Mexico Missouri message., 1908-01-02


the girl only escape from the Indians.
They fall exhausted on tho plains. \
company OF the seventh cavalry, Lieut.,
and the girl stop AT the Miners Home in
0lenoaId. Mrs. Dufy. proprietess.
CHAPTER V,-contlnued.
There was no response. but the
speaker moistened his lips and pro.
ceeded firmly. 1T was that OF a pro.
fessIonal gambler. utterly devoid OF
mercy toward his victims; a reckless
aghter. who shot to kill upon the least
proyocation: a man without moral
character, and from whom any good
action was impossible. That was what
was said about you. Is the tale true?"
Hampton laughed unpleasantly, his
eyes grown hard and ugly.
Il presume II must be-" he admitted.
with a quick side glance toward the
closed door. for the girl out yondeT
thought about the same. a most ex-
cellent reputation to establish with
only ten years Of strict attendance to
business"
wynkoop's grave face expressed his
, disapproval.
report was not altogether true" he
went on clearly and with greater con.
fidence. Il did suppose you exactly
that sort Of a man when | first came
into this room. l have not believed
50, however. for a single moment
since. Nevertheless, the naked truth
Is certainly bad enough, without any
u necessity for our resorting to romance.
You may deceive others by an assump-
'tion OF recklessness. but feel con.
WINGED your true nature ia not evil. It
has been warped through some cause
which Is none OF my business. Let us
deal alone with facts. You are a gam.
bier, a professional gambler, with all
that that implies; your life is, of neces.
sity, passed among the most vicious
and degrading elements OF mining
camps, and you do not hesitate even
20 take human life when In your judg.
ment It seems necessary to preserve
your own. Under this veneer OF law.
Iessness you may. indeed. possess a
warm heart. Mr.. Hampton; you may
be a good fellow. but you are certain.
ly not a model character, even accord
ing to the liberal code OF the border.
Extremely kind OF you to enter my
rooms unlimited. and furnish me with
this list OF moral deficiencies" &C
knowledged the other with affected
carelessness. But thus far you have
failed 10 tell me anything strikingly
new. Am ! TO understand you have
some particular object In this ex
change OF amenities?"
Most assuredly. II ia to ask II such
a person as you practically confess
yourself TO be-homeless, associatine
only with the most despicable and
vicious characters. aud leading so un
certain and disreputable life-can be
Gt to assume charge OF a girl. almost
n woman. and mould her future?"
For a long. breathless moment
Hampton stared incredulously at hi
questioner, crushing his cigar between
his teeth. Twice he started to speak
but literally choked back the bite
words burning his lips, while an un
comfortable admiration for the other
boldness began TO overcome bis frs
fierce anger
by God!" he exclaimed at last, rIs
ing to his feet and pointing toward tn,
door. Il have shot men for less. Go
before l forget your cloth. You It'll
tmpudent fool! See here--I save,
that girl from death. or worse;
pIacked her from the very mouth o
hell; like her; she's got sand; so IA
as l know there Is not single sou
aor her to turn to for help in all thi
wide world. And you. you miserable
aniyelling hypocrite. you little Greer
Eng Presbyterian parson, you want m
20 shake herl What sort OF a will
beast do you suppose l ann"
Wynkoop had taken one hasty ste
backward. impelled to It by the fierc
anger blazing from those stern, gra
eyes. But now he paused, and. 10
the only time on record, discovere
the conventional language Of polite 81
eiety inadequate 10 express his need,
4 think" he said. scarcely realizin
his own words. you are damne
FOOL
Into HAnpton's eyes there leaped
tight upon which other men had locke
RNttIS AnNy Qac1f-AhC nAfAukt IlN
CLEAN one sometimes sees In hghtin
animals. or amid the fierce charges 9
ear. His hand swept instinctiVei
backward, closing upon the butt Of
revolver beneath his coat. and for on
aecOnd he who had dared such nttel
anoe looked on death. Then the har
flnes about the man's mouth seftenes
ths fingers clutching the weapon n
aaKed. and Hampton laid one opene
hand upon the ministers shrinkin
shoulder itk
"sit down" be said. hts vote N
steady from 90 suddea a feaetioI
Pethnpsp perhaps con't exactly Vi
sierstand~
Fw tail miputs thsy SAT mus ioel