The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-02-11
a1s she anythin' like old Van Tam


bel?"
mot a bit. She's as nice and tidy
a miss as you'd want to set eyes on,
Jake"
"Then there's one grand big mis-
take somewheres," declared Spots,
definitely. "That damned old critter
couldn't be the father of girl like
that"
"Tut, tut, Jake" interposed PAN
anna, rising solemnly from the chair
and reaching for his collar and tie.
'You promised to give up swearing"
''Well, hell, can't quit all at once,
can II" demanded SPOTS testify.
saint dom better every day?''
"Got to watch you, though, !
guess" observed Panama shreWdly.
Bull caught sight of the man out
of the corner of his eye. He was al
most gigantic in proportions. Tall,
stout, erect, with leonine features,
shaggy brows and a heavy mop of
coarse, straight, black hair, worn
long and cut fatty across the back
of his neck"
"Who is that MANI" asked Bull as
Panama left the shop.
'Why, you ought to know that
man, Bull. He's an old-time Cat
gambler and confidence man-up to
every game they ever played from
here to Frisco"
whats his name?"
''They used to call him Big Bill
Hayes"
ct heard that name"
"Guess you did-guess every
body's heard it."
'But he made a trip to Panama
when the French outfit was runnin'
things there. He cleaned up on the
Frenchmen, and they run him out Of
town. He says he got the dysentery
down there. Anyway, he got away
before they strung him up for a
cardsharp. Now everybody calls him
Panama"
whats he doin' here now"
"Why, the damned critter got re-
igion somehow, and he's the kind
est, best preacher that ever talked in
Sleepy Cat. He's doin' a world Of
good"
Jane made it a practice to visit
her father at the Medicine Bend hos
pital at least every two weeks.
She spent the day at the hospital
with her father, ate an early supper
with him, and took Number One
back to Sleepy Cat Her father asked
a good many questions about Nc
CroSSen.
"A good man." Van Tambel said
wheezily of him again and again.
Ellis only trouble is gambling-he
will gamble"
I'm sorry, father" returned Jane
with asperity-it was not the first
time he had made the same remark
-"but I don't quite see how / can
watch him, do your"
well, keep track of the ship
ments this month. The steers will be
going out right along now-good
deal of money coming in. See that
he don't get too much away from
you, under one preteXt or another.
When he wants money to gamble, he
won't stop at nothing. And it won't
do bit of hurt to be kind of nice
to him yourself"
Hints such as these failed to move
Jane. Indeed, they aroused an an
tagonism.
When the train pulled into Sleepy
Cat late that night it was cold; a
north wind was splitting rain. Nc
Crossen was on hand with the two
seated blackboard. He met Jane at
the Pullman step and hurried her
through the sprinkle across the plat
orm of the rig.
81 piled the house supplies in the
back" explained McCrossen, $50
you'd better ride with me-"
brought you an extra-heavy coat
over" he added. Thought you might
need it. Will you put it on now"
His voice, never harsh, sounded
solicitous. Jane thought she would
put the coat on. Her foreman, sitting
beside her, helped her get into it.
His manner was tender. His hands,
as he Strengthened the coat collar,
fingered moment on her shoulders,
Jane shook her shoulders slightly to
draw them away.
"Your fathers great man, Jane"
he said. >''No use talkin'."
I'm glad to hear some one say a
good word for him." returned Jane
dryly.
ooh, he's got his enemies, I know.
But from the first minute I ever saw
you,- girl, when you got off the train
that mornin' in Sleepy Cat'-Mc-
Crossen inclined in friendly fashion
toward his tight-sitting little COM
panion to emphasize his words
from the very first minute saw
you, said to myself. There's girl
with all the grit and sand of her
father"
Hadn't you better drive little
faster?" suggested Miss Tight Sitter,
casually.
''I'm afraid to push the old buck
board over this part of the road. So
I said to myself" he continued,
=" There's a girl with her fathers
grit and her mothers beauty Jane"
he lowered his voice, becomingly
fare you warm?"
Quite"
"And comfortable"