Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-05-05
CAMEO
By Booth
Harrington and
Harry Leon
Wilson
CHAPTER III.
COPYRIGHT. 1898. sr THE

CHAPTER Ill.
c~7OLONEL JACQUES GAS.
IA PARD DESCHAMPS MO.
~7I REAU, to give him his full
4a60 title, doing all things thor
oughly. as bef}tted one Of bis honorab BILE
character. was not satisfied with. as he
thought. disposing Of Kirby's physical
existence. but considered 1t his pleas
urable duty to effectually ruin what
ever little reputation had survived dur
ing the others downward career.
Kirby. presumably fatally wounded.
had been carried ashore by Bunce ut
the next landing. and, in those days
shooting and stabbing ARRAYS emanat-
ing from card games being only too
common, but little attention had been
paid to the affair. Cameo Kirby was
notorious the length Of the river, and
such an abrupt and 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 certain
code, which In manner served to link
those at the top. who. like Kirby and
Bunce. wooed fortune honestly. to the
Moreau type. gracing and disgracing
the lowest rung in the gamblers social
ladder. This code. II SO 1t may be
termed, was an understanding to the
effect that in no instance. however
great the provocation. 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 executioner being vested In
each separate and distinct individual.
In view Of this accepted understand
ing, Larkin Bunce had accordingly
made no mention Of the fact that q
probable murder had been committed.
and, the passengers and steamship off,
Gals Diminishing 1t as gamblers quar-
rel. which was none Of their affair. no
stigma or notoriety was attached to the
good Colonel Moreau. who, claiming to
be an old and valued friend Of Mr..
Randall. had gone to the latter's state
room and brazenly assumed charge Of
the body. Bunce's laconic statement
was too pitifully true, for the old plant
er had erectually ended his life.
Again referring to Colonel Moreau's
happy faculty Of doing all things well,
it was quite characteristic that to COM
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 jovial and we'll 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
and seemingly pregnant hush han sue
eeeded the landing Of the freight. and
OF somewhere In the darkness child
whimpered shrilly. The boys nerves
were set ON edge. Perhaps his father
was having Q 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 bis
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 Shutwell"
shouted young Randall. looking up at
the pilothouse. "ls that you, Mr.. Blk
by? This Is Tom Randall. Do yor
know II my father is on board? We
were expecting him by your boat. SIR"
For reply MIR. Bixby. usually the
pattern Of courtesy. offered Il memo
syllable Affirmative and turned from
the window.
But young Randall had no time t.
nurse his quick resentment. for now.