CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1904-02-18

side. squad of thin razorback hogs,
now and then worried by gaunt hounds.
and some abused looking hens cropping
about disconsolately in the mire.
broken topped buggy with twisted
wheel settling into the mud of the
middle of the road there was always
abundant mud here In the driest sum-
mer): dim face sneering from a bro
ken window-Six Crossroads was for
bidding and forlorn enough by day.
The thought OF what might issue from
It by night was unpleasant. and the
legends of the Crossroads, together
with an unshapen threat easily fancied
In the atmosphere of the place, made
Miss Sherwood shiver as though cold
draft had crossed her.
at Is so sinisterr' she exclaimed.
"And so unspeakably mean, This is
where they live. the people that hate
him, is 1t? The White CapsT'
They call themselves that" replied
nriscoe Usually White Caps are
vigilance committee in a region where
the law isn't enforced. These fellows
aren't that kind. They got together to
wipe out grudges, and sometimes didn't
need any grudge-Just made their raids
for pure devilment There's fcud be-
tween us and them that goes back into
pioneer days. and only few OF us old
folks know much about it,
"And he was the first to try 10 stop
thcmY''
We'll. you see. our folks are pretty
long suffering" said Briscoe apologet-
ically wed sort OF got used 10 the
meanness OF the Crossroads. II took
a stranger to stir things up, and he
did He sent eight OF them TO the penl-
tentiary. some for twenty years"
As they passed the saloon man
stepped into the doorway and looked
at them. He was coatless and clad in
garments worn to the color OF dust.
His bare head was curiously malform-
ed, higher on one side than ON the 9th
er. and though the blackboard passed
rapidly and at distance this singular
lopsidedness was plainly visible to the
occupants, lending an ugly significance
to his meager. yellow face. He was
tall. lean. hard. powerfully built. He
eyed the strangers with affected Ian
guor and then. when they had gone by.
broke into sudden loud laughter.
THAT was Bob Skillet. the worst OF
the lot" said the Judge. HAIRLESS
sent his son and one brother to prison,
and 1t nearly broke his heart that he
couldn't swear TO Bob"
When they were beyond the village
and In the open road again Miss Sher-
wood took a deep breath. Il think I
breathe more freely. That was-a hid
eous laugh he sent after us"
The judge glanced at his guests face
and chuckled. Il guess we won't
frightcn you much.' he said. Young
lady. 1 don't believe you'd be afraid OF
many things, would your You don't
look like It. Besides, the Crossroads
Isn't Plattviile. and the White Caps
have been too scared 10 do anything
much except try to get even with the
Herald for the last two years-evcr
since II went FOR them. They're lay
ing for Hsrkless partly for revenge and
partly because they daren't do any
thing until he's out OF the way
The girl gave low cry with sharp
lbink. OF breath "Ah. one grows tired
Why don't the PlattvIlle people do
rotnctnlnS pcIore tney
Its just as say" Briscoe answer
cd. ''onr folks are sort of used to
them. expect we do about all we
can. The boys look after him nights.
but the main trouble is that we can't
make him understand he ought 10 be
more afraid OF them. II he'd lived here
all his life lac would be. II they get
him thcre'll be trouble OF an illegal ma
turc." He broke OF suddenly and nod
ded to little old man in a buck
board turning on from the road into
farm lane which led up to n trim cot
tnge with n honeysuckle vine by the
door. That's Mrs. wimby's husband"
said the Judge In an undertonc
Miss Sherwood observed that Mrs.
wimby's husband was remarkable for
the exceeding plaintiveness OF his eE.
precision. He was wcaEcncd. blank.
pale eyed little man. with thin white
mist OF neck whisker. and he was
dressed I'm clothes much too large for
him. No more inotrensivc figure than
this feeble little old man could be i'm
agined, yet his was the distinction OF
having received hostile visit from his
ncighbors OF the Crossroads. 4 vagR-
bonding tinker. he had married the one
respectable person OF the section.
widow who had refused several gen
tlcmen at the Crossroads, and SO COM
plcte was the bridegroom's insignifi-
cance that TO all the world his own
name was lost. The bride continued TO
be known by her former name as Mrs.
Windy" aud her spouse was usually
called "widder womnn wimby's hus-
band" or MIR. Windy" The bride sup
piled his wardrobe with the garments
OF her former husband. and, alleging
this proceeding as the cause OF their
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