The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-05-20
zsrssszzss ze.,as;--..uu7 .;ae.S

| l4ou LroAen The back of his usuaAS
unruilied temper. when he had found
! in his room on reaching the Kenmore
! a cc0y Of certain New York weekly
paper. and had read page, which
ohare 20 be lying face UP Ia chance
carefully Trearraugedl 1t was an item
OF which Frbi il had known. in ed.
vance OF publication, but Wilfred
would never have seen that sheet
had it not been so carefully brought
to his attention. There were hints
Of the strange infatuation which a
certain young woman seemed to en-.
terrain for . partially civilized stran-
ger no had made his eutree to New
York via the police court and who
wore his hair Ions in imitation of a
biblical character OF the same name.
The supper at the Wigwam inn was
mentioned, and the character of the
place minated. Horton felt this oh
jecticnable innuendo was directly
traceable to Adrienne's ill-judged
friendship for the mountaineer and
he bitterly blamed the mountaineer
And, while he had been breeding on
these matters, a man acting as Far
btsh5 ambassador had dropped into
his room, since Farbish himself knew
| that Horton would not listen to his
| condolences. The delegated spol1es-
man warned Wifred that Samson
| South had spoken pointedly of him,
and advised cautious conduct, in a
fashion calculated to intlame.
Samson it 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 it was put to Horton
to announce his opinion openly, or eat
the crow of cowardice.
That evening, when Samson went
| to his room, Farbish joined him.
I've been greatly annoyed to find"
| he said, seating himself on Samson's
| bed, that Horton arrived today
81 reckon that's all right said Sam
| son. He's a member, isn't hep
| Farbish appeared dubious.
= don't want to appear in the guise
of a prophet of trouble he said. but
| YOU are my guest here, and I IGnst
warn you. Horton thinks OF you as a
| 'gun-fighter' and a dangerous man.
He won't takes chances with you.
If there is a clash, it will be serious.
| He doesn't often drink but today
he's doing it, and may be ugly. Avoid
an alteration if you can, but if it
comes" He broke off and added seri.
ously: You will have to get him, or
he will get you. Are you armed?"
| The Kentuckian laughed.
Il reckon L don't need to be armed
amongst gentlemen
Farbish drew from his pocket
magazine pistol.
1t won't hurt you to slip that into
your Clothes" he insisted
For an instant, the mountaineer
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 it 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. If 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 ig-
nored 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 had 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 filled and emptied, and, as he
ate, he gazed ahead, and thought re-
| sentfully of the man at his side
When the coffee had been brought
and the cigars lighted, and the serv-
uAlo udu WlIluldWu, I1OItOu Will Liz
manner of one who had been awaiting
an opportunity, turned slightly in his
chair, and gazed insolently at the Ken
tuckian.
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 ap
peared to occupy him. Wilfred Hor-
tons cheeks were burning with a dull
flush, and his eyes were narrowing
with an unveiled dislike. Suddenly,
a silence fell on the party, and, as
the men sat putting their cigars, Horton
turned toward the Kentuckian. For a
moment, he glared in silence, then
with an impetuous exclamation of dis
gust he announced:
| See here, South I want you to know
that if I'd understood you were to be
| here, / wouldn't have come II has