Wichita eagle., 1889-06-05

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right ear, probably my bones would now be
decorating that terrace In Red Hen Gulch.
Jim didn't stay long at Hornetsville after
that. He got In a couple of little scrapes In
the first one he had the right of it and no
body objected
"Jim was playing down at Tom Mulligan's
pretty late one night with sort of dandy
sport that had dropped in from Denver.
Everybody else had gone; Tom Mulligan had
fallen asleep in his chair, and the man behind
the bar was nodding across the counter,
which was almost directly back of Jim. He
was losing right along in way that made
him uncomfortable and suspicious. He
glanced around; the barkeeper was half lying
across the bar with his head on one arm and
his face turned toward the players He ap-
peared to be asleep. However, Jim took the
precaution Of quietly taking the plug from
his ear without being observed by his oppo-
nent. Pretty soon he heard the fellow behind
him softly lift his head a little, as if afraid Of
being overheard, and not with the uncon-
scious movement Of a sleeping man. Jim
slipped his hand down to DIS revolver, noise
lessly adjusted little mirror he had behind
the lock for just such emergencies, cooked it
and quickly brought it up behind the cards,
which he held In his left hand, till the
barrel pointed over his right shoulder,
took aim in an instant by the glass
at the eye of the spying bartender, who
was playing a skin game into the hands of
the gambler, and fired. He got his man. but
the gambler was too quick for him, and shot
out of the door like lightning. That was the
last ever seen of him in Hornetsville. Some
of the boys found fault with Jim for not Civ
ing it to the sport first, but Jim said, though
he'd trust that right ears reports from the
word go, he thought he'd make dead sure of
his case before he shot the fellow The first
glance in the little mirror settled it. OF
course nobody could blame Jim for this af-
fair, though at first Tom Mulligan was a
little mad to lose such first class bartender,
good articles Of that sort being somewhat
rare in the mountains just then.
But hardly one of the boys stuck up for
Jim in his next scrape He knew they
wouldn't, and Lit out without waiting for
public opinion to get at him
tom Mulligan started restaurant next
door to his saloon, and brought girl over
from Denver as cashier. She wasn't very
handsome; she was freckled, had washed out
red hair and bad teeth; but she was a girl
and the boys went wild over her. The res
taurant trade Just doomed Jim was COM
pletely gone on her. He couldn't get enough
to eat in those days, and couldn't pay often
enough for what he did get Spruce young
Johnny Whittle though he'd been used to
finer society, paid good deal of attention to
the girl, too; just for fun, l suppose. He
knew more about the sex than Jim did, but
Jim meant business and Johnny didn't.
Jim used to loaf around the restaurant
nights till it closed up, and then drop into the
saloon for a game or a drink before going
home One night he started out earlier than
usual leaving most of the boys still in at
Toms Jim knew that the girl lived over the
restaurant He'd often looked up for light
in her room-one reason why he went off
early. But this particular night, as | hap
pen to know, there wasn't any light In
few minutes Jim returned. His face was
white and stern. He stood in the door a mo-
ment, looking sort of wild like.
Stand out there, Johnny Whittier he
said. And the first man that stirs is good as
deadl I've got a little speech to make. As
l went by the restaurant | heard the girl up
there talking in her sleep. And you know
who she was talking about! Not mel No, it
was you, Johnny Whittle. You've been tr
fin with that girl, and you know it, and
you've got to pay for it right now. Stand
back therer
Zone shot from Jinl's revolver and Johnny
fell. Jim disappeared in the darkness. l
didn't think at the time that Jim ought to
have done it, neither did most of the boys,
as said, but didn't get chance to express
my opinion to Jim personally, for the vigil
ance committee didn't catch him. l don't
believe, myself, they wanted to, for most of
them were friends of Jim's, and he'd always
acted square up to that time. l heard moth
ing Of Jim for a long time. I'd left the
mountains some years and was in business in
Chicago. l was walking down State street
one day when broken down, trampish look
ing man stopped me.
"'Helo, old fellowl won't you speak to an
old acquaintance
Il looked at him moment; then came a
flash Of recognition
Jim Budgelow, by all that's glorious
exclaimed.
The same, says he; but things have gone
hard with me since the old time And in
reply to my inquiries he told me little about
himself i had a soft berth here with the
fire department for a long time; night watch
man, stationed on top of the building and
{.
But got hard of hearing some way; couldn't
hear cry more than half mile, and then
they put in the alarm boxes more numerously,
and l was showed out. Now my right ear
amt much better than the other. Hard
when fellows getting on in years
Il didn't forget what | owed to Jim Bulge
low, so gave him $40 and my address. But
he never came to see me- Don't know why
perhaps that spree took him off, or perhaps
he was afraid he might be called to account
some time for shooting Johnny Whittle.
But, as said at first, Jim might have
made big thing at sea. He could have
heard the captain snore in q vessel five miles
off on the foggiest night you ever saw. He
and Calliope Bill would have made team
You see, Calliope Bll'-
Just then the steward appeared on deck
and sounded the dinner gong. We never
failed to answer its CALL though just then we
were little curious about Callope Bill
| sat opposite the sharp faced little gentle |
man, and in the course of our talk at dinner !
got up courage enough to bring the con-
around to himself / had never |
dared TO do this before.
Are you still in business in Chicagog" |
No" said be, with a queer look, 1--WE been |
with New York paper some |
twenty years Been corresponding for them |
from Paris for some time, but got tired OF it /
and am going back TO my old place on the |
home staff"
obi" said l NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. S. Phil |
lips in PittSburg Bulletin
Everything in Its Place.
Architectural Upholsterer-And how do /
you think Of having the library furnished, /