The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-03-11

AT one minute past eleven O'CLOCK
Selwood left the gambling hall for
the barn. His pony was waiting.
Climbing into the saddle he headed
south for the Thief River road, try
ing out the new pony's steps. He had
crossed the river bridge and was
swinging out on the Spanish sinks
when he heard the clatter of hoofs
behind him. A h0rseman riding fast
overhauled him and he looked around
to greet Bob Scott. Scott refined in
beside the gambler. with his pony on
its launches. 1.-The moneys up," he
grlnned. "You won't need to bother
the miners"
They rode back at leisurely pace,
put up their horses, and walked to-
gether up the hill. Selwood got the
money, counted 1t, handed it to Scott,
told him where to find the owner
and deliver it. "Tell her to get her
boy out of town before somebody else
gets it away from him." was his only
injunction.
eff there's any human scum in the
whole blamed United States that
amt landed in Sleepy Cat" grum
bled Carpy, sit must be because they
amt heard Of it yet"
Doctor Carpy was an educated
man, who knew quite we'll how to
speak good English. But. like many
another frontiersman of his kind, he
had caught the slovenly English Of
the men with whom he was thrown
in contact.
'Now look at that coat" he con-
tinued, calmly aggrieved. 81 bought
it new at an auction yesterday! Last
night rode down to see sick team
ster at the bunkhouse-one o. your
men, Selwood. While 1 was fixing
him up it began to rain. When
started for home / put on the coat.
By that time 1t was raining ALFRED
hard. lifted my whip to touch up
the horses, and the whole sleeve part
ed at the shoulder joint! When
reached around to see what the mat
ter was, the other sleeve fell clean
off. When stepped out Of the buggy,
the coat come in two right across the
back! Look at it," f
With some violent punctuation of
his complaint, the doctor, who in
Sleepy Cat never by any chance re-
ceived more than the first syllable of
his professional title and rarely his
surname, was telling John Selwood
of how he had been cheated.
"Where did you buy the coat?"
asked Selwood, though less moved
as listener than the doctor was as
an orator.
Down at that new place-opposlte
the warehouse-in the old blockhouse.
A man named Fyler is running a
dry-goods store there. And Big
Haynes is running a mock auction,
on one side of the store. Come on
down. You lick Haynes and I'll lick
Fyler!"
The two men were talking In the
one-story building adjoining and COM
municating with the hotel, that bore
the small wood sign-known as the
"shingle'-Of the sole doctor In
Sleepy Cat or within hundred miles
of Sleepy Cat-an Open-handed, pro-
fame, and not always cool-headed
surgeon, but one whose failings were
in rough measure redeemed by a gen.
erOus heart and the benefits of q skill
free, without question, to all corners.
oil troy a1cyto
in the rough gear of the trail, had
evidently just come in from a trip
over the division and sat listening
to his friend with the air of a man
who has more serious matters on
his mind.
"How is Dave coming on?" he
asked, without responding to Carpy's
fippant invitation to help "clean up"
the new trader.
The doctor, one elbow on the table
scratched his head. Hang Dave"
he said, perplexed, she amt coming
on. I can't get any life into him. It's
close to year now since he got hurt
But you've got to remember, John.
he's an old man, and put in three
years in the Army of the Potomac
Now. look at you. The first time
Dave came to see me. year ago, TO
get some medicine for you he said
you were in the last stages of con-
sumption. 1t wasn't so; but you were
headed that way all right. Look at
you nOw--spry as an antelope"
you took good care of me-"
Carpy dlsclaimed. Good care
nothing. 1t was this dry mountain
air-not too high and thin. neither
that took care of you; and you're
young. Now, Dave is just teeterin'
along-wound all healed up, but just
kind of slow paralysis. Nothing
can put in him seems to pull him I'D.
1t sure was hard to get what he got
here in Sleepy Cat, after three years
in the army. This town is certainly
tough-and getting tougher"
st was tough before you and l
saw it, Doctor; and 1t will be tough
after we're laid up on the HILL" re-
nl;aJ Calwood ipdiffaraptIy are -