Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-26

II HA
ID Since dawn Lounsbury's head
I'D had been poked from a win
v-3 dow of the forward car. Now
lie followed it with Il wedge of shoul-
der and muttered a fervent THANK
GOd!' His face was blackened by the
breath of the engine, his hair was
roughed by the Juggling wind. so that
he bore not IL trace of the past months
careful grooming Outside of Chicago
he had shed his eastern garb for blue
flannel shirt, dark breeches and tall
boots. Again he was frOntiersman.
A brakeman entered to call out the
final stop. Cramped bulks here and
there slowly unwound their sleepy
lengths and gaZed around. A slim re
cruit in front sest who was outward
p. bound to fight Indians wakened with
the car grudgingly put away their card
packs, but cheerfully clapped on their
hats. a long, hot journey was done.
But Lounsbury when he drew in his
head and shoulders delayed his prep
arations to alight He reached down
to boot leg and fished out letter,
one paragraph of which he carefully
reread.
'As l say, if you look for that rascal,
you'll find the right man. He was
here, for Charley saw him. Who was
it?' l asked the Indian. What do you
think he did? He crossed his fingers
on his nose"
Lounsbury took a deep breath. It's
likely" he said aloud. 1T don't take
courage to kill Il cripple"
The wheels were yet turning when
LounsDury swung off. His looped belt
had been buckled on. and once more
his revolver hung handily upon his
thigh. As he tossed his satchel to the
ticket agent he gave the AZ" swift
look over. Then. with the expression
that the Clark outfit respected showing
through the CRIME of the train, he
started on a tour of saloons.
In a square fronted groggery his
hunt ended. An assortment of adven-
turers packed the place-mule SINNERS,
soldiers, gamblers, settlers. Among
them was sprinkling of women. He
pushed his way through the crowd I'M
til he reached the bar. There, officiat-
ing in pink shirt sleeves, was the
Babe"
A moment Lounsbury faced him in
silence, his cheeks putting and his
chest swelling in an effort ut self con
troll. Then, dropping his hand to the
".45," he gave jerk of the head
"Come out he ordered.
Tho Do 90 cr1,ip+ aT-oe r,o1a CON.
arate inspections of the room. He was
In the act~of pouring from a bottle to
a glass. Now, as he held them before
him, they tinllled together
His customer backed away to the
door, where it was cooler. The women
cluttered at the farther bar end. The
other loungers rotated to a position be
hind Lounsbury and waited, all agrin.
He came loafing out, the sweat stand
ing in huge beads upon his nose
Lounsbury advanced to him, playing {
tattoo along the bar with his left hand
Babe" he said quietly, the trair
goes back Chicago way in the morn
ing"
The other b4inked and gulped. "Wy
wy he began.
''You take it, continued Lounsbury
Your family's getting darned unpopu
lar here"
The Babes" diverging orbs popped
from his face and again played from
side to side.
"Y-e-e-s," drawled Lounsbury. H.
ripped open the others vest. Two pis
. tolls We're displayed smuggling head t.
head. He plucked them out and kick
ed them across the room. THE morn
ing train" he repeated. $50 long"
Babe" gave weak nod. Louns
bury walked out. "Howdy, boys; how
dy." he said pleasantly as he went
The admiring crowd returned his sa
lutte and rotated back to the bar.
He wasted no further time, but hur
ried to his store, a saddle rooted build
ing farther along the street. Befor
it paced Fort Lincoln officer. Louns
bury stopped him for news.
you ought to be chuck full of it.,
returned the officer. pumping til
storekeeper's arm, lust in from New
York"
1.-The redskins?"
Daytime sortie on US yesterday"
Pretty sassy. How about Bran
non?"