The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-02-05

lngly delighted with this new arrange
ment; and, indeed, as Hardin thought
it was a more comfortable one than
the Brownsville stagecoach.
I'm afraid youth change yer tune,
cub, when yer feedin' time comes. an
then What'll come of me amt hard to
predict. Guess ye'd hardly take things
so easy, no-how, if yes able to know
that ye're guest of Hardin, as has a
price on his head. Well, them's the
facts, an eff don manage to git We
often my hands, l wouldn't give a pin
fer my chances. Don't We dare yell,
young un, er I'll be tempted to choke
ye," he broke off, as the baby puck
cred up its mouth in a tentative whim-
per.
There, that's all right, young un,
We'll manage somehow" and he
chucked it under the chin. The baby
was not wholly treasured, and contin-
ued systematically a sob which threat
ened at any moment to burst into a
wall. Hardin took it on his knee, jog
gled it vigorously, and got it interested
in his watch chain, which the baby
continued to clutch desperately till it
got hold of one of Hardin's fingers.
This it persisted in carrying toward it's
mouth.
I'm 'fraid yere goin' to be disap
pointed, young I'm. You'll find that
finger over strong; amt felt the tech
of water fer ten days, but jest have
yer way eff it amuses you anil keep
yer mouth shet."
The baby frowned in frank disgust
as its mouth closed on the unsavory
morsel, but it chung to it determinedly.
Blame me, but like yer grit, an eff
it's any satisfaction. make the most of
it, We may git on better'n | expected.
I've got nine more yere, just as ripe as
that un," Hardin went on, pouring a
few drops of muddy water from an al
most empty canteen on to his finger
and scrubbing it with a soiIed hand
kerchief. He then returned the digit
to the baby and lifted it to his breast,
awkwardly attempting to settle it COM
fortably
Human nature is shore a queer
thing" he muttered, looking down at
the baby, his eyes softening; ''seems
to enjoy it," The baby's eyes were
half closed, and its chubby hands wan
dered around caressingly. One slipped
from sight through Hardin's open
shirt, the other clutched the shaggy
beard. He bent his head forward
painfully, not wishing to loosen the
baby's hold, and found himself yield
ing to a strange, tender feeling that
crept over him at the pressure of its
fingers and its warmth against his
arm. 1t slowly relaxed its hold on his
finger, then dropped to sleep. Hardin
remained motionless, watching the
rhythmic rise and fall Of its bosom and
the play of color on its face. 1t
smiled.
"Dreamin' of angels" he mumbled,
his face suddenly becoming sober, al
most sad, as memory leaped the gulf
of years and he was boy again, dang
ling at his mothers knee. teasing her
to let him hold the baby's hand, to
look into its face EFF / could jest be-
gin over agin, er had jest aided when
IL a baby" he continued in bitter
speculation. II know t amt like a
man to try an shift yer faults on some
one else, but it might "a been different
if Belle hadn' throwed me over fer
that worthless Armstrong. Wimin are
strange critters-a few fine clothes. an
fine manners, an fine talk tlltches the
best Of 'em. Then he 'uz from the city
an IL jest a common, rough cowboy
but I guess maybe it's best fer Belle,
after all, SEEM what I've been driv'
to. But somehow I feel it might "a
been different. I loved Belle, an
peered like | couldn' stan TO see her
marry Armstrong. KNOWN him as I
did; but she wouldn't believe me, an
got reckless-an'-an jest can't git
it straight how it did happen. Wells
l remember, he Simulated Belle wasn't
all right. an they say l killed i'm.
Maybe l did. l know l got mixed up
in the shootin' with the others. Since
that day they've kept me on the dodge,
dh AShSl mas ~ liNc 'h tAC SlaSC
passin' every day right fore my eyes.
Well, it 'uz dead easy, but it's risky,
an EFF I can jest slip crost the river,
I'm eoin' to begin over. an eff they'll
let meAlone, nobody amt goin' to be
loser in Nthe end But Teller has to
live-but blast me!' he broke off
abruptly; what am l goin' to do with
the kid? Can't leave it, can't take it
along, an to stop yere means to be
run in, shore. These hills'll be swarm
! in with, searchers soon as they miss it.