Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-03-12

he gave her no chance. "a joke, just
that, and by the same token I'll prove
it, for here's some money he asked me
| to give you. Twas about that l came
It's $50. Do you want supplies, did
you say? I'll take So and get some
then. Jem may forget to order them
I'll send them out by him, or one OF
the boys will be coming out this way
Sure. twas a joke, but i'll timed. will
come again if you'll allow me, but
must 90 now. Goodby." The woman's
mouth was twitching, and she was
winking fast. 1t looked as though
tears might follow. So, talking rapid,
ly, Gabriel swung himself on to his
waiting horse and cantered away in the
direction from which he had come.
His course lay westward, along the
old government trail. toward its fork,
where Cactus City and the Triangle sa-
loon awaited him. Some eight months
before he had come to those crossroads,
from where nobody knew. At the cross,
roads q saloon was feebly existing at
the time of his advent, kept by two
brothers named Angel. Gabriel had
gone into partnership with them, and
the saloon had flourished under his
rule. AS the Three Angels it had be-
come ironically known. or, for short,
the Triangle. His two partners were
but short men. so that as the hypote-
muse of this geometrical figure Gabriel
was wont proudly to describe himself.
He called himself Gabriel. His sur.
/ name, if he had one, was unknown.
His clean shaven face, natural tonsure
and his habit of introducing bits Of bad
Latin into his speech had earned the
prefix Of father, and Father Gabriel
was shortened into Daddy Cab.
when Gabriel reached the cross
roads, the sun had set, and the Trian.
gle was in the full swing of its evening
session. Though only canvas cover.
ed frame, the building occupied by the
saloon was large one and had board
floor and fly roof Of redwood shakes.
The long bar, backed by piles Of fly
specked bottles and thick bottomed
glasses, took up most Of the forward
part Of the one huge room of its interi-
or. Farther back there were gambling
tables-tables for Spanish monte, sur
rounded by restless crowds of gaudily
dressed Mexicans, their yellow faces
strained with excitement as they stalk
ed their silver; then one or two craps
outfits and a keno layout, but at the
greater number of the tables King
Faro had held undisputed sway.
At one Of the faro tables, where the
smallest stakes were played, sat man
watching with feverish impatience the
cards painted on the green baize in
front Of him as the dealers droning
voice caused his stakes, constantly re-
newed from his diminishing pile of
chips, to be swept by the lookout into
the tray where the winnings Of the
house lay In heaps. Across the rear of
the room there was stage, where a
red checked young woman In abbrevi-
ated costume was singing. The canvas
roof of the saloon, black with the
swarms of flies that were resting there
after their labors Of the day, held the
waves Of kerosene scented heat sent up
by the big hanging lamps. This heat
and its attendant odor were gradually
forced downward to mingle with the
smells Of stale liquor and bad tobacco
which prevailed below. The song had
come to an end, and as the last line Of
the refrain.
Hand she lost 'er bloomin. bloody situa.i.i.tion,
rasped, with the true cockney twang,
its way through the clatter Of voices
and rafting Of chips the eager player
stopped q moment to applaud, then
wiped his face, heated by drink and ex-
citement, on the sleeve Of his shirt 1t
was not bad looking face, as Father
Gabriel, standing in the doorway blink
ing hard at the bright light. was forced
reluctantly to admit to himself.
The turn had been called and the
cards shufled and replaced in their box
rs the player turned to the table once
more.
Little figger an the pot! Three blues
hapiecew he said aloud.
Father Gabriel had sauntered up and
was standing behind. Hold on, Dan
n.y. he said quietly to the dealer I'VE
draw this bet!' The dealer paused, as
tonishcd. as his principal. withdrawing
the chips already staked, added them
to the players small pile and pushed
the whole toward the bank, saying
"Just cash them, will you, Dan? Jem
my boy, a word with you outside"
"S'y, wot you doin with those chips
eh?" responded the gentleman address
ed. Cant you give bloke a chance
to turn is luck? Placed bets goes
That's your rule, amt it?'
"The rules are what make them
James. Here's what cash you have
left, more shame to you. Now, come
The man attempted to rise and expos
tulate, but one Of GabriePs strong
hands was laid over his mouth, ant
another held his collar. So he kept hi
seat and after muflled growl was 81
lent. Bending over him, his capto
spoke in low tone:
81 want to speak with you. Be still
don't care for your beer tap Of gun
but IL you try to unbuttOn the flap o
that fool holster I'll drive your heat
through the table and make you pa.
for the board. want a word witt
you, say, decent and quiet If you'll
let me. Come outside"
The young woman who had sung hat
come down from the stage and wa
now wandering from table to table ex
changing rough chaff with the mel
who sat by them. Her eyes wer
black, her cheeks very red. Her teetl
were so white and even as to be ia
more natural than life. Evidently sh
was proud of these teeth, for the tw
forward ones had diamonds set In thei
fronts, making little flashing head
lights, constantly shown by chroni
smile. Angry though he was, Jem cas-
an admiring glance at her as, starting
forward, she cried:
81 s'y, Gabe, let i'm 60, will you
Wot's e.
Daddy Cab did not speak. He look
ed at her, and she stopped short, then
turning, threaded her way through tn
surrounding crowd, mounted the few
steps that led to the stage and disap
peared. Gabriel assisted Jem to hi
feet. at the same time remarking t