The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-14

son has parted with his locks"
Il think I could like you if you did"
she said. but you can't do it. You are
a savage"
There are no clubs nor marts where
men foregather for business in the
north-nothing but the saloon, and this
is all and more than a club. Here men
congregate to drink, TO gamble and to
traffic.
1t was late in the evening when
Glenister entered the Northern and
passed idly down the row OF games
pausing at the crap table, where he
rolled the dice when his turn came.
Moving to the roulette wheel, he lost
stack Of whites, but at the faro lay
out" his luck was better, and he won a
gold coin on the high card, whereupon
he promptly ordered a round Of drinks
for the men grouped about him, for
| mality always precedent to oyertures
of general friendship
AS he paused, glass in hand, his eyes
were drawn to man who stood close
I by, talking earnestly. The aspect Of
the stranger challenged notice, for he
stood high above his companions, with
| a peculiar grace of attitude in place OF
/ the awkwardness common in men Of
great stature. Among those who were
listening intently to the mans care
fully moduiated tones Glenister recog-
nized Mexico Mullins, the ex-gamb bier
who had given Dextry the warning at
Unalaska. AS he further studied the
listening group a drunken man stag
gered uncertainty through the wide
doors of the saloon and. gaining sight
Of the tall stranger, blinked, then APP
preached him, speaking with loud
| voice:
well, if faint ole Alec Mcnamara!
/ How do, We ole pirate?'
Mcnamara nodded and turned his
back coolly upon the newcomer.
Don't turn your dorSal fin to me.
! wan to talk to ye."
Mcnamara continued his calm dis
course till he received a vicious whack
on the shoulder. Then he turned for a
moment to interrupt his assailants
garrulous profanity:
Don't bother me. l am engaged"
aye won talk to me, Ell? Well, I'm
goin' to talk to you, see. l guess you'd
listen if told these people all I know
about you. Turn around here"
His voice was menacing and attract
ed general notice. Observing this, Nc
Namara addressed him, his words
dropping clear, concise and cold:
Don't talk to me. You are drunk
en- nuisance. Go away before some
thing happens to you
Again he turned away, but the
drunken man seized and whirled him
about, repeating his abuse, encouraged
by this apparent patience.
Your pardon for an instant, gentle
men," Mcnamara laid a large white
and manieured hand upon the flannel
sleeve of the miner and gently escorted
him through the entrance to the side
walk, while the crowd smiled.
AS they cleared the threshold, how
ever, he clinched his fist without a
word and, raising it, struck the sot
| fully and cruelty upon the jaw. His
victim fell silently, the back of his
head striking the boards with a hollow
how he lay, Mcnamara re-entered the
saloon and took up his conversation
where he had been interrupted. His
voice was as evenly regulated as his
movements, betraying not a sign of
anger, excitement or bravado. He lit
a cigarette, extracted notebook and
jotted down certain memoranda sup
piled him by Mexico Mullins.
All this time the body lay across the
threshold without sign of life. The
buzz OF the roulette wheel was re-
sumed. and the crap dealer began his
monotonous routine. Every eye was
fixed on the nonchalant man at the
bar, but the unconscious creature out
side the threshold lay unheeded, fol-
in these mems code it behooves the
most humane to practice a certain
aloofness in the matter of private
brawlS.
Having completed his notes, McNa
mara shook hands gravely with his
companions and strobe out through the
door, past the bulk that sprawled
across his path and without pause OF
glance disappeared.
A dozen willing. though unsympa
thetic, hands laid the drunkard on tbs
roulette table, where the bartender
poured pitcher upon pitcher of water
over him.
He amt hurt none to speak OF,
said a bystander; then added, with en-
thuSiasm:
But, say, there's q man in this her
campr'
CHAPTER VI.
"T YHO'S your new shift boss :?