The record-union., 1897-10-04

tin 'em up
The night grew on, and still the men
smoked and drank, and the money
clinked as it changed hands across the
tables, and the talk and laughter be-
came longer and louder. Standing near
the bar was Alec Williams, his face
flushed and his eyes bright, the center
of group of men. Suddenly he turned
TO the man in the Office.
L say. Cap. yer amt seen nothin' of
wagon party that was headin' this
way, have yer?''
The man addressed came over and
joined the group.
Yes, l have, now yer speak of it.
was Grivin' down the valley the first
of the week and seen a camp down on
the island; didn't see much sign of life,
though, 'cept yaller-haired gal stir
rim round as though the hull caboodle
rested on her shoulders"
That's her, then" returned Alec.
Tell yer what; l never was took up
with body more in my life than / was
with that gal: spunkiest critter ever /
see. Struck their camp about ten days
ago on my way ter Mountain Home We
bunked tergether fer the night; mans
consamptive, 1 reckon, an the woman's s
a sort o fiabbergasted critter Come
out from Nebraska way, the woman
said, an I'd a guessed it if she hadn't
a said it. Ricketiest old consarn, that
wagon is, ever 1 see; but yer'd think it
was a Pullman sleeper ter see that gal
step round. Bound fer Los Ang'lus if
yer'H believe it. I kind o. hinted round
that it might be hard fer 'em ter make
it, but the look that gal gave me was
enough ter make yer keep yer mouth
shut fer a week. Well, they got off the
next mornfn' as innereent as babes in
the woods, an I've felt like a meachin'
idiot ever since ter think 1 sit by an
let 'em go; and if-by jingo-'
The group of men about him who
had been listening somewhat indiffer-
emily, looked up and followed his gaze
TO the door. Tt had been pushed partly
open, and there, just within the light,
a mans old overcoat over her shoulders
and little shoulder shawl pinned
tightly over her head, was Nanny She
stood still moment and her eye caught
Alec's. There was perfect silence in
the room and every eye was on the
girl. Again Alec calculated, by Jingo!"
The girl took a step forward and a
flush came over her face.
Mister Williams?" she said
Like a flash off came Alec's old
weather. beaten hat; he took a step
forward
What's the matter. little gal?" he
began, but the proprietor touched his
arm and said:
See here, Alec, yer better take the
gal in my room back there; any one
can SEE she's in some kind O. trouble,
and this amt no place fer her ter talk
in
The girl gave him a grateful look
and followed Alec through the door of
a back room.
Presently the accustomed hum of
talk and play began, but the men wore
a look of suppressed curiosity, and the
conversation and game lacked the in
terest of the earlier evening Finally
they drifted up to the bar and by COM
mon consent the talk turned to the
event of the evening.
Say, Cap, called out one broad
shouldered, keen-eyed young fellow,
who might have posed as a college ath-
lete under other circumstances, what s
become of Williams and the kid? Amt
adopted her already, has hep" AS he
spoke the door banged to, and Alec
Williams, with his collar turned up,
and his hat pulled down over his eyes
that We're blazing with the zest of a
strong purpose. strode into the room
followed by a smaller, older man, who
looked somewhat out of place among
the men who parted and formed a
group round them as they came up to
the bar
Some one on the outside of the crowd
called out: "Just give it to US straight,
Williams. What's the row?"
Alec looked round.
Il amt much on the talk when it
comes to a case o this kind and that's
the reason I brought the doc along to
give it ter yer. Just stand back now
and give him show"
The doctor stod up before the men.
Boys" he began, "a couple of hours
ago Alec, here, came to my office. You
all saw the girl he brought with him,
and 1 wish you all might have seen the
camp down there by the river to which
she took US. There's many a man here
who has faced danger and proved his
bravery, but there isn't a Drawer heart
here than the girl carries around When
we reached the camp we found the IA
ther and mother both sick The man
has consumption, and has it bad while
the woman is worn out, heart-sick and
discourage They have another little
child. a girl, and she is suffering for
shelter and good food. After l had at
tended the man, and we had fixed them
up as comfortably as we could for the
night I questioned the girl. They've
come from Nebraska and are bound for
Los Angeles, where they had some folks
belonging to them The girl has been
their mainstay right through the trip.
They expected to leave here three days
ago, but the man was taken bad and
the woman isn't much better. For a
week that girl has done all the work
Of the camp and has somewhow kept
things in shape, but when the rain
came on the man took a heavy cold,
and tonight was delirious with fever
Then, for the first time, she came up
here for help and
There, now, Doc, you've stated the
case pretty clear, and I'll have my
say now, if you please" Alec's hat
was off. showing we'll his shapely head
and the clear honest eyes that every
man in the room knew and liked.
You've just heard the Doc say that
they need help. and now, what want
ter know is what sort o. help this
towns a-goin' ter give em, specially
ter that there gal. I move that the
Doc here appoint a committee ter help
'em out, an that the committee be in
structed ter move 'em up here ter the
Overland first thing in the mornin', an
then start 'em fer Los Ang'lus in first
class style Til just ask, too, if yer