The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-09-23

thlltu UuNh lV UtIs
"A beauty, sure" he concurred, ca.
ressing the weapon with his left hand.
rs tother one like ~"
mo. give the mate away
what fer?"
The man from Montana reached
down. plucked a blade of grass, and
chewed It meditatively.
"'Twas this way: I'd busted up a
gang of train robbers, killed some, and
some got away-that's why the com
pany gave me the guns. What was left
of the gang got together and trapped
me one night in a shanty ten mile out
of Choteau-same night Miller was
killed They made a rush and broke
my right arm with a ball. 'Twould
have been all over in another minute,
when a Teller comes gallopin' up the
trail and opens fire. Never seen such
shootin'. Three went down to stay,
and the other two broke and run, one
of EN- limpin'. The Teller had his coat
collar up and cap pulled down. I'd run
from the shanty to some rocks, and he
couldn't see me.
"'Stay right where We air. he yells.
don't know We, and don't want to.
No thanks comm. I'm alters fer the
under dog, says ne. "All I asks an
other gun and some cartridges, he
says.
"Td dropped one gun when my arm
was hit The Teller got off his boss
and picked it up. l didn't kick-he
could have had both fer the askin'
Then he took a belt of cartridges from
one of my dead friends, and got on his
boss and galloped off. That's how it
was"
The tall man balanced the weapon
admirably in his tanned right hand.
Now, supposin'-jest supposin'," he
said slowly, that We had a warrant
fer that man fer-well, say fer muir.
der, and there was reward-say a
thousand dollars-and We was the only
man as knowed where he was, would
We take him."
The man from Montana shifted
around the stump uneasily.
That's a hard one, pardner. 1t
would be a dirty trick, wouldn't it?
But thousand dollars don't grow on
every bush, and l need 'em bad"
And, in course, Miller's friends
know we've found Bin?" ventured the
tall man.
mot muchee! I'm too smooth fer
that. Nobody knows but me. Worked
this up myself The rest give it up
long ago Even the Gunner signed
without readin'. It's an everyday
thing with them"
The man from Montana was smil-
ing shrewdly, and watching the hun
CRY horse crop the grass. The muzzle
of the weapon in the hand of the tall
man was swinging slowly toward him;
the tanned forefnger was tightening
on the trigger. The slight form of a
woman appeared 4 at the door of the
cabin.
"Supper's ready" she called.
At sight of her the steel-gray eyes
softened, the deadly muzzle dropped,
the tanned forefnger relaxed.
Take yer gun, stranger, and lead
the boss to the shed I'll be with We
in a minute"
The man from Montana watched the
other striding toward the cabin and
muttered
Nov, how'd he know twas a thou
sand?"
The woman, with anxious eyes fillet
with the light of love, watched the
tall man as he entered the cabin ant
took a belt with it's holster from {
peg in the wall.
what We goin to do?" she asked
laying a trembling hand on his arm.
u The tall man buckled the bel
aroun,ll his waist.
THAT depends. Ef he ever gifts t.
the sheriff the jig's up; but the trails
mighty slippery round the clay bluff
and the rivers high"
ooh, Phil, don't! It's bad enough
now, and
The man from Montana stood in tho
door. The child ran laughing to him
holding out her hands. The stranger
came into the room, stopped down
raised her on his left arm, and whis
pered something in her ear.
why, my names Lottie-Lottic
Hungerford," she laughted.
The revolver leaped from the tai
mans holster, but the woman caugh
his arm, and he looked down the mu2
zle of the weapon in the hand of the
Montana man.
GLANDS nm - tho donutyr ryrov.I - i