New-York tribune., 1922-11-26

Illustrations by WILL CRAWFORD

Nevertheless, as he reviewed the question,
drifting down the river, he decided that IL
would be better for him to land where he would
find population, even though 1t was hostile,
than In bowling wilderness
Before he had gone far he halted suddenly
and threw up his hands. The man who had
come In sight at turn In the road had
shotgun in his hand, and, recognizing the
one-eyed man instantly, had raised 1t to his
shoulder.
"Don't shoot, glaisdell; ain't lookin' FOR
acrap this time," said the one-eyed man coolly.
swell, Pm al'ays lookin' TO- one when yo'al
fs anywhere round" was the equally cool re-
ply, "but CANT shoot man with his hands
up. What be yo lookin' fo'?"
"Boots an boat. was gwine 20 NJ OTeans
on the Creole Belle when she bowed up, an
] swum asho'. ALPS | really want is TO git
abo'd the next boat down, but I'd kind O hate
TO so Barefoot"
"WAen was ths?" asked Blaisdell skep-
tically. When the "One-Eyed Man" made
statements .>eS9le often hunted around for
proofs
Sometime last night couldn't say juss
when-they was game on"
E'That mought ha' been what we uns heer'9v
Tong about o'clock" said Blaisdel, half cons
vinced, "but they amt nothin' nor nobody
done come asho' IS fur . know. Pears like
they'd ha' been somepin, if they wss boat
blowed up.''
81 reckon them what want drownded must
ha' drifted on down." said One Eye, uncon-
cernedIy. 81 done drifted considerable my own
self afo' made the sho'.''
"Mebbe so," Blaisdell admitted, doubtfully.
The story was not an impossible one, and
as One Eye told it ne was forced to recognize
1t as even plausible, but he had heard plausi~
bic statements from the same source befores
and he was Of two minds.
He was not the only citizen Of Arkansas
City who had declared the intention of shoot
ing One Eye on sight, and the impulse to do
it was by no means lacking. The obvious and
simple thing was to pull his trigger.
Even in Arkansas City, however, it was not
regarded as polite to kill q man who stood
with his hands up, and in some things Blais-
dell was runctilious. II the others attitude
had been hostile he would undoubtedly have
shot without parley, but for One Eye to as
sumo attitude Of submission was not only
unprecedented, it was more or less bewilder-
ing He therefore hesitated.
Moreover, ne had strong yearning TO play
poker again with the one-eyed man. Regard
ing himself and being regarded by many Other
people as the best poker player in the Missis-
sippi Valley, he had been hunliliated by the
outcome Of the several encounters In the past
wherein One Eye had either outwitted or OUT
played the players in Old Man Greenhut's
saloon.
Both men understood che situation perfect
ly and each knew that the other understood.
They eyed each other keenly while Blaisdell
still hestated, and for some moments neither
spoke.
Then One Eye said, with somewhat quizzl-
cal smile: II reckon yo' all d heap druther
play poker nor yo would to fight, mo- special
as l amt putin up no fight My hands is in
the air an yo' all en- take my knife away I'm
me afo' yo put down yo' gun. Then yo' en-
make yo own 'rangements TO- game. I'm
agreeble to anythin'. If yo says TO- to play
into Greenhuts place won't make no 'bjec-
tions p'vidin' yo' all takes me thar as yo'
pris'ner. reckon they won't be no cold
blooded slaughter. On'y I'd like fo' to buv q
pair O. boots, first of. I ein't been used to go