The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-10-15

pretty much as 1 say. What S your
lame?'
"Tom."
tom? Well, look here, Tom! Din
it all Can't you see that when man
is stuck here alone, as l 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 in
gloomy doubt if he were really the
reckless desperate he had been repre-
Eented. That this man-twice an assas-
sin 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
gruffly.
well, what's my party saying or
doing about me?" said the major impa
tiently. Whats The Express saying
about me?"
Il 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 dashed out. A set Of
traitors and hirelingsl He had bought
and paid for them all. He had sunk
50, 900 i'll 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 theml They were low
lived crew of thieves and deserters. 1t
is presumed that the major had forgot
ten himself in this infelicitous selection
of epithets, but the stranger face only
relaxed into a 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 a specious and equally elaborate
defense and justification of himself and
denunciation of his accusers. For near
ly half an hour he reviewed step by
step and detail by detail the charges
against him, with plausible explana-
ton and sophistical rgument-always
with singular prolixity and reitera-
ton 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-
fidences darkened with dull, bewilder-
ed disgust Then, to his relief, step
was heard without. The majors man
ner instantly changed.
"Well, he demanded impatiently as
Dawson entered.
II 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
81 don t think you understand me, Daw
son, and another time you'd better wal
until I've done. want you to tax
Q him to your cabin and then clear out 0
+ it yourself You understand? l wan
him hear me and alone. F"
Q Dawson was not astonished the mex
: morning to see Major Overstone an
the half breed walking together dow
Il the gully road, for he had already com
to the conclusion that the major Wa
Il planning some extraordinary reprisa
,. against the invaders that would insur
,. the perpetual security Of the camp
That he should use SO insignificant an
II unimportant tool now appeared to hin
to be quite natural, particularly as tn
7. service was probably one in which til
d man would be sacrificed. "The ms
"a jor," he suggested to his companions
"ain't going to risk white mans ski
+ when he can get an Injin's hide handy.
r, The reluctant, hesitating step of ii
10 half breed as they walked along seen
er ed to give some color to this hypothesi
ID He listened sullenly to the major as
d. pointed out the strategic position of Il
Bar. THAT wagon road is the only al
r proach to Vineyards, and dozen me
along the rocks could hold it against
hundred. The trail that you came
over the ridge drops straight into tn
at gully, and you saw what that wou
r. mean to any blanked fools who mig
SO try it. OF course we could be shell,
from that ridge if the sheriff had
. howitzer or the men also knew how
work one, but even then we could o
- cupy the ridge before them. . He pau
" ed a moment and then added: Il use
iS to be in the army, Tom. | saw servi
" in Mexico before that cub you got avn
from had his first trousers. | W
TT brought up as gentleman-blank
III all land here l am. :"
IT.. d.