The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-12-06

to put an end to useless talk or cour-
tesy. what can you give us?"
Mary eyed the second traveller with
no great favor, and called the barman,
or groom, or waiter. or whatever Tom
ShefIleld's position might be at the
Star and Garter, and, whatever his Of
fee, he had held 1t since boyhood, and
to the satisfaction OF all parties.
Supper, drinks, beds" said Mary.
addressing Tom, and indicating the
travellers with courteous wave OF the
hand.
Yes, num-" said Tom. Come this
way, gentlemen; there's the blue room
and the red. both at your service, and
the balcony room-that's double
bedded. If you'd loike to see 'em before
you sup; your 'osses is all right. and
mex no doubt Star and Garter can
mex you as comfortable as 'osses-
good accommodation for man and beast
isn't sign as we put up. but we does
it wi'out boasting-this way"
They followed Tom without more
ado, for Mary had quietly retired to her
little room, and the younger Of the
travellers. after looking in dreamy
kind of way at the spot where she had
been standing as If she were beauti
full vision that had vanished, STROBE
after his companion.
"By Jupiter, and Venus, and Diana
Juno and Hebe in one." exclaimed
Dick Parker to his friend when they
having settled to sleep in the double.
bedded room that looked upon this
bowling green, were alone.
"Oh, she'll pass muster for a country
wench," said the other, who was
known to his companions as Andy Eos
ter, Andy being short for Andrew.
She'll pass muster, and il she's hand
some, she knows it,"
They did not carry much luggage, for
travellers. though they had been on the
road for some days. They each had q
saddle-bag lin which were few COM
mon necessaries of the toilet, a map
of the country and flask, and pistol
holsters, in which We're weapons OF
weight; for men did not travel in
those days without being prepared to
defend their money and their lives.
Except for the general cheeriness and
well-known responsibility of the Star
and Garter, any two men being shown
into the double-bedded room of this
famous hostelry might have deemed II
necessary to be prepared for emer'
gencies, it looked so dark and shadowy,
lighted with only candle now that
the sun had gone down. The two great
beds might have been tents for gener-
ais on the march in hostile country,
so hung about with somber curtains,
so tall, so wide, so seemingly mysteri-
Gus as were they. And the great bay
window, with it's outer balcony, which
could just be seen in the fitful moon
light, might have been the entrance
place of banditti or midnight assas'
old days. But Dick Parker ("Gentle =
man Dick" they called him, the friends
who called Foster Andy, and his mo-
rose friend had no fear of these things,
though the small pistols they carried
in addition to those in their holsters
might have been looked upon as argu-
ing the contrary.
"Oh, curse the girl" said Foster,
presently, in answer to fresh outburst
from Dick, as he swilled his face at
the capacious wasnstand. That's not
the business that has brought us all
these miles out of our beat"
But it may be an incident of pleas
ure, you snarler," said Dick.
ut may be anything you like, if you
will not make it the first consideration,
as you generally do; damme, I'm get
ting sick of your trifling! You've had
every silver we've made for the last
six months. Your gallantries, as you
are pleased to call them, have twice
run our necks within measurable dis
lance of the gallows; and now that We
are in the locality Of our newest anu
most promising quarry, you begin raw.
ing about country barmaid, as If she
was my Lady Dolly, or the Duchess OF
Seven Dials, or some other crack beau
ty made to drive men mad, and to ruin
millionaires!"
Bravo, Andy, That's long speech
for you'll"
Ito be continued.)