Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-08
THE EYES OF D0UGAN.

The vessel made its way slowly through
thick fog that enveloped her like an
impenetrable barrier. We appeared to
be floating in an unfathomable infinity OF
gray, above. below and on every side.
You thought sometimes as the sharp Prov
cleft tie mist that it would soon cut
through the wall OF fog and would burst
out in Il sunshine stretch of sea. But al
ways you are disappointed, and the bank
of clouds still lies upon the sea, dark,
dreary and impenetrable.
A little group of us had taken some
camp stools and crossed the steerage
bridge to the forward turtle deck. At
first we chatted gayly together, but it re-
quires q robust temperament to resist the
depressing influences of 3 fog Oft the
banks of Newfoundland, and converse
ton dropped.
One of the group was tall, blonde,
blue eyed German of about so years of
age. He spoke English with just the
faintest trace of Teutonic accent, and APP
peared to belong to the class of solid, in
telligent and successful German-Ameri-
cans SO frequently seen on ocean steam
ers. Some chance remark made by
him suggested the possibility of getting
story from him. Yielding to the general
demand, he said: iH .
Chin-chin Camp is up in the mountains
across the range from Fort Laramie. At
least it was late in the fifties, for at that
time myself represented about / per
cent of the entire population. I went
to Denver first, and hearing good reports
from Chin-chin struck off up into Wyo-
ming
Joe Dougan hsd already been psem-
Der OF the camp some time when l
reached there. He was strange fellow,
but his most striking popularity did not
attract notice till a few nights after my
arrival.
Most of the aristocracy Of the place
were in the back room Of ''The Inferno
q never found out how the proprietor
came across this appropriate name),
where 4 rude keno apparatus was in full
operation. A number of the boys were
seated at the little checker board tables.
The marker had Just let white marble
drop into his hand from cigar box, which
took the place of the ball, and shouted
the number marked on it. just as he
turned to the board behind him, two men
at one table simultaneously yelled,
'sKeno,'' $50
Then followed cries of That was my
button,'' '.You lie.' and yolley of
oaths; there was a scuffie; the table was
overthrown; the larger of the two men
seized the other, and, almost with the
strength of Hercules. threw him over
l. 81, fa,,n of In faifnrxyt heala
struck the chandelier of oil lamps, and
the next instant the room was in dark
ness. The scufffe continued. Then above
the confusion, voice cried: my God,
look there.'' We did not have to be told
the direction, for there across the room
glowed and sparkled in the darkness two
cleaning eyes like balls of liquid fire.
There was something demon like in their
! luminous glare. The click Of revolver
lock was heard in the stiffness which fol-
lowed; but Voice from the direction Of
those fiery eyes said sternly and with in
cisive distinctness: drop that gun, I've
got the draw on you.
at that very moment tie door into the
saloon in front opened and widening
shaft Of light fall across the Egyptian
darkness of the room. The marker ran
in with a lamp: the cleaning eyes faded,
and we saw leaning calmly against the
wall the burly form of Joe Dougan. A
| smile flickered about his mouth as he
saw ourseared faces the point of the re-
volver, which was loosely held In his
right hand, dropped down across his
breast. as he leaned carelessly against
the wall. Soon Dougan put up his re-
volver, aiade his way to the door with
out q word. and disappeared. For week
we talked 81 little else in Chin-chin
camp but Joe Dougan's eyes. He was c
good natsIred fellow, and submitted with
good grace 10 all sorts Of public demon