Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-26


mere was long, awkward pause. A
| bright spot flashed into each of his pale
cheeks as his greeting passed unanswered,
| but he still retained his thorough self pos
session. Replacing his hat with firm mo-
| ton and keeping his eyes unfiinchingly on
the crowd, he proceeded to explain calmly
what he wanted. His horse had died the
| day before in the shed at the cabin. II
some one could be gotten TO remove the
| body he would be well paid for the trouble.
1t required strong prejudice to outbal-
Ance an offer of this kind, but popular feel
ing seemed to be decidedly against the
| stranger, and in Saddletown popular feel
| ing was very likely to prevail.
| Finally one of the men removed corn
cob pipe for sufficient length of time to
drawl out, with mock gravity:
Reckon you'll have ter git rid o. the
boss meat yerself mister. None o. the
boys seem to cotton to the job"
The speech was hailed with round of
outlaws from the Saddletown citizens, and
before these had died away the stranger,
with slight bow, had disappeared as
quietly as he came.
Perhaps it was the laugh that had so
modifying an effect on the assemblage.
Perhaps it was the ever increasing tobacco
fumes that soothed it into better mood.
Be that as it may, there certainly was a
reaction in favor of the stranger after his
departure.
The western miner of dozen years ago
was curious mixture of good and evil,
swayed by the slightest impulses, and, per
haps, only this can account for the food of
good feeling which rolled into Dad Tangles
little shop as the evening progressed.
Fizzletop declared, with more good humor
than respect, that "the old bone bag seemed
gamey," and even Dad himself allowed that
che mightn't be SO bad, arter all" This
was the state affairs had reached when one
of the boys suggested, with laugh, that
they should go over and "cart the old boss
away before morning."
The idea had been offered as joke, and
yet, fifteen minutes later the crowd was
struggling through the moonlight toward
the strangers cabin.
1t was decided that Fizzletop's team
should be used, as his shanty was nearest
that of the strangers, and the boys had
almost reached the old shed, when sud
denly there was quick exclamation from
Fizzletop, a chatter of horses hoofs, the
sharp crack, crack, of derringer, and in
chasing a riderlcss horse, while the others
bent over a motionless figure in the road
The figure was that of the stranger.
The horse was Fizzletop's.
The change from good humor to indig-
nation was extreme. Even before the I'M
conscious man was pronounced still alive
several were making toward the shed in
search of a rope. The report of Fizzletop's
pistol had quickly attracted number of
spectators, and to these Dad TanEle was
expounding on the keenness of his percep-
ton of character, and his ability in partic-
ular to detect a horse thief "at first
squint."
Strange to say Fizzletop seemed to take
the affair more calmly than the others.
give the man chance" he said, as the
rope was brought up, ready noosed. "He
can't escape. Let's carry him over to his
cabin and give him a trial"
After good deal of grumbling at "put-
tin the thing OFF, this was finally agreed
to, but Dad insisted on taking the rope
along so that it would be ON hand when
wanted. 1t was only q few steps to the stran-
gers cabin, and when Fizzletop's horse had
been returned to the shed there the still
unconscious man was borne.
After forcing open the door and deposit
ing the limp figure in the already lighted
room the men proceeded to examine care
fully the interior, and many were the ex-
pressions of surprise at the shelves of
books, the great lamp and the general air
of neatness. But the supreme sense of
Saddetown justice was not to be shaken by
mere sentimentality.
Dad Tangle had just delivered himself
of the opinion that as the stranger had
been seen making off with the horse no
trial was needed, when one of the men sud
denly interrupted him with:
"Hellol what's this?"
Ina moment the crowd was clustered
srellbouud around ths speaker
On peg hung little frock, while be-
meath rested q pair of tiny shoes.
The rough, hard faces wero studies, In
their varied expressions.
1t was Fizzetop who broke the SPELL
Without word he stepped quickly to the
bedside and pushed aside the curtain. On
the pillow lay a flushed little face, amid
tangle of golden curis.
One or two of the miners turned away
with heads bent forward on their breasts
Fizzletop's hand trembled strangely rs he
held aside the curtain, and old Dad Tangle
esSdycu W Speth, anu gov us LAT as WcAAy
I'll be-" when something seemed to
choke him, and, after swallowing sus-
piciously two or three times, he made his
way uncertainty out of doors
The light on the tiny face awakened the
little sleeper, and the blue eyes opened
wonderingly
where is papa"
Several more of the group, with silent
and unsteady steps, passed out through the
open doorway.
Hes a-a-asleep now" Fizzletop answer
ed, huskily, and the curtain dropped to con-
ceal the motionless figure on the floor.
HE said he was going to bring doctor
for me-" said the childish voice.
Fizzletop started.
"a doctor here in town." he asked with
quick earnestness.
ooh, no." answered the little one simply.
"The people in town wouldn't help u.s."
"B1t have you no nanny, deary"
Mamma is dead, said the child gravely.
Without another word Fizzletop turned.
With one bound he placed his ear to the
figure on the floor.