The record-union., 1897-06-13
THE KID"
written for the ''Record-Union" by

written for the ''Record-Union" by
Beselena)
His name was Frank Templeton, but
In the wild, Western country where he
found himself. it seemed the most nat
ural thing in the world to be known
simply as the kid" He won this Sob
riquet from his extremely youthful ap-
pearance. In reality he was not young.
He had long ago passed the meridian OF
youth and had run the gamut Oh the
worlds excesses and pleasures. he hdu
come out West to recuperate ms Shdl-
tered health and fortunes, he wanted 10
get away from every one who had ever
known him in the old days, that is why
he had chosen this little, insignificant
mining camp as his stopping place.
There was another reason, too, Whlch
had been largely instrumental III IN
ducing him to make the change. BACK
home in the States" he had sweet
heart who watched and waited Tor ms
coming She had had faith in him When
every mans hand had been turned
against him. 1t was for her sake that
he struggled to reform.
He did not have capital enough to
buy a mine, and some way the hard
poorly paid life of the average miner
did not appeal to him, so he hung around
camp making friends with the boys and
waited for an opening. 1t came sooner
than he anticipated. The night clerk
of the only hotel in the camp was one
day shot down by a member of the law
less element who infest such places, and
the Kid having a superior educa-
ton was asked to take his place. The
work itself was not hard but the danger
run was great. Large sums of money
were daily deposited in the hotel safe,
and unless he kept his wits about him he
was liable to share the same fate, but
his funds were daily diminishing, star
walton stared him in the face and in the
end he accepted.
He entered upon his duties with many
grave misgivings, but as time wore on
and nothing happened he gradually for
got his fears. He kept his pistol close
at hand IF the time ever comes, shoot
quick and without mercy" he had been
told. Somehow, he had never felt that
he would like to do that. Deep down in
his heart was a settled conviction, but
where he got it he never knew, that
there was a soft spot in every mans
nature that could be appealed to. He was
always little bit ashamed of this
thought; he thought it sentimental and
silly; nevertheless, so strong hold did
it have on him that he privately re-
solved should the time ever come he
would make a test case of it and then
if necessary shoot afterwards, for the
Kid was no coward.
The day had been intolerably hot. The
sun shone pitilessly on the bare, brown
earth The camp fairly sizzled in the
fierce glare, while the rough, unpainted
miners cabins seemed to eXude heat
from every pore.
It was 2:30 in the morning, and the
kid" tired. sleepy and exhausted from
the unaccustomed heat of the day sat
blinking on his high stool behind the
counter and yawning sleepily. He was
the sole occupant of the office, even the
lusty lunged miners had long ago sue
cumbed and turned in. His eyes wan
dered to the hands of the office clock
and noted the tagging hours with grow
ing impatience. He took out book and
tried to read but could not concentrate
his mind on the printed page before
him. A growing feeling of impending
danger. which he tried in vain to shake
off. assailed him. That day an unusually
large sum of money had been deposited
i'm the safe by one of the miners who
had cleaned up and was going home.
Going home; the words rang in his
ears like a lnell. He closed the book
hastily. Jumped from his high stool and
door. the cool
fresh morning air would, no doubt, dis
pei his illusions. He had his hand on the
low. swinging gate which would admit
him to the outer office when he was sud
denly stopped by finding himself gazing
into the cleaning muzzle of a revolver,
while a gruff voice commanded: Stand
right where you are, pard. Then ne
was told to open the safe, which he did
with trembling fingers. Now hand out
YOUR money. and be quick about 1t!
was the robbers next order. The KID
hesitated; for the first time full reall-
zation of the measure of his response
biity rested upon him. With a NUT
tered imprecation the robber told him to
hold UP his hands and went through the
safe himself The Kid saw the
money intrusted to his keeping being
stolen from before his eyes. His blood
boiled
How it happened no one knew, but a
few hours later the Kid was found on
the office floor with a bullet wound in
his side. surrounded by every evidence
of a struggle.
Tender hands carried him up stairs,
but the veterinary surgeon, the only doc
tor in camp, shook his head omniously
when he saw him.
The Kid lay in the best bedroom
with closed eyes and a smile upon his
lips. During the day he had been de-
lirious and had spoken constantly of
Doris: when the heat Of the day had
spent itself the fever wore away and he
lay in a sort of stupor.
All was quiet in and around the house,
the noisy voices of the miners had sunk
to an awed whisper No man about the
canp had been more universally ad-
mired and beloved than had the kid.
During the afternoon a meeting behind
closed doors had been held in the hotel
parlor: when it was over a handful of
sturdy, determined men issued forth.
Some time later one of the
watchers beside the Kids" bedside
arose softly and stepping over to the
window drew aside the curtain and
raised the sash as he did so an exclama-
ton of astonishment escaped him; the
other watchers hurried forward; they,
too. looked from the window and then
hastily STEPPED back carefully readjust
ing the shade.
The man on the bed lay perfectly
,,,,ia+ All ar once he stretched forth