The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-08-03
The DuiW
Short Story
HADDoM's LUCK

| "HaddamS the LATEST lawyer In
| the Gap-and the luckiest," sheer
ed Camel to the group Of legal
twisters gathered in the little wood
en- courthouse, to hear his big
water-right suit He didn't notice
the nearness of Judge Clocum, who
turned on him, testify.
''Lazier n q niggah flshin', but
cripes, sub, he says something
when he does open his mouth, subj"
and the irascible old Kentuckian,
who had fed Haddam law, brought
! down his cane with a bang that
said the easy-going young attorney
was back In his favor again.
A few minutes later, Haddam
sauntered in. He had just COM
fortably unrolled his long body
against the clerks pine desk when
fellow lawyer nudged him with:
"Dam'me, but isn't she a queen?"
Seeming too unconcerned to look,
his musing gaze never left Jasper,
the court pet, big bottle fly gid
Oily buZzing through the quivering
| heat waves. But in the tail of his
eye he saw her, bisque checked
! girl with a panther tread and the
brown gold hair and eyes of a
Reynolds cherub beside the clean
| shouldered cowboy, whom the bail
| if had led to the judge
Hurry? Hum-r, we might work
you in if some idle lawyah, round
here'll take you're case, suh." and
the judge looked over his eye
glass with smile at the girl.
Haddam lounged toward the pair.
"Screw loose, somehow. Don't
know anything about the case" ex-
planned the judge, "but take him
into my Office and give him the best
advice you can, lad"
Haddam nodded. A 1.-the, brown
hand slipped into his, two tawny,
trouble-darkened eyes pleaded and
a cajoling voice in broken Mexican
whispered, my broder, oh, pills
make him quick free. My moder
seek, she die on Gold Horn"
Gold Horn. The very mountain
Jim Camel, his rival, was going to
scour for water supplies to the Lit
tie Sister mine. His hand tighten.
ed over the yielding palm and his
shoulders squared. Come" and he
gently led the mountain maid to an
unused anteroom across the hall.
"Wait here till l come" he eau.
toned.
She smiled gratefully and he hur-
ried back to his client in the
judges private Office.
The hours slipped by. Recess
was announced when Jackson, the
| United States marshal, rushed in
botted and spurred.
"Bub Reno here?" he shouted.
The buzz Of the blue fly was like
the noise of a six-cylinder roadster
in the sudden silence. Bub Reno
was the bOldest cut-throat cattle
thief on the range, now wanted for
numbering roundup man.
What do you mean, sub? ?"
Numbered Judge Slocum, rising.
Mean? Why I corralled him
and his beauty over there last
night" pointing at the jail oppo-
site, land now they're gone"
ooh, suh," blandly, then he's in
my Office with Haddam, sub.
Bailiff, bring him out.
| The door opened. Haddam, again
the lazy, the graceful, appeared.
| where's the prisonah, subj"
"The prisoner, your honor. Oh, I"
indifferently, "the last | saw of him
he was hitting the trail for Dead
| Horse bend"
"Suh!" The Judge choked, pur-
pie with rage.
"You told me to give him the
best advice l could, your honor"
| explained Haddam, nonchalently.
so when I'd heard his story there
was nothing to do but tell him to
nike"
The Judge gripped his stick.
You're in contempt, sub. You're
fined, sub. You're-get out of my
sight and the town, subj"
Haddam got with even more
| smiling grave than Of yore, for
didn't exile from court mean pony
and prospecting tour in which his
soul delighted, untroubled by
qualms of legal ambition-and this
time, perhaps ponies.
With quickened pulse he opened
the anteroom door. A scrap of
paper fluttered dismally from the
empty chair. 1t read:
| Deer Mister Bub Is my hus-
band. l thank you vera grand
mucha. Mona Rems.'
Haddam said something. He re-
peated it with emphasis. Then:
Fined in the bargain" he NUT
| tered
Slowly he counted over his gold
pieces. But two would be left
when the fine was paid
The lazy smile of him came
back. 81 just can't dodge luck"
he said. They'd have only grub
staked one anyway