and spoke so loud. that even Bantam,
who had been motionless on his back for ten
minutes. sat up and stared Ag was outside the
bar in an instant, grasping Billy in her brawny
arms. and forcing him to the door leading to the
boarders' rooms.
''The pizen's gone to his TOP" he said, forcing
a laugh.
"Thar's the trouble with brainy chaps-they
hain't got no capacity. He's only fit for bed, an
that's whar he's Soin'.'
The onslaught was so unexpected that Billy
was hustled into the passage before he had time
to object; and il he had resisted he wonld have
been no match for the woman who held him.
"Ye mustn't shout yer secret, Billy What