The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-04-17
t up to eight thousand dollars, thaa's

anu VILE LILO lutOIIIS ping
pong stakes from scratch. That's
worth twenty thousand if it's worth a
lead nickel Oh, guess he's there, all
right" He searched out match and
relighted his pipe.
Il suppose he's a great croquet play
er. too" observed Fresno, whose face
was purple.
,-"Sure." Glass winked at him, glad
to see that the Californian enjoyed
this kind of sport.
I'VE don't care nothir' about his
skill at sleight-of-hand tricks said
the man in spectacles, seriously. And
we wouldn't hold his croquet habits
agin him. Some men drink, some
xamble, some do worse; every man
has his weakness, and croquet may be
his. What we want to know is this:
Can he win our phcnograph?"~
"Surest thing you know"
Then you vouch for him. do your"
Willies eyes were bent upon the fat
man with look of searching gravity
that warned Glass not to temporize.
With MY life!" exclaimed the train
er.
you're on!" said the cowboy, with
unexpected grimness.
What d you mean?'
But before the other could explain,
Berkeley Fresno, who had sunk weak
Iy into chair at LarTy's extravagant
praise of his rival, afforded a diver
sion. The tenor had leaned back, con-
vulsed with enjoyment when, losing
his balance, he came to the floor with
a crash. The sudden sound brought
a terrifying result, for with startled
cry the understood cowman leaped as
If touched by a living flame. Like a
flash of light he whirled and poised on
his toes, his long, evil-looking revolver
drawn and cooked, his tense face vul'
turelike and fierce. His eyes glared
through his spectacles, his livid fea'
lures worked as if at the sound of his
own death-call His whole frame was
tense; a galvanic current had trans
formed him. His weapon darted to
ward the spot whence the noise had
come, and he would have fired blindly
had not Slower yelled:
Don't shoot"
Willie paused, and the breath crept
audibly into his lungs.
"Who done that" he asked, harslly
Still Bill brought his lanky frame VI
above the level of the table.
God 'lmightyI don't be so sudden
Willie!" he cried. 1T was acct
dent"
But the gun man seemed uncon
vinced. With cat-like tread he stole
cautiously to the door, and stared out
into the sunlight; then, seeing nobody
in sight, he replaced his weapon in its
resting place and sighed with relief.
81 thought it was the marshal from
Waco" he said. He'll never git me
alive"
Slower addressed himself to Fresno
who had gone pale, and was still pros
trate where he had fallen.
"Get up, Mr.. Berkeley, but dom
make no more moves like that behint
a mans back. He most got you"
| Fresno arose in a daZe and moppet
his brow, mumuring, weakly: =
didn't mean to-"
Carara and Mr.. Cloudy came gu
from cover whittier they had fed a
Willie's first movement.
81 dreamed about that Teller. agil
last night" apologized the little man
| "Im sort of nervous, and any suddeI
noise sets me off,"
AS for Glass, that corpulent indi
vidual had disappeared as if into thil
air; only a stir in one of the hunks
betrayed his hiding place. At tn
first sight of Willie's <evolver he ha'
dived for a refuge and was now fiat
tened against the wall, pillow
pressed over his head to deaden tn
expected report.
"Hey!" called the foreman, bu
Glass did not hear him.
Seems to be gun-shy,' observe'
Willie, gently.
Slower crossed to the bunk and lai'
a hand upon the occupant, at which
convulsion ran through the trainer
soft body, and it became as rigid a
if locked in death. Come out, MI
Glass, it's all over"
Larry muttered in a stifed voice
GO 'way!"
1T was a mistake"
! He opened his tight-shut lids, role
over, and thrust forth round, palli
face. He saw Slower laughing, an
beheld the white teeth of Carara, tn
Mexican, who said:
perhaps the Senior is sleepy!"
Finding himself the object of wha
seemed to him particularly senseles
joke, the New Yorker crept forth, hi
face suffused with anger. Strangel
enough, he still retained the pipe il
his fingers.
"Say, are youse guys tryin' to XII
me? he demanded, roughly. mo-
that no firearm was in sight, he wa
master of himself again; and seem
the cause of his undignifed alarr
leaning against the table, he steppe
toward him threateningly. IF you tr
that again, young teller, I'll chip 20
on the jaw, and give you lon,
dreamy nap" He thrust a shor
square fist under Willie's nose.
That scholarly gentleman straigh
ened up, and edged his way to on
side, Glass following aggressively.
you're q husky, amt your" sal
| tho little man SOuintinQ m of tho 70