The Taney County republican., 1913-05-01

be that she feared him, that she was
afraid that he might speak to her in.
jury7 This was by far the most like
ly supposit!on. Molly McDonald-the
woman was aware OF their acquaint.
ance, and wa$ already alarmed at It's
possible result.
Hamlln stood up resolved. He
would meet the woman, not from any
desire Of his own, but to learn her
purpose, and protect the girl. The
meeting could not injure him, not
even bring swifter beating OF the
heart, but might give him opportunity
to serve the other. And lie Fevre-
surely she could tell him something
Of lie Fevre.
Leave was easily obtained, and the
Sergeant, rejoicing In freshly issued
uniform, dressed with all the care pos.
sible, his interest reviylng at this new
point Of view. It was not far down
the bluff road to the sQualid little vii
lage which had naturally developed IN
close proximity to the fort-near
enough for protection. yet far
enough removed to be lawless--a
rough frontier outpost town, of shacks
and tents, most of these dispensing
vile liquors. Among these, more en-
terprisIng spirits-hopeful Of future
dcYelopment-had erected larger
buildings, usually barn-lIke, with false
fronts facing the single main street,
filed with miscellaneous stocks OF
goods or used for purposes not so le.
Ultimate. One Of these housed the
Poodle Dog" saloon, with gambling
rooms above, while u few doors below
was a great dance hall, easily convert.
ed into a thoater II occasion arose-a
grotesque, one-storied monstrosity Be.
low these was the stage Office, built
against the three-storied wooden ho-
tel, which boasted of a wide porch on
two sides, and was picture of ugli-
ness.
BY daylight all was squalor and dirt,
dingy tents tapping in the ceaseless
wind, unpanted shacks, wooden
houses with boards WRrping under the
hot sun, the single street deep in yell
/ low dust the surrounding prairie lit
tered with tin cans, and all manner of
debris, But with the coming Of night
much of this roughness departed. Sol
1iers from the garrison on pass, idle
plainsmen, bull,whackers, advcnturers
Of all kinds stranded here because OF
| Indian activity, stray cowboys from
the nearby valleys, thronged the M.
mcrOus dives, seeking excitement
| Women, gaudy Of dress, shrill of voice
fitted from door to door through the
iostling crowds. Lamps bla2ed over
the motley assembly, loud-voiced bark
ers yelled, and a band added its dis
cords to the din The Poodle Dog
glared in light, Tesounded with noise;
amps CLEANED from the hotel win.
dowB, and the huge dance hall stood
wide open. Out from the shacks anC
tents crept the days sleepers for g
night of reyelry; along the trails rode
others eager for excitement; it was
the haryesttimc of those birds Of prey
In saloon and gambling hell
Hamlin saw all this, but gave the
surroundings little thought He was
OF the West Of the frontier, and be
held nothing unique in the scene
Moreover, the purpose for which ht
was there oyershadowed all else, lef
him Indifferent to the noise, the jost
ling, drunken crowd. Some he me
who knew him and called his name
but he passed them in a word, anc
pressed his way forward. At the no
tel he mounted the steps and entered
Tho office was in one corner of thu
barroom. The proprietor himself, [
bald-hoadcd Irishman, sat with fee
cooked up on the counter smoking
and barely glancing up as the Ser
geant asked for Mrs. Dupont.
"Who are yeT?' he asked.
MY name Is Hamlin; am here OF
the lady's invitation"
Sure; thets ther name all right
me bhoy. Yer ter go out on the eas
porch there, an wait bit whole
sind her word yer here. 0l'm imag
inin' she he'd sum doubts about ye
comm, the way she spoke"
How do get there?"
Through the winder Of the parlu
over thar-sure, It's a noicc quiet spo
fer q tate.a.tato." He got up, an,
pccred through his glasses across tn
room. Here. Moike; damn thot slap
head, VIII one O. yer gents wake tn
lad-that's it. Now come here, MoikC
You run over to the Palace an tel
Mrs. Dupont the feller is here waItin
Hold on now, not so FAST wait til
Oim done tellin' yer. Say thet to he
alone-do yer moind thet, ye sap-head
nobody else is to hear whut yer say
stay there till yer git a chance te
whisper It to her. Now skip"
Hamlin hesitated, watching the bo
disappear.
"At the Palace-the dance haI
across the street?" he asked incredr
lousy.
Sure" indifferently, rellghting hi
. pipe. Officers ball; couldn't break /
with can-opener unless you had II
, vite. Guards at both ends, sergean
taking tickets, an Third Regimen
Hand to-, -