Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-06-20

The few lights visible, some station
airy, with others dancing about like
will-o'-the-wisps. revealed imperfectly
the contour of various buildings. but
Keith turned sharply TO the right. anx-
ious to slip past without being chaI-
lenged by a sentry. Beyond the brow
Of the bluff other lights now became
visible. pickering here and there,
marking where a struggling town had
sprung up under the protection of the
post-a town gar1sh enough In the
daylight. composed mostly OF shacks
and tents, but now with its deficien-
cies mercifully concealed by the en-
veloping darkness The trail easily
followed, led directly along its single
street, but Keith circled the outskirts
through a wilderness of tin-cans and
heaps of other debris, until he halted
his charges beside the black shadow
OF the only two-story edsfce in the
place. This was the Occidental, the
hospitality OF which be had frequently
tested
A light streamed from out the front
windows, but. uncertain who might
be harbored within. Keith tapped
gently at the back door. It was not
opened Immediately. and when It was
finally showed aside the merest crack.
no glow Of light revealed the darkened
interior The voice which spoke. how
ever. was amply sufficient to identify
its owner.
as that ye ag1n. Murphy. a playin'
av yer dirthy thricksr"
No, Mrs. Murphy" he FASTENED to
explain. this is Keith-Jack Keith.
Of the Bar x"
THE lord deliver u.s." was the IN
slant exclamation, the door opening
wide. They do be afther tellin' me
tonight av the throuble We was in
over at Carson, an OF fought maybe
ye moight turn up this way Il was
a nate trick ye played on the loilkes
av EN-, Jack, but this is a dom poor
place fer ye ter hide In. Bedad, there's
a half-dozen in the party now talkin'
about It, wild q couple av officers from
the fort. Is the mayer wild YEP"
Yes, but we have no intention OF
hiding here. I'd rather take my
chance in the open. The fact is, Kate.
we started OF for the Bar X"
'Av course. ye did: OF was shure av
IT."
But down on the Salt Fork we ran
across a young girl whom Black Bart
had inveigled down that way on a lie.
We had a bit of a fight, and got her
away from him. This is what brought
US back hereto put the girl where
she Will be safe out OF his clutches,"
The door was wide open now, and
! Mrs. Murphy outside. her interest at
| fever heat.
"Ye had a fought wild Black BART
Oh, We divil! An ye licked the dirthy
spalpane, an got away wild his gyurl.
| Glory DO! And would OF take her?
| Well. OF would. Niver doubt that, me
bye. She may be the Quane sv shaba.
an she may be Digger Injun Squaw.
but the loikes av him had better kape
away from Kate Murphy. It's glad
OF am ter do i'll Bring her In. OF
don't want ter hear no more
Just a word. Kate; don't know
whether she has any money or not.
but I'll pay her bill, as soon as 1t is
safe for me to come back"
"Oh, the divil take her bill She'll
have the best in the house, anyhow,
an Dim only hopin' that fellow will
turn up huntin' her. Ord loike ter
take one slap at the spalpane,"
Fully convinced as to Mrs. Murphy's
goodwill, Keith slipped back into the
darkness, and returned with the girl
lntroductions were superhuous, as the
mistress Of the Occidental cared little
regarding ceremony.
An is this you. my dear?" she
burst out. endeavoring to curb heI
voice to secretive sortness. "Shure
| Jack Keith has told me all about 1t
an it's safe it is yer goin ter be here
Come on in; Orn give ye number
forty-two, thet's next behint me OWL
room. an wen go up the back sthairs
Hip the young loidy. Jack, fer shur
We know the way"
She disappeared, evidently with
some hospitsble purpose in view. and
Keith, clasping the girls hand, under
took the delicate task of safely escort
ing her through the dark kitchen, and
up the dimly remembered stairs. Only
word or two passed between them
but as they neared the second story g
light suddenly streamed out through
the opened door OF a room at their
left. Mrs. Murphy greeted them at
the landing, and for the first time saw
the girls weary white face. her eyes
filled with appeal, and the warm Irish
heart responded instantly
ITO Be Continued