Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-12-18
CHAPTER V.-Continued.

Ns-SOHlIuuCOs
There was no response, but the
speaker moistened his lips and pro-
ceeded firmly. 1T was that of a pro-
fessional gambler, utterly devoid of
mercy toward his victims; a reckless
! fighter, who shot to kill upon the least
provocation; 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
eyes grown hard and ugly.
Il presume it must be-" he admitted,
with a quick side glance toward the
closed door, "for the girl out yonder
thought about the same. A most ex-
cellent reputation to establish with
only ten years of strict attendance to
business"
Wynkoop's grave face expressed his
disapproval.
We'll, in my present judgment that
report was not altogether true" he
went on clearly and with greater con-
fidence. Il did suppose you exactly
that sort Of man when l first came
into this room. l 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 l feel con-
vinced your true nature is not evil. 1t
has been warped through some cause
which is none of my business. Let US
deal alone with facts. You are a gam
bier, professional gambler, with all
that that implies; your life is, of neces-
sity, passed among the most vicious
and degrading elements of mining
camps, and you do not hesitate even
to take human life when in your judg-
ment 1t seems necessary to preserve
your own. Under this veneer of law
lessness you may, indeed possess a
warm heart, Mr.. Hampton; you may
be a good fellow, but you are certain
ly not model character, even accord
ing to the liberal code of the border"
Extremely kind of you to enter my
rooms unlimited. and furnish me with
this list of moral deficiencies" &C
knowledged the other with affected
carelessness. But thus far you have
failed to tell me anything strikingly
new. Am l to understand you have
some particular object in this ex-
change Of amenities?"
Most assuredly. 1t is to ask if such
a person as you practically confess
yourself to be-homeless, associating
only with the most despicable and
vicious characters, and leading so I'M
certain and disreputable life-can be
mt to assume charge of a girl, almost
woman, and mould her future?"
For a long, breathless moment
Hampton stared incredulously at his
questioner, crushing his cigar between
his teeth. Twice he started to speak,
but literally choked back the bitter
words burning his lips, while an I'M
| comfortable admiration for the others
boldness began to overcome his first
fierce anger.
by Cod" he exclaimed at last, ris-
ing to his feet and pointing toward the
door. Il have shot men for less. Go,
before forget your cloth. You little
impudent fool! See here-I saved
that girl from death, or worse;
plucked her from the very mouth of
hell; / like her; she's got sand; so far
as l know there is not a single soul
for her to turn to for help in all this
wide world. And you, you miserable,
snivelling hypocrite, you little creep
Ing Presbyterian parson, you want me
to shake her! What sort of a wild
beast do you suppose l ann"
Wynkoop had taken one hasty step
backward, impelled to it by the fierce
anger blazing from those stern, gray
eyes. But now he paused, and, for
the only time on record, discovered
the conventional language of polite so
ciety inadequate to express his needs.
Il think" he said, scarcely realizing
his own words, you are a damned
fool"
Into Hampton's eyes there leaped a
light upon which other men had looked
before they died,-the strange mad
CLEAN one sometimes sees in fighting
animals, or amid the fierce charges of
war. His hand swept instinctively
backward, closing upon the butt of
revolver beneath his coat, and for one
second he who had dared such utter
ance looked on death. Then the hard
lines about the mans mouth softened,
the fingers clutching the weapon re-
Taxed, and Hampton laid one opened
hand upon the minister's shrinking
shoulder.
"Sit down." he said, his voice un-
steady from so. sudden a reaction.
"Perhaps-perhaps don't exactly un-
darstand."
For full minute thew sat thus look