The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-08-09

tleman own pistol, ana damned II IN
his face.
Now you'll dance" said he
"Whoop!" said Specimen Jones, de-
lighted. Blamed if he amt neatr And
Jones handsome face lighted keenly.
Hold on!' the boy sang out, for the
amazed old gentleman was mechanic
ally drinking his whisky out of sheer
fright The rest had forgotten their
drinks. Not one swallow" the boy
continued. NO, you'll not put it down,
either: you'll keep hold of it, and you'll
dance all around this place. Around
and around. And don't you spill any.
And I'll be thinking what you'll do
after that"
Specimen Jones eyed the boy with
growing esteem. "Why, he amt big
ger than pint of cider said he.
France away" commanded the ten
derfoot, and fired shot between the
old gentleman's not widely straddled
legs.
You hev the floor, Mr.. Adams"
Jones observed, respectfully, at the
old gentleman's agile leap. "I'll let
no man here interrupt YOU" So the
capering began, and the company
stood back to make room. I've saw
juicy things in this territory" con-
tinued Specimen Jones. aloud to him
self, but this combination fills my
bill"
He shook his head sagely, following
the black-haired boy with his eye.
That youth was steering Mr.. Adams
round the room, proud as a ringmas-
ter, yet not altogether He was only
nineteen, and though his heart beat
stoutly it was beating alone in
strange country. He had come straight
to this from hunting squirrels on the
Susquehanna, with his mother keep
ing supper warm for him in the stone
farmhouse among the trees. He had
read books in which hardy heroes saw
life, and always triumphed with pre-
cision on the last page, but he remem-
bered no receipt for this particular sit
uation. Being good game American
blood he did not think now about the
Susquehanna, but he did long with all
his might to know what he ought to
do next to prove himself a man. His
buoyant rage, being glutted with the
old gentleman's fervid skipping, had
cooled, and stress of reaction was
falling hard on his young nerves. He
imagined everybody against him. He
had no notion that there was another
American wanderer there, whose re-
served and whimsical nature he had
touched to the heart.
The tickle audience was with him, of
course, for the moment. since he was
upper dog and it was a good show;
but one in that room was distinctly
against him. The old gentleman was
dancing with an ugly eye; he had
glanced down to see just where his
knife hung at his side, and he had
made some calculations. He had fred
four shots; the boy had fired one.
-Four and one hez always made fve,"
the old gentleman told himself with
secret pleasure, and pretended that he
was going to stop his double shuttle.
1t was an excellent trap, and the boy
fell straight into it. He squandered
his last precious bullet on the spittoon
near which Mr.. Adams happened to be
at the moment, and the next moment
Mr.. Adams had him by the throat
They swayed and gulped for breath,
rutting the earth with sharp heels;
they rolled to the floor and foundered
with legs tightly tangled, the boy
blindly striking at Mr.. Adams with
the pistol butt, and the audience
drawing closer to lose nothing, when
the bright knife flashed suddenly. 1t
poised and flew across the room harm
lessly, for foot had driven into Mr..
Adams arm, and he felt a cold ring
growing his temple. 1t was the
smooth, chilly muzzle of Specimen
Jones six-shooter.
That's enough" said Jones. More
than enough. Owen Vision, in
Harper's Magazine.
Over one-half of the vapor in the
atmOSDhara 10 within civ thousaud