The evening world., 1912-12-20

DOWN 70 vno O00fv hOooo 70
tank Win Judss 0ransy. Thsn ~ -
turned 10 the K3oksr offios and worked
untn noon.
During the morning ehers he'd been .
surprising infiuH Of visitors. Bronssd
punohers on dusty. drooping ponies rode
down the towns one street.. dropped
from their saddies. ana sought the sa-
looms.
Groups OF them swarmed the streets
and the stores. A. Hollis walked down
10 his ONCE after leaving the Court
House he was kept busy poddfnS 10
fr1ends-many of whom had become
such during the later days OF the
drought. Merchants Grinned At him
from their doorways; Duniavey's friends
sneered a. he passed or sent ribald
jokes after him.
At noon no went 70 the Aihambra for
lunch. Almost the first person ne saw
there WAS Dunhvey. The latter 9finned
At him mooktnsiy.
''Frenhs Of yours m town to-day"
he said with . snssr. We'll. you'u nssd
themv
His voice Rad been loud snoush for
all In tho restaurant to hear. Hollis aid
not answer. though he appreciated tho
Significance OF Dunlavey's words: they
told him that the Circle Cross manager
Wa aware OF the contemplated contest
and was ready for II.
During the afternoon Dry Bottom pre-
sented q decidedly different appearance
from the day when Hollis had fret
viewed It. Animation had succeed Cd
desolation.
Perhaps . hundred COW ponies wers
hitohed to the rails that paraileled the
fronts OF the saloons. the stores and
many OF the private dwellings. II was
apparent that many Of tho visitors had
made the trip to town for the double
purpose Of voting and securing supplies.
for mixed with the ponies were numer-
Gus wagons Of various varieties. their
ownoru loading them with boxes and
crates. Men swarmsd the sidewalks
the saloons buxsed.
Toward dusk me volume Of noise IN
the saloons drowned all sound outside.
Having made their purchase the ranch
er who had driven in for supplies and
had loaded their wagons preparatory to
departure found time TO join their
friends and aoquaintances over q con-
Uvfal glass.
BY the time tho kerosene lamps were
lighted In the saloons reveiry reigneh.
From one saloon issued tho shrieking.
discordant notes of n violin, accom-
panied by the scuffing OF feet; from
another came laughter and the blinking
of glasses; from still another came
harsh oaths and obscene shouts. In
tho latter place rose the laughter OF
women.
Seated at his desk near the front win
dow OF the Kicker once Hollis gravely
watched the scens--listened to the sounds
In another chair sat Potter. There was
no light in the Office: neither man had
thought Of light As the rsvelry in
tho saloons increased tho printer glanced
furtively at his chief
"There1i be he'll tonight" no said.
~ expect there viii be trouble" agreed
Hollis.
Potter shifted uneas,ly in his chair,
eying his employer with q worried ex-
preston. He was silent for a moment
Then he cleared his throat nervously.
DO you intend to go thereto the
Sherir's ofice-to-nightr" he questione ed.
Hollis looked quickly at him. "Of
course"' he said with emphasis. why ~
he Intercepted.
Nothing" returned Potter: "only"--
he hesitated and then 'blurted out: II
wouldn't 20 II we're you. They've been
saying that II you DO therein be trouble.
You know what that means"
Who has been saying that7" inquired
Hollis,
II heard II at noon--in the Silver Dol
lar. Some of Dunlavey's men sat near
mo and heard them saying that Wat
kins was 10 win n they had to put two
or three of his chief opponents out OF
business"
II have been expecting that" ~