Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-02-24

true frontier style. The camp had
grown up in a day, as 1t were, when the
placer fields were discovered, mile or
SO up the canon. The hoa ting popula-
ton Of the whole territory had fiocked
hlther, and what a month before was
as lonely gulch as could be found in
the Rockies, was now a fourishng
'city" of several hundred.
As | wandered into the Inter Ocean
that evening, the stage driver, who wa
standing near the door, recognized me,
and drawing closer, whispered:
There's Bill Klngerty over yonder ut
the farther table. Remember, stranger,
and don't run up against him."
! looked In the direction indicated
and saw Il large boned. roughly dressed
man of perhaps 80 seated at a parlor
table playing cards. His wide SLOUGH
hat was pulled down over his eyes, so
that only the lower part of his face
was visible. His chin was covered with
grizzly growth Of reddish gray hair.
There was a goodly stock of gold at his
elbow, to which he added now and then
as the game went on. 1t was evident
that the stage driver was right about
Bill Kingerty's luck.
The scene before me was new and
strange. From n secluded place in n
dark corner of the room | watched the
motley crowd singing, drinking and
gambling. Now and then some es-
peclally lucky player would cash in.
and. advancing to the rough board
counter answering for bar call up the
crowd and set up the liquor. | had not
been noticed In my dark corner until
later in the evening tall, sinewy cow
boy scooped great pile of gold into his
pockets, and, advancing to the bar,
threw down "A handful and called up
everybody.
CHANGING about the room with glass
of the reddest of red liquor in his hand,
he spied me.
Hey, there, tenderfoot." he shouted,
what are you sulking in that corner
for? Come up here and have some.
thing" -
advanced meekly into the light, and
h"'"iS AWNING what Stlu OF ulu, re-
piled; IF you will excuse me- will
take cigar instead"
Cigar" he reared, and pouring out
trimming glass of whisky handed it to
me with the words, Take that. and
drink It, quick"
Really" | said in my fright, Il don't
care for this. Pray excuse me and III
smoke cigar instead"
Cigar be hanged he answered
drink that liquor" and, pulling a six.
shooter from his belt, he pointed II al
my head.
| looked at the cleaning muzzle In
terror. The mouth of the barrel looked
TO my frightened senses as large as a
drainpipe. The drawn, hardened face
OF the man behind it looked fiendish.
Really" | stammered. Drink
he shouted. | raised the glass to nv
lips and gulped down mouthful. The
fiery stuff choked me, and, throwing il
up. went into a paroxysm OF coughing.
The crowd surged about me, laugh.
Ing and shrieking, when the cowman
waved his weapon over his head, fired
a couple of shots through the roof. and.
pointing 1t ut Inc again. shouted.
Drink it down, tenderfoot, drink ii
down, or I'll finish you
AS ! raised the glass again, Bill Kin
gerty stepped forward and walked IN
to my assailant with the words: That
enough of that, stranger Put up that
gun, and let the boy alone"
The cow-puncher didn't know Kim
gerty. and. besides, he was half drunk
Without reply he turned suddenly,
and, pointing his revolver at Kingerty's
breast. fred.
don't know to this day how 1t was.