The leader., 1897-09-08
The Truth at lone Star.
pY PAUL SHoUP.


esessseoeeesseoseeeeeeesee
VIE WE'RE rapidly getting ac-
w quaintcd Jerry, who if sur
,mnod has never wasted time telling
.to news. settled himself on his pine
,,odIc couch, tipped his hat little fur
,hor forward SO that the sun but gilded
.aa t;nof his rose, and delivered his in
trcdprtory remarks. When the light
l,t filtered its way into the under
Standing. we knew that he was of more
than ordinary importance and his
roughng it but the result OF whlm:
sfu noihing but his truthful counte-
nance kept us from sailing the tale
about the authorities tying down the
Atlantic coast to keep it from tipping
unvben he came west of the Rockies.
BHly Edgcrtou yawned slightly and
d,uy up his knees. He said he believed
# was IN poor taste to use titles either
bclore or after a name, even if you did
baye right to lean 'em up against both
ends and that was why he was known
smply as Eilly Edgerton. incidental
lr he informed us that hundred thou
s.nd rub!es wasn't such very large re-
ward for the Russian government to
offer for a political offender; but he
preferred to take no chances, and there
fore came up to Lone Star after he had
met and circumyented in San Francisco
lbe fourth detective of the imperial
bureau
Then johnson, Of Colusa, straight
tned himself up as if he had just awak-
ened from sweet dream of peace. i've
an uncle" said he, who is worth $780,
600, and I'm his only heir. I'd think a
great deal more Of him, though, if il
wasn't for my aunt, who don't like
him" Here he paused and blew few
rings from his old cob pipe, but the
question didn't come. "You see," hc
added, my aunt is worth 81, 900, 900, ami
In her only heir also"
After that there was more silence, and
albeit we spraWled lazily in front of the
eOOkhouse. | felt that my autobiog'
raphy was becoming overdue. AS my
worldly effects would scarcely com
fOrtably cothe a scarccrow, and moth
ing short of morocco binding would
make my personal history attractive,
looked up at the stranger who through
It all had sat quietly on his dejecte.
mule, hoping for diversion.
,ra,tl,,1oD 1,o eatl f,,r,
Ing large and solemn eyes upon us ant
disclosing a countenance of philosoph
ral graviey. Each of us acknowl
edged the salutation by slightly shift
Ing his position, and Jerry, who's,
tongue is that of a multitude, answered
-Howdy"
The newcomer removed his sombrero
and his hair fell about his head like ;
shock of oyerripe wheat. Then he gen
ty laid his fiddle case across the pom
mel Of his saddle and asked: ''Is this
apurty good place to stop?'
I'VE stop here?" answered Jerry
hconicallv.
Live tol-bly high?"
six thousand feet"
The late addition Strengthened up
hook his threadbare coat and lifted
one cowhide boot, dust-whitened in tn,
erlnkles, from the stirrup, and reachin;
down, softly tapped the earth with i
10 make sure he was on solid ground
linen he cautiously dismounted.
jerry who is inclined to be critical
regarded the mule with disfavor. Hi,
owner, noting the glance, remarked
jeremiah amt the finest-lookin' null
u The world, but | couldn't steal bet
.er had sight finer one in Tunis,
ae added, deprecatingly.
In Tunis." echoed johnson. "Wher
nave you been?"
In Nashuay, N Tunis, N Cape Cod
u LISBON some time back. That wa
Ueiore went to Kobe-went thar fron
,afls, which is fair sort of place.
mated to leave"
'onhson drew his breath and de
handed; why did you?"
mutual objections between me >
'ne govment. Two days war all the,
sa.e sne me to take my last farewell" h
'aiu, slowly rosining his bow.
m mhat did you come up here for?"
40 git out of civilization" responds
sne stranger. I'm disgusted. Peopl
ne 50 thar's trouble everywhere, m tn
sa ,y man you're sure is anywhar nea
faaie with the law is the feller les
out'n Jail" ~ Ni 'e'
,,ti" aere didn't seem to be any use @
ssAing further questions of the new
ssns ' out | think the opinion wa
~ siai mat to him truth was strange
ln netlon. He laid his fiddle on tn
s,s sau looked attentively at his mule
a.ran.' - !. wasn't for bein' so Uneasy abou
nlanus' lan' who needs a drink, NIGH
ID. HO'4e tune on the fiddle" he sale
vs.. s.r.on took the hint and buckle
went down to the creek.
y. a III u1le of glow in the western SIX
aHonu AZ mat was left of the day whe
bert sweet Home" rounded up tn
sb'ance. sba l looked at EdgertoI
beb;.Ssas vas lying with his hands claspe
iear;u u MS head, and thought 1 saw
VI. - ais eye; seeing but dimly mysel
fo0a - certain. But. then and Their
siab ''ar adopted Ezekiel and Jer,
NIL s lold him of a deserted corral
as sa " sae road, and he became one {
tue,as.; Saie days, when he felt unusuall
b. Sa eue' ne would run a rocker dow
ierrsSe creek for time, but he pr,
prOvsd play or sing, and the camp al
f'I,sa ,si., Of his Judgment.
saulss.A nA that scroggins was the mo,
set n sant sS man who ever saw the su
wo',s raeifie. He was SO mean ths
quarrel with himself when n