The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-12-04

permitted him TO lead me, his yOice
never ceasing as we followed the din
trail. ] made out little of what he
SAID. o did I question him. The
iran ended before a two-room log
cabin. so deeply hidden in the woods
as TO he revealed merely by a gllmmer
OF light shining out from within
through chinks In the walls. Tim fun,
bled for The latch and finally opened
the door, lurching across the threshold
dragging me along after him. There
were W men nj a sloppy table, a dis
reputable looking white woman stir.
ring the contents of a pot hung ever
the open fire. and a fellow behind the
bar. attired in a dlngy white apron. II
was ali sordid enough. and dirty-a
typical frontier grogshop: hut the
thing of most interest TO me was the
proprietor. The fellow was the same
red'mustached individual whom ] had
watched diSemhark from the steamer
ID a same afternoon. slipping i'm the
yellow mud as he surmounted the
bank, dragging his valiSe along after
him. So ii was this fellow passenger
h had given these fugitives refuge
II was his presence in these parts
which had decided Kirby to make the
venture ashore. He glanced up at our
entrance, the glare of light overhead
revealing a deep, ugly scar across his
chin and a pair of deep-set, scowling
eyes.
Back in time fer supper. hey. Ken
nedy." he growled, none too cordially.
Who's yer frien'?"
"a Teller whut's goin' ter enlist.
He's all right. Jack" the deputy hic-
coughed thickly. Les liquor, an then
well eat. I'm paV.n' the bill-so
whut's il ter yerT
"Nuthin' tail. n frien' o. yers gifts
ther best ] have"
He set out a squat bottle on the bar,
and thinking il best to humor the both
OF them ! poured out a stiff drink.
fully ware that Rale was observing
my features closely.
"Seen yer afore sumwhar. amt II"
81 reckon" I replied indifferently,
watching Tim fill his glass. 81 worked
my way up on the boat saw yer on
board"
Sure; that's It: faint in my line
fer ter forgit a face. Yer amt en-
listed yit?'
No; ] reckon I'll wait till maunin',
an clean up a bit furst. How bout
sum soap an water fore l eat?-an'
yer cudn't loan me a razor. cud YEP"
: Wal ! got plenty o. water. an may
be cud scare up sum soap. Tim we're
hes got a razor, an if he's a frien' o.
yers, reckon he mought lend il ter
YER" ,
The deputy gulped down his drink,
and Smacked his lips. clinging with
one hand to the bar, regarding me low
ingly.
Sure; he's a friend o. mine. Shave
him myself soon's | git sober. Whut's
thet? Yer can't wait? oh. all righ'
then. take it yerself. Mighty fin, z
OF man"
Raie found me a tin basin. water. a
bit of rag for n towel, and a small,
cracked mirror, in which my reflection
vas scarcely recognizable. He was a
man of few words. contenting himself
with uttering merely a dry comment on
Kennedy. who had dropped back into
a convenient chair and buried his face
on the table.
Tins a good fellow, an / never saw
him cn hIan.a Ir,,nE afnrn ~ Ia c.sl no
gretfully. "He an Kirby he'd a row,
an | reckon thet's whut started him
drinkin,-"
"A row n quarrel, you meanT" for
getting myself in surprise. "Who's
Kirby?"
"Joe Kirby yer sure must know him
if yer a river man. Slim sorter Teller.
with a smooth face; slickest gambler
ever wus. l reckon
'Why, of course" getting control OF
myself once more. 1--WE picked him
up, long with Tim, down river. He'd
two women with 'em, didn't they?
runaway n%iggers?"
Rale winked facetiously, evidently
rather proud of the exploit as it had
been related TO him.
"Wal, Their a / understan', they
want both of 'em niggers; however,
that was the story told on board. This
yere Joe Kirby is pretty slick. let me
tell YOU. One Of ems a white CURL,
who just pretended she wus a niger.
I reckon thet ever Kirby didn't catch
on ter her game at furst: an when he
did he wus too blame smart ter ever
let her know, She don't think he
knows yet, but she's liable fer ter find
out mighty soon"
"But he cannot hold a white wom-
an" / protested stoutly.
"Can't. hey! Wal. I reckon there
are ways o. even doin' tibet. an II thar
be. Kirby'il find 1t. / reckon she won't
find no chance ter raise a holler fore
he's got her tied good an strong"
do you mean." I asked, Mortified.
that he will compel her to marry
him?" :
"Sum smart little guesser. amt yer?
reckon she's in a right smart way ter
do 1t. ct thet."
"And wus, this the cause Of the quar-
rel between Kirby and KennedyY"
"Wal', l reckon 1t wus: leastwise
Tim wudn't be mixed up In the affair
O They he'd 1t prutty blame hot.
an | reckon thar'd bin a dead deputy