The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-10-09

Ned Ucrries, or, rs his card read, I'D.
ward I. IIerries C. H." stood In the
doorway of the Rough Diamond and
looked gloomily forth Mt the rain ms 1t
fell aslant the cactus growth and chap.
paral ON the red soil of the mesa
From the saloon within came the rat
tie of dice. the chink of glass the rattle
OF coin and the murmur of deep, hoarse
male voices The Rough Diamond was
n most lucrative and hourlshing lnsti-
tuition in the little railroad town of
Picture Canyon on the line of the Tn
ion Pacific.
1t was one of those places which Mt
that time sprang up in a night and are
deserted in a day along the line of the
great road. Indeed, they followed the
track, and wherever track laying ended
temporarily there Il town was certain
To spring up almost az If by magic.
Herries was attached to the engineer
corps of the road and had been for
some time stationed Mt Picture Canyon.
Il city of some 5000 inhabitants, most
| ly males. and which was nearly
month old; No antique indeed that an
election for mayor aud common coun-
ell was being agltated by the more en-.
terprsing members of the community.
Harvard bred, delicately nurtured ac-
customed to all the rehnements of life
which wealth guided by correct taste
may give In an old and settled com
munity, the rude surroundings of his
present life had at first disheartened
Herrlcs but being at bottom Il man of
good sense and pluck and possessing n
splendid constitution, magnificent hi
ceps. standing six feet and over In his
boots, the man who had been Yale's es-
pecal terror Mt right Tickle and who
had filed the sent in the varsity eight
would hardly finch ut hardshlps which
| other men bore without complaint, even
IL at times his soul grew weary Of
oaths and liquor, maddcned men and
! hraWls and bacon and muddy coffee
and hardtnck Indeed, he grew at last
to like the Wild freedom of his life as
all men VIII do in time and he was fast
taking ON the exterior of genuine
frontiersman when he
When hc met Chlquita!
Chlquita was sprite She was the
true daughter of rocky canyon and DIES.
ert mesa II genuine child of the Slerras
and IL woman wlthal. Her reputed IA.
ther wns an evil eyed old Mexican
named ltamon. ostenslbly II herder OF
other mems sheep. really gatherer OF
other mems coins. Chquita kept house
for him in II tumblcd together shack on
the outskirts of the town and here en-
tertained her fathers guests She wns
brilliantly pretty, with the rich rose
red flushing her olive checks, her white
teeth flashing between ripe, dewy, Grim
son lips, with glorious brown eyes un-
der heavy archlng brOws and shaded
by such long. curling lAAl.-' 10 wenla
J mnlp ones heart ache, especially INC
| heart or fronttcrsftHtn, Ia whose HE
female beauty is n rich and rare event
Many dollar had Chiqultn's eyes
and lips brought to old Ramon's sheep
skin pouch, and still he was athirst for
more gold
1t was of this IIerrlos was thinking,
for he knew ChlquIta. and 1t was this
which, thinking of 1t, drove him out of
the warm and coy bnrroom 0he only
place where he could possibly stay,
saye IN his cold and checress tcnD
and forced him to cool his heated brow
In the cool, wet wind which blew from
the mouth of Picture canyon
lie was reused by voice. deep,
slow. plansman's voice addressing
him
"I'ardner. you are good one for
tenderfoot; leastways I've sorter tao
kled to you sence | seen the way you
whipped that ERE cowboy chump en-
| belted him with his own gun Some
| tenderfoots amt got no sand, but you
| have, en- I'll not see you double teamed
on ef ! kin help It. sho's I'm FUN
Texas, which I'm known az Black
| WaXy Jim"
"Why. what's the natter" broke In
HcrrIcs on Black Waxys harangue
as he turned ana regarded closely the
tall athletic figure Of the man beside
him.
The Texan Ierked his thumb over his
shoulder III the direction OF the bar
room In thar" he said III n low tone,
81 heern somothin about about you
en-en'-
"Chiquitaf'
That's II. pard. You've called the
deal It's jest about that ere little
grenser gal, en- you amt the fust, nor
you won't be the larst, reckon, that's
GOT his hide bored long Of her"
whats up. them
oil .
go nigh old Ramon's shack, Pye warn
ed you. So long rard."
And Black Waxy loungcd away into
the gathering gloom and mist.
"IIold on" cried IIcrries. rushing
after him "rcll me at loast who my
enemy Is"
Black Wnxy turned and scanned the
young engineer closely In the twilight.
"Pete from Dcnver!" he Jcrked out
and STROBE rapidly off
Ilcrries was n brave man. but his
blood chilled AT the mention OF that
name. 1t was the synonym OF all that
was most fierce, bloodthlrsty and wick
ed even in that wicked and bloOdthirsty
little community.
"Denver Pete" he mused $50 he Is
going to do me up because I'm trying
to win that poar child from her horrl-
bic life and save her for something bet
ter. fear me, Edward, you're I'm no
end Of n bad scrape.
"Ill not be bullied," he added and
frowned and shut close his mouth and
clinched his hands.
Herries stalked back TO the brilliant
ly lighted barroom. Among those pres
cnt was the gambler against whom
Ierrics had been warned-a handsome.
pale faced tall, slender man, dressed
with great neatncss In black and with
out n single ornament ysible-not even
the belt which nearly every man wore.
lie had n small. keen, hungry looking,
gray eye. and as he looked mt lIerries
he met the latter's gloomy glance, smil-
ed and turned 10 his friends with the
remark
"The kid seems worried about some