The morning call., 1891-10-27

IN LlldL OH SudulN l-t , AlfNA Ao- go
now, and, barrin' when he's bought grub
here in the store, nary word hez he SAID TO
me since the night lie come"
'Ner me-"
"Ner me-"
Then a speculative silence fell on the
smoke-enveloped group around tie stove.
alike tz not" continued the old man be-
tween his putTs, we're a-harborin, run
AWAY criminal from the East, or boss
thief"
He don't look 'zactly like criminal"
spoke out a prominent citizen, known as
Fizzletop I'VE didn't picion nothin' when
he drove I'D In that zig wagon o his'n ana
asked if there was a cabin be could rent.
That's jes' it," INTERRUPTED Dad, with
emphasis. -" 'Pearances is deceIyln'. Would
a man shut hisseH up alone indoors all day
If he wasn't q sharp or sump'n? Nould a
man live three weeks in til town without
minEln' with the boys or inyitin' EN- up to
his place. if lie knew Their wRrn't nothin'
agin him?"
These unaswerable arguments had hardly
been unburdenel when there came genie
knock al the door and moment later the
subject Of the conversation stood within
the room.
lie was a man of perhaps 50, tall and
slight with skin ettenlnate OF Nhlteness
and deep sat eyes which reflected the quiel
sensitive mind. An intensely black, droop-
iugmustache seemed rather to assist IN the
prevailing tone Of sadness N his lace.
With an easy self-pOsSesslon, the new
conner removed his hat, an act evidently OF
natural and unconscious courtesy, and, with
a slight inclination OF the head. when
seemed to include all in the room, he greeted
the louDgeTS with low-spoken good
evening.
There was a long. awkward pause. A
bright spot flashed into each OF DIS pale
cheeks as his greeting was passed unan-
SweTed, but lie stu retained his thorough
selt-pus>ess Replacing his hat with
firm motion, and keeping his eyes uRnInch-
iugly on the crowd. he proceeded to explain
calmly what lie wanted. HIS morse nad dled
the day before IN the shed at the cabin. II
some one could b. gotten TO remove the
body be would be well paid for the trouble.
Ii required strong prejudice to out
balance an fer Of this kind, but popular
feeling seemed TO be decidedly against the
stranger, and. in SaddletowB, popular feel
ing was very likely to prevail.
Finally one Of the men removed corn
cob pipe for 4 sufficient length OF time to
draw out, with mock gravity:
Reckon YOU have ter git rid O the boss
meat ysrself, mister. None o the boys
seem to cotton to the Jub."
The speech was hailed with round Of
outlaws from the Saddletuwn citizens, and
before these had died away, the stranger,
with a slight bow, had disappeared as
quietly as he came.
Perhaps il was the laugh that had so mol
lifyiug an effect on the assemOlage. Per
haus il was tile ever-inCreasing tobacco
fumes that s0othed IL into better Mood BE
that as it may, there certainly was reac-
ton III favor Of the stranger after his depar-
ture.
Tie Western miner Of a dozen years ago
was Il curious mixture Of good and evil,
swayed by the slightest Of impulses, ana
perhaps only this can account for the Hood
Of good feeling which rolled into Dad Tan
ge's little shop as the evening progressed.
Fizzet0p declared, with more good humOr
than respect, that odd bone-bag seemed
gamey" ard even Dad himself allowed that
he nightn't be SO bad, alter al" This
was the state affairs had reached when one
OF the boys suggested, with a laugh, that
they should SO over and cart the old boss
away before morning"
Tie idea had been offered as a joke, ard
yet, fifteen minutes later, the crowd was
struggling through the moonlight toward the
1t Was decided that Fizzletop's team
should be used, as his shanty was nearest
that Of tile strangers, and the boys had al
most reached the old shed, when suddenly
there was a quick exclamation from EiZZe-
top, a CHATTER of horses hoOfs, the sharp
crack, crack, OF derringer, and III another
moment some Of the party were chasing
rderless horse While the others bent over
motiOnleSs figure in the road.
The figure was that Of the stranger. The
horse was FiZzletop's.
The change from good humor to indigna-
zion was extreme. Even before the uncOn-
scicus man was pronounced still alive
several were making toward the shed in
search Of a rope Tie report Of FiZZlstOp's
pistol had quickly attracted a number Of
spectators, and TO these Dad Tangle was
expouudlug on the keenness of his pTecep-
ton of character, and his ability in par
tcuIar to detect g horsethief Eat first
squirt"
Strange to say, Fizzletop seemed to take
the affair more calmly than the others.
Give tie 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 trial"
After good deal Of grumbling at putin
the thing off, this was finally agreed to,
but Dad insisted on taking the rope along
so that it could be on hard when wanted.
1t was only few steps TO the strangers
cabin, and when Fizzletop's horse had been
returned to the shed there the still uncon-
seiUus man was borne.
After forcing open the door and deposit
ing the limp figure 10 the already lighted
room, the men proceeded TO examine care
fully the interior, and many were the eX-
pfessions of surprise at the shelves of
books, the great lamp and the general air
of neatness. But the supreme sense of
mere sentimentallty.
Dad Tangle had just delivered himself of
tie opinion that as the stranger had been
seen making off with the horse no trial was
needed. when one Of tue men suddenly in
terrupted him with:
"HelIol what's thisp"
In moment the crowd was clustered
spellbOuud around the speaker.
On peg hung little fr0ck, while be-
meath rested pair of tiny shoes.
,1h Nor ~, l.,
their varied expressions.
1t was Fizzietop VINO 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 a
tangle OF golden curs.
One or two Of The miners turned away
with heads bent forward on their breasts.
FZZletOp's hand trembled strangely as he
held aside the curtain. and old Dad Tangle
essayed to speak, and got as far as "Well,
I'll be-" when something seemed to choke
him, and after swallowing suspiciously 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 won
deringly.
Several more of the group. with silent
and unsteady steps, passed out through the
open doorway.
Hes a-a-sleep now" Fizzletop answered
huskily, and the curtain dropped 10 conceal
the motionless figure on the floor.
HE said he was going to bring a doctor
for me-" said the childish voice.
FiZzletop started.
"a doctor here in townw he asked with
quick earnestness.
ION, no." answered the little one simply
1.-The people in town wouldn't help u.s."
But have you no nanny, deary?"
Mamma is dead" said the child, gravely
Without another word FIzzetop turned
With one bound he placed his ear to the
figure on the floor.
"Off with his coat. boys" he whispered
hoarsely, and he dashed through tie door
way, and a moment later there was a clattel
Of flying hoofs.
So the little flushed face had doctor
after ALL and the doctor had two patients
instead of one.
"They'l both be all right in few days,
he said 10 the circle of anxious faces as ht
rode away. 81 knew the mae over in Frisco
Hes heart-broken and Respondent over tn
loss Of his wife, but he's frst-rate fellow.
II would be untrue to say that in ate
In