The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-03


the reliable man-hunter was on the
trail of the Mexican bandits, he had
chosen to have a celebration of his own
at Deep Basin.
The news of his arrival spread like
wildfre, and the CONSERVATION it Gre
ated would have been comical if il
had not held the elements of a tragedy
His servile reception by men who
saw in him the failure of their care
| fully planned day was ludicrously pa
thetic. Red" grinned as ne saw the
commotion he had created. This was
the tribute he loved best of all-wine
to his senses. He drank and the town
drank with him; he made no threats
and he refrained from shooting up the
town, for he had other plans in view.
When Kate Ferris heard of his COM
ing she called her fathers deputies
| and talked to them fairly and squarely
as man to man rather than as a slim,
straight, young woman to the chosen
servants of the government.
He has got to know when to
stop" she said. "It amt going to be
said that Red Thompson made things
| hot in Jim Ferris's town.
r. The two deputies agreed with her
verbally. In their hearts they did
not dare consider the possibility of
living up to her demand. Perhaps
Kate realized this: at any rate she
tucked in the front of her shirt waist,
when she started for the grand stand.
a revolver that had never been known
to miss the bulls eye.
A vague unrest, not lacking i'm an
element of exhilaration, hung over the
assemblage around the platform.
which had been erected at the end
of the struggling street. There was a
respectable display of bunting, and
the table, wherein rested a pitcher of
water and a glass, was covered with
brand new flag. Music was fur
nished by the Empire Quartet, con-
sisting of three men and a woman,
who were playing that week at Bill
Johnson's music hall. The Declara-
ton of Independence was read by the
newly elected mayor, and still RED"
Thompson maintained a respectful 81
lence. Then arose the Hon. Alonzo.
Nobody heard what he said. as Kate
had predicted. but the audience was
respectful and silent. as behooved a
camp entertaining a representative Of
the law and the government. Sud-
denly from the perspiring, swaying
crowd, clarion voice rang forth:
'Louder!"
The Hon. 'Alonzo flushed, hesitated,
and lost the thread of his discourse.
Only those on the front row OF seats
which surrounded the speakers stand
were dMdTG VI TINS ldCtg anu NDey AAl-l
mediately lost interest in the speech,
for it was Red" Thompson who had
issued the command. The deputies,
mingling with the crowd, felt the
butts Of their revolvers, then their
hands dropped again to their sides.
Kate Ferris looked at Red" Thomp-
son, and her lips formed in the firm
lines that were her fathers. Dick
Baxter looked at her and then whis-
tied softly. He had not thought 1t
was in her.
The Hon. Alonzo, his voice piping
more shriliy but with even less dis
tinctness. said: MY fellow citizens and
constituents, you have honored me
greatly"
"Wed honor We more IL we could
hear what we said" shouted Red"
Thompson, a malicious grin on his
face. He knew that all Deep Basin
resented the insult to their guest, but
that not a man dared to protest The
Hon. Alonzo stumbled in his speech
and looked around, but none came 10
his aid. He cleared his throat. This
glorious day stands ever"
"Louder!" yelled Red" Then as the
Hon. Alonzo made as II to retire from
his uncomfortable position Red" de-
liberately raised his gun and leveled
IL at the uncomfortable representa-
tive OF the law and the government,
shouting, GO ahead, sonny, only
speak up
The Mayor Of Deep Basin. trembling
and white-lipped, whispered TO the
speaker that he had better try again.
"Red" grinned. The Hon. Alonzo
cleared has throat but his tongue
Glove TO the roof Of his mouth.
Dick Baxter looked wonderingly from
the great bully to the crowd of terror
lied, able-bodied men, then he suddenly
forgot the hypnotic influence OF the
bad man. He had caught glimpse OF
Kate Ferris's face. Before he had a