The St. Johns herald., 1896-10-24

USeu ulI0Q CLOCK up Dy OlUpSOH Of01 thar. reckon know when I've got a load on"
 "Were you ever in Sacramento?"
 "Yes."
 "When?"
 "Last week.
 ''Did you hear anything about mel"
 The half breed glanced through his tangled hair at the major in some won- der, not only at the question, but at the almost childish eagerness with which it was asked.
 "I didn't hear much of anything else, he answered grimly.
 'And-what did they say?"
 Said you'd got to be took anyhow. They allowed the new sheriff would do it too"
 The major laughed. "Well, you heard how the new sheriff did it-skunked away with his whole posse before one- eighth of my men. You saw how the rest of this camp held up your nine troopers and that sapheaded cub of 8 lieutenant, didn't you? You wouldn' t have been standing here if you hadn't. No. There isn't the civil process nor the civil power in all California that can take me out of this camp"
 But neither his previous curiosity nor present bravado seemed to impress the ragged stranger with much favor. He glanced sulkily around the cabin and began to shutfle toward the door.
 fStopi Where are you going to? Sit down. want to talk to you"
 The fugitive hesitated for moment and then dropped ungraoiously on the edge of camp stool near the door. The major looked at him.
 T may have to remind you that I run this camp, and the boys hereabouts do pretty much as I say Whats your 1ame?"
 "Tom."
 "Tom? We'll, look here, Toml D-n it all! Can't you see that when man is stuck here alone, as I am, he wants to know what's going on outside and hear little fresh talk?'
 The singular weakness of this blend ed command and appeal apparently struck the fugitive curiously. He fixed his lowering eyes on the major as if ill gloomy doubt if he were really the reckless desperado he had been repre- Bented. That this man-twice an assas- gin and the ruler of outlaws as reckless as himself-should approach him in this half confidential way evidently puzzled him.
 "Wot you wanter know?" he asked grufiy.
 "Well, what's my party saying or doing about me?' said the major impa- tiently. Whats The Express saying about mel"
 ''I reckon they're throwing off on you all round. They allow you never represented the party, but worked for yourself" said the man shortly.
 Here the major lashed out. A set of traitors and hirelings! He had bought and paid for them all. He had sunk $2, 900 in The Express and saved the editor from being horsewhipped and jailed for libel. Half the cursed bonds that they were making such blanked fuss about were handled by these hyp- ocrites, blank them! They were low lived crew of thieves and deserters. It is presumed that the major had forgot ten himself in this infelicitous selection of epithets, but the strangers face only relaxed into grim smile. More than that, the major had apparently forgot ten his desire to hear his guest talk, for he himself at once launched into an elaborate exposition of his own affairs and spacious and equally elaborate defense and justification of himself and denunciation of his acousers. For near ly half an hour he reviewed step by step and detail by detail the charges against him, with plausible explana- tion and sophistical argument-always with singular prolixity and reitera- tion that spoke of incessant conscious ness and self abstraction. Of that dash ing self sufficiency which had dazzled his friends and awed his enemies there was no trace. At last even the set smile of the degraded recipient of these con- fdences darkened with dull, bewilder- ed disgust. Then, to his relief, a step was heard without. The majors man. ner instantly changed.
 Well" he demanded impatiently as Dawson entered.
 ''I came to know what you want done with him." said Dawson, indicat- ing the fugitive with contemptuous finger.
 ''Take him to your cabin.
 My cabinl Him?" calculated Daw- son, turning sharply on his chief
 The majors light eyes contracted, and his thin lips became straight line. 'I don't think you understand me, Daw- son, and another time you'd better wait until I've done. want you to take him to your cabin and then clear out of it yourself. You understand? want him near me and alone"
 Dawson was not astonished the next morning to see Major Overstone and the half breed walking together down the gully road, for he had already come to the conclusion that the major was planning some extraordinary reprisal against the invaders that would insure the perpetual security of the camp. That he should use so insignificant and unimportant tool now appeared to him to be quite natural, particularly as the service was probably one in which the