The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-08-21
'IheAvenger
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By REGINALD D. HAVEN

The inquirer was an elderly man pas
fifty, who spoke In modulated voice
that indicated the gentleman. He wal
faultlessly dressed, and everything
about him betokened responsibility ant
prosperity. But in his eye was u lo0h
well, it was 4 look Of indescribable
melancholy.
"You refer to Jim Hawkins, l spec
SIR" replied one Of a group Of men Of
whom the inquiry was made.
Il don't know his name. l refer to
the man who shot and killed young
Trevor" replied the gentleman in the
same quiet voice.
you'll probably find him ut the An
telope saloon. SIR He's a gambler and
has picked up a scab The Antelope Is
that yaller building right over there,
But don't excite him. Even the sher,
| III doesn't dare touch him."
"Thank you, gentlemen" and the
stranger started for the saloon.
Jim Hawkins was one Of those des-
peradoes who infested the wild west
in the days of its wilderness. especial
~ mining towns. Young Trevor, a
mining engineer, had gone to the place
to examine mine, had been invited
by Hawkins to drink. had declined, and.
having persisted in declining. Haw.
kins shot him dead. Something in the
old gentleman's appearance told the
men Of whom be had made his inQui-
ries that bis presence in the town had
connection with this murder. 1t did
not occur to them that the mild man
nered man had come out to avenge
Trevor's death. Indeed. they didn't
know what he had come for. but curl.
osity prompted them to follow him to
the Antelope saloon.
Approa ching q table where Hawkins
had been pointed out to him. he bent
down and said in that same soft voice:
excuse me. sir. for interrupting your
game. My name Is Trevor. have
come to invite you to have something
with me at the bar" sar-.&..
Hawkins looked up, and 1t seemed
to him that the young man whose life
he had snuffed out stood before him.
only aged. 1t was as IL thirty years
had gone. by and young Trevor had
come back to do by him as he had
done by Trevor.
The man bending over him showed
no sign Of possessing weapon, but
there was self satisfied look SO far
as danger was concerned that was
more forceful than If he had looked
down the barrel of pistol. Hawkins
did not know whether the apparition
AS he considered it-could draw
weapon-if he had one-Quicker than
himself or not. Something told him
that the hour of vengeance had come.
Under the influence Of that melan-
choly eye he arose from the table,
leaving there pile Of coins he had
won, and walked side by side with
the stranger to the bar.
"Barkeeper." said the newcomer,
''set bottle of whisky before the gen.
tleman and a glass;" ..... ...,
The barkeeper filled the order while
Hawkins said: -... 49,
II don't drink with no man who
don't drink with me-
you are to drink not with the liv-
ing. but with the dead. l am but a
messenger to do what can only be
done in the flesh"
"Whose messenger"
Reginald Trevor"
"Oh"
The stranger facing Hawkins leaned
his right elbow on the bar, supporting
his cheek with his right hand facing
the man he had invited to drink. This
brought the formers hand in close
proximity to the collar of his coat at
the back Of his neck.
"Will you drink. sir?"
Hawkins looked as if he didn't know
what to do. He raised his hand to
take hold Of the bottle standing on the
bar and the hand trembled. Every
one Of those looking on saw it and
knew that the stranger had deprived
Hawkins of his nerve. They knew it
from the fact that he was obeying the
stranger as well as by the trembling
Of his hand. Hawkins poured out some
liquor spilling much of it. Then he
slowly placed it to his lips and took it
down at gulp.
"Have another" said the stranger.
But the liquor had brought back
Hawkins courage.
mot by az
The gentleman's hand that had been
supporting his cheek clutched at some
thing under his collar at the back Of
his neck, and the broad blade Of a
bowie knife glittered before Hawkins
eyes. He started to put his hand to
his hip, whereupon the stranger low
cred the knife to within an inch of
that part of Hawkins neck that COW
ers the jugular vein.
Drink said the stranger.
Hawkins hand instead Of continuing
to his hip grasped the bottle and
poured out another drink.
And so the stranger forced him to
take one drink after another till oil
power was gone out Of him, when the
former turned to the lockers on and
aai6.