Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-02-18


bling into DIrk's claim and smashine
his gear.
did not hear exactly what ne said,
but my attention was suddenly ar
rested by seeing Dirk make bound
at the Frenchman and seize him by
the throat, while his eyes fairly
blazed with passion. The French.
man tried to elude him, but in mo.
ment Dirk had dashed him to the
floor, and was standing over him rag
ing with fury. A silence fell on the
company standing around the fallen
Frenchman, and as he SUNK away
into side room, where the rattle of
the dice went on all day long and far
into the night. no one found so much
as word to throw after him.
/ met Dirk on several occasions at
ter this curious episode, but, as If by
mutual consent, we avoided the SUBJ
ject. One night, however, when the
moon was sailing maiestically over
head and lighting up the dusty road be-
tween 'the Pan" and Kimberly with
a food Of lambent light, / was riding
slowly into camp when I heard the
rapid pattering of horses hoofs be-
hind me, and turning in the saddle
confronted Dirk. He was agitated
and angry, and without word Of
greeting plunged into the subject up
permost in his mind.
'Do you know, old fellow, that
rascally little Frenchman has been
repeating his lies about being inti-
mate with my wife in Paris before
she came out here? Not only that,
but he says he has her miniature set
in gold which she gave him. The un-
mitigated liar! If l find time I shall
canter over to his cabin the other
side of the mine tonight, and If he
can't produce that souvenir it will 60
hard with him. If he does it won't
be in his possession long,"
Don't do anything rash, Dirk.
Remember there is another to think
of beside YOURSELF" I said.
''That's what bothers me, old fell
low" he replied; and then refining in
his horse, and jogging along by nv
side, he told me about his trouble.
1t appeared his wife denied any
intimacy with the Frenchman, but
stated that her father tried to force
her to accept his attentions to her in
the old days when he was a half
starved ballet master, and she a
struggling aspirant at a, Paris the
alter. The miniature was a new feat
ure in the story, and Dirk firmly be-
lieved it to be myth, but was bent
upon finding out whether it was or
not.
After while he grew calmer, and
paid more attention to my entreaties
that he should proceed with caution.
At parting he shook me by the hand,
and his last words, shouted to me as
he galloped off at the turning for The
Oasis we're
II won't trouble the little French
man tonight, but let him keep outof
my way!"
The next morning the body of
Jules LacroiX was found lying on the
floor Of his cabin, with an ugly hole
in the left temple. In one hand he
grasped tightly 5art Of the gold chain
and the swivel of a miniature. There
was the fresh spoor of a horse not far
from the door, and the bullet found
in the brain fitted Dirk's revolver to
nicely.
1t was not long before Dirk was in
custody, and the case looked dark
against him. His threat to shoot the
Frenchman was we'll remembered;
his excited demeanor in Halls bar at
the Pan, when the news of the
Frenchman's reiterated assertion of
a former intimacy with his wife was
brought to him was commented upon,
and the circumstantiai evidence was
strong.
Jas for Dirk himself, he utterly de-
MED going near the Frenchman's
cabin on the night Of the murder,
and he accounted for the fact that he
did not reach home for nearly an hour
after leaving me by saying that, feel
ing hot and excited, he went for a
scamper over the veldt, and the
beauty of the moonlight caused him
to stay out longer than he intended.
He pressed me to tell all / knew
about the matter, and L reluctantly
did so, making the most of his ex-
pressed determination on leaving me
not to visit the Frenchman that even
ing.
The trial dragged on until late in
the night, and at II o'clock the jury
came into the court with the YER
dict
"Guiltym
1 shall never forget the look of
mute agony on his wife's face as
Dirk stood up to be sentenced to his
death, or the calm, proud way in
which he heard his doom.
>%%& +<<& tx&* xxx&
SHARK my words, boys Sylvester's
wife will get him reprieved."
The speaker was lounging at the
counter Of the Yellow Bar in the
Transvaal road, and his words evoked
q murmur Of sympathy Ever since
the conviction efforts had been made |
in all directions to prevent the dread
sentence of the law being carried out |
and SylyeSter'S wife had hecome the