The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-05-26


pie Rooms. During the evening there was
scuffle in the large barroom, and the new
conner looked in through door to see what
was the trouble. A young and slender lad
of perhaps twenty years was struggling with
brutal, muscular giant of twice his age
1t was only question of minutes when the
big rough fellow would down" his young
opponent, and yet the dozen or so OF on
lockers made no attempt at interference.
Just as the new arrival appeared ON the
scene the younger combatant got in blow
which evidently hurt and irritated his oppo-
nent. Quick as lightning the big fellow
drew his bowie knife and raised it prepare
tory to plunging it into the lad.
Islands off, you bully!" shouted the stran-
ger in the doorway. The burly fighter
glanced rapidly in the direction from whence
these words came, but did not drop the hand
which gripped the ugly knife.
''Drop that knife!' Numbered the stran-
ger, at the same time laying his hand on his
pistol pocket
The bully noticed the last named action,
and letting go the boy. yelled with added
oaths: Course you, shut up Who are you,
anyway" He was evidently very angry.
He held the knife in his left hand, and with
his right drew heavy revolver, which he
proceeded to level at the stranger
"Throw up your hands, quick| shouted
the latter. But the fellow did not heed this
warning. Clicki went the hammers of the
pistols. 1t was question of quarter-sec-
onds now. Bang went one rovolver-the
stranger's-and the big man fell-dead.
nj. 40 oil fol-
lowed by some queer calculations: dead
as a injun!" 'Saryed him right" ''Stran-
gers a plucky unp' "Be-ewtifnl shotv'
"Who air you, stranger, anyhow"
''Boys," said the new arrival, when at last
he had chance to speak, "this is a sort cf
business that am not fond of. Sometimes
1t is necessary, though, as it was tonight
am sorry but let US say no more about it,
1 pay the funeral expenses and answer all
questions. You want to know who am?
Well, I'm preacher; and therell be preach
ing in this room, with the landlords permits
sion. next Sunday morning at 10 O'clock"
1t was strange introduction for a preach
err. bnt it was perhaps the best one he could
have had in that wild place. Anyway, the
respect of those rough miners was lastingly
secured, anu lIOm tlittt tituc H6 SIcW III lawn
as man and preacher.
In those old coach days there was one seri-
GUS drawback to travelling between Denver
and George Washington Gulch-the road
was infested by small. but hitherto nyinci-
BILE band of desperadoes, under the leadership
of a regular daredevil known as kansas"
This man had attacked and robbed the
coaches fifteen or eighteen times within six
months; and though he had never been
known to be accompanied by more than
three confederates, his band was the terror
of the stage drivers and their passengers
Once the proprietors of the stage line had
organized posse of armed men, who secured
the country in search of Kansas and his
crew; but the outlaw remained at large, and
within week lightened coach of seven
thousand dollars worth of silver ingots.
Late in the evening of summer day,
when, with the exception of party of gam
blers at the sample ROOMS" all the citizens
of the Gulch were soundly sleeping, soli-
tary horseman rode up to the unpretentious
shanty which did duty for a parsonage. 1t
was nothing but two roomed hut rudely
constructed and roughly furnished.
On this occasion the parsonage was in
sole charge of All Wing, a ''heathen Chinee,"
who acted as Parson Sims cook and cham
bsrmaid. All Wing was himself perehance
in some Chinaman's paradise, for his sleepy
features, usually utterly void of expression,
were illuminated by yellow smile The
Parsol was off, as he frequently was, on
trip down the valley, and the parsonage be-
ing we'll removed from the main portion of
the settlement, was seldom visited during his
absence. The dreaming celestial was there
fore much surprised, and indeed frightened,
when he was awakened from his slumber by
violent hammering at the barred door, He
cautiously drew back the wooden bolt, and
peered out into the warm, starlit night.
Close to the door he beheld stalwart man
with long black hair and heavy moustache,
holding in one hand the bride of large
horse, while on his left arm he carried
girl-evidently dead or In a fainting condi-
ton.
"Where is the Parscn ?" asked the stranger
in firm but quiet voice.
"Parson Jim he go away muchee, he no
come home till Sunday" replied the sur
prised Chinaman.
swell, hold my horse, and hold him tight
This young woman is very sick, and I'm go
ing to lay her ON the Parsons bed"
He entered the room, and tenderly laid his
burden on the camp cot which Parson Jim
used for bed. Then he tore fy-leaf from
an old book which he saw lying around, and,
producing short end of a pencil from his
pocket, wrote hastily and somewhat clumsily
O few words.
"See here" he said to the Chinaman, as he
stepped to the door; ''give this piece of
paper to the Parson as soon as he returns.
This young lady is hunt little and fright
ened great deal. and she. has tainted. Pref
ty soon she will come around, When she
does, see that you take good care of her, you
yellow-skinned. white livered duckl Per-
haps you'll behave yourself all the better If
tell you my name is Kansas
The Chinaman perceptibly trembled as he
heard the dreaded name, but said nothing,
and the handsome stranger sprang to his
horse and rode away.
All Wing quietly surveyed his new charge,
and saw that she was yellow-haired, fair
complexioned girl of perhaps fifteen or six
teen years. slender, and evidently unused to
work of any kind. The Chinaman faithfully
kept watch all night, and noticed that the
girl passed gradually from her faint into an
easy slumber.
1t was six O'Clock in the morning and the
girl was still sleeping when Parson Jim re-
turned. All Wing felt much relieved, and at
once handed the note to his master. 1t was
written in rough, unknown hand, but this
is what he managed to decipher:
PARsoN: You are understood to be a pretty