Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23

When Clark was beginning on one of his
sprees Leftys beseeching eyes would follow
him. only to drop humbly when they met
his look; and the silent protest and en-
treaty was as we'll understood between
them as words could have been.
Lefty stood between him and publicity
far as was possible. and lessened by his
own watchfulness and care the terrible
risks Clark ran when drinking. 1t came to
be the regular thing that whenever the
blackboard was brought out for one of the
managers trips, Lefty got old Hank Pear
sail to take charge of the house and the
cooking while he drove for Clark. 1t was
only so that he felt at ease, for then he
knew that whatever maudlin reaching for
the lines or slashing at the haf-broke
broncho team there was, he was there TO
take care of Clark, who had more than
once of late rolled out of the blackboard.
and Lefty had had hard work, what with
the wild team and Clarks helplessness, to
get him back in.
One lowering December afternoon they
stopped at Antelope for the mail. on their
way home from a distant ranch. Things
had been going better: ii was weeks since
Clark's last spree. and he had been doing
almost entirely without liquor. But II was
Christmas eve: every bar room was full OF
cowboys and ranchmen, drinking and HI
larious.
Clark would have the team put up and
fed. and they themselves had supper at the
Antelope House.
When Lefty went to him in the bar. after
supper, Clark would have come, but there
was a crowd around him that wouldn't
! hear of 1t. Finally, annoyed at Defty's per-
sistence. they turned their attention to him,
and ii was only by the exercise of consider
able dexterity and address that he got out
without having to drink with them.
I Full of anxiety. he went back again and
/ again, sometimes finding Clark determined
| to make a night of it. sometimes half So
! hered up and willing to go. but when en-
the strength of this he got the horses out
and brought the blackboard around, he al
ways failed by little to get Clark away.
/ nTE n h fv, a. i.
as the outskirts of town. when Clark turned
obstinate and made him go back.
Finally. long after midnight, when he
went again into the bar. Clark said he would
go with him if Lefty would take one drink.
/ Hoping to pacify and get him away Lefty
| finally took the drink: then. similar
! plea and promise. another and another till
/ by the time they left they were about
| equally intoxica ted.
When they came to the first gate into the
| Rita blanca pastures. about three miles
| from the ranch house Lefty gave the lines
! to Clark and got down to open it, the whip
/ unheeded in his hand.
| But the long drive in the sharp air had
| sobered him up enough that he wondered
| to see the tall posts on each side of the
gate moving. The next moment he knew
J that there was a man behind each post, II
! being the only possible cover an assailant
! could have found for miles upon that bare,
| open. half mconlit plain. The revelat iof,
was like a bucket of ice water da shed over
! him. and he guessed instantly-with a throb
| of that anxiety for Clark which was al
| ways with hinl-that these We're some OF
/ the Mexicans with whom the Rita Blanca
| was having trouble.
His mortal fear for Clark's life swept the
| befogging fumes out of his brain.
| 1t was Ciark's life they wanted: he knew
! that: ii was not himself they were after
| He could go forward and open the gate
! safely. since they likely thought him toe
| drunk to notice them.
| But IL they knew that the one in the buck
board was Clark, they would jump upon II
| and knife him as he drove through.
! Lefty reeled toward the gate, caught II
and chung to it. shaking in every limb. Tho
/ silent watchers behind the posts might vel
| have thought him very drunk indeed.