The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-01-15

toCAitly thS 6oiiOi0l 1dliit aPOA
a little clearing in which set at a dis
lance back from the Dad and sur
rounded by a dilapidated picket fence,
was a small cabin, vine clad. It's
windows shone dimly with yellow
lamplight, this although the o was
past midnight. As he stopped, putting
speculatively upon his cigar. a voice
hailed him-a feminine voice, singular
ly rich in %intonation and clear-and
at that he made out a slender figure
swaying upon the gate of the fence.
He tossed away his smoke, removed
his slougch hat and approached.
Good evening"" he said co~urteously.
"Howdy, stranger. Be you from
Hammels, down yonder?"
Gentry failed to repress a start. The
uncouthness of the words, the strong
touch of dialect, was so distinctly out
OF keeping with what the beauty OF
the girls voice had led him to expect.
And, now that he could see her, there
was positive refinement of feature in
the face, wholly charming, upturned
to him.
Yes" he answered her.
The girl regarded him with uncon-
cealed curiosity. AN what might be
yer name, Stranger"
Mason" he lied without wondering
why he should lie, lacking a reason.
"Oh, she sighed. with evident re-
lief. II didn't know-rrom yer style.
yer know-but what yer might be
Gentry"
Who's Gentry?'
AVA gambler what I heard had
come to town. Pappy went down
early tonight to get in the game with
him. Say, Mr.. Mason. did yer see
my pappy down there?"
II don't know, really. Who"
"Lorry," she interrupted. "Ole man
Lorry they calls him, mostly. Did yer
see him around?"
Come to think of it, I did" He.
smiled blandly upon her to conceal a
rising uneasiness.
WAS he drunk" she continued
frankly.
"N-no. I didn't notice that he was"
H warn't gamblin' with that
hound Gentry, was hep"
/ ANO, Sdiu the IOulu heartily. 1eH-
try left town today, I hear"
That's good!" She smiled at the
gambler, shading her beautiful eyes
with a deep fringe of upcurled lashes
He'll only come home drunk, them
she added p~ensively. II don't mind
that. Never had to manage a man,
did yer, Stranger"
"Onlv mvselfo he Laughed
Then yer don't know nothin' about
1.-THE trouble. I mean. Pappy's an
ole fool. He don't know no more about
playin' poker n a tenderfoot, an he
thinks he knows it all. He-he"-
She hesitated.
"Wen?" he encouraged her.
"Aw-nothing, only he made a strike
a little while ago. 1t wasn't much of
a strike, only a couple of thousand, an
he promised to send me back east
to the home folks. you know-next
week"
"And?" said Gentry, softly.
That was the money he took to
gamble WITH" she laughed, a trihe
harshly. said he'd SEM me back In
~style-with his winnln's. Well, So
longs Gentry amt there l reckon I
may = a SkidiAt1 ~ SCI oOiiiC pOOh
learnin', after all. If l can keep him
home till next week. Coin already,
sti anger?"
Yes. l must hit the trail early to-
morrow, Miss Lorry.'
WAL, so long. If yer see the ole
man start him along home, will yer?
Thanks, an good night to yer, Mr..
Mason"
Some distance down the trail the
gambler stumbled over the PROSTATE
form of a man With something of a
strong presentiment Gentry turned the
body over n lit a match to see the
face.
1t was old man Lorry, hopelessly in
toxicated, sleeping the dead sleep OF
alcohol.
There's most of my fifty" remark
ed the gambler grim1y. Its like
throwing good money after bad. I'm
a darned fool"
To prove his assertion he took from
his wallet the bills of which he had
robbed the miner and stuffed them in
the latter's pockets. Then he helped
him to his feet, meaning to see him
home. To his wonder Gentry found
that the man, once afoot, was able to
walk after a fashion. He lurched
along u~nsteadily. but made progress
toward his cabin.
The gambler followed him to the
clearing, stepping noiselessly, then
turned and wen back for his horse,
and his last glimpse of Healy'S