The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-12-09


of the banks ready cash, $4,000,
into the leather pouch suspended
from his neck by strap. Then he
backed out the door. None Of the
bank people had made q move e1-
cept the cashier. and the cashier
only moved to do what Caldwell told
him to do. Caldwell got on his horse
in front Of the bank and made for
the canons at leisurely amble.
"As / say. when got to Duran
20, three hours after the thing hap
pened, Durango was heap per-
turbed over the thing; but nobody
seemed to want the $4,000 reward
which the bank Immediately offered
for Caldwell. dead or alive.
1.-THE folks stood around and talk
ed apoutit in the groggeries and gam
bling Joints and honkatonks. but
none Of those quick-trigger people OF
Durango had lost any $4,000 worth
Of Bud Caldwell that they were anxi-
Gus to recover. The idea Of camping
on Buds trail wasn't even suggested
by any of them.
About 7 o'clock that evening l
was having an after-supper smoke IN
the 12x20 lobby Of the Hell-Nor-Pete
Hotel, where l was registered, when
the hotel blackboard came up from
the railroad station with new guest.
He'd swung along from Deadwood.
He was Bricky Barr. my former Vio-
lin pupil OF Wichita.
81 recognized him at once, al
though he had picked up some bad
and disf1guring knife scars on the
left side Of his face. He remember
ed me, too, and he was kind enough
to say, in his foolish loyalty to his
first instructor, that, although he'd
heard Wilhelni aand Remenyi since
seeing me last, he considered that
had both of those renowned violin
lists eaten up in limekiln when II
came to sure-enough fiddlin'.
"Bricky had been prowling around
the new mining camps Of Colorado
for some years, he told me. and we.
were having q pleasant time, talking
fiddle and nddling.. when Bricky's
attention was attracted by the uD-
roar OF caloric talk in the bar over
Bud Caldwell's visit that day. Bricky
pricked up his ears at that and In
stantly lost interest in the fiddle con-
versation. I told him briefly about
the Caldwell business.
Anybody goin' after him?' In
CURED Bricky getting up and address
ing the thirty or forty men lounging
around. Two or three Of them NUT
tered that they hadn't lost any Bud
Caldwells.
"'Well, you're q pigson-livered
lot O. jumpers, said Bricky, where
upon I instantly ducked behind q
partition in the rear OF the office.
not hankering for any lead ballast.
Poor plasterer.' / breathed to
myself as / made the shelter of the
partition, you've fiddled your last
double-step in G major or in any
other key!'
.., But, to my intense establishment,
there was no fusillade. Bricky had
got by with his savage crack.
peered from behind the partition.
They were all standing fixed in their
position, looking curiously at Bricky.
He was a natural captain of men.
observed that the topaz glitter had
caught once before in his eyes was
there again. The others in that lob
by and bar seemed to be under the
influence of that eye Of Bricky's. too.
Anyhow, not a man Of them went
for his guns. despite the hot gibe
from the lips Of this stranger in the
camp.
Ills there anything in it for fetch
ing the coyote in?' Bricky inquired
Of the crowd in general, after the
long pause.
"'Five thousand two or three Of
them chorused.
Well, that's slick enough piece
Of change to be worth tearing off,
said Bricky. not in any boastfultone,
but with the air Of q man expressing
approval Of business transaction
that looked pretty good. ANY om-
brey here stake me to couple O.
guns?'
We'll, I could see them rubber
ing still harder at the red-haired
chap then. He had given them all
that raking about being pigeon-liy-
cred, eh. without having any guns
on him at the time he spoke? It
was plain that they couldn't make
anything out of Bricky. But big
ruffian of a camp terror brought hia
mallet-like fist down on the bar.
He amt no gopher II he
is a red head, the rufflan beloved.
And then be strolled over to
Bricky and handed him a pair OF
.45's. butts foremost. Then he un-
shipped his cartridge belt and BriCky
buckled it around his waist.
Any hawss loafiug about camp
that can get out of his own way?'
inquired Bricky tLen.
The horse was in front OF the
Hell-Nor-Pete Hotel in less than five
minutes. 1t was then o'clock at
night and pretty black. They point
ed out the west trail to Bricky as the
one Caldwell had taken.
After the plasterer had vaulted