| Show of Sleepy Cat TTO In A T TJ T-T QT p A 1 WN f A 1 A NT 1 STORY FROM THE START John Selwood gentleman Ram Ram- burr birr end manager malinger of nr of a lUKe line nt RI Sleepy Cat comet comes upon upon s a settler whose whole wagon h hu has s ml mired red redIn In a creek lie Ile hells hell's get the outfit outfit outfit out- out fit clear after aCler picking up a R girl I shins and seeing and being at al by the supposed owner thereof In th the settlers settler Wagon waon Moses Mo Alo e es s. s youth li to robbed of or In a Sleepy Ct Cat gambling den Bel- Bel Wood forces the swindlers Dar toe 1011 and Atkins Aikins to return the tha money Fyler opens a 8 try dry Roods goods store dorl with running runt run run- t ning a mock auction of DC worth worth- ln Ices M goods In the place III Selwood 1 learns learn the tha girl whoso whose shoe he picked up Is I. Christie daughter CHAPTER IV Continued IV-Continued Continued 8 AI Ale Abe role ole started In again to say lAY n A thing but hilt put up vip hI Ills his hnud ns nil a doctor dodor might In tine the pres pres- euro of ot approaching tenth front from n II very Iry angry r he lie spanking a nil as nilI I a inn mAn n might on a n painful occasion you rill ran see Ie III herd hen r fL nil of ot you wh whit what lt difficulty nn honest i purveyor of ot merchandise has In III selecting se se- selecting j Ills hlll goods for n a new country l' l This hut hot gentlemen hold gentlemen hold on on Ahe Abel I 1 lio ho Interjected In stentorian tones for Coles Cole's valve safety III e of gave nn strung t of ot popping hold holdon on ml till jou hear nip mac I soli you this lint hat didn't I IT 17 I r il did 1 I Very rry wellY well I r I Y want II lu to tiny say fin to you yon gentlemen II ImI II one line f and imd till nil that when n A mistake like this tIl y happens happen we make It II good I This ThU lint hilI La be c. c exclaimed hot I the he hI out nut for tor personal reproach never lr should t hll lime hale I been sold In the mountains Hia Hi itA a dwerl lint dint made lit light porous for n II dry The Indians the famous Spanish h sinks buy huy these k tints freely for tor their squaws they're I w 1 po porous rOil gentlemen-but gentlemen gentlemen but they wont won't I wr r stand roles i Porous 1111 monkey 1 I stuttered Cole They're rotten 1 In j nes protested I 1 wouldn't had It A Abe hI for one onehundred onehundred hundred dollars I 1 replace rt It fully tully Mr he h. shorted 1 pili point point- II t k fag 1111 n a commanding linger be le kind enough h to 10 mo nun that ho bojc of or hats From the hot box sed up up carefully picking over o several rol lilts huts selected n a brown one one never ne er for tor n II moment losing the thread of ot hU Ids easy y I end and plausible How flow of ot words word Abe Ahe Cote Cole l continued l to 10 growl but he hp wits wan In effect ef ft feet and stood under antler I r his hi new hut hilt n II sturdy onlooker while wll III Ila I palled 1111 out hl Ills his watch j i men he ns as solemnly us ns If It about to lend heed In III prayer er It N is I twelve twel o'clock time o'clock-time time to eat My Iy heart heartIs Is III weak nod and I 1 put lit three times n a day J 1 never keep men beyond their dinner din ncr ner hour anyway wn their wl wives es pick on mat mo tue fluid n II hungry elan n a good gond customer And If It you think Ive I've got Iut nn easy Job here I try r It It some of ot you I i Next side pule nt at two Iwo o'clock sharp II find rill I the till biggest ever offered In Sleepy dont don't don't dont miss Idles It I Ii i Fl The It crowd began to 10 flit fill out lUg HII Ila climbed down wn What kind of ofa 1 a 1 hot hat did you give gl him whispered m 1 Fyler t Same kind I give Ithe him yesterday growled Hoc Poc come coma comeIn In here a II while ago with his hili h o wanted to 10 rut ul me mp up wp for tur lien bear r halt I 1 hope 1101 to III GUll Cod 1 I get o out l of ot this hi town lown own before It 1 ma ruins lus again The auctioneer followed the the- crowd ni nl they out At the d dime doo H II young 1 girl waited She he hind had u lunch I basket et In III her hand When hen the Ihl store wile was emptied she alit walked up lip the two and In III Selwood tl 1 stood near dyler and he watched the Ilse newcomer t I 1 l. l n t n. n t fa I null e d I. I c midi 11 tn her w an ores N. n u. u eyes fell tl on his tin as she came up lip Selwood Sel Selwood ll I wood looked then at nt Fyler Christie and Selwood rf recognized her HS liS the girl In the wagon til III Crawling Stone Stonewash wash wash R h set down her basket on nn the dry dry- goods hox box In III front of ot Kyler Fyler Heres your our dinner father she said Buld Cat Int It now while Its It's hot lint Selwood tried to think of ot something to say loy but could not nol And Anil though he be felt tIll he was an lift Interloper he could roul nut not get gel started to In go Ito Christie l. her liar buck huCk to him talked and laughed with lIh her Ir father Her lIr voice nice was completely sew new music to Selwood's pl ears ears- It II transfixed trans trun lived fixed him Rut Hut the moment could not ln moat Int t. t She turned partly and looked Inked lit It t Selwood Whatever she ehe may many have hav had In her mind mild he hp could think of ot but one thing for tor her glince Be seemed to him to say What Rhut are lire you doing here And Selwood barely returning her look Just caught sight of ot her eyes pulled himself together nn and walked ut ul of ot the store CHAPTER V Investigates Selwood found It possible to happen III In occasionally at al Tylers Tyler's Irs and aDd al ul although though ibaugh It meant J getting up III a III little II I earlier about at the time tine