The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-02-28

&
They're an crooked"
/ Dextry held tho western distrISt +
the legal professlon-eOmprehenSive
/ unreasoning. deep.
is the old man all the kin you've
I gotT" be questioned. when she refuSe'
I 10 discuss the matter.
"He ls-in a way. have a brother
or I hope ! have. somewhere. He ran
away when we were both little tads
and haven't seen him since. heard
about him. Indirectly at Skagway-
three years agO-during the big rush T.
the Klondike. but he has never been
home. When father died. went to
live with Uncle Arthur some day, per-
haps, I'll find my brother. He's cruel
TO hide from me this way. for there are
only we two left, and I've loved him
always"
She spoke sadly and her mood blend
ed well with the gloom Of her com
panlon, so they stared silently out over
the heaving green waters.
ITS a good thing me an the kid had
q little piece of money ahead" Dextry
resumed later reverting to the thought
that lay upperrnost in his mind, "'cause
we'd be up against 1t right II we
hadn't The boy couldn't have amused
himself none with these court proceed
ings, because they come high. call
'em luxuries. like branded peaches an
silk undershirts
20 han lyo
no more than | do lawyers neither.
No, Stree! ! bought a iron safe an
hauled it out to the mine. She weighs
1900. and we keep our money locked
up there. We've got a Teller named
Johnson watchin' it now. Steal It'll
Well, hardly They can't bust her open
without stick of giant which would
rouse everybody in five miles, an they
can't lug her off bodily-shes too
heavy. No It's safer there than any
place l know of. There amt no alb
scondiu' cashiers an all that. Tomor-
rer I'm goin' back to live on the claim
an watch this receiver man till the
things settled"
When the girl arose to go, he accom-
panied her up through the deep sand Of
the lanelike street to the main muddy
tlioroN ghfare Of the camp. As vet the
pIanked and graveled pavements which
later threaded the town were unknown,
and the incessant traffic had worn the
road into a quagmire of chocolate col
ored slush, almost axle deep, with
which the store fronts, show windows
and awnings were plentifu!ly shot and
spattered from passing teams. When
ever wagon approached pedestrians
fed to the shelter Of ighboring door
ways, watching a chance to dodge out
again. When vehicles passed from the
comparative solidity of the main street
out into the morasses that constituted
the rest of the town, they adventured
perilously, their horses plunging, snort
Ing, terrified. amid an atmosphere of
profanity Discouraged animals were
down constantly, and no foot passen- |
ger, even with rubber boots, ventured
Off the planks that led from house to
house.
To avoid a splashing team Dextry !
pulled his companion close in against |
the entrance to the Northern saloon, |
before her protectingly.
Although 1t was late In the after |
noon, the Bronco Kid had Just arisen
and was now loafng preparatory to
the active duties Of his profession. He
was speaking with the proprietor when
Dextry and the girl sought shelter
Just without the open door, so he
caught q fair though fieeting glimpse
Of her as she flashed curious look in
side. She had never been SO close to
han before and would have
liked to peer in more carefully had she
dared, but her companion moved for
ward. At the first look the Bronco
Kid had broken of in his speech and |
stared ut her as though at an appari-
ton. When she had vanished, he
spoke to Reilly:
who's thatw
Reilly shrugged his shoulders; then,
without further question. the Kid turn
I'd back toward the empty theater and
,ut of the back door.
4
outside, then with the speed of colt
an down the narrow planking between
he buildings, turned parallel to the
'front.' street. leaped from board to
)oard, splashed through puddles OF
water, till he reached the next alley
Stamping the mud from his shoes and
,ulling down his sombrero, he saunter-
d out into the main thoroughfare.
Dextry and his companion had cross
d to the other side and were APP
,roaching, so the gambler gained a
air view of them. He searched every
nch Of the girls face and figure, then,
IS she made to turn her eyes in his d.
ection, he slouched away. He follow
ID, however at distance, till he saw
he man leave her, then ON up to the
zig hotel he Swallowed her A. half |
lour later he was drinking in the
Golden Gate barroom with an ac
uaintance who minsterel to the me-
hanlcal details behind the hotel
ounter.
n