Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-04-14

and 1t struck thoughtful ones
4 4 in Buffalo Horn that the pa.
tronymic was slngularly appropriate;
for the gentleman himself was a mild
eyed, ''sandy-lookin' - little man, with
n self-deprecatory air that suggested
a standing apology ON his part for pre-
sumlng to exist. He flOated into town
quietly, and so unobtrusive and modest
was he that it was several days before
his presence began to be noticed, and
then only on account of rumor that
had gained circula ton to the effect that
he was an officer of the United States
Secret Service. Then Buffalo Hornites
smiled. OF course, like all Western peo-
pie, they understood that it is not best
to judge from appearances; but, oh!
what chump Uncle Sam must be, to
send wee bit of man like this to
arrest an Oklahoma malefactor!
To be sure, nobody had the temerity
to suggest this to Mr.. Meeks. There are
communities in which the one who pre-
sumes upon appearances Is taking very
long chances, and Buffalo Horn was
one of these. Therefore, Mr. Meeks
was treated with great show Of respect
by all the leading citizens, who squared
things with themselves by privately
giving him the horse-laugh." And, all
unconscious, Mr.. Meeks kept on his
way, or, rather, stayed where he was
and lay in wait for some certain GRIM
inal who was wanted for violating a
score more or less. of the Federal
statutes.
In strictest confidence, and with
child-like faith, he had impaired more
or less information concerning his mis-
sion to Mart Winslow, the landlord of
the little hotel where he was staying
and Mart being, after the manner of his
kind, an inveterate gossip, soon spread
what information he had CLEANED from
the stranger, thereby causing broad
grin to appear whenever his guest was
mentioned.
"Oh, but amt e easy?" chuckled
as he nodded towards the bar-room,
where Mr.. Meeks was engaged in ''set-
tin 'em up to the eyer-ready crowd.
''D' We ever see sech a sucker? Comes
yere an 'xpec's tn duck 'e's layin' fer
T. lope right intuh tn camp an give
'isself up, s'pose; so yere'e stays, dig
gin up fifteen a week f'r board an
spendin' copious at tn bar. oh, en-
stand it awhile"
"Gawd! S'posin' tn man sh'd come
in, all of a suddint?" said Jim Wylie,
the city marshal. Say, bet ed die o.
scarer"
"What Is 1t tn little feller wants,
MartW asked some one sitting by the
window.
'Sh-h-h! Easy, Frank! oh,
d'no', not now But I'll bet ye one
thing-'tain't nobody he's a-goin' t
ketch right off"
1t came to be rumored, within day
or two, that "Kingtisher" Williams
was the man Mr.. Weeks was after, this
rumor being based upon the fact that
the little man had been-very quietly
of course making inquiries concerning
that notorious person, whom numerous
county and national officers were more
or less anxious to meet. He was not
known personally to any one in Buffalo
Horn, but Mr.. Wylie assured the little
man that Kingfisher Williams was Il
very bad man, indeed, and that if Mr.
Meeks effected his capture it would be
a great feather in his cap-whereupon
the little man swelled up considerably
and invited Mr.. Wylie to join him at
the bar.
1t was about a week after this con-
versation that the secret-service officer
and the city marshal were standing in
the bar-room, discussing some question
or other. when the door opened and a
stranger entered and, walking up to
the bar. called for whisky. Mr.. Meeks
was looking earnestly upward into the
big marshals face as the stranger Ell
tered, but withdrew his gaze for mo-
ment to glance at the newcomer. Then
he reached for his revolver.
"There's my manw he remarked,
calmly, in an undertone, to the marshal.
Get back from the bar, please"
Wylie, dumbfounded, did as he was
hidden. In time to see the stranger look
up just as Mr.. Meeks got him covered.
Hands up, Mr.. Williams" COM
manded the little man ~ want you"