, 1889-05-28

village, and he rode u-nannounced up to the
very door of a log store which also had a Sign
tPostoficc" printed upon a board and nailed
70 one of the logs
Hastily hitching his horse to a post, he en-
hered tho door, a plan of action having 90
CURED to him while riding for his life.
A group Of half a dozen men had already
gathered, seated upon and leaning against
the counters OF the country store.
"Gentlemen," burst out Hurting, "some
men arc after me on horses and with guns de
termined to take my life because they fancy
l look like DaveS omebodyn-
Kennedy, true's you liver put In ono of
them; that's what 20 docs, mighty like
him"
That's so,n said several others who got
down off the counters, in the stir which fol-
lowed, to get a good look at the stranger.
We'll" said Conrad, hurricdly, ''whoeyer
Dave Kennedy may be, and whatever he has
done, i am not he, and If there's any one in
the store who can get mo a razor, a piece of
soap and some water, / can very quickly
prove what 1 say."
"Mebby yo ken, but I'd swar ye war Dave"
said the first speaker of the crowd. ats no
moron far, though, tibet 20 should hev a
squar deal Boys, Is they airy razor round
byar It the Teller ken user
GIVE got one" said a young, smooth faced
fellow who WIS evidently clerk In the store
Come back this way, stranger"
Hurting stepped TO tho back end of the
store, was given a razor, a gourd with brush,
watcr and soap and shown a broken mirror
which hung beside a small back window.
A curious silence reigned In the room while
he hastily made preparations to remove a
luxuriant growth of beard.
Soon n clatter Of hoofs announced the ap-
proach of tho horsemen In pursuit.
"Hyar they come" said one of the men,
tits them Kirby boys jes'cs 1 lowed 'twar.
I'll go out, boys, m tell 'em how hit air. o.
course they dir nachelly boun' ter Civ the
man n show"
And he went out followed by two or three
moro. While Con WINS industriously scraping
away he heard them In earnest conversation
with the fellows who Ind Just ridden up.
Presently they all came tramping into the
store.
hen for several minutes there was an
ominous silence.
Conrad finished shaving, wiped his face on
an old towel which hung on the wall and
then "faced tho enemy"
There wero n dozen slouching fellows in the
room now, and nearly all armed with rifle or
revolver.
They stared hard at his face, which had,
indeed, undergone n striking change Pale
hhu hohOW Cneekeu nc nWultcd thelr do
cision.
"Shoi" exclaimed one of the nearest, 'he
don't look airy bit more like Dave Kennedy nor
l do. Hit didn't seem TO me like Dave d git
oudashus 'nough ter como projeckin round
hyar agin."
"'Tnint Dave" WINS the fiat admission of
all of them, and the men who had followed
him so hotly looked crestfallen enough.
"Well, gentlemen, II you've no further
business with me I'll ride ONT said Hurting.
Much obliged for the use of your razor,
young man, and nodding to the clerk he
walked out while the crowd rather shame
fncedly mado way for him
II didn't care to inquire who Dave was or
what he had done" said my friend ~ had
had quito enough of those fellows and /
wanted them to know it"
He received generous hospitality from most
of tho people whom he met on the long Jour
ney which followed, and though he Ind many
other adventures, he WINS never In so much
peril us on this occasion, when, as he puts 1t,
he "was saved by losing his beard. Frank
W. Calkins In Youths Companion