Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-04-03
A Man From
Reno
By BAYARD SHARPE
g BY Western Newspaper Union.)

IOhN hlMBEhlL1 Saggeu IN MS spa
J cious Office chair, his big hands
gripping the polished edge of the ma
hogany desk. He glared at the grin
ming office boy.
"Who did he say2'
Jest told me tub tell yuh he was
man from Renol"
Kimberly opened the top drawer of
his desk-well, they'd found him, after
ten years He pulled at his collar
1t seemed as though he could feel the
moose tightening around his pudgy
neck. No-he mopped the leathefy
corrugations Of his brow; the walls of
the room seemed to close in about
him, smothering him-Nevada didn't
hang her murderers now she choked
them to death with gas.
For ten years, Kimberly had pic
tured this very moment; at frst 1t
had come with fear for every man
in the uniform Of the law. Later 1t
plain clothes men. Finally both fears
had worn away-he had merely dread
ed an Inevitable something To for
get, he had plunged into business;
success had come, but he had never
forgotten-and now, the dreaded mo-
ment was here.
He rose to his feet and strobe to the
open window, fighting-fghting with
every inch Of him for the craftiness
that had kept him safe throughout the
dreaded years. But in spite of his
efforts, he could not concentrate. His
nostrils quivered his lips curlsd in
snarl-well they wouldn't get him
without a fight; nor would they take
him back alive-not on account of
drunken brawl. He groaned; perhaps
he had been tribe hasty-the other
fellow had been too overloaded with
liquor to be responsible. GOD
II he could Just live that hour over.
Yet, 1t wasn't an hour; 1t had hAp-
pened in moment. They had BEEN
drinking, Jim Breeder, Golden, earns,
and himself earns had passed the
insult. He had resented; they had
come to blows; then guns, and the
next thing he had remembered, he
was gazing into the ashen green, dead
face Of earns. Somehow he had got
ten away-of the trip he could remem-
Der little except that Jim Breeder
had stuck with him as far as the rail-
road station in Berdo.
Kimberly paced before the open win
dow, gripping his huge hsts.
The Office boy coughed.
Startled, Kimberly halted, swing
ing his big body toward the desk.
He CROPPED in the open drawer, blind
ly; his lips snarled, and his beetle
brows met His hand closed over the
butt of blue steel forty-fivs, and ne
faced the frosted glass door.
With the gun thrust from his hip,
Kimberly grasped the door-knob, then
he Wondered His hiQ hnAy hinged
like huge jackknife he bent for
ward and peered through the keyhoIe
Then Kimberly's powerful right arm
grew limp, abruptly, the gun barrel
sagged toward the floor; his big body
Strengthened, and he laughed nervous
ly-Jimmy Breeder. All his fears had
been for nothing.
There was wan smile on his face
as he returned to the desk and sat
down. He flung the gun into the open
drawer and mopped the mist Of salty
sweat from his eyes. SO Jim
Breeder had looked him up-well, he'd
show him the time of his life hadn't
old Jim staked him out of the country,
the night 1t had happened with
him through the broillng sands OF
Death Valley and given him his last
dollar when he boarded the eastbound
train, in Berdo. Why, Jimmy Breeder
would go through-an' high water for
him-he knew It.
send the gentleman inl
With a nervous cackle the Office boy
opened the frosted door and went out.
moment later the man from Reno
stepped In the room.
They shook hands, both men SEEM
ingly affected with the meeting.
"Well, hows Old Jim2"
"Better'n that, Kim how's y'r self
seem tub be settln' on top o. the
world %
It was proud moment for Kimberly
and he smiled. "Yep-kinda hit the
old pay dirt this time, Jim !" He drew
up chair for Breeder and sat down.
But Breeder remained standing.
Smiling he thrust his gnarled hand
deep into his inside coat pocket and |
tossed a document on the desk.
With the movement Klmbery's eyes |
caught the CLEAN of a polished shield |
on Breeden's faded vest, and fear |
gripped his heart Yes, he |
could see 1t now-Breeden had become
an ofiicer--sherlff or somethIng-and |
because Of the reward, had sold him |
out. He lunged for the open drawer
screaming:
ou-Extradltion 7"
Breeder beat him to It, plnnlng his
arms.
keep y'r shirt on" he beloved,
Golden JUS kicked tn bucket an
signed confession to tn KILN
Shot earns in. the back. You an me
was too drunk tub know any differ.
ent"
"JimP Kimberly wllted.
"YepW Breeder grinned. you can
come back tub Reno now--an leave
any time yuh wannar
But Kimberly didn't hear--he was
huddled over the desk, sobbing.
Lake Regions