The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-31
A*Western L0Chi1var.
'"''''7 ~~ "''''"'

Ry OLIVER STRANGE.

disc of desperadoes, and the only re-
spected authority was 45-calibre
single action revolver. Every man
carried at least one of these weapons,
and when he rode supplemented it
with a repeating rife in a holster
strapped to the saddle under his left
leg.
Naturally, in such times, it was
easy to acquire the reputation of be-
ing a bad man." and many did so
without quite deserving it.
. OF these, Dan Bevis-familiarly
known as "The Dandy" in conse-
quence of a fastidious attention to
his appearance in region where such
a matter received scant respect-was
one. He was professional gambler,
a term which must not always be
deemed synonymous with card sharp
er. Moreover, he was not pigeon"
plucker, and it is recorded that on
one occasion, finding his opponent
greatly his inferior in skill, he hand
ed back his winnings and got up from
the, table with the remark that "he
did not take pupils"
For the rest, he was good-looking
fellow of about thirty years of age, a.
fine rider, a dead shot with any
weapon and possessed of an even
temperament which enabled him to
accept good or bad fortune with smil-
ing Indifference.
Thus, when, on his fourth visit to
Deep Hollow, he was conducted to the
edge of the settlement by the leading
inhabitants, with the emphatic init
nation that IF he showed up again
he would be hung" he merely
shrugged his shoulders, smiled pleas
antly, and rode leisurely up the trail
In the direction of Santa Fe.
In five days he had financially Grip
pied many of the community. The
climax came when one of the suffer-
-ers so far forgot himself as to call
the gambler a cheat, which resulted
In his being crippled in a more un-
pleasant way. But for the fact that
the accuser was also palpably cheat
ing, and was in no danger of dying
of his hurt, Dan would have swung
then and there.
It was about week after this
event that Miss Virginia West made
two important discoveries.
Jimmy" kept house for her step
father and only relative, who was
proprietor of the principal saloon in
Deep Hollow, and was generally
known as bad Brown" Miss Jimmy
was eighteen years of age and the &C
knowledged belle of the township.
The saloon was one-story build
ing of rough pine logs, with a sanded
floor and a bar. Back of this bar
was door leading to the living part
of the shanty. 1t was on the other
side of this door that Miss Jimmy
paused, as women do the world over,
to put a reassuring hand to her hair,
and in consequence made the first
discovery.
The fact that there was customer
chatting with her relative would not
have made the young girl hesitate,
but on this occasion she recognized
the voice as that of Steve Lupas,
man whom she instinctively feared
and avoided.
" He'll come, you bet," he was say
ing. ''He got the note at Santa Fe,
an, Parker sez he colored up like a
gal when he read it"
Ct III ho5 10
hand-write, or suspicion that it was
a mighty sudden affection on her
part" Brown said.
Not he," sneered the other "The
dandy thinks every woman is in love
with him an his fine clothes. Snakes,
it'll be somethin' to see his face when
he finds out how he's bin fooled -
and the speaker laughed loudly.
When will he be here?" Brown
asked
Pretty soon now, I reckon" was
the reply. Some of the boys are
goin to hide little way up the trail,
wait till he passes and follow him
in. Then they'll close up and nail
him as soon as he crosses the bound
ary an tomorrow mornin' he'll
swing"
There was short silence, and
then, in different tone, the younger
man, Lupas, remarked:
You amt said anything to Jimmy
about-about me, I s'pose?"
NO." replied Brown; ''it won't do
to rush things
This was untrue, for the speaker
had already sounded the young lady
anent the question of her becoming
Mrs. Lupas, and had met with an en-
phatic negative. But he dared not
divulge this, for he was in the un-
welcome suitor's power.
well, that's your lookout; but I
amt goin' to wait much longer" was
the threatening retort. You're COM
ing to see the fun, guess?"
"Yes; Jinny'll take charge"
On hearing this that young lady
slipped away from the door, and
when she appeared in response to
Browns call her face showed no trace
of emotion, but rage, shame and dis
gust struggled with another feeHng
Nhich she did not attempt to analyze.
A light step outside broke in upon
her reflections, and she looked up to
fl:ei the subject of them standing in
the open doorway. For one moment