Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-06
Sergeant Kinnaird
Continued from page 4

loosely in looping bends to point of oblitera-
ton.
But all these things of elemental grace were
lost on kootenay & Co. They We're busy pot
ting the gophers. 1t was game of chance for
the drinks. A shot apiece, and the gopherless
marksman paid. A bullet from kootenay
six-shooter had just rolled to one side little
fawn colored head that for second had peered
inquisitively from neck ruff of tawny earth,
when Tough Wilkins exclaimed
links! thar's a outfit trailin from the east.
Give me kind of jump wnen | flu looked:
It's Completed like Mounted P'lice team.
He rolled his eyes in apprehension; but the
others laughed, and kootenay, Selling the
rung of his chair, tipped him to the veranda
floor CRYING You scrag necked son of jack
pine what you want to throw fright like
that inter us fer? A blackboard load of p l1ce
trailin' inter Stand Off would sure put us
plumb on the hog. We'd g: arrested.
A S the three men watched, giving up the
gopher play for raillery of the police, a
cloud of dust beat up from the trail behind the
approaching team, its center split by the form
of gallopihg horse ;,
"Chinooks eatin' up the trail as if twas a
gen raj of p1ce on that blackboard, an he
wanted a bite of him
They saw the galloping horse overhaul the
more 1eisurely team. His chestnut coat glnted
willing restraint while his rider cenversed AS
horse and rig started again, kootenay called
through the open door. -,
Matt! Matt Whar the devils that dago?"
he growled to the unanswering interior.
A sinister olive skinned face hung forward
through the door at that instant, and a pair OF
piercing black eyes, animal like in their restless
query searched the little group, as their
owner asked, what you want! Who lose
dis tirpe?"
"Tkar's guests comm fer you," Kootenay
answered, jerking his thumb down Broad
Lone Pine, an you'd better fry stack OF
bacon, cause it's most grub pile time.
That's Scotty Angus's outfit from Mound OF
Bones" Cayuse declared. Wonder who's
the man with him."
The blackboard swung up Broadway to the
veranda. and a tall, athletic man in clerical
black slipped quietly from the vehicle.
Holy Smoke! muttered Cayuse IN an APP
palled whisper eff it amt sky pilot! An
us a-fggerin' it was some mani :.
Wall" Kootenay drawled. "thars hett
of beef about them shoulders that | reckon
might prove tough ropin' if the owner was
riled which in that business they amt lowed
ter be nohow. Guess he must be too plumb
lazy ter work"
The girl slipped from Chinook's back, and,
in voice that held an imperious tone running
through its apparent softness, called, Matt,
Preacher Black is going to make camp here
tonight Stir around and help get him To-
cated"
Matteo was a Corsican. His vitriohc blood
effervesced at the touch of kootenays caust1c
chuck1e. and turning away in sullen anger, he
entered the front room, flung into chair and,
fitting its back to the wall, sat in an attitude
of nsolent inhospitality.
When Preacher Black entered he stood for
a second looking about inquiringly, and then
said, I'D like to get room for tonight, and
"De house full. Dis amt stoppin' place fer
skv pilots no time" the Corsican snarled.
There is room, Matt" a clear voice con-
tradicted sharply from the door.
AS the girl came forward, Matteo, squirm-
ing uncomfortably from the stab of pair of
fearless brown eyes, growled, Yer well, Miss
Chris; YOU de boss here. I'm jus de cook.
eh?" Then he staggered to the veranda, and
Chris, calling halfbreed, directed him to take
the preachers baggage to room.
TT was indeed David kinnaird that disap-
peared through doorway behind the breed.
He had ceased to exist as Sergeant of Mounted
Police at Fort Nelson, and had demised as
David kinnaird ON the long circuitous trail OF
deceitful covering, to reincarnate at Mound of
Bones as the Rev. David Black. missionary to
the good people of Stand Off This trans
formation act was known only to himself and
Major Dixon.
Out on the veranda Matteo was venting his
spleen in words of sarcastic villainy. To-