The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-04-01

gretfully. HE an Kirby he'd a row,
an l reckon thet's whut started him
drinkin'." i ..
"A row: a quarrel, you hean?' for
getting myself in surprise. "Who's
Kirby?" .:ss..- .-,.s:, t<@
""Joe Kirby; yer sure must know him
if yer a river man. Slim sorter Teller,
with a smooth face; slickest gambler
W wus, I reckon"
"Why, of course" getting control of
myself ono more. 1--WE picked him
up, long with Tim, down river. He'd
two women with 'em, didn't they?
runaway niggers"
Rale winked facetiously, evidently
rather proud of the exploit as it had
been related to him.
"WaI Their way I understan', they
want both of 'em niggers; however,
that was the story told on board. This
we're Joe Kirby is pretty slick, let me
tell you. One of ems a white gurl,
who just pretended she wus a niger.
I reckon tibet eve Kirby didn't catch
on ter her game at furst; an when he
did he u 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 won
an" I protested stoutly.
Cant, hey! Wal, I reckon there
are ways O. even doin' tibet, an if thar
be, Kirby'H find it. / reckon she won't
find no chance ter raise a boiler fore
he's got her tied good an strong"
"Do you mean," I asked, Mortified,
him?"
"Sum smart little guesser, amt yer?
I reckon she's in a right smart way ter
do it, ct thet."
"And wus this the cause of the quar-
rel between Kirby and KennedyT
"Wal', I reckon it wus; leastwise
Tim wudn't be mixed up in the affair
none. They he'd it prutty blame hot,
an 1 reckon thar'd bin a dead deputy
Il hedn't bin fer me. Tim thought !
wus a prutty gud frien' an cum over
yere ter liquor, an eat. Their joke ov
it is, he never know'd tibet Joe he'd told
me all bout the fix he wuz in, afore
we cum ashore. H, it wus all fixed
up whit wus ter be dOne-only we
didn't expect the steamer wus goin' on
north. Thar's sum boys wantin' a
drink see yer agin."
tempt to hurry, busily thinking over
this new situation. In the first place
why had Rale told me all this? I felt
convinced the man had some purpose
in his conversation, and that he had
not finished all he intended to say,
PEELED his return to the bar. His part
ing words implied that. Perhaps the
revolt of the deputy made it necessary
for the c~onspiratOrs to select another
helper to properly carry out their ne
farious scheme, and Rale had decided
that I might answer. 1 hoped this
might prove the explanation and de-
termined to seek the earliest oppor-
tunity to impress upon that individual
the fact that I al desperately in
need Of money, and decidedly indiffer-
ent as to how it was obtained.
The two soldiers, whose entrance
had interrupted DUR talk, remained at
the bar drinking until after I had
completed my toilet, and were still
there listening to a story Rale was
telling when the slatternly white wom-
an announced that supper was ready
RI cnrrn Tin, CLINT cr,,r1I-- Tryhs1a tho
other men remained engrossed in their
game of cards. Rale glanced about
at these as though TO reassure him
self that they were intent on their
play then, removing his apron, he
crossed the room and drew up a chair
opposite me. r.
"All right, SAL" he grunted shortly.
Bring on whit yer got"
He remained silent, staring moodiiy
at the fire, until after the woma had
spread out the dishes on the table be.
fore him. Then his eyes fell upon the
fare.
"Nice looking mess that" he
growled, surveying the repast with I'M
disguised disgust. mo wonder we
don't do no business with tibet kind ov
a cook. No, yer needn't stay-go an
make up them beds in the other room.
I'll watch things yere."
I Judged the fellow had com over
intending to resume our interrupted
conversation, but hardly knew what
he had best venture. ! decided to give
him q lead.
II amt got no money, myself" I be-
gan to explain, apologetically, "but
Tim thar sed he'd pay my BILL"
"Sure, that's all right; I amt q wor-
ryin' none. Maybe I might put yer in
an easy way o. gettin' hold o. a little
coin-thet is If We amt too blame per-
t~icular."
me" / laughed. "Well, I reckon
/ don't aim fer ter be tibet. I've bin
ten years knockin' bout between New
Orleans an Saint Louee, steamboatin'
mostly. Thet sort o. thing don't make
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