Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-01-10


enough" said Brent; "but that oily littis
wretch sickens me-" 80
The Objectionable stranger came u
our camp fire.
"Hellc, meni" said be, with fsmil.
lar air. "it's = hns nights" and meeting
with no response. he continued, "but
reckon you don't allow nothin elss bui
hne nights In this section"
"Bsd company makes al nights bad,
says Jake Shamberlsin. grufiy enough.
"Ay; and good company betters the
ornerisst sort er weather. The more the
merrier. chr
"Supposin its more perarer wolves OF
moro rattlesnakes or moro horsethieving.
scalpin Uiesr' says Jake. appropriated.
"Oh," said the newcomer little un-
easily, ~ don't mean sech. ! mean jolly
dogs. like me and my pardener. We al.
lowed you'd choose company In camp.
We'd like to stick our pegs In alongside
sf your'n ef no gent hain't gothin TO say
tgin It."
"It's free country" Jake said, "and
looks pooty roomy round here. You
ken camp whar you blame please-ofi
or on"
"Well," says the fellow, laying hold Of
this very slight encouragement, "since
you're agreeable. we'll fry our pork over
your fire and hev smoke TO better &C.
quaintance."
"He amt squimmidge." said Jake TO
us. as the fellow walked Of to call his
comrade. "lIs's bound to ring himself
into this here party, whoever says sickle
back. He's one er them Algerines what
don't know dark hint till II begins to
make motions and kicks 'em out. Well,
two moro men. with two regiments NJ.
lowance Of shootin irons won't do no
harm In this Ingin country"
swell, boysr' said the unpleasant fat.
ling, approaching again. "Here Is my
pardener, Sam Smith. from Sacramen.
ter; what he don't know about . horse
amt worth KNOWN. My name Is Jim
Robinson. ken sing u song, tell u story
or ding card with any man, In town or
out er town." -
Next morning the two strangers were
free and accepted members Of the party.
They travelled ON with us without ques-
ton. Smith the gaunt affected rough
frankness Of manner. Robinson was low
comedy. His head was packed with
fcurvy Jokes and stories. lie had q foul
leer on his face whenever hs was think.
ing his own thoughts. But either. II
suddenly startled. showed the unmistak.
able look that announces worse crime
than mere knavery.
They tangled their names 30 that we
perceived each was an alias hastily as
sumed. Smith compared sixshooters
with me. ! detected on. his the maine
Murker, half erased. Once, too, Brent
heard Murker. alias Smith, call his part.
ner Larap.
"Larrap Is appropriate" said !, when
Brent told me this; '.just the name for
him. rs that unlucky mule branded "A.
e. A. could testify"
~ have no prejudices against the
family Larrap. But when Larrap's mate
spoke the name. he looked Mt Inc as II
he had been committing q murder, and
had by an irresistible impulse proclaimed
the fact. Look at him now! How he
starts md half turns whenever one OF
our horses makes a clatter. He dares
not quite look back. He knows there Ia
something after him."
"The dread Of n vengeance, you think.
I tire Of these unwholesome characters
I am describing. But ] did not put
them into the story. They took their
places themselves. I find that brutality
interferes In most dramas and most lives.