The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1910-09-22
AMlE0
By Booth
Harrington and
Harry Leon
Wilson
q COPYRIGHT. 1909. By THE

hand. "I am sensible OF the honor,
but / couldn't think Of 1t. This Is
time when yoh all must wish to be
alone, and business calls me north.
merely stepped ashore In yoh interests
as any gentleman would have done.
There goes the bell, and must run
for 1t. Honored. sub, to have made
yoh acquaintance. though Of co'se !
deeply deplore the necessity which oc-
casioned 1t. | will venture to pay my
respects to yoh family when l return
south, and pray command me in any
occasion yob may have. Yoh servant.
sub" And with a magnificent bow
the colonel turned and raced for the
gangplapk. boarding the Shotwell with
a leap that shamed his fifty odd years.
Meanwhile Cameo Kirby, a bullet
through his right lung. was making a
desperate battle against death, fight
ing for the life which he had consid-
cred little better than worthless. In
his efforts be was materially assisted
by the crude but faithful Bunce. bis
gambling partner. with whom he bad
played up and down the Mississippi
for years. For two weeks this COM
bat ragged. Kirby lowering between life
and death. but at the end he emerged
triumphant as. over the gaming table
when the odds were as heavily against
him. be had emerged from many q
hotly contested conflict.
To those who judged kirby's charac-
ter from the evil reports which gossip
had spread concerning him and to 9th
.ers who, In their righteous ignorance.
considered all gamblers legitimate chill
dren Of the devil his remarkable re-
.covery would have been accepted mere
IL as another proof that the evil one
favors his own. that the mills OF the
gods grind slowly. that justice is blind
and that a scoundrel is difficult to kill.
together with many similar ancient
and redoubtable maxims which igno-
rance and self righteousness love to
distribute on every fitting occasion.
Among possessors Of the last men
toned attribute Eugene Kirby was
regarded as a black sheep who. re-
ligiously avoiding the whitewash
brush, was deemed beyond redemp-
tiOn, for what man worthy Of the
name would have acted as had the
last Of the Kirbys? What II he had
been but fifteen when his father died
q bankrupt? What If he had been
left an orphan. a pauper, with no im-
mediate relative to care how he acted?
Wasn't the heritage Of an ancient and
honorable name, the knowledge that
some Of the oldest and best blood In
all the south flowed in his veins.
enough to keep him straight? Most
assuredly 1t was. There was abSo-
lutely no excuse for his drifting in
with wild and dissolute companions,
becoming a common river gambler and
rendering notorious and obnoxious a
name which had hitherto been the
synonym for honor and integrity.
Kirby had been kept in ignorance
Of Mr.. Randalrs suicide. but when at
length he became convalescent Lar
kin Bunce. barking back to the events
Of that memorable night, informed
him. and the invalid. on his part. re-
counted the occurrences preceding
Colonel Moreau's precipitation OF the
honorable" combat.
''The news Of Mr. Randalrs death Is
ha oil
ed. He was my fathers friend.
Bunce, and when the devil played
havoc with our affairs did all In his
power to be of assistance. But for
my great pride would have accepted
his offer Of guardian and. under his
supervision, hope. would have been
8 credit to the name instead Of the
disgrace l am"
Now, you quit these here postmor-
TENS" demonstrated Bunce good ma
turedly, but firmly. You don't call me
a disgrace, do you? And amt your
old side partner? Bosh. If you play
the game straight ! guess there's lots
Of worse ways Of making living than
gambling. The sawbones said a lot
Of rest was coming your way. so just
turn over on the other side and for
get it."
No, can't, Bunce. Don't you re-
alize the position In which am placed
by Mr. Randall's death? I hold deed
to bis entire plantation. and l must
sign a release without delay. What
II II should ever be thought that en-
tered the game In earnest, with the
deliberate intention Of robbing Mr..
Randall? You know my reputation.
he added bitterly. land how easy 1t Is
sor a dog to earn bad name. Bring
ne pen and ink at once. Larkin. II you
please, for won't bave moments
peace until I sign that paper"
Propped up on the pillows and sup
ported by the still grumbling Bunce.
he wrote the following:
I hereby surrender the absolute posses
sion of all the property herein described
10 the child or children OF John Randall
EUGENE KIRBY.
"Tbere! he exclaimed. Now | feel
better, and there Is no chance OF my
old netghbor's children being defraud'