Gunnison news-champion., 1908-01-17

tented Itself With luncaeon pre-
pared at hone and packed neatly and
appeiizingiy In a tin bucket u Was
not likely there would be- q repetition
81 bad meat }; would be poor policy.
SIN. one could no, be sure. aud IL
vas most important that Willis,on ate
no bad meat that DAY
Gordon met them in the hot. stuny
little parlor 81 the hotel
1T vas good Of you TO come" he
said TO Louise. with grave sincerity.
Il didn't want to-" confessed Louise.
honestly. I'm afraid il is too big and
have gone back to Nelpen last night
to catch the early train had it not
been for MARY. She is so-good'
The worst is over now that YOU
have conquered your first impulse to
Nv he said.
i cried. though. ! hated myself
for 81. but couldn't help 1t. You see
! never vas 50 far from home before"
lie was an absorbed hard working
lawyer. Years Of contact with the
plain. hard realities of rough living
in a new country had dried up. some
what. his stream of sentiment Maybe
the source was only blocked with
debris. but certainly the stream was
running dry. He could not help
thinking that a girl who cries be
cause she is far from home had much
better stay at home and leave the
grave things which are mems work to
men. But he was a gentleman and a
kindly one. so he answered quietly.
Il trust you will like us better when
you know us better" and after a few
more commonplsces. went his Gay.
There's man." said Louise.
thoughtfully. on the way to McAliis-
ter's ONCE. Il like him. Mary"
And yet there are men In this coun-
try who would Kill him IL they dared"
Mary what do you mean? Are
there then so many cut-throats in this
awful country"
Il think there are many desperate
men among the rustlers who would
not hesitate to kill either Paul Lang
ford or Richard Gordon since these
prosecutions have begun. There are
also many good people who think Mr..
Gordon is just stirring up trouble and
putting the county to expense when
he can have no hope Of convicti0a.
They say that his failures encourage
the rustlers more than an inactive
policy would"
People who argue like that are
either tainted with dishonesty them.
sol or hav
two" said Louise. with conviction.
Mr.. Gordon has one stanch sup
porter. anyway" said Mary, smiling
Maybe had better tell him. Precious
little announcement or sympathy he
gets. poor fellow"
Please DO not" replied Louise
quickly. Il wonder n my friend, Jim
Munson, has managed to escape bat.
tie, murder and sudden DEATH, incluA.
ting death by poison. and Is on hand
with his testimony"
As they approached the once the
crowd OF men around the doorway
drew aside to let them pass.
Our chances Of worming ourselves
through that jam seem pretty slim
TO me-" whispered Mary. glancing into
the already overcrowded room.
Let me make . way for you," said
Paul Langford. as he separated him
self from the group Of men standing
In front. and came up to them.
I have watered my horse" he said,
flashing a merry smile at Mary as he
began showing his big shoulders
through the press, closely followed
by the two young women
II was a strange assembly through
which they pressed; ranchmen and
cowboys, most OF them, just in from
ranch and range. hot and dusty from
long riding. perspiring freely, redolent
of strong tobacco and the peculiar
smell that betokens recent and init
mate conpanionship with that part
and parcel of the plains, the horse.
The room was indeed hot and close
and reeking with bad odors. There
were also present . large delegation
OF cattle dealers and saloon men from
Velpen. and some few Indians from
Rosebud agency. whose curiosity was
Unsuitable where the courts were con.
cerned. far from picturesque in their
ill-fitting. nondescript cowboy gar
ments.
Yet they were kindly. most Of the
men gathered there. Though at nrst
they refused. with stolid resentment
to be thus thrust aside by the breezy
and aggressive owner of the Three
Bars. planting their feet the mors
firmly On the rough, uneven floor. and
serenely oblivious to any right Of way
80 arrogantly demanded by the bAe
shoulders, yet. when they perceived
for whom they way was being made
most Of them stepped hastily aside
with muttered and abasAed apologies
Here and there, however. though al
made way, there would be ~ red
faced or stanmering apology. Some
unes the little party vas followed