The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-08-18

..c :v.1 sahuing. ana, IN those Gayp
smoothing and st;,bbilg ARRAYS emanat
ing from card games being ouly too
COMMON. hut little attention had hee:,
paid to the affair. Can.co Kirby was
notorious he length OF ti, river. and
such an abrupt ami tragic termination
of bis career had not only been fire.
Quently and cheerfully predicted. but
was. moreover. expected of all such
members as graced his questionable
profession. Indeed. for them sober
and respectable death would have been
considered bad form. Among the gam
bling profession there existed a certain
code. which in manner served to link
those ut the top. who. like Kirby ana
Bunce. wooed fortune honestly. to the
MOreau type. grazing and disgracing
the lowest rung in the gamblers social
ladder. This code. If so it may be
termed, was all understanding to the
effect that in no instance, however
great the provocaton. should the law
be invoked. Wrongs. fancied or au-
thentic, were to be redressed solely by
the bearers thereof the joint office of
judge and cxecutioDer being vested in
each separate and distinct Individual
In view Of this accepted understand
ing. l.arkin Runce had accordingly
made no mention of the fact that
probable murder had been committed.
and. the passengers and steamship off
Gals dismiSsing it as Il gamblers quar-
rel. which was none of their affair. no
stigma or notoriety was attached to the
good Colonel MOreau. who claiming to
be all old and valued friend Of Mr..
Randall. had gone to the lattcr's state
room and braZenly assumed charge of
the body. Bunce's laconic statement
was too pitifully true. for the old plant
er had effectually ended his life.
Again referring to Colonel Moreau's
happy faculty Of doing all things we'll
1t was quite characteristic that to CON-
plete his revenge against Cameo Kirby
he now did not hesitate to assume
charge Of Mr. Randall's body, did not
hesitate to meet the son of the man
for whose death he had been directly
and shamefully responsible. for young
Tom Randall had ridden over to the
Plaquemine landing in order to greet
his father. while over at the old home
stead all was hustle and excitement in
honor Of the masters Homecoming.
Anxiously Tom Randall waited to
see the jovtai and well known figure
OF his father march down the gang
plank. waited to catch glimpse of
the familiar and weather beaten green
portmanteau which the planter always
carried. The moments passed. Other
and numerous passengers stepped
ashore. to be eagerly welcomed and
claimed by their own. hut John Ran
dali was not among them A curious
ind seemingly pregnant hush had sue
ceeded the landing of the freight, and
off somewhere in the darkness a child
whimpered shrilly. The bays nerves
were set on edge. Perhaps his father
was having Il farewell talk with the
captain and would come daShing out
at the last moment with all his old dis
regard for time and place. 1t was time
the bell WAS Changing. the signal for
backing away. for by now the landing
OF passengers and freight appeared to
be terminated. And still no John Ran
dali. The boy walked along the string
piece until the Texas deck came the
more prominently into view. the glow
from the open windows of the port
staterOoms silhouetting the lean Wis
aged pilot. absolute monarch of his
realm. who now that an easy stretch
Of the river had been entered loafed
about while his cub took the wheel.
Hello. on board the Shutweilw
shouted young Randall, looking up ut
the pilOthouse. lis that you. Mr.. Blk.
by? This is Tom Randall. Do you
know If my father Is on board? We
were expecting him by your boat. sir"
For reply Mr.. Bixby. usually the
pattern Of courtesy. offered memo
syllable Affirmative and turned from
the window
But young Randall had no time te
nurse his quick resentment. for now,