The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-02-08

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the rate of 60 miles an hour Inc inan
seemed stunned for minute. then si1u,
denly collecting himself ne wh1riea
round, ran his hand in a drawer ana
whipped ont revolver, but before ne
got good grip on it knocked it out OF
his hand. straddled it on the floor, and
CO ering him with my own said: Come,
come, Mr.. Fire Eater, none OF that!
That isn't what we want you to get out
of that drawer. A little cash would
make it easier for both of u.s.
Like all DULLES, the fellow was q
bluff and coward. He saw we had him
Ind he cooled down, standing sullenly
by while Scott finished the paper and
then ransacked the miscellaneous stock
on the counters and found some tacks
and hammer. with which he fastened
the notice on the outside of the door.
Then, reforming me, Scott kicked the
fallen pistol under one of the counters,
and getting behind Gringo requested
him to precede us out of the store. This
DONE he locked the door, put the key in
his pocket, and we then babe our host a
pleasant good evening and walked over
to the racks to get our horses.
"sI don't think it would be a bad
thing for our health to get out Of here as
soon as we cam Scott said. The boys
are mighty late getting in. They may
be in a skirmish somewhere
"We watered our horses, mounted
and rode down the main street. AS we
passed little shanty close to the road,
Scott shifted and said: THAT smelts like
fried ham and eggs, don't it9 Let's stop
and have a snack
1--WE alghted, hitched our horses be-
hind the house in an angle made by a
shedroom which served as the kitchen,
and going inside seated ourselves at one
of the two oilcloth covered tables and
gave our order to an old man, who filled
the joint and respective positions OF pro-
prietor, cook and waiter.
"While we were eating we were inter-
rupted by the entrance of a girl, whom
recognized as the customer at Grin
COS when we first called on him. She
had an old shawl over her head, between
the close held edges of which her small,
intelligent, frightened face peered out
strikingly. She could not have been more
than IA years old, yet her face had all
the shrewdness and strength of wom-
ans. Darling past US, she made hasty
survey of the kitchen, and turning asked
sWhar's Tobe?'
"sGone to the WE'LL said, thinking
she meant our host, and, half rising and
smiling in spite of myself, added after
the manner of the country storekeeper,
Can do anything for you, miss?
ssShe came close to the table, and lean
ing on the back of SCOTS chair she said
nervously:
"fYou'ns better cpar out, quick! Dad
an the boys is on yer trail. He come
home to supper and raised Cain. Me an
maw's hide'll git it fur you'ns' doins.'
ssWe understood in a flash that she
was warning us against Gringo.
"sWho are you, child? Scott asked.
turning and taking her hand. Why do
you come to save us?'
"I amt kearin so much about savin
you'ns as gittin him TUX up she an
swered seriously. Still, didn't want
him to git the drap on yer-that amt
fair
"She watched the door furtively, and
gathered up the ends of the shawl 40
though for flight as she went on: Hes
my steppaw, an meaner cuss never
lived. Me an maw'd a. ief' him long ago,
but he would kill us eff he ever kotched
up with us. The only way to do is to
git him TUX up fur some Nv his deviltry
and put in the penytenshury, whar he
can't git at us. But, honest, you fellers
better vamoose. You amt got no time
to fool. He's gone arter the Cowles boys,
an heard him tell Dick Sims an them
to line 'em back thar back er the cally-
boose.' She pointed to the rear of the
house. Some Nv 'em is goin to lay fur
yer in front, and some NV 'em is goin to
lay fur yer benin, an yer can't git outen
town no ways. You better git move
on yer, honestp
'sShe started to the door, then shrank
back. sThar's the Cowles boys nowf
she exclaimed. Dad amt fur off. Ef
he sees me, I'm goner.'
s.By this time Scott and we're on our
feet, and the proprietor came in with his
bucket of water. His manner led us to
suppose and hope-that there was moth
ing unusual going on in the street. Set
ting the bucket on the shelf he wiped his
hands on the tail Of his coat, and taking
plug of tobacco out of his pants pocket
bit off a chew as he remarked casually:
I reckon you fellers is been dom some
thin, an thar is goin to be some tighten.
l seen Gringo Perez, an the Cowles boys
an Dick Sims an er lot NV 'em, an they
seemed to be surroundin the house. Fur
as I kin see, you'ns amt got no show.
You mought jes' as well thro' up yer
hams an s'render'
"WeIl, sas fur as could see,' this was
the statement of an unfattering fact.
Don't bolt, Rice" Scott said quietly,
his words accompanied by the rapidly
revolving six clicks of his pistol, the
boys will be in any minute-we're all
right
"'Let's ge$ to our horses I said, and
make dash for the thicket.'