Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-05
The Call Of the
4 CuIIlbeT|ands
By Charles Neville Buck
With Illustrations
tom Photographs Of Scenes
in the Play
(copyrieh,. ao.,. b W. ]. Watt 4 co.)

sOe samson south, WnOm ne n8Q not
yet seen, all the other sportsmen
were men closely allied to the politi-
cal and financial elements upon which
he had been making war. Still, since
they seemed willing to forget for the
time that there had been breach,
he was equally SO. Just now, he was
feeling such bitterness for the Ken
tuckian that the foes Of q less per
sonal sort seemed unimportant.
In point Of fact, Wilfred Horton had
spent very bad day. The final straw
had broken the. back Of his usually
unrufied temper, when he had found
IN his room on reaching the Kenmore
. copy of certain New York weekly
paper, and had read page, which
CHANGED to be lying face up "a chance
carefully prearranged). 1t was an item
OF which Farbish had known, in ad.
vance of publication, but Wilfred
would never have seen that sheet,
had 1t not been SO carefully brought
to his attention. There were hints
Of the strange tnfatuation which a
certain young woman seemed to en-
terrain for partially civilized stran.
ger who had made his entree to New
York via the police court. and who
wore his hair long in imitation Of q
biblical character Of the same name.
The supper at the Wigwam inn was
mentioned, and the character of the
place intimated Horton felt this OBJ
jectionable innuendo was directly
traceable to Adrienne's ill-judged
friendship for the mountaineer, and
he bitterly blamed the mountaineer
And, while he had been brooding on
these matters, man acting as Far
bish's ambassador had dropped into
his room, since Farbish himself knew
that Horton would not listen to his
eonhdences. The delegated spokes-
man warned Wilfred that Samson
South had spoken pointedly of him,
and advised cautious conduct, in a
fashion calculated to inflame.
Samson. 1t was falsely alleged. had
accused him of saying derogatory
things in his absence, which he would
hardly venture to repeat in his pres
ence. In short, 1t was put to Horton
to announce his opinion openly, or eat
the crow Of cowardice.
That evening, when Samson went
70 his room. Farbish Joined him.
I've been. greatly annoyed to find"
he said. seating himself on Samson's
bed. that Horton arrived today"
Il reckon that's all right" said Sam.
son. Hes a member, isn't he?"
Farbish appeared dubious.
Il don't want to appear In the guise
Of prophet Of trouble" he said, but
you are my guest here. and l must
warn you. Horton thinks of you as a
'gun-fighter' and q dangerous man.
He won't takes chances with you.
II there is q clash. it will be serious.
He doesn't often drink. but today
he's doing it, and may be ugly. Avoid
an alteration II you can, but If it
comes" He broke OF and added seri
ously: You will have to get him, or
he will get you. Are you armed?"
The Kentuckian laughed.
4 Il reckon l don't need to be armed
amongst gentlemen"
Farbish drew from his pocket q
magazine pistol.
Il. won't hurt you to slip that into
Jour clothes" he insisted.
For an instant. the mountaineef
stood looking at his host and with eyes
that bored deep, but whatever was in
his mind. as he made that scrutiny
he kept to himself. At last, he took
the magazine pistol, turned it over in
his hand, and put 1t into his pocket.
"Mr Farbish." he said, i've been in
places before now where men were
drinking who had made threats against
me- L think you are excited about
this thing. II anything starts. he will
start It."
At the dinner table, Samson South
and Wilfred Horton were introduced,
and acknowledged their introductions
with the briefest and most formal
mods. During the course Of the meal.
though seated side by side, each is-
Aored the presence Of the other. Sam.
son was. perhaps. no more silent than
usual. Always, he was the listener ex-
cept when question was put to him
direct, but the silence which sat upon
Wilfred Horton was a departure from
his ordinary custom.
He he'd discovered in his college
days that liquor, instead Of exhilarat-
ing him, was an influence under which
he grew morose and sullen, and that
discovery had made him almost total
abstainer. Tonight, his glass was con.
stantly filed and emptied, and, as he
ate, he gazed ahead J. and thought re-
sentfully Of. the. man at his side.
When the coffee had been brought,
and the cigars lighted, and the serv-
ants had withdrawn, Horton with the
manner of one who had been awaiting
an opportunity, turned. slightly in his
chair. and gazed insolently at the Ken.
stuckian.
u Samson South still seemed entirely
unconscious of the others existence,
though in reality no detail Of the brew
ing storm had escaped him. He was
studying the other faces around the
table, and what he saw in them aD-
peared to occupy him. Wilfred Hor.
tons cheeks were burning with . dull
hush, and his eyes we're narrowing
with IN unveiled dislike. Suddenly.
i silence fell on the party, and, as
the men sat pumng their cigars. Horton
turned toward the Kentuckian. For .
moment, he slared in silence, then