Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-27

I'LL III ISVS.
stole softly through the open door te
"Ole Man" TerrilPs side.
Now, the agent used as safe de-
posit vault his inside waistcoat pocket
the lock upon which was huge safety
pin. For further defense he carried q
revolver, loosely hung at his hip and
easily reached. His Quickness on the
draw in the hour Of need and his &C.
curacy Of aim made him formidable
antagonist.
Some men are born into the world
to become Its watchdogs, others tc
become its wolves. The presence Of q
human wolf is, as 1t were, scented by
the human watchdog even when the
dog is asleep. Mckee was known In.
stinctively as man-wolf to the born
guardians Of society. Slim Hoover
himself a high type Of the man mas
til, used to say Of the half breed
"I can smell that bar grease he sticks
bis hair with agin the wind. He may
be out O. sight an out o. mind, when
somethin' tells me McKee's around.
Then smell bar grease, an the next
thing Bucky shows up with his in.
grasheatin' grin. It's alluz grease
before meet as the sky pilot would
say"
"Ole Man" Terrill was Of the watch.
dog breed. Whether warned by the
instinct of his kind or wakened by
the scent Of McKee's bear grease, be
suddenly opened his eyes. Like all
men accustomed to emergencies. he
was instantly in full possession Of his
wits, yet he pretended to be slightly
confused in order to get grasp upon
the situation before greeting his WIS.,
itor.
"Howdy, BuckT he said, adjusting
his revolver as he swung half round
in his chair that he might reach his
weapon more readily in an emergency.
"Bustin' or busted?"
"Well. I'm about even with the
game" replied Mckee, pulling from
bis pocket a bag Of tobacco and pa
pers and deftly rolling butterfly ciga-
rette. Coin to shake 1t before ! lose
my pile. It's me fer the Lazy *.
Dropped in to say goodby."
Terrill, who he recently had an
expensive seance with Mckee at
poker, demonstrated.
"You ought to give me another
chance ut you. Buck. Yer goin' away
with too much O. my money"
well, ole man, I'm likely to rob
you Nv lot more eff you hain't keer-
full" answered Mckee.
"You can't jest yit awhile" said Ter
rill. Dead broke"
"Aw, come off! Everybody knows
yer a walkin' bank. Bet you got three
thousan' in that inside pocket Nv
yourn this minute"
Terrill started at McKee's~ naming
the exact amount he was carrying. He
forgot his customary caution In his
surprise. "Well, you did jes' hit it,
shore enough. believe yer half
gypsy Instid O. half Injun. Jes' like
yer KNOWN l stood pat on four o a
kind when you had aces full an
throwin' down yer cyards fore c'u'd
pit oven with YOU. How do you do 1t.
Buck?"
Mckee gave smile Of cunning. i'll
scrutable superiority. "Oh. it's jes'
power I have. Keen sabby, as the
greasers say-rm keen on the know
how. Why, kin tell you more about
the money. It's fer Jack Payson"-
"Now, there's whar yer way of as
a cleervoyant, Buck" said Terrill trl-
umphantly. "You guessed oncet too
often. The three thousan' Is county
money, consigned to Sheriff Hoover
Jack Payson has jes' lef' with pack
age from X. c.. but 1t wasn't money
It was a purity gilt chair-a weddin'
present fer the gal he's goin' to
marry"
At that moment the sounder Of the
telegraph began clicking the call OF
the station. Terrill whirled about III
his swivel chair and faced the table.
Mckee stood close behind him. His
lips twitched nervously. His eyes mar
rowed as he watched every movement
Of the agents big shoulders as he op-
Grated the key. At the same time the
half breed drew his revolver and cov-
cred the back Of Terrill's head.
The agent completed his message
and turned to continue his interrupted
conversation. He found himself gaZ-
Ing into the muzzle Of 44-big. 1t
seemed, as a thirteen inch gun. "Why
what" he stammered.
"T'm actin jes' now as Sims dep
pity" said Mckee. "Unbutton an
han that money over"
Once having his victim in his power.
all the innate cruelty Of the Indian
blood of his maternal ancestors fash
ed to the surface. Terrill was at bis
mercy. For one desperate moment he
would play with him. even torture him
as his fOrefathers had once made mis-
erable the last moments Of a captive.
He knew that unless he silepced Ter.
rill his life must pay the forfeit.
Death was the penalty Of detection
The arm of the express company was