The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-09-04
THE LAST CHANCE.
49, Boss DID Not Leave Drum
mond and dad"

Two ranchmcn sat on the porch OF
AZ Last Chance" tavern. and blinked
-;,fully ct the scorched prairie
--s,chinx Tor miles In front Of them.
ometimes when the reflection became
a great they would raise their eyes
.vond 70 the dirty red clay and brown
80 Of the side hills and occasionally
IN n greater effort still further TO the
80 tops OF the Rockies, where the
AN glistcned defiantly in the midday
q: the same sun which. hours before,
"a driven al living things on the
!, RE below 10 shelter.
n would he difficult TO say exactly
rby this particular tavern was known
the Last Chance" II Is true i was
M last chance where one could drink
a leaving the town. hut II might with
anal propriety have been called the
Ljirst Chance" for Drummond 1t this
Ime could boast Of but one tavern. Il
bay have been because the proprietor
klr Briggs. had once owned tavern
q the outskirts of Helena which really
eserved the title, and no doubt now
Them he occasionally gazed ut the sign
,oard stretching across the road with
last Chance" in large black letters on
dirty background II served to remind
lin u the day when he had once been
c;tv man and sat at the head Of his
Iwn faro table where large sums OF
honey were Won and lost Indeed. TINS
anne table had been the cause Of his
hrcsent rather humble abode. The
;f;eulty occurred on a sunday night
hany years previous. when the game
vas very heavy and tho cards were
having . very small percentage 70 the
ouse. Suddenly there was . great
hangc-the house began TO win, some
the players thought too frequently
irst there were only grumblings, then
omc accusations. followed quickly by
urses and a few shots No one was
eriously hurt, and Mr.. Briggs was al
owed 70 leave his house with no bodil,
injury. but . shattered reputation. III
ever came back to the original LAS
khance." for he left Helena that same
vcning. not even waiting for the mia
light coach.
Mr.. Briggs was swinging his stock
nred feet from his chair 1t the end Q
he bur. when q small cloud Of dus
|psc from the road that Led 70 the hill
nd attracts his attention After
bng yawn.1 lowed By longer proc
- II strctc ing himself. he shufiic'
he door. lhe two gentlemen wh
lready occupied the porch. neithe
poke nor looked up ut the newcomer
thy should they? The shufie WA
ri0xs' own, even more distinctiv
- his open red shirt and his hcav
~ beard
n was Dr Eggs who finally broke IN
49,: 1T seems 70 me that ma
nc1 - rrstty ,hafd mp for scnethir
~ - ne across the prairie the ho
~ Of the ycar--or for ten years
Porsh q good enough for NJ" sai
% his companions. = large, blue
"a individual.
re may be-" said the third membe
\ Of the group. s'that some ones sick and
sendinR after the doctor; but then every
Moody knows there's been no doctor |
|Drummond for year. Maybe h
added, that miner Royd has got wors'
and Is sending for . priest; not tina
kRoyd nor anyone else ever heard Of
priest in Drummond; but perhaps h
Kinks he ought to make q last bluf
nd Is sepdin' some one on chance"
Briggs gazed ut the increasing clou
dust and then at the hot, red raj
WELL he said. there may be men Q
he hills what'll ride to town on da
ike this in the hope Of fndin' prizes
but they never put up at this house Is
Ian remember"
Their speculations came TO m er
when the rider had reached the bridg
nd they all recognized the gray ma
4 : young miner whom they hi
banned the Pilgrim on his arrival
Drummond from the cast The nan
lad chung 20 him ever since.
Il was now three years since this DO
q they called him. had FIRST stopped |
he Last Chance" ON his way TO I'll
d claim; and ever since then he hi
idden down 1t least twice week
PROVISIONS and chat with the old mi
Ind his adopted daughter. In fact,
was considered an even thing betwe
himself and . neigh boring ranchm'
y to who should finally carry of Z
kirl from Briggs protecting wing l
becially toward the end Of the mont
when there was little money for ia
br poker. this rivalry became q few
sh topic Of conversation among :
|anchmcn and miners rs they sat abe
|he stove Of the Last Chance" Il
Briggs himself only laughed at the ID
n his girl marrying anyone. He kn'
be couldn't get along without her. a
be didn't quite see how she could p
ibly live away from him. Not that
lidn't approve Of the boys; he liz
Them both: but rs TO marrying his &
% thcm--that was different thing.
Before the rider had reached
hitching post at the side Of the hou
he owner had returned TO his place
he bar, and the two citizens Of Dru
mond after a mutual glance GID
lofsiy In after him and waited for
Ptrangcr. Much TO their chagrin. he
Ever, ne entered the main door Of
house, and CHANGING in the side d
leading into the barroosn. simply WAY
bis hand 70 them and then ran up
stairs leading 70 the second floor
The second story Of the IL