The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1916-07-29
jim GAY
A Story of a Re-
formed Gard
Sharp
BY ELEANOR MARSH

A man rode up to a settlers cabin in
the far west. threw himself from his
horse and asked for something to eat
The settler was not Mt home. but his
wife received the stranger, and her
daughter, a child of twelve. looked up
at the man with pair of big black
eyes wOnderingly.
The mother was evidently troubled
at his coming, but children are not
aware of the differences In persons.
and the daughter. who seldom saw any
one except her parents. did not seem
Ill disposed toward him. On tho con.
trary. his arrival was something out of
the common in her life The man was
young. not over twenty -one. and not
bad looking, but there was something
in his appearance to make the elder
woman shudder. She set out some
bread and meat for him. 1t was not
very tempting, and he asked If 1t was
the best she could do.
Mother" said the girl. you have
forgotten that you made pics yester-
day"
The mother cast quick reproving
glance at her daughter and, going to
a cupboard. took out a pie and placed
It on the table before the stranger.
wouldn't you like cup of coffee"
asked the child.
Reckon l would" replied the man.
The woman frowned. but her back
was turned toward the man, and he
did not see her face. Besides. his at
tention was fixed on the child, who was
instrumental in bringing forth what
there was in the larder. He was fight
ing his way through the world. His
hand was against every man. and ev
cry mans hand was against him. He
was touched by the only kindness he
had received In n long while.
The woman made the stranger cup
of coffee. and, having eaten and drunk.
he said:
I've had a square meal, thanks to
you, sissy. Now I'm going to have "a
sleep. In case you hear or see any
one coming. little girl. wake me at
once"
"If you're sleepy" said the child.
why do you want to be wakened?"
"See here. younker; II some men
come along they're probably hunting
for me, and the sooner you awaken me
the better 1t will be for me-"
"why are they hunting you?"
"To hang me-"
The girl paled. but asked no further
questions. The man stretched himself
on a bunk fixed to the wall in the liv-
ing. dining and bedroom in one. while
the woman went to the other ROOM the
kitchen. and washed the dishes. The
stranger must have been long without
sleep. for no sooner had he stretched
himself on the bunk than he fell into
deep slumber.
There Is something SO inoffensive. SO
powerless. about sleeper AS always to
attract sympathy. In this case sleep
seemed to relax the mans features so
that the animosity against mankind so
marked upon it when he was awake
disappeared. Twenty -one is the very
beginning of manhood, and the young
ster. his face being in repose. was sin
gularly handsome. Perhaps the girl
was old enough to feel drawn to one of
the opposite sex. AT any rate. she
looked upon him sympathetically out
Of her great black eyes and presently
got blanket and threw ut over him
Then. remembering what he had said
to her. she went outside and scanned
the country roundabout. Far in the
distance she saw several men on horse.
back galloping toward the cabin.
The sleeper was conscious of hearing
voices.
Mother. some men are coming I'm
going to wake him up"
do no such thing. He's desperate.
quite likely n horse thief. Let him
alone. and they'll get him"
II won't: they'll hang him."
Then the man felt himself shaken
He started up.
They're coming" said the girl.
The man sprang to the door. shaded
his eyes with his hand against the sun.
caught the child In his arms. kissed
her. vaulted on to his horse and dashed
away.
Not long after his departure posse
rode up to the house.
Anybody been here?'' asked one of
them.
"Who are You looking for?" asked
the woman.
elm Gay, the card sharp. He tool;
$500 last night from a greenhorn in
Silver City"
'Well," replied the woman. "a young
fellow has just been here and lit out
Reckon II you so that away pointing,
you'll be on his track
The men rode on. leaving the mother
and daughter together, the latter re-
ceiving a scolding for protecting the
stranger. The father came In later
and when told that Jim Gay. the card
sharp, had been there and had been
saved from capture by his daughter he
gave her another scoldlng.
"Who Is the fellow anyway" asked
his wife.
II never saw him. but they say he's