Evening star., 1918-04-07
l THE EXPLOITS OF SEIACBARK JONES = By E

tractive. And when Shagbark, Orlan-
do and Black Pete began their enter
tainment none In the crowd had the
anything about 1t. He delivered his
entire anatomical lecture, sold the life
oil and lfnament and announced, as
usual, that he would now foretell fu-
lures and read pasts in the cabin of
the boat, at the usual prices. Half a
dozen walked up the narrow plank and
entered the cabin, following Shagbark
Black Pete remained on the foredeck.
strumming his banjo and grinning at
Orlando.
Hey. Mig. somebody on the shore
shouted. PLAY us another tune. will
your"
Black Pete tested one of the banjo
strings. turning the key and listening
as he picked the string. Orlando sat
with his guitar across his knees. blink
ing at the crowd. Suddenly Black
Pete spoke. in that loud. conversational
tone favored by end-men in minstrel
shows.
Say. Orlando" he said. ct hear
there was a killing in this town last
night"
That SO. Peter" asked Orlando.
The crowd became silent and moved
closer. 1t was like the words that be-
gin one of those humorous converse
tfons in the minstrel shows.
Yes" chuckled Pete. II hear there
was an old farmer-man killed some
where's round here last night. They
got white woman locked up for kill
in him."
well. it amt none of my Dang-u-el
J. Business. is it?" replied Orlando.
"Ev'body mighty sure that white
chuckled Black Pete. Nobody don't
seem to have no doubt about that, no.
how. No. sir-nobody but Shagbark
JONES'"
"shagmark think dtnterent7" asked
Orlando?" said Black Pete. "Ain't no.
body goin' to know what he thinks his
self until tomorrow. Can't nobody get
that OF Mystery Man to say t'othei
or which till he gets ready to md ou,
: bout these mysteries. Hear what he
goin' to do. Orlando"
mo: what he goin' to dor
why, tomorrow about noon time
Shagbark he's goin' to start out from
this boat, and he's goin' to go down
to that farmer-man's farm, and he's
goin' to blow the cows horn four times
to the four corners Of the sky. AND
the dead man goin' to tell Shagbark
who killed him. That's what Shag.
bark goin' to do, Orlando"
Are you goin' Peter
Am I goin'." said Black Pete
Think miss that occasion? No. sir
No. fndeedy! I'm goin', and T reckon
half this town goin'. too. 1t amt every
day man has a chance to see Shag-
bark workin' out a mystery. Orlando
I'm goin' to be right spang here wher
the noon whistle blows. And now I'm
goin' to sing 'Mockin' Bird folks"
From those gathered on the levee to
others up in the town the news spread
that night and the next morning that
that old faker, Shagbark JONES'" was
- I,t
murder case, as he was reputed to
have tried them with success on other
cases up and down the river. Some
scoffed at the idea-many did: but un-
der all the scofing was the very hu-
man belief that there was something
after all in this supernatural business
And so it came about that noon found
a good 200 people at the levee.
With it's wheels sunk several inches
in the dry sand. a two-seated livery
rig-phaeton, as it was called-stood
waiting. a man from the livery stable
holding the horses heads. Noon came
and ten minutes past noon, and Shag-
bark did not appeal. At eleven min
and wearing his red wooden undershirt
and faded blue cotton trousers, as
usua1-came from the cabin carrying
'soiled and creased astrological chart
later Black Pete came down the plank
and urged the crowd to move back
and make room for Shagbark.
Shagbark was waiting. Stretched on
the caved-in sofa, robed in his red
cotton wizard gown, he smoked his
cob pipe placidly and awaited the COM
ing of Alice. Two minutes more, when
the crowd was becoming impatient.
Alice hurried up the plank and entered
the cabin. carrying her valise of In
fallible. shagbark Strengthened up.
We'll, Allie?" he drawled.
Fine big crowd out there, dad" she
exclaimed. ITS going to be a big
ad. IL it goes right. How you going to
work it?"
II figured that I'd do the cow's-horn
racket this time, Allie" said Shagbark.
anybody come near that chicken
yard?"
Nobody. dad"
ApythjpOo'