The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-05-11

414c AAbC41OS1COI SLOWLY anu
"See here, friend, somebody said your
name was Taylor. Well, Mr.. Taylor, we
don't like that kind of talk out here at all.
If you weren't from the east, you under
stand
Taylor hesitated, his hand over his cards;
then his eyes wavered and he began q
hurried apology. No offence, no offence,
Mr.. Bremner. The resemblance was so
strong-just slipped out, you know-new
to this country"
Black Jack eagerly changed the subject.
He had heard of the escape of free-born
citizen called Larry Hilton from sheriff at
The Roost, and offered to bet-this ruse
to cover his nervousness at sight of three
kings-that the outlaw would never be
caught.
"There's two hundred offered for hin"
he said in flat voice, "I believe I'd round
up Larry myself for that"
Of course Jack knew him. Nobody else
there did, SO Jack had known the robber
intimately, He and Larry had been close
friends-mary the night they had had to-
gether during the roaring days of the copper
strikes-that was before Larry went to the
bad and took to holding up trains and rum
ming off horses and acting mean.
What does he look hke7" the fastener
queried.
"He's big, heavy-set Teller" Jack said,
half closing his eyes the better to recall the
picture, "with a sort of whisky husk to
his voice. Most as dark as I am
His questioner flushed. Riley observed it
and wondered what he could have caught in
his hand. Then he perceived that Jacks
description fitted painfully close, and he
wiped the bar thoughtfully.
This man Hilton's got big anchor
tattooed on his chest, he put in as feeler
Taylor had regained his impassivity and
wore the blank face of the gambler
Glow do you know that?" Jack de-
manded, as if he himself were perfectly
familiar with the fact.
81 done saw sheriff's reward pasted I'D
once. That's all / kin remember Of it
now"
Anyway, said Jack, che amt got the
nerve they say he has. That teller amt so
nervy. done run it over him often. /
could smear it on him agin, too"
you must have scared him badly"
Bremner interjected.
Jack regarded him obviously and took no
further part in the talk. Riley remarked
that he had heard the outlaw was an
fastener and not bad sort of fellow, aside
from the duties of his vocation. :
"No. Mean-awfully mean," said
"Well, he's educated fine. / know that
for fact. Cas- heard him talking to Bob
Raines the day he shot young Killough, and
L. ,lo,,n %oll - @I,a< EJs1<o,~ ,,.oI
right pretty sounding words. Easy, too"
Taylor had nothing to say amid all this
and endeavored several times to speed the
game.
Uncle Billy Biggerstaff would not speak
to BremneF rext morning when he encoun<
tered him going to meet the stage. Where
the Stranger spent the night, none knew
A miner had offered him bed, but he had
declined. Seine asserted that the China
man housed him. If he did, it was under
compulsion, for Wo was lugubrious per-
son and extended the hand of charity to
none.
But Bremner did not starve. He OBJ
tanned his meals at the Eating House and in
this wise At noon he sat him down at table
and partook Of hearty dinner, conversing
pleasantly with the waitress when she
brought him food. He ate prodigiously.
Then he emitted a sigh of satisfaction,
reached for his hat and passed out, nodding
to Mr.. Zeigler.
'sNo, you don't, A nod don't go. Come
back here" Tom shouted.
Followed low-voiced argument. Katy
watching its progress from the kitchen door,
Joined in, her face very red. The propFie-
tor said, GAN right, I'll risk it, !" with most
reluctant air. and Bremner came regularly
! to the Eating House.
Then one day Katy told Zeigler that she
, had seen the Stranger standing at the back
gate with Amy Biggerstaff and begged that
) Tom would not breathe word of it. Tom
promised secrecy on his word of honor
i When he told Uncle Billy, the old man shook
with passion and demanded of his daughter
i what it meant Amy wanted to tell the
J truth and did her best to think of plaus-
: ible one, but she could not help stammering
: At that, Uncle Billy ran to bureau drawer
and, very white of face, brought out da
guerreotype which he thrust into her hands
: and told her to look at. He gripped the
: girl by the shoulders and his voice rose higl
/ and cracked.
1--WE got to be her to you too. Look up
There's nothing to cry about if you amt
Look up. Now, tell memo, you dom
!. need to. I reckon Pm worse'n fool
. Amy, girl-but what was he doing there?'
e He said he was hungry" his daughte