The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-11-29
CHAPTER V.-continued.

~. tra eiri stop az the Miners Home in
Gien Ella. Mrs. Duny, proprietess-
CHAPTER v.-continued.
There was no response. but the /
sreaker moistened his lips and pro |
csesrd firmly 1t was that OF pro I
,s.sional gambler, utterly devoid of I
mercy toward his victims; reckless |
ach-er. who shot 10 kill upon the least
invocation; a man without moral !
Character and from whom any good
action was impossible That was what
was said about you. Is the tale true
Hampton laughed unpleasantly his
ewes grown hard and ugly.
~ nresume it must be. he admitted,
win a quick side glance toward the
closed door. for the girl out yonde-
thought about the same. A most ex-
cellent reputation TO establish with
onlv ten years OF strict attendance 10
business"
Wynkoop's grave face expressed his
disapproval.
Well. in my present judgment that
re.ort was not altogether true" he
went on clearly and with greater con
fdence. Il did suppose you exactly
mat sort OF man when | first came
into this room | have not believed
So however. for a single moment
since Nevertheless the naked truth
is certainly bad enough, without any
necessity For our resorting to romance.
You may deceive others by an assump-
ton Of recklessness, but feel con.
WINGED your true nature Is not evil II
has been warped through some cause
which Is none 90 my business. Let US
IDEAL alone with facts. You are gam
jler a professional gambler. with all
that that implies: your life is. of neces-
sity. passed among the most vicious
and degrading elements OF mining
eamns and you do not hesitate even
70 take human life when in your iudg
rnent ID seems necessary to preserve
your own. Under this veneer OF law
lessness you may. indeed. possess
warm heart, Mr.. Hampton; you may
be a good fellow. but you are certain
ly not a model character, even accord
me 20 the liberal code Of the border
Extremely Kind Of YOU to enter my
rooms unlimited. and furnish me with
this list 81 moral deficiencies" &C
kn0wledEed the other with affected
carelessness. But thus far you have
failed TO ten me anything strikngly
new. Am ] 10 understand you have
some particular object in this ex-
change of Amenities"
Most assuredly II IS to ask II such
a person as you practically confess
yourself 20 be-homeless associating
only with the most despicable and
vicious characters. and leading so un-
certain and disreputable life-can be
iit 70 assume charge of girl, almost
woman. and mould her future?"
For a long. breathless moment
Hampton stared incredulously at his
quesuoner. crushing his cigar between
bis teeth Twice he started TO speak
blt literally choked back the bitter
words burning his lips, while an un
controllable admiration for the others
holiness began to overcome his first
fierce anger.
BY Cod" he exclaimed at last. ris
ing 70 his feet and pointing toward the
before | forget your cloth. You little
impudent fool See here-I saved
that girl from death. or worse:
plucked her from the very mouth o.
hell. like her; she's got sand so IA
a. ! know there is not a single sou
for her to turn to for help in all this
wide world. And you. you miserable
Ing Presbyterian parson, you want m'
% shake her, What sort of wilt
beast do you suppose l am?"
WynkOop had taken one hasty stel
backward. impelled to 1t by the fierce
anger blazing from those stern, gra,
ewes. But now he paused. and, TO
the only time on record, discovere'
the conventional language of polite SO
ciety inadequate TO express his needs
Il think" he said. scarcely realizin
MS own words. you are a damne
fool"
into Hampton's eyes there leaped
lsht upon which other men had locke
oeiore they died.-the strange ma
CLEAN one sometimes sees in hghtin
animals. or amid the fierce charges G
war His hand swept instinctivel
backward. closing upon the butt OF
revolver beneath his coat. and for on
second he who had dared such ute
ance looked on death. Then the har
lines about the mans mouth softenet
me fingers clutching the wespon n
Taxed, and Hampton laid one opene
hand upon the ministers shrinkin
shoulder.
Sit down" he said. his voice vi
steady from so sudden a reaction
Perhaps-perhaps | con't exactly ur
derstand."
Fer full minute they sat thus Tool