The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-02-13

No: Pm sufficiently brsasimtndsd not
to blame yoA snreasonabty. and think
coald Ike yoa IN spite Of 1t. just fer
what you have done for me. Bat that
isa't afi. There Is something deeper.
fou saved my life, aad Ina grateful
but you frtghtea nae always. II s
the cruelty ia your Strength It rs
something away. hacx IN ysn1lYSRR.
and EeroeieAs ahd Wild and croucaihS.
He smiled wr5B.
ut Is my local color maybe. absorbed
from this ceuatry. I'll try to csahga.
though, Il you want ns tS. Ill #
them rope and throw and brand ne.
IN take on the graeee Of cfrftaSahs1
and prt away revenge aud ambition
and all the rest OF 1t re II Will az8s
ysu Ike me any better. Why. IN e1eR
promise not to violate the parssa Of
eur claim jumper II catch him. snd
heaven knows that means that Sam
sen has parted With his locks."
II think I conh Hike y0a II you did,
she said, "but 700 can't do It. You are
a savage"
There are no clubs nor marts where
men foreSathef for business In the
north-nothing but the saloen, and this
Is all and more than q club. Here men
cougreeats to drink. to gamble and TO
traffic.
II he fn the evening when
Chemist altered the, Northern and
passed ,uIy down tho row OF games
pausing at the crap table. where he
rolled the dice when bis tarn came,
Moving to the roulette wheel. he lost
stack Of whites. but at the faro lay
OUT his luck was better. and be won
gold coin on the high card, vhereupon
he promptly ordered a round Of drinks
for the men grouped about him. for
mality always precedent to overtures
OF general friendship. :,
AS be paused. glass IN hand, his eyes
were drawn to q man who stood close
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 modulated tones Glenister recog-
nized Mexico Mullins. the ex-gambler
who had given Dextry the warning at
Cnalaska. As he further studied the
listening group a drunken man stag
gcsed uncertainty through the wide
doors Of the saloon and, gaining sight
Of the tall stranger, blinked. then ap-
preached him. speaking with a loud
voice:
"well, II 'tain't ole Alec Mcnamara.
How do, ye ole pirate?'
Mcnamara. nodded and turned his
back coolly upon the newcomer.
Don't turn your dorsal fin to me. I
wan to talk to ye."
McNamara continued his calm dis
course till he received vicious whack
on the shoulder. Then he turned for a
moment to interrupt his assailant's
garrulous profanity:
Don't bother me. am engaged"
"Ye won talk to me, eh? Well. I'm
goin' to talk to'you. see. l guess you'd
listen II / told these people AL I know
about you. Turn around here"
His voice was menacinS a2d attract
ed general notice. Observing this. Nc
Namara addressede 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 ard whirled him
about. repeating his abuse. encouraged
by this apparent patience.
"Your pardon for an instant, gentle
men," Mcnamara laid large white
and manicured 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
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 hollow
thump; then, without even observing
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 sign Of
anger, excitement or bravadO. He lit
q 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
fxed on the nonchalant man at, the
bar, but the unconscious creature out
side the threshold lay unheeded, for
In these mems code 1t behooyes the
most humane to practice a certain
aloofness In the matter Of private
brawls.