Evening star., 1909-04-25

taught him lansquenet rondo, and chuckaluck and
he taught her his game of craps. In such sinful
fashion the youngster gambled his way to health
again and the everlasting esteem of the withered
old squaw for skill that was day to alter the
balance of wealth along this strip OF frontier
Chico Grullu went nursing him with savish
zeal till the hollow cheeks filled and he up and
about with vigor he had never known in all the
years of his pent-up life in New York slum: She
sent for her grandsons, who taught him to ride
their ponies and ran races with him over the fiat
stretches of alka; all of which the plan of her
nursing.
Il returned from my bridge building to find the
boy knew horsefesh like a vaquero and owner of
a string of four ponies he had from his and
the young Navajo braves.
$50 help me Moses, guv nor! didn't want to take
'em he said to when l tried to hide smile at
sight of the spoils, an told the old dame SO! But
tern ever heard it done on the docks Say. she's
certainly the gamest old sport that ever skin
slippers an stuffed her socks with wool fin'' Ga
fashion still in vogue with squaws OF Southwest
tribes)
Been down to the village, young un3' asked
casually after he had related in detail his gambling
adventures with his nurse and her kinspeople
Nix he replied, with queer little laugh; but
l been to the old traders at St Mary's, and he's
teachin' me some pistol shootn
"'Od Pete Elliott teaching you to shoot?' said l.
wondering how hed ever thawed the frosty reserve
of that gouty old frontiersman.
yep said Isador, showing all his teeth re-
volver shootin ,-shootin' standin, sittn rdin, an
runnin Nor wasn't all green, guv' nor; for swept
out Bowery shootin gallery two years Them big
guns they took off me down in Gallup, he on his
smile hardening. wasn't all / brought. Had some
,Ss an 32's an few crazy old muzzers in my
kick. Picked EN- up at hockshop sales cheap
junk. Come over an see EN-.
FROM the heel of his cluttered grip he drew out
what was certainly wicked looking mess of ord
nance All the guns were OF the smaller patterns,
some long barreled some black nosed little bulldogs
three derringers double barreed relic of the Civil
War; two sawed off little Germans muzzle loader
with group of five rotating barrels, and a weird
little contrivance with shotgun breech.
The moment Isador Stein got his hands on those
weapons l could see that they possessed absorb
ing fascination for him. His long fingers clutched
and fondled them and he spun them in the air
jugger. He had six up at one time. twiring and
spinning each one landing neat butt down in his
palm, and then dancing aloft again. And all the
while the young un smiled peculiar oriental smile
the lids of his eyes half shut and his lips slightly
parted High each cheek glowed crimson spot
the size of Mexican dollar every fiber of his little
slenderness seeming stirred by overmastering pas
sion. And before he finally set down the array of
evil machinery he had caused me puzzle
ment couldn't make fair sounding, and when he
swathed each one of the crazy little guns in ndi
vidual wrapping and slowed the lot back in the bot
tom OF the grip asked
Getting in practice for a juggers turn. sonny7'
. Shoot again, he laughed you missed the bell.
I'm just foolin' with these toys O mine an learnin'
the heft on EN-
80 In which case said /, tbs the advice of the
guv nor to get rid of them
Are youse tipping me to dig down to Gallup and
trade 'em' he asked. his eyes widening Cal Moran
an his gang is there he said quietly.
Nay, nay. Isador, lad, said |, seeing my blunder;
but you mg ght peddle em over Hobrook way. The
the line are keen for noise makers an
that's what most of that antique hardware is fit for
. He replied only by perpexing wink. and l
couldn't draw another peep of him until we got
up my shack when he asked suddenly if d like to
a real Five Points championship spiel That
best graft back East, he said, as his feet
began to caper over the rough boards an Miners
Bowery had it framed up to put on for a clog
when the cough come on
Then he told me it was his dancing that had won