Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-10-10

pun uOuuuS III nuEhtu Chl W co.
one after another, like he was dom a
system Of health exercises. He took
'em to his bosom as If he'd just got
back Off a long trip. then, droppin' the
last one, he made at that younger SOP
an put a gold filing In his leg. Yes,
sir: most chewed It off. lTAnglish let
ont n Siberian wolf holler hisself, an
| had to step in with the Ratchet and
kill the brute, though I was most dead
from laughin'.
That's how it Is with me an Glen
lister" the old man concluded. when
he gets tired expcrimentin' with his
new law game Of hisn, I'll step In an
do business on n common sense basis
you talk as IL you wouldn't get fair
play" said Helen.
1--WE won't" said he. with conviction.
II look on oil lawyers with suspicion.
even to old baldface your uncle.
askin' your pardon an gettln' 1t, bein'
as I'm a friend an he amt no real
relation Of yours, anyhow. No, sir.
They're all crooked"
Dextry held the western distrust OF
the legal profcssion-comprehensive.
unreasoning. deep.
rs the old man all the kin you've
got"' he questioned. when she refused
to discuss the matter.
"IIe is-in n way. I have Il brother.
or | hope I have, somewhere. He ran
away when we were both little tads,
md ! haven't seen him since. | heard
about him. indirectly. at Skagway-
three years ago-during the big rush to
the Klondike, but he has never been
home. When father died, | went to
live with Uncle Arthur-some day, per-
haps, I'll find my brother. He's cruel
10 hide FROM me this way, for there are
only we two left, and I've loved hip
always"
She spoke sadly and her mood blend.
ed well with the gloom Of her COM
panion, so they stared silently out over
the heaving green waters.
ITS a good thing me an the kid had
a little piece OF money ahead" DeXtry
resumed later. reverting to the thought
that lay uppermost in his mind. %"'cause
we'd be up against it right il we
hadn't. The boy couldn't have amused
himself none with these court proceed
ings, because they come high. | call
'em Injuries. like branded peaches an
silk understands.
81 don't trust these Jim Crow banks
no more than | do lawyers. neither.
No, Stree, I bought n iron safe an
hauled it out to the mine. She weighs
1,S00, and we keep our money locked
up there. We've got n Teller named
Johnson watchin' it now. Steal iii
Well, hardly. They can't bust her open
without a stick Of giant which would
rouse everybody in five miles. an they
can't lug her Off bodily-shc's too
heavy. No. It's safer there than any
place I know Of. There amt no alb
scondin' cashiers an all that. Tomor-
rer I'm goin' back to live OF the claim
an watch this receiver man till the
things settled"
When the girl arose to 60, he accom-
panied her up through the deep sand of
the lanelike street to the main muddy
thoroughfare of the camp. AS yet the
planked and graveled pavements which
later threaded the town were unknown,
NV 'hN tANAAS "a WAN t"N
road into n quagnire OF chocolate col
ored slush. almost axle deep. with
which the store fronts. show windows
and awnings were plentifully shot and
spattered from passing teams. When
ever a wagon approached pedestrians
fed to the shelter Of %neighboring door.
ways, watching a chance to dodge out
again. When vehicles passed from the
comparative solidity OF the main street
out into the morasses that constituted
the rest OF the town. they adventured
p~erilously, their horses plunging, snort
ing. terrified, amid an atmosphere OF
profanity. Discourag ed animals were
down constantly. and no foot passen
ger, ever with rubber boots, ventured
off the planks that led from house tc
house.
To avoid a splashing team Dextry
pulled his companion close In against
the entrance to the Northern saloon
standing before her protcctingly.
Although it was late In the after
noon, the Bronco Kid had Just ar.ser
and was now loanng preparatory tC
the active duties Of his profession. III
was speaking with the proprietor wher
Dextry and the girl sought shelter
Just without the open door, so ht
caught a fair though fieeting glimpse
Of her as she flashed a curious look in
side. She had never been so close to
gambling hall before and would have
liked to peer In more carefully had she
dared. but her companion moved for
ward. AT the first look the Bronco
Kid had broken off in his speech anl
stared at her as though Mt an appari
ton. When she had vanished, ht
spoke to Reilly:
"Who's that?"
Reilly shrugged his shoulders; then
without further question, the Kid turn
ed back toward the empty theater ant
out Of the back door.
He moved ~nonchalantly till he wal
outside, then with the speed Of a col
ran down the narrow planking between
the buildings, turned parallel to til,
front street. leaped from board t,
board. splashed through puddles o
water, till he reached the next alley
Stamping the mud from his shoes al
pulling down his sombrcro, he saunter
ed out into the main thoroughfare.
Dextry and his companion had cross
ed to the other side and were ap
preaching, so the gambler gained
fair view Of them. He searched ever,
! tnoh 80 khn ~iylbc Haa1 ouL a-..-- A.