New-York tribune., 1922-11-26

barefoot, To- long time now
Jim Blaisdeil almost gasped. II he had not
been SO good q poker player as he certainly
was che astounding impudence Of the man
would have taken his breath away entirety.
Then he, too smiled It was, Of course,
bluff. Very weIl--he would call the bluff.
suits me-" he said, briefly, and approach
ing he possessed himself of the knife mem
toned. Then, shouldering his gun with no
further thought of the partridges he had gone
forth TO shoot he said; reckon yo' all en-
buy them boots all right, to che sto'." And the
two started toward the town.
There was no conversation between them
on the way, nor while the boots were being
purchased, nor was there anything said for
O moment or two when they entered Old Man
Greenhut's saloon. There was, however, q
precipitate show Of activity when the inmates
of the little barroom realized who the incomers
were Old Man Greenhut grabbed up his
bung starter from the corner where he kept
it and started around the end Of the bar.
Jake Winterbottoms hand slid quickly to the
vest pocket in which he always carried a der
ringer. Sam pearsail reached around 60 his
hip pocket and Joe Bassett jumped to his feet,
drawing revolver as he rose, with the evi-
dent intent to use it.
But Blaisdell raised warning hand.
s"Timel" he exclaimed. s'This yer ia my
deal, an this man 10 my prisoner. They sin't
nothin' gwine to be did. right away, not
'thouten Greenhus p'poses 20 put him on trial,
him bein' justice o the peace. I? theys gwine
to be cot p'ceedin's III per as counsel TO- the
deceased"
"If they's any p'ceedins did, lt1l be a9o' the
Coroner" said Basseet, with savage fury, ad-
vancing with his gun still pointed, but One
Eye, saying nothing, had promptly thrown
his hands up again, and even Bassctt hest
tated.
aAourish.
"They ainH no call TO- no trial." he said
angrily. 81 p'nounce the prisoner guilty, an
Cor have mercy on yo' soul when we uns gets
through"
He would have struck IL Blaisdell had noe
interviewed. He, too, was angry, but he spoks
quietly.
81 was a sayin' how this was my deal,'' he
said. 81 done brung this man hyar on bust
ness, an that's gwine to be did, first off.
don't care a cuss what's did later"
Business" was magic word in Old Man
Greennut's ears, and he knew le. The old
man Immediately brandished his bungstarter
in the other direction.
"Jim has the fo an they won't nobody
interrupt while he states IT," he decided.
So Blaisdell explained the matter, showing
the confiscated knife and telling the circun-
Stances declaring further with great en-
phasis that all the powers Of the air were not
going TO be allowed to stand in the way OF
his sitting in with One Eye at the poker table,
even If it was to be two-handed game
"That's dif'rent," said the old man after
listening. "Bygones is to be c'nsidered by
cones, fo' a spell, under them circu,nstants.
II the gent has wad it en- be tooken legi-
mate afo' the previous order Of business is
took up. Question is, did he fetch his wad
along when he done left the boat?"
For answer TO this One Eye drew from his
right-hand pocket the bunch Of bills he had
gathered up incidentally when rising from the
table the night before. What he had in this
other pocket he did not show.
His reputation for nerve was we'll estab-
fCc1aGSnsssG osy s1gna SouYI