Newport daily independent., 1902-10-25
The apture of Squinty Smith
+*%<<*+<<*+*+*+++++<%*<
'ANANDER he comes, mammy!"
Ry JOHN H. BATTERY.

cred, weary woman came out of the house with two dirty children at her heels and behind them a half-grown, red-headed, gangling girl, with two fierce little braids sticking away from her poll.
 A burly man on ragged pony came galloping down the country road.
 Supper ready, Mag?" he bawled at the woman
 Supper! Why, 'tain't no more'n seven o'clock. Whats up?"
 What's up! Everything is up! Squinty Smith has gone an done it right this time. He killed Frank Copley in the Hazard s'loon, put four cold uns in tn dep'ty sheriff, and Lord knows how many he's ashot sence I left town.'
 The children stared in awed aston ishment at this bloody news and fol- lowed him round to the corral
 Well, what y'all loolxin' at? Here, you. Siss," to the red-headed girl, "get move on you. Marian, don't stand thar all night like you was locoed. Git my supper
 Did you see him, Hank?"
 See who?"
 Why, him, Squinty Smith?'
 See him! Of course I didn't see him. If I seen him it'd been all up with him! I'd ribbed him LID with lead till he'd a-sunk his own grave. But l didn't have no gun, nohow. Sheriff Housman says I must iine the posse, an l says: 'Sher'ff, if I'd a. been sheriff stead O you, I wouldn't need no posse for to ketch Squinty smith nor no other onery outlaw like him So 1 didn't have no gun, so just come home for t git supper an ready up my arsenal. Git a move on thar, Siss!"
 The red-headed girl tossed her head and disappeared into the tum- blc-down kitchen. The mother got busy with pot and pan. and the man, clustering fiercely about what ''he'd a-done if he on'y had his weapons" pulled his Winchester out of the closet and began to slip cartridges into the magazine.
 II don't want no more'n a peep at that gol-dinged squinty Smith, mo- how. He alluz wuz onery, an he otta been put outa biz a long time ago. He's had Sheriff Housman bluffed for two year an more, an he's got purity nigh every man in Planlton buffaloed! But I'll show him!"
 The mans slatternly children stood about him in gaping admiration. The red-headed girl stuck her head in at the door and said:
 "IVhat did you fetch t'eat, daddy?"
 "Dry up, you ninny; I didn't have no time to think about fetchin' home nothin'. I come home to git suthin'. come home to git my weapons, an if ever I ketch peep at that dang"
 A this instant there was a sharp, rasping click at the open window and a blue-barreled gun muzzle jumped into the light.
 Hold up your hands, Mitchelli" said quiet but very distinct voice.
 The big man at the table held up his hands with a foolish effort to smile at the face that looked over the gun.
 Quit yer foolin', smith, he said, weakly; put it down an come in"
 Squinty Smith, bull-necked, one eyed ruffian got in at the window without foregoing an instant of his advantage.
 "I'll take charge of these, Mitch" he said, coolly putting his hosts pis- tol into his coat pocket, land this. Both snide-looking guns, but I'll take charge O them"
 Mitchell sat still, his wife and Siss watching the performance from the darkness of the kitchen, while Smith walked out into the lot and deliber- ately dumped the rife and the pistol into the well.
 "Got any more guns?" he asked, coming back.
 Nary a gun, Smith," answered Mitchell, trying to wink knowingly at his wife.
 "All right, you can let down your mitts," quoth the outlaw. You sit thar, and here, Mrs. Mitchell, you might a-knowed I'd give you your supper 'thout no such row as that" 'ain't nothin' wrong, is they? You set alongside. Now make that gal O your'n git me some supper"
 The scared children huddled in the corner behind their fallen hero. The woman, fascinated into submission, sat beside her husband. The outlaw, his big, blue revolver beside bis