The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-04

him. He did not give second glance
to the placid sea of brown grass that
stretched away on every hand. Here and
! there the neutral hue of the ocean OF
grass was blotched by "burnt patch, "
where, shorn by fire of its matted coverlet
of brown, the earth was green with the
tender, swift-springing second crop: On
each green oasis the killdees held high
carnival and called to each other in their
queer, metallic, half-musical waoops.
High above the treeless mound that
sprungso unexpectedly from the prairie
floor a blizzard sailed. Close at hand, the
wild verbenas bloomed in profusion, and
the smoldering fire of their crimson
blossoms shone in brilliant contrast to
the brown maturity of the grass. But
the ''slouch," busy with his bitter and
desponding thoughts, gave no heed to
natures beauties.
The sun was just dropping from sight
behind the distant mound when the
"slouch" paused, Just beyond the fence
of barbed wire that surrounded the
homestead "claim" of some isolated
settler.
"Mebby he'll let me stay all night, !"
muttered the ''slouch," as he strobe
across the sod, from which the stunted
sod-corn stalks had not yet been gath
cred, toward the small "shack" or
shanty almost in the middle of the
claim.
"He won't know I'm a slouch," he
added, half bitterly. ''Pm not very
widely noted.",. ...
No dogs, so common on the average
claim, rushed to meet him, with sus-
picious grows and wagless tails. No
little army of white. headed children ran
bashfully to hide at the approach of the
stranger.
Deserted, looks like" the "slouch"
told himself. swell, so much the bet
ter for me. Loneliness and I will get
along right well together, and a
"slouch" without company is just as
good as anybody else!"
The swlft-falling twilight had filled
with darkness the little room that the
half-open door revealed. The ''slouch"
knocked, for manners sake, and gave
great start as low moan replied. The
moan was repeated, and, after calling
questioningly several times, he entered.
A match, hurriedly lighted, revealed
the only occupant of the "shack,"
gaunt, feebly tossing man, who, stretched
on the rude bed, seemed hardly conscious
of the intruder's presence. s...
whats the matter, pardner2" the
s'slouch" asked, kindly. r..
The other, who seemed to be conscious
only in glimmering fashion, strove
feebly to answer, and as the ''slouch"
bent close to him there came the one
word:
"Water!" ;......... ...
A cooling draught from the well, near
at hand, seemed to revive the sick man,
and as the "slouch" bent above him
again, he whispered, hoarsely:
"Thank ye, pardner. Git. Small
poxl" .. .-..
Out into the darkness the ''slouch"
fed as if pursued by demon. When
he paused, he was almost to the wire
fence that surrounded the claim. He
took off his battered hat and looked up
at the stars, twinkling into sight, one
after another. s.... i-.i
The deadly danger of the plague was
only one more link to his chain of mis-
fortunes. Perhaps if he fed he could
escape it. The man in the cabin, If left
alone, would die of neglect, if not of the,
plague. A ''slouch" could help him to
battle with death just as well as the most
fortunate and influential citizen of
Coyote City. The sufferer in the shanty
had no claim on him, but -
Then he replaced the battered hat,
and, turning about in the darkness,
strobe towards the open door from
which came long, cleaning shaft of
light from the candle he had lit.
Presently the door was shut, and the
s'slouch" and the sufferer were alone
with the plague.
1t was Just such another day as the
one upon which, two weeks before, the
'slouch" left Coyote City, that gaunt,
pale man, weary with his long tramp
from the isolated claim near the lone
mound, stepped just beyond the end of
the one street of Coyote. aud shouted
hoarsely to lad:
"Tell the big gun in the town to come
yarw
The lad very properly sought Colonel
henderson as the individual most worthy
of the title of "big gun" That gentle
man rose from a table in the Jumbo
Saloon, and Pierce Fanshaw and Arthur
Lemon followed him.
Halt, thar!" cried the stranger,
when they had gotten within hundred
yards of him. -,
"News flies fast in border settle.
ment, and quite squad of curious ones
strolled up and joined the colonel and
his friends. .-.. -.
The colonel did not heed the COM
mand, but continued to advance. n
"Halt, thar!" repeated the stranger:
''Smallpox You'll halt now, Ireckon"!
be added, grimly. ..
Not only d d Colonel henderson halt,
but he turned so quickly that he nearly
fell on his face, and started to hurry away.
"Halt, tharl" was the command.
A huge revolver cleaned in the hand
of the stranger, and the colonel stopped.
"What does this mean, sir9" he de-
manded rather family. "Who are
you2" -
"Name's Ike Masters, the stranger
shouted in reply. "Know William Hat
field2"
"Never heered Nv him!" Colonel
henderson answered, positively.
Hatfield was the 'slouch's' name"
said Pierce Fanshaw.
.Never knowed it. Wal"-to the
stranger-"what Nv him?"
ttNS,.2ls~, IIya Nootoro