Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-02
CHAPTER ".
DARRELs ENCOUNTER WITH
 STURGIS.

As time mellows the perspective of past events, so it blurs and modifies the characters of those who made them. Much of the glory of Anaconda has departed and Sandy Bar has gone the way of the played out" mining camp, yet tradition deals generously with the exploits of Nate Darrel-often too generously.
 The strange features of his feud with Murgatroyd were sufficiently incred- ible in cold truth; and when the out line of the facts faded with lapse of years, imagination was drawn upon to sharpen the "reminiscences. The added material was not always to Dar- rels credit.
 Yet no one who now remembers Dar- rel will ever tell you that he tried to be anything but gentleman. If the part was beyond him, it was solely the fault of his unfortunate vocation. Tn any other walk of life his sterling qualities of mind and heart would have claimed their tribute of respect and so- cial position. A man who believed that his fate was of his own making could hardly have been ignorant of this; but passion for play was too deeply in grained in his nature. The notoriety he had courted and won, in any other profession would have been the mill. stone that pulled him under
 The recovery of the boys money aptly illustrates Darrels character. He could not see anything wrong in turning the tables on the blaclslegs l F<,v- lS Swn %x~ 1Ne able to do it.
 He played an honorable" game; and he considered it honorable to worst couple of sharpers at their own tac- tics.
 As he made his way back along the struggling street toward Hawkbill Hendersons he was warily watchful. Recent events had taken his attention somewhat from his main purpose in 1 coming to Sandy Bar and the murder ous Murgatroyd might bo lurking any, where in the shadows or logging his steps.
 The wheezy tones of fddles, guitars and bass-viol, accompanied by hoarse shouts, laughter and fall of dancing feet echoed from a building across the way. Other buildings along the ] street were aglare with light and rife with a clink of glasses, rattle of poker chips and boisterous cries of drinkers and players.
 There were few on the street at that moment and Darrel passed rapidly on in the direction of the gambling place Abruptly form hurled itself across l his path from a dark space between two shanties on his left.
 Instantly a revolver was in his hand "Now then, my buck" cried voice sharp with passion, well settle our differences man to man"
 t'We have no differences to settle, Sturgis,' returned Darrel, relieved and not little surprised. He was looking I for Murgatroyd, not Sturgis.
 The gambler was in blind, unrea- soning fury. Tn the light of later events it was patent that Darrel had set trap for him and beaten him and his confederate at their own game. |. When man like Sturgis has such grievance there is but one way in 1 which the score can be settled. Sur gis was fiercely determined and Dar- rel was quick to comprehend his peril
 A faring lamp in front of the dance hall opposite cast dim light over tEe scene. The field wa3 clear for the en. counter, no .na oeinG a3-o.d in tne street apage ..l.- LII I,1 .olcerned. Rigidly c4cet 1aa l,tC A-4S4 alood, re- volvers ready and swinging at their sides, their eyes alert and watching ] catlika each others slightest move ment