The Cape Girardeau Democrat., 1897-09-04
The Truth at lone Star.
BY PHUn SHoup.
esssssessssssoessesesesss
WE WERE rapidly getting ac-

Heeuit cOuCl, llppeu MS nat q little fur-
ther forward so that the sun but gilded
the tip of his nose, and delivered his in
trCductory remarks. When the light
had filtered it's way into the under
standing, we knew that he was of more
than ordinary Importance and his
roughing it but the result of a whim;
still, nothing but his truthful counte-
nance kept us from sailing the tale
about the authorities tying down the
Atlantic coast to keep it from tipping
up when he came west of the Rockies.
Billy Edgerton yawned slightly and
drew up his knees. He said he believed
it was in poor taste to use titles either
before or after a name, even if you did
have right to lean 'em up against both
ends, and that was why he was known
simply as Billy Edgerton. Incidental
ly, he informed us that hundred thou
sand rubles 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
the fourth detective of the imperial
bureau.
Then johnson, of Colusa, straight
ened himself up, as if he had just awak-
ened from sweet dream of peace. I've
an uncle" said he, ''who is worth $780,
900, and I'm his only heir. I'd think a
great deal more of him, though, if it
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," he
added, my aunt is worth $1,000,000, and
I'm her only heir also"
After that there was more silence, and
albeit we sprawled lazily in front of the
cookhouse. | felt that my autObiog
raphy was becoming overdue. AS my
worldly effects would scarcely COM
fo-tably clothe scarecrow, 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 detected
mule. hoping for a diversion.
"Howdy, gentlemen" he said, turn
ing large and solemn eyes upon us and
disclosing a countenance of philosoph-
ical graviey. Each of us acknowl-
edged the salutation by slightly shift
ing his position, and Jerry, whose
tongue is that of a multitude, answered
'Fowdy."
The newcomer removed his sombrerO,
and his hair fell about his head like
shock of Overripe wheat. Then he gen
tlv laid his fiddle case across the POM
mel of his saddle and asked: rs this
a purity good place to stop?"
I'VE stop here?" answered Jerry,
laconically.
Live tol-bly high?"
"Sfx thousand feet"
The late addition Strengthened up.
Shook his threadbare coat and lifted
one cowhide boot, dust-whitened in the
crinkles. from the stirrup, and reaching
down. softly tapped the earth with 1t
to make sure he was on solid ground.
Then he cautiously dismounted.
Jerry. who is inclined to be critical,
regarded the mule with disfavor. His
owner. noting the glance. remarked:
Jeremiah amt the finest-lookin' mule
in the world. but l couldn't steal bet
ter. | had sight finer one in Tunis,'
he added. deprecatingly.
in Tunis." echoed johnson. 'Where
have YOU been?"
"In Nashuay, n Tunis, n Cape Cod,
IN Lisbon some time back. That was
before | went to Kobe-went thar from
Paris. which is fair sort of place. l
hated to leave"
Johnson drew his breath and de-
manded: "Why did you?'
Mutual objections between me n
the gov'ment. Two days war all they
give me to take my last farewell he
said. slowly rosining his bow.
What did you come up here for?"
'To git out of civilization" responded
the stranger. I'm disgusted. People
lie so thar's trouble everywhere, n the
only man you're sure is anywhar near
square with the law is the feller jest
Out'n Jail"
There didn't seem to be any use of
asking further questions of the new
conner, but L think the opinion was
general that to him truth was stranger |
than fiction. He laid his fiddle on the
log and looked attentively at his mule.
IF it wasn't for bein' so Uneasy about |
Jeremiah, who needs drink, might |
play little tune on the fiddle" he said. |
Edgerton took the hint and bucket
went down to the creek.
a trif1e of glow in the western sky |
was all that was left of the day when |
"Home, Sweet Home" rounded up the |
performance. 1 looked at Edgerton, |
who was lying with his hands clasped
behind his head, and thought l saw a |
tear in his eye; seeing but dimly myself,
/ wasn't certain. But, then and there.
Lone Star adopted Ezekiel and Jere-
miah-
We told him of a deserted corral |
mile up the road, and he became one of
us Some days, when he felt unusually |
en,rg getic, he would run rocker down
by the creek for time, but he pre-
ferred to play or sing, and the camp ap-
proved of his Judgment.
1 think that Scroggins was the most
unpleasant man who ever saw the sun
set in the Pacific. He was so mean that
he would quarrel with himself when no
one else was around, and strangers
L -