The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-04
Bv GRANT 4LLEN

By GRANT ALLEN
rough piled the plank of the bar
jostlng laughing they entered
the spirit of the to them decidedly novel game OF
signal?" asked Feathers he topped
pile with like small pillow.
Somebody fire gum, suggested Bishop, an idea at
would for hand to be
withdrawn besides throwing the question of chance
Let third of the stove said Smith, and
into silence master withdrew his hand
bottom placed it the top
The twelve moved quickly and the pipe gave
before the sixth had shifted his hand
"One,' said Mr. Smith.
dead silence save for the muffied shuffng horny
"rwo!" he marked seconds later. And then there
long during which the hands fairly flew from
o top, anxious avoid the
penalty being crowd than for
any desire to evade the pain of telling telling
"Three' Bishop, the pipe prodigious
crack The stopped instantly. Mr. Smiths hand
counter, held by the pile above it.
of protesting his bad luck the station master
Mr. Smith emptied his pipe and entered his sanctum for
supply together
the returned Feathers coughing in the
having selected spokesman to put
the question.
well Lads, what Smith, struck
a match his buckskin thigh"
coughed again I'VE hain't had
long consider the matter CockyI Mr. smithbut we
decided that who be rightlywhere
from, an how YER
There no bargain for three questions, man. I'll
lie, you'll not get either my where am
if that will be satisfactory in fact feel it would
do good to stand and deliver and when I'm thru you will
all know why I withheld the rest"
square enough" Feathers appealing
the others by glance which comprehended the party then
: let's how We to drift to this boomn hole
IT'S enough that the east" began
in fit of drunken
Madness I killed man.
he a Sixty,
with fine show of tactless patronage.
Shut up! in full chorus from the others, and
Sixty again defeated,
Mr. Smith took long breath much in
relief continued without noticing Interruption But
Re longer Cocky Smith by his fellows.
Il killed man. and tho was to suffer in hell for saying
it, no man deserved it more"
Sixty made effort speak, but his better judgment
prevailed
God knows, there was cold
suit the master continued Il was drunkcazy drunk but
the drink only calous; it not the Had
I I it, then
crimes the
punish without Furnishing guilty and innocent
killed him! killed him. And before Almighty God,
believe only tool sent to do justice to low COW
ardl lying backyard who had almost wrecked life arr
trying o my with
west, escaping those the law put my
mining You how Watts shot in the back
up paid for being fool to miss
The court acquitted my hands clear of him. WEI
the wanted pluck, and had half for
that don't do for blow his horn
all to what state injustice drive
smashed thru the law still defy it
hold account for that piece of business Before
that dead to then lads
all! better!"
It said he a Sixty past
Say is there objections to sayin who that
devil warp
The master walking up and the limited space
question raised stopped
abruptly and shot out two words:
my brother?"
Then he turned crossed the floor entered his
$500
long low whistle followed his disappearance. For a
full minute spoke, then, with almost
{, they out.
Near midnight Cocky came out of his room He could
not Sleep he said better replenshed
the front door, The night exquisite
stood but moment in the doorway when his
from the
it followed series of
whoops that echoed family along the
sides.
five minutes stood outside with his ears
strained the valley.
MI. Smith standing apart from the group AS the
long barking died with the shouts said sudden
~: tits stage freight distress got to
what's up"
right in his conjecture freight
of the leader and stalled in immense
attending had raised the alarm to
tract attention; daylight before
teams had the station