The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-05

Scroggins' door, he came out, lookin' ez
, smilin' eZ an undertaken with the
toothache. Seed my gal lately?' says
he, foolin' with his gun. | didn't want
to hurt his feelin's by tellin' him I'd
seen her ten minutes before with Bob,
so | sez. polite-like: 'Sartinly, saw her
last week. LookR well, ain't she?'
Std of bein' pleased, the old man was
riled and used language THAT would
have shocked wheat in a harvest field.
But | didn't care until he said he could
| git more music out n a weather. boarded
house with ciub'n | could out'n my
fiddle'n' bow. Then was mad n talked
back. After aSSurin' me that Id dis
+ tiggered the an'scape long enough.
only addA' TO them plain words some
Unnecessary trmmin's, he shot at me
! N / shot back, M this is what | killed
him with"
/ Ezekiel drew out an old horse pistol
and handed it to the foreman OF the
jury. A murnur of interest ran through
the crowd, and the jurors whispered
among themselves.
just then little red-faced man
pushed his way through the crowd at
the door. There he isl" he shouted,
excitedly. There's the man that stole
my mule!"
We followed his finger with our eyes.
He was pointing at Ezekiel, who re-
garded him philosophically. well, l
didn't say l didn't, did II" he asked,
mildly.
The newcomer threw his hat in the
corner and danced with excitement.
''It was this way, jedge. T'other day |
tied my mule down at Ransome's Ferry
while l went into Pixies place to git
some refreshments. When l come out,
little latter, the mule wuz gone, an
l never seed him again ontil to-day,
when l stumbled on him, accidental
like, at this feller's place up the trail.
! i want him rested, quick!"
We were too much astonished to say
anything, but finally Ezekiel broke the
silence.
Don't be too hasty," he said. II stole
the mule, yes. The chap left him tied
out thar all day while he was doin' the
anaconda act in at Pixies, an jest out
of pity for jeremiah l rode him off. But
that's enough on that subject" as the
undertaken remarked when he saw
ten-foot tombstone over the grave of
a debtor of his'n; we're considerin' an
ether matter. didn't say nothin' about
Scroggins' death for two reasons;
wanted Nita to leave 'thout hearin'
/ about it, an Jeremiah had strayed off
an it's long ways to tell news that'll
| keep an hour or So"
The jury had been examining the pis-
tol, and Ezekiel's statement was so ap
parently sincere that their minds began
to waver. They looked at Atkinson,
then at the stranger, and then at Eze-
kiel, serenely confident. For moment
they buzzed together, then the fore
man, closely followed by the other
II, walked over and held out his
hand to Atkinson. In another second
Jerry was on box, cheering frantical-
| ly. The crowd Joined in, and the excite
ment grew until the hilltop man fell
out of the window backward. After
awhile the colonel made himself heard:
"The prisoners discharged. But
there's another case to be considered"
"She's waitin' up thar for you" whis-
pered Ezekiel, and Atkinson stayed just
long enough to wiring a dozen out
stretched hands and give his choking
thanks to Ezekiel.
Col. Ike rose in his place and the hum
| of conversation was stilled.
"The death of this man Scroggins ap-
pears to have happened in a proper
manner, but the mule stealing is more
serious. And while in the first instance
you are entitled to the thanks of Lone
Star, because of the second it is the
opinion of the court you'd better leave
in three hours, Ezekiel"
III CO." said Ezekiel, but not less
1 can take Jeremiah. l amt agoin' to
walk"
Col. Ike was a man of resources. He
dropped dollar in his sombrero and
then passed it among the boys. When
he had counted it's contents he ad-
dressed the owner of the mule. "Your
mule is worth just SIS, a plugged half
and two Mexican dobies, and we've de-
cided to buy him." Then he turned to
Ezekiel. "With the compliments of
Lone Star camp" he said, smiling.
Ezekiel bowed his thanks. shook
hands all around and passed through
the door. He unhitched jeremiah from
where his late owner had tied him and
clambered into the saddle, with his
fiddle under his left arm. Something
saw in his face made me walk along
side to the top of the grade. He looked
at me for moment, quizzically.
Does what you hear go in a one ear
m out t'other, 'stid of your nNouth?"
Secrets that travel take that trail"
"Well. then, didn't steal jeremiah
l saw him at the ferry, TUX fancy to
him, an, when the chance offered next
day, dickered for him with a man who
| 'peared to be his owner But l saw
that my reputation needed a smudge to
make 'em b'lieve me about Scroggins"
Then you didn't" began I. catching
my breath.
"Sartinly not" he said, coolly. "I
didn't kill him, and I don't know who
did-probably some one he did up set
Tim an old score. I'm sure Bob didn't
do it, but l couldn't prove it any other
way. And he's mighty nice Teller, an
Nita, bless her little heart Git up.
Jeremiah. Francisco Argonaut
| Reflections of n bachelor.
Babies ought to wear the wedding
! rings.
A