The Washington times., 1914-07-11
The STRATEGY OF SHORTY
His Adventure With Peculiarly Western Fairy Godmother

OF utter fury. he felt himself at ths
mercy of his antagonist
There were no spoken words-only tn,
growing deadly gasps Of bitter effort
; His assailant IVES master Of rough an6
tumble and, the smaller man began tc
feel himseifidraw under control-strivt
as he might.
! It's the big wilkins" he thought
, and tho others is weitin' longside fol
the fnish.''
He fought till the blood thrummed
dizzily in his ears and the breath
wheezed from him. but amid cracking
joints his arms were noosed to his
sides and, moment later, he lay pant
ing within the coils of Rata
Then speech frothed out of him and he
roared impreca1ions at the tribe of
wilkins rich in mag and marvellous
In Western word-structure. The object
of his obloquy worked impassively and
with marvellous dexterity for one reared
east of the Missouri, then. his task COM
pleted, struck a match. lighting the
shelf lamp.
As the darkness fled. instead of the
bulky awkwardness Of the Junior VIII.
kins, Shorty beheld the silhouette of q
tall, clean-waisted, wide-shouldered
man. with the long black hair Of an In
dian He turned and the light CLEANED
yeliowly on the sallow, sinister face of
Black Bart, the roa.i agent Also II
shone on his strong teeth, exposed in a
grin Of ferocity. They were short. sharp
teeth. set far apart. with strips of red
gums showing between.
| Tho sounds from, fba nri.o-.-
sharply and he lay rigid, following the
others movements with blazing ela noes.
| My turn tonight, ehe" the outlaw
spoke sneerinsiy. Shorty nodded
| I've been on your trail for two
months you little hunchback."
| Blood rushed 70 the dyarrs fac.
TIL II grew black and congested. then
faded until he lay white and silent,
shaking In the risors Of suppressed
hate.
Nobody ever took a shot at me and
got OF with It. but I might have let
you go II you hadn't killed the Kid
| The men slared at each other, but
the prisoner made no explanation.
Plainly Bart was much excited. He
approached threateningly.
! Did he die? Tell me, Tell me,
Twas his first job. and he got so rat
tied he let you plug him. The papers
don't say what becomes Of him, but /
want to know. Quick" He shook the
dwarf
1t was not fright that silenced the
little man, but a binding. speeches.
| rage. Never had such an insult gone
uneaten. Bart had gibed at his de-
formity; had gouged roughly at his
one most painful spot-and that I'M
Justly. too for no one back In Cali
fornia carried less of a bunch than
shortys. Nobody had frmer. cleaner
muscles than his. albeit the legs beneath
were odd. Speech refused him. Instead
he spat viciously. spat unerringly. at
his captor and a sentence shot forth
with IT.:
| Il amt no hunchback"
At the act Bart's excitement froze,
and he glided to the table where the
great hasp-knife lay. He tested the
point with his thumb-an unplea SAINT
sight
IN knife you for thatr' said he
As he picked Up the weapon. how
ever. his eye caught the blue letter
hanging above. 1t lighted on the sigma
ture. and. being q man of some culture.
its contents became quickly absorbed.
He snatched at 1t and at this sacrilege
Shorty writhed insanely. finding his
voice at last.
Take hour nasty hands onn that
letter" ~ yelled
Bart did not heed him, but eagerly
reread the missive. attempting TO grasp
It's purport, Striding to Shortys side
he shook It before his eyes, quivering In
his passion. while his voice was still
hoarse.
What does this mean? II says Link
Cushing's alive-in Honolulu"
Drop It, I say" shouted the prisoner
kicking savagely. You ie'me up an
gi'me one belt at you with & pick han
dle-that's all I want-Jest one wailop,
I'll learn ye to read letters"
Bart forced him roughly back.
Shut I'D or I'll slit your gullet!'
| The other only bounced or his bed
In a parcxysm OF abuse, his one in
telligible sentence running. Il amt
no humpback!"
At last as he quoted somewhat his
captor resumed: TT says you helped
him out and that he's reformed. but
don't savvy IL. l saw you kill him
how'd you do 1t? Tell me! Don't
you lie to me- Black Bart gritted
this last through his shut teeth. but
Shorty maintained his dow Of con-
tumely.
The boy did me a good turn up
Emigrant Gap way once" continued
the road agent and / took him for
a partner When you dropped him
the day of the hold-up. ! s~ore I'd Kill
you il It took twenty years. How'd
you get to know his sister,"
Al the Iadys mention Shorty spoke
again. sulleniy at first:
That was her on the stage with
Tile that day. When you stuck US up
| let drive at both OF you. | busted
YOUR Winchester lock an creased the
kid. l throwed hin, in the wagon an
drove on. When ] found he was her
brother. Of course. | couldn't give him
up, So told 'em at the Wire Bridge
that. he was a passenger an had got
shot in the nold-up."
For some time the outlaw remained
silent
Why didn't you tell me that Just
now?' said he. u came near killing
YOU"
Because I amt no humpoack!
Vailed the little man loudly. revsrt-