Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-08

tU6 FklOAYsz MAY
- -
ance," he said. ST assure you that It ID
. genuine WAL, yes, miss. I reckon
could aseimilate somethin If it ain Z
agin the negotiations. ~ ~
The kind old jailer hustled OF to get
food for his prisoner. and that worthy
was left alone.
When the iron. gates. had changed
noisily to, no raised himself on one ell.
bow and laughed ''That was the only
way out Of it," he said. "I'd trust that
girls honest eyes till DEATH -
The sheriff, although animated by the
best intentions. did not find Bud Apple.
ton. That worthy was reputed to have
got clean off to the States with his
booty. leaving behind him q valuable
thoroughbred black horse, which was
sold at auction and purchased cheap by
John Grey. owing to its having nasty
bullet wound in the flank. The tramp.
on hearing of the jailer's purchase, vol.
unteered to cure the wound in a very
short space of time and proved himself
30 expert in his treatment that the ami.
NAL soon began to recover and followed
him about the prison yard like dog
The tramp, however, modestly dis
avowed all pretensions to horsemanship.
He had given his parole not to attempt
to escape, and for the most part sat ON a
heap OF broken stones, thoughtfully sur
veying pile of unbroken ones which
called for immediate attention, or helped
the jailer to excavate two feet of stone
work out of the front walls of the jail
parlor. The one desire of the jailer' s
wife was to have bow windows added
to the parlor during her term of Office.
She had been to Ottawa and seen new
house there with this architectural ad
dition, and could not rest until the Jail
was similarly Respondent. Then it was
discovered that the tramp was singular.
ly deft with all manner of carpentry
and trowel work, although not strong
enough to lift heavy masses of masonry.
Lelota supervised his work, and gave
him good advice as to how it should be
done. Under the circumstances it is
scarcely necessary to add that the tramp
took the greatest possible interest in the
bow window and relinquished his geo.
logical studies in the jailyard without
an atom of regret. Sometimes if Lelota
were away. his zeal tagged little, but
When she was there he toiled early and
late and listened with interest to the
jailer's attempts to convert the i'm
mortal part Of him into something that
should rise superior to the allurements
of tanglefoot whisky and his former dis.
reputable mode of life.
eff l was you," said the jailer to
him one evening as they enjoyed a pipe
together on the porch, "if was you, I'd
shave off my beard now the hot wealth.
er's comm on. The inspector II be down
the day after tomorrow, all I'm afeared
I'll have to shet you mp till he's gone.
You see, it's bit irregular my lettin you
go round like this, but you're such a
peaceful chap when the drink isn't in
you l hain't the heart to keep you in
the yard. You'd better git inside now.
Here's Little John, all you an him ain I
the best Of friends, I reckon He's bit
heavy with his fist, John is. -
"Oh, well Square that up some day, -
said the rratdp carelessly. I'D ruthe,
keep my beard ON. Sides amt got nc
razor. You see, my times up Thursday
night an it might stop my gittin work
if people saw mo here 'ithout beard an
knew me outside agin.'' NJ ~l" So
He knocked the ashes out of his pipe,
nodded and went off to his cell as Little
John came and sat down dejectedly by
the jailer. who's that" the sheriff
asked, catching sight CT the tramp's re.
treating form.
Only the man you i'll treated when
he was too drunk to defend himself u
said Lelota quietly as she Joined her
father. Drunkenness seemed to her
much less offensive than brutality, and
she knew Little John to be an overbear-
ing bully. -
The sheriff WINGED beneath her scorn.
Amt that fellows time up yet? He'd
better keep outen my way when it is. "
If I were ycu," said the girl quiet
". I'D keep out of his. He might get
the drop ON you. Your fist mayn't save
you then, John Baines''
The sheriff turned the conversation.
ITO think" he said. II let Bind Apple.
ton slip through my fingers whilst l was
'tendin to that fellow. II l hadn t vast
ed half day over that tramp, might
have tracked Appleton. They say he
was hit an couldn't git over the border.
expects he's just hid somewheres in
the bush till he's got his strength MP
again. Tho rewards out for 81, 900,
dead or alive, to whoever brings him
in
Lelota turned from him in disgust.
You'll die with blood on your soul
yet, John Baines," she said.
"a thousand dollars would furnish
my house nicely" said the sheriff mean
ingly.
"You needn't expect me to live in it,
then, she said, with fierce directness.
I'D see blood ON the walls, eat blood,
drink blood. I'd rather be q store loafer