The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-07

DrlStled gray Whiskers of the stiffness
of a hair brush. AS it passed the
various men, it eyed them closely,
ready to wag its stump of a tail in
friendship, or to circle warily in avoid
ance of a kick. 1t was a self-reliant
dog, a dog used to taking care of it
self Men called it Peter, without alb
breviation.
Peter was possessed of the spirit of
restlessness. He smelled everything,
first with dainty shifts, then with long,
deep inhalation. Thus he came to
know the inner nature of table legs
and chairs, of mems boots and of dark
corners. Between Investigations he
would stand in front of the bar and
stretch, sticking first one hind leg, then
the other at stiff angles behind him,
and then, fore feet far in front, press
ing the chest of his long body nearly
to the floor.
These things irritated Cheyenne
Harry. He attempted to command
Peter harshly, but Peter paid no at
tention.
of his feed" observed Dave Will
liams to young Barker in an under
tone.
YEAH" agreed the latter.
About o'clock Blair and the stage
drew in and drew out again, after
warming at the red-hot stove a little
climate, scenery and all-with depth
and heartiness that left these loyal
Westerners gasping. Billy Knapp had
attempted to reply, but had not held
his own in the interchange.
After the stranger had gone out, the
pristine calm broke into a froth of re-
elimination. The room shouted. 1t
blamed Billy. 1t cursed the stranger.
1t thought of a dozen things that
might have been said or done, as is
the fashion of rooms. Billy vociferat
ed against the tourist.
Little two by four prospec' hole!" he
cried. He may be all right whar he
comes from, which don't rank high
anyhow, but when he comes out var
maxim any sech fool breaks as that, he
don't assay a cent ton To- sense"
"Oh h" growled Cheyenne Harry.
"You'all make me tired"
"Shake yore brouch. Harry" they ad
vised good Cheyenne Har-
ry was popular, fearless and a good
shot. He had a little the reputation,
in some quarters, of being a bad
man"
Billy went on with his TRADE. The
men shook their heads You wasn't
ace high, Billy" said they. Billy in
sisted, getting more and more excited.
They looked down from the calm of
superior wisdom. Their anger vanish
ed in Billy's. He was angry for the
whole crowd.
"Moroney ought to have been here"
they observed regretfully. Hes tn
boy! He'd have trimmed tn little cuss
good. Can't get ahead of Moroney,
nohow."
Billy denied that Moroney could have
done better than he (Billy) did. The
men championed Moroney's cause with
warmth A new discussion arose out
of the old. With a prodigious clatter
every man drew up his chair until a
circle was formed. Archibald Nudge
alias Frosty, the barkeeper, leaned his
head on his fists across the bar, try
ing to hear. The two men at the faro
game cashed in and quit The faro
dealer, imperturbable. Indifferent. cat
like, shufTied the cards. Around the
outside of the woodworking circle Peter
wandered shifting at chairs and the
boots of men.
Then on a sudden Molly and the half
breed arrived, to the vast establishment
of Copper Creek, which had no wom-
en- and expected none
The newcomers appeared In the door
way. apparently from nowhere, paus-
ing a moment before entering the sa-
loon. Molly leaned a hand on each
jamb, and calmly surveyed the room.
Lafond blinked his eyes at the light,
awaiting TIE EiIl BOOu
pleasure. After moment she stepped
inside, and again looked the apart
ment over slowly, searchingly. She
saw in that long, sweeping glance ev-
erything there was to be seen-the men
and their various attitudes, the bar,
the glasses the mirror draped with
mosquito bar, the white cotton sheet.
the lamps, the faro table even the
three sporting pictures on the wall.
that she made
mind what to do. Her hart was beat
ing fast and her color was high. She
experienced all thu sensations of a
man going into battle, but not a timid
man, or one not sure. Rather, she felt
new access of force, a new conf
dence, a new imperious power that
would bend conditions to suit itself
She knew in a flash just how to tame
these untamed men,
Then he stepped swiftly forward
and marched up to the bar, against
which she leaned the broad of her
back. running her arms along the rail
on either side and resting one heel
against the foot rest. She tossed her
curls back, and again looked coolly at
the silent men.
An observer might have found it in
teresting to note how the different in
mates of the room took this unexpect-
ed appearance of the First Woman.
Billy Knapp stared with round gloatiog
eyes, in which a hundred possibilities
awoke. Cheyenne Harry, aroused from
his slouching attitude. thrust his pipe
into his pocket and furtively smoothed
his moustache. Graham looked the
newcomer over with cool inquiring
scrutiny. Frosty began to polish a
glass. finding relief from his embar-
rassment in accustomed and common
place occupation. The faro dealer shut
fed his cards, imperturbable. indiffer-
ent, cat-like. Peter sat upright on his
launches, shifting daintily, first in the
girls direction. then in the mans,
watching, bright-eyed and alert Peter
was the only being in the place who
noticed the girls companion. The lat
ter, in turn. inspected the room de-
liberately, with a crafty calculation.
We'll" said Molly Lafond. with slow
scorn, 'how long are you going to sit
there before you take care of a lady's
horses?"
Then they suddenly became aware of
the half-breed and of the white-cov-
cred schooner, dimly visible through the
doors. They began to regain control
of their wits. The arrested currents of
life moved once more. Who was this
girl? Why should she command?