The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-11-05

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
a most lucrative and fourishing insti
tuition in the little railroad town Of
Picture Canyon, ON the line Of the I'm
ION Pacific.
It was one Of those places which at
that time sprang up in 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 a town was certain
to spring up almost as If by magic.
Herries was attached to the engineer
corps of the road and had been for
some time stationed at Picture Canyon,
O city of some 5000 inhabitants, most
ly males, and which was nearly a
month old; so antique indeed that an
election for mayor and common coun-
ell was being agitated by the more en-
terprising members of the community
Harvard bred, delicately nurtured, &C
customed to all the refinements 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
Herries; but, being at bottom man OF
good sense and pluck and possessing a
splendid constitution, magnificent BIZ
ceps, standing six feet and over In his
boots, the man who had been Yale's es-
pecial terror at right tackle and who
had filed the seat In the varsity eight
would hardly finch at hardships which
other men bore without complaint, even
II at times his soul grew weary of
oaths and liquor, maddened men and
brawls and bacon and muddy coffee
and bareback. Indeed, he grew at last
to like. the wild freedom Of his life, as
all men will do in time, and he was fast
taking on the exterior Of a genuine
frontiersman when he
When he met Chiquita!
ChiQuita was sprite. She was the
true daughter of rocky canyon and des-
ert mesa-a genuine child of the Sierras
and woman withal. Her reputed IA
Their was an evil eyed old Mexican
named Ramon, ostensibly herder of
other mems sheep, really a gatherer of
other mems coins. Chiquita kept house
for him In a tumbled together shack on
the outskirts of the town and here en-
tertained her fathers guests. She was
brilliantly pretty, with the rich rose
red flushing her olive cheeks, her white
teeth flashing between ripe, dewy, GRIM
son lips, with glorious brown eyes I'M
der heavy arching brows and shaded
by such long, curling lashes as would
make ones heart ache, especially the
heart of frontiersman, in whose life
female beauty is rich and rare event.
Many a dollar had Chiquita's eyes
and lips brought to old Ramon's sheep
skin pouch, and still he was athirst for
more gold.
1t was Of this Herries was thinking,
for he knew Chiquita, and 1t was this
which, thinking of it, drove him out of
the warm and cozy barroom the only
place where he could possibly stay,
save in his cold and cherries tent
and forced him to cool his heated brow
in the cool, wet wind which blew from
the mouth of Picture canyon.
He was reused by voice, a deep,
slow, plainsman's voice, addressing
him:
"Pardner, you are good one for a
tenderfoot; leastways I've sorter tao
kled to you sence 1 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 eff 1 kin help it, sho's I'm FUN
Texas, which I'm known as Black
Waxy jim"
"Why, what's the matter?' broke in
Herries on Black Ways harangue
as he turned and regarded closely the
tall, athletic figure Of the man beside
him.
The Texan jerked his thumb over his
shoulder in the direction of the bar
room "In thar" he said in low tone,
81 heern somethin-about-ab you
en-en"-
"Chiquita"
'sThat's it, pard. You've called the
deal It's jest about that ere little
greaser gal, en- you amt the fust, nor
you won't be the larst, reckon, that's
got his hide bored long of her."
"What's up, thenT
"Keep your eye skinned en- don't
90 nigh old Ramon's shack. I've warn
ed you. So long, pard."
And Black Waxy lounged away into
the gathering gloom and mist.
"Hold on" cried Herries, rushing
after him. "Tell me at least who my
enemy Is"
Black Waxy turned and scanned the
young engineer closely in the twilight.
"Pete-from Denverw he jerked out
and strobe rapidly off.
Herries was a brave man, but his
blood chilled at the mention of that
name 1t was the synonym of all that
was most fierce. bloodthirsty and wick
ed even in that wicked and bloodthirsty
little community.
"Denver Peter he unused. $50 he is
going to do me up because I'm trying
to win that poor child from her horri-
BILE life and save her for something bet
ter. I fear me. Edward, you're in no
end of bad scrape.
''I'll 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
ent was the gambler against whom
Herries had been warned-a handsome,
pale faced, tall, slender man, dressed
with great neatness In black and with
out single ornament visible-not even
the belt, which nearly every man wore.
He had small, keen, hungry looking,
gray eye, and as he looked at Herries
he met the latter's gloomy glance, smil-
remark:
1.-THE kid seems worried about some
thing. 1 wonder If by any chance he
has overheard u.s."
"Guess not; he jest come in min
ute ago."
perhaps, perhaps" muttered Pete;
~but we will soon know"
Events moved quickly in frontier
towns. AS Herries went out Pete arose
from his seat.
His friends also sprang up, but he
made a gesture OF dissent.
"No, boys. Leave this to me. II
can't deal with one teRderfoot, / GER
tainly won't call In aid"
"But he might get the drap on ye, -
persisted one.
Pete shrugged his shoulders and
deigned no reply. He opened the door
and was lost in the darkness Of the
night.