Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1902-11-07

close behind him az to suggest q Vfo-
lent, propulslve force came the prize
fighter.
"He didn't come when I foist ast
HIM" painted Blunt, 80 ! had to jolt up
his manners," Indicating . cut Up and
a badly banged eye which the visitor
waa ruefuily rubbing. Il caught him
down here on the river front He was
teilin' about Johnny Hannerty. Speak
up. ye dagO swede.. or I'll hand yer an
other"
IL donno KtoW no Johnny Hammer.
IT," said the sailor doggedly. bet with
an eye to Bunt's twitching left. II was
tellln' some mates about a crazy man
what dew aboard the Giovanna"-
"walt a moment" Interrupted the
Judge. LET us get this straight. what
did you say he didT'
"He said he few aboard" said the
sailor. II donno II he spoke true.
never seen him 1y. but I donno no
other Way he could have got aboard"
Tell the rest Of it--tell the rest Of It,
or I'll tear yer ear on" vociferated the
ferocious Blunt.
"Hahno," said bis honor quietly. 'or-
der a drink for our ~seafaring friend.
please. and let him spin his yarn unin-
terruptedly."
Being refreshed. the sailor proceeded
with q better grace: WED passed un.
der the bridge about midnight, on our
way out, last April fools day. Twas
a high tide, for we just scraped under
with u maintop gallant mast down.
II was my watch on deck. W. was
Just gettin' into the bay when | see a
man comm down the mainmnst rat
lines. He wasn't no man we'd shipped
an he didn't have no clothes. only shirt
an drawers an shoes. / was mighty
surprised. an so was the mate. He up
to hit the man. but the other Teller let
him have II, an the mate didn't wake
up for nea m hour. He hit q queer
blow-kinder like this" And the sailor
gave a very fair imitation OF the driv.
Ing blow peculiar to handball players
and a thing to keep u the way of.
Then he done a queer thing. Our tug
was just putin back. He walked to
the rail an threw over a little white
package to the tug. Mail hat where
II belongs, will YEP he calls. an ! goes
down after the crew"
THAT was the badger l exclaimed.
But there is very slim proof that
this was No. 1914" objected his honor.
Tell him about the scrap; tell 1t just
like you told II before" cried Blunt
WYATT till you hear that, judge"
"Oh. the fight" said the sailor 'He
done his best. 1t took near the hull
crew to get him in irons. l got a
cracked rib from it." And he rubbed
his side.
"a short left jolt. wasn't it," cried
Bunt
II guess it was. Anyhow. it was
when | was up close an II finished me.
He hit awful quick an awful hard an
every time he landed he Kissed be.
tween his teeth like a snake"
"John Hannerty. by heavensT' cho.
rused the three OF us Except that
Blunt put II a little %strongerl. for there
was no mistnking that Kissing expul
sion OF the breath which followed
every n of No. 1214's most effective
drives.
"But how on earth could he have
got aboard when he was on the bridge
Eve minutes before midnight" de-
manded the Judge.
Said he few aboard like a bird" re.
asserted the sailor positively. Never
seen him 6y. but he must ha' got here
somehow"
MAY 1t please the court" I said. 81
can clear this mystery. Here was the
Giovanni going out into the world, and
there on the bridge was No. 1914 With
a soul full OF yearning. II was only
a step from the bridge roadway TO
the ships maintop masthead. The soul
full Of yearnlng gets the best OF 1914
and he makes the step, casts away his
uniform and becomes a mysterious dis
appearance"
But what has become OF him.
asked the judge.
"Quit us at Ronos Airs" said the
sailor. Found a lot OF dagOes there
battln' n little baseball round a room
with their hands. Went in. an played
one Of 'em, then we OF 'em. then three
Of 'em, an got all their money When
we sailed. he was fixin' up a place of
his own. an said he'd be an alderman
in six months II they had 'em there"
THAT Is No. 1914 beyond reasonable
doubt" said the judge. shall we re-
port the matterT'
init" said Blunt. "He might want
to git back his Job IN the police some
day"
So we held our peace. and on the pc.
lice records No. 1914 is still down as
missing.