Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-17
CHAPTER IX-Continued.

CdAKIEN lA-CONtlnued.
sit down and III tell You. I've been
Jared. Everything I've told YOU so far
can remember, or IL seems as il ] can,
but right where I broke or cog slipped.
| l must a been drunken than I thought l
was. Gridley says he was going BY. and
he says i called him in and told him.
fooiwise. all the things was going to do
to Mr.. Lidgerwood. He says he hushed
me up called me out to the sidewalk
and started me home. Mac, don't re-
member single wheel turn Of all that.
and 1t makes me scary about the other
part
McCloskey reiapsed into his swing.
chair.
You said you thought you recognized
the cther man by his voice. II sound.
M nke drunken pipe dream. the whole OF
IT,; out who did you think il waso''
ou9son rose up, jerked his thumb to-
S muna the door OF the superintendent 8
business ONCE and said. Mac n the
whisky didn't fake the whole business for
me-the man who was mumblin' with
BARI Runord was-Hallock"
Haiiock?" said McCloskey: land YOU
sa,d there was a woman in 1t? That fits
ooWn to the ground. John. Mr. Lidger-
wood has found out something about
Hallock's family tear-up, or he's likely
TO find out. That's what that means!''
what more McCloskey said was said
10 Iii otherwise empty room. Judson
had opened the door and closed 1t and
was gone
Summing up the astounding thing after
ward, those who could recall the details
and piece them together traced Judson
thus:
It was 1o:4O when he came down from
McCloskeys Office. and for perhaps
twenty minutes he had been seen loung-
ing at the lunch counter In the station
END OF the Crows Nest. At about IL one
witness had seen him striking at the anvil
IN Hepburn's shop. the town marshal be-
Ing tie town blacksmith in the intervals
OF Official duty.
Still later, he had apparently forgotten
the good resolution declared to McClos-
Key, and all Angels saw him staggering
Up and down Mesa avenue. stumbling
into and out OF the many saloons, and
growing. to all appearances. more hope
iessiy irresponsible with every fresh stun
BILE. This was his condition when he
tripped over the doorstep into the AR
cade." and fell full length on the floor
OF the barroom. Grimsby the barkeeper
picked him up and tried TO send hin,
home. but with sood-natured and maud
lin pertinacity he insisted on going on to
the gambling room in the rear.
The room was darkened. as befitted its
use, and lighted lamp hung over the
center Of the oval faro table as il the
&.
Eight men. five Of them miners from the
Brewster copper mine, and three OF them
discharged employees Of the Red Butte
Western, were the bettors: Red Light
himself. in sombrero and shirt sleeves.
was dealing, and Rufford. sitting on a
stool at the tables end. was the look
out
When Judson reeled in there was a
pause and a movement to put him out.
One Of the miners covered his table
IN LAr o,A - OstfY
But at this cor juncture the railroad men
irterfered. Judson was a fellow crafts
man, and everybody knew that he was
harmless in his cups. Let him stay-and
play, II he wanted to.
SO Judson stayed, and stumbled round
the table. losing his money and dribbling
foolishress. Now faro is silent game.
and more than once an angry voice COM
manded tine foolish one to choose his
place and to shut hia mouth. But the
ex-engineer seemed quite incapable Of do
ing either. Twice he made the ~avering
circuit OF the oval table. and when he
finally gripped an empty chair 1t vas the
one nearest to Rufford on the right and
diagonaIly opposite to the dealer
What followed seemed to have no con-
Meeting sequence for the other players.
Too restless 10 lose more than one bet
In the place he had chosen, Judson tried
to rise, tangled his feet in the chair and
fell down, laughing uproariously. When
after two or three intellectual attempts.
he was fairly behind Rutfcrd's stool.
One man. who CHANGED to DC looking.
saw the lookout start and stiffen rig
IDLY In his place, staring straight ahead
into vacancy. moment later the en-
tire circle OF witnesses saw him take a
revolver from the holster on hts hip and
lay It upon the table. with another from
company. Then his hands went quickly
behind him, and they all heard the click
Of the handouts.
The man in the sombrero and shirt
sleeves was first to come alive.
Duck. Bart"' he shouted, whipping a
weapon from its convenient shelf under
the tables edge. But Ju6son, trained to
the swift handling Of many mechanisns
in the moment OF respite before a wreck
or derailIaent. was ready for him.
PARTS afraid he can't duck without
lying he said. grinlly. screening him
SELF tehind his captive. Then to tue
others in the same unhastening tone:
Some of you fellows just quiet Sammy
Gown till get out of here with this
peach OF mine. I've got the papers and
know what I'm dom; II this thing I'm
holdin against Barfs back should hap
pen to go OF
concerned. Judson backed quietly out
through the bsrroom. drawing his pris-
oner backward after him: and a moment
later Angels was properly electrifled by
ror ms rciiing sl,lenly down to the
Crows Nest. Wit "A fiery eadcd little
.lan at lbs elbow. The little man swing
Ing the weapon N.ni,l had been made to
simulate tEe cold nluz2le OF the revolver
when ne mai pressed IL INTO RunoFd
back at the gaming table.
Ii was nothing more formidable than
short thick IS" wrench, OF TIE kind
used by locomotive engineers in tighten
ing the nuts Of the piston-rod racking
glands.
CHAPTER K