The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-10

at this point the good cashier laid one
hand kindly on the miners arm, and rested
the other on his shoulder, the more strongly
to impress his words.
'But, in the name Of Cesar" said the dis
couraged miner, ''how am ever 70 git home.
Look a-here, stranger, I've given you plain
statement of ali wool facts about myself I'm
Allan BTaytOnl I'm no murderer Why,
my young ones'd know me In q minute
They'd come runnin' and singin' up TO me 50
sweet and chipper that the birds would stop
and listen; blamed if they wouldn'tT' and
choke came in his voice. and my wife, / tel
you"-and the choke deepened into dry sob
my wife, If she seed me hundred yards
of, why, she'd fly down 10 me light as a snow
fake on an oak bough. Dash! you mought
knock me down with straw. If / can't gil
home, mought as well slaE my pistol TO my
head and yank the trigger. That'H fix 1t,
reckon. No one else viii come and say ne IS
Allan Brayton, and you can just tote that
money on 10 my wife and say I'm dead
''Oh, nonsense Cheer up" cried the cash
Ter, who was feeling little choky himself.
Nonsense! Some one must come along in
day or two who will know you; or. suppose
You send for your wife TO come here"
''How can II Every cent is locked up in
that draft, and it won't pay no dividends"
He walked 10 the outside door Of the Of
fee, looked with his keen glanceup and down
toe street, then burying his chin in his great
curling beard be seemed TO be plunged in
deep thought
Suddenly he faced about with a shout that
made all the clerks in the Office jump and set
the ink bottles bobbing around the desk His
eyes cleaned lightning. ''IU's all right; this'll
fetch it," he cried don't want anything bet
ter to IDENTIFY men As be was speaking he
was tearing of his coat, tearing of ais vest,
snatching of his necktie and unbuttoning his
shirt--his eyes blazing, his breath coming in
great gasps. Then ne gave his broad, heav-
ing chest sounding blow, and in tones full,
moving, like the resounding tones of ar or
gan, though each eager, breathless word
seemed to have great sob at the bottom of
it, he pointed TO his breast and exclaimed:
"Lookl look Here, here is the Identification!
1t were warranted fast colors when it were
done, and so it were, for I've secured it with
soap and water these twenty years. a sailor
chap did it when I were boy and ran away
to sea in a fit of cusSedness. 1t hurt so that
yelled hike a circus hyena; but thank God
thank God! it'll IDENTIFY me now!n
He held the bosom of his shirt wide open,
and there, right across his heaging chest, was
the name "Allan Brayton" tattOoed in India
ink, with fishes and flourishes ali around it!
At sight of the name all the clerks at the
desks, who had been eagerly listening TO his
appeal, forgot dignity and discipline, and,
rising as one man, cheered Allan Brayton
with heartiness that made the rafters ring
Something was the matter with the cash
ier's spectacles, for he took them of and
wiped them carefully before he spoke. Then
clearing his throat he said: You are right,
Mr. Brayton; that sailors work has identi-
fed you more certainly than the spoken dec
laration of any other man. l am glad you
have been able to satisfy Us so completely.
You will shake hands with me, am sure, as
a token that you believe that my caution was
necessary and that in our business, as you
must acknowledge, Eternal vigilance is the
only price of safety"
In five minutes more Allan Brayton had
his money, in new crisp bank notes, securely
fastened into a large pocketbook which the
cashier presented to him. A relieved, almost
radiant look displaced the disnayed wild,
hunted expression Of his face as he quickly
and silently resumed his garments Then,
shaking hands all around, he strobe out Of
the Office, and went gladly and swiftly on his
way.-New York Independent