The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1915-03-11

"a Is Mr.. John Oakhurst. gambler,
A stepped into the main street of
- the 23d OF November. 1850. he
was conscious Of u change In It's moral
atmosphere since the preceding night
Two or three men. conyersing earnest
ly together. ceased as he approached
and exchanged significant glances
There was Sabbath lull in the air.
which. in "A settlement unused to Sab
bath influences. looked ominous
Mr. oakhurst's calm. handsome face
betrayed small concern In these indica-
tons. Whether he was conscious Of
any predispOslng cause WAS another
question. Il reckea they're after some
body" he reelected. likely it's me"
He returned TO his pocket the handker.
chief with which he had been whip
ping away the red dust OF Poker Flat
from his neat boots and quietly dis
charged his mind OF any further con
lecture.
In point Of fact. Poker Flat was
''after somebody" IL had lately sui
fered the loss OF several thousand dol
lars. two valuable horses and promi
nent citizen. IL was experiencing a
spasm OF virtuous reaction. quite as
lawless and ungovernable as any OF
the acts that had provoked It. A Sc
cret committee had determined 10 rid
the town Of all improper persons. This
was done permanently In regard To
two men who were then hanging from
the boughs Of a sycamore In the gulch
and temporarily In the Punishment Of
certain other Objectionable characters.
/ regret 10 say that some OF these were
ladies' IL Is but due to the sex. how.
ever. TO state that their improperly
was professional and It was only In
such easily established standards OF
evil that Poker Flat yentured 10 sit In
judgment
Mr.. Oakhurst was right In suppOslng
that be was included In this category.
A few Of the committee had urged
hanging him as a possible example
and sure method VI relmburslng
themselves from his pockets Of the
sums he had won for them Its agin
Justice said Jim Wheeler. TO let
this yer young man from Roaring
| Camp-an entire stranger-carry away
our money But a crude sentiment
vi equity residing In the breasts Of
those who had been fortunate enough
10 win from MIR OakhursI Oyerruled
this narrower local prejudice
ii MIR Oakhnrst received Ills sentence
with philOsUphic ralmness. none the
less coolly that he was aware Of the
hesitation OF his judges. lie WIS too
much Of gambler not 10 accept fate
With him life was at best an uncer.
tnin game. aud he recognized the usual
percentage In favor Of the dealer
A body uf armed men accompanied
the deported wickedness 81 Poker Flat
10 the outskirts Ut the settlement Be
sides Mr. Oakhurst. who was known
to be cooliy desperate man aud for
whose intimidation the armed escort
was intended the expatriated party
consisted Of young woman familiarity
known as The Duchess: another.
who had won the title OF Mother Ship
ton and Uncle Billy" suspected
.luicc rubber aud confirmed drunkard
ghe cavulcade provoked no comments
from the spectators. nor was any word
uttered by the escort. Only when the
guich which marked the uttermost
limit u Poker Flat was reached the
leader spoke briefly and TO the point
The exiles wsrr forbidden TO return at
the peril Of their lives
As the escort disappeared their pent
up feelings found vent In few hyster-
teal tears from the Duchess. some bad
language from Mother ShiptOn and a
Pnrthian volley Of explosives from I'm
Gle Billy The philOsophic oakhurst
alone remained silent He listened
p calmly 10 Mother SYMPTOMS desire to
, cut somebody's heart out. 10 the re-
peaIed statements ~ the Duchess that
she would die In the road and 10 the
alarming Oaths that seemed 10 be
bumpp,l out ~ Uncle Billy rs be rode
forward With the easy good humor
characteristic II his class he insisted
upon exchanging his own riding horse.
Five spot. for the sorry mule which
the DrchesS rode But even this act
did nut draw the party into any closer
sympathy The young woman read
Iu~fpd her SSspewhnt draggled plumes
with a feeble. faded coquetry. Mother
Rhirton eyed the pGssessor Of Five
Spot with maIevOlence. and Uncle Bill.
~ included the whoIe party IN one