Tyler's Tylers dinner dyes din tier ner ions was due Iut nut he hp could never jet get n ft chance hance t tv speak 1 Ilk to Christie who rarely loitered Sh She was accustomed to 10 walk In Just at lit atthe atthe the close of ot the auction and Selwood who usually took look his tits place Illare close to tot t goods dry bo box made Into a n tort sort of itt a desk was forced to content hl lf with hearing n 1 few tew words rn r III nn n- n n little laugn ns as sh eh spoke to 10 her ier father and d 11 out lignin again i fiut tit such a n moment Selwood thought I worth waiting for He III looked larked forward I I it k mat moment At night under the Iho theof glare of hot lamps teal cost costa cost a for for- IJ Y A. A L 1 e V. V JL LA I L XI LA Copyright by hJ Chattel Charles Scribner Son Sons i tune tone In 10 oil coal brought two Iwo thousand miles millS to 10 burn In nn an air reeking with tho the fumes of ot tobacco smoke nail breaking at times Into boisterous rl rl- Selwood seemed yet ft sometimes some some- sometimes times to hear between the monotonous sous clicking of ot chips the calls rolls of ot the tho dealers and whir of ot roulette wheels the cadence of ot a girls girl's voice voice voice-a a cadence ca cn hence dence to start Into Inlo life lito n II mans man's first dream one dream one tint that mn may find place even e evenIn evenIn I In tho the heart of ot a faun n ready already I casehardened case case- I hardened I Chance lance which always favors the persistent came one day to 10 aid 1111 Fyler lay In tho the tent Ill and hint day Christie had to act as lIS cn cashier Selwood put In nn nil just ju-ft before noon anti o saw christie In the tile receipt of custom nr perspiring per per- 1 was knocking down the tho mer mtr merchandise chandise glibly and Selwood wormed Ills his wily among bark to Fyler's Irs box lIu her cape carefully carefully care care- tulI fully folded nod lying on tin a shelf melt t behind be bOo behind I hind her nn and 1 her bonnet held loosely I hy flY the strings I. I hanging lJ hack back on tin her neck stood newly n revealed rC to Selwood It It If riot not no sir much that looked prettier but hut that she presented new nw charms her charms her brown Was WaR only like many ninny another woman woman's brown hair It I. rt f r I tint but t tf n u SI tits Hoot 1 It it was n a son annn ell At lit n In n k if v u vu never before In the world her cheeks suffused and her eyes 1111 hl bright ht with the excitement of ot her tier un un- tomed work rk were Just n repetition repetition repe repe- of ot natures nature eternal challenge to mankind Not for an Instant did dill the gambler tom gain bler tiler hesitate hesitate hesitate-he he who so often staked u II frontier fortune on the turn of ot a 0 acard acard card knew too ton well h how long Ions It may many maybe be hI before the same card turns lurns again to III till a II hungry hand He lie luo took off ofT his lint hat ns as he walked to 10 her her that that alone lIlone set ret him himl apart from the other men men mn and caught her eye In spite of ot her resolve not to see ro 10 n a man but only men In her enforced servitude I Father away I naked Selwood meeting her look louk with the necessary rl I decision In ho his own te eyes Christie was wrapping up till n a package She Rhe had seen seen spen the Ihl man hum of or silence more than once I near tier her fathers father's desk and vas the less Ices afraid of ot him lies Hes not very well I mantle made him Win stay la to the tho tent this morning Se I seemed d to understand and accept the entire situation without need heed of ot further words was wa redoubling Ids his shouting his sue suo ret cess kept Christie busy bUllY at lit the settling counter A miner although It was rummer In Sleepy Cat bid hid In a n pair of fur till gloves 11 To pay IllY he ho threw down downa o a twenty dollar bit bill Christie looked desperately In her tier box cigar cash drawer for change It was not to be found Selwood 11 drew from his pocket pock pork et t without speaking n II roll of ot bills hills n a bigger roll than limn Christie lIp had bad ever t seen 1111 and tossed It toward her The hp roll stopped III almost most under u her heri hand She HIla looked up and III In doing fining so met t Selwood's eyes Make the change out t of ot hunt he be said dryly And as there still seemed n II question In her eyes he Help yourself She attempted to 10 laugh Oil Oh iii would you ou give ht me a n little change They've TIey swept the drawer Just about clean she he confessed with another nervous little lithe laugh and held hehl the twenty twenty-dol lam lar hill bill toward him hint He lie pointed to he the roll Plenty of ot small bills there he Ile suggested with only a trace of ot Interest Help your your- self And with this Invitation he walked away while the man In front of ot her waited united Christie called In consternation He could not lIot or would not 1101 hear The he men her laughed the miner asked for tor his hi change Selwood had disappeared Next morning he hp was back hack and nt at eleven tle o'clock The he room auction crowd was ens gathering when Selwood CI arrived and the Ihl buying hind had begun to 10 tobe be he spirited Christie stood again lIi con condemned to 10 the cashiers cashier's s desk Sh Sine Shu looked up III In n D moment nod and saw the e silent man In the big bis hat hilt standing almost beside her Father l laid up ul yet tU Selwood put the question as all soon as he caught tier her eye eje Christie heightened In III color by hv her confusion told him she feared her father was quite III ill Then stopping her work worl she delved Into n a corner of ot the big box bux and from under the loose hose money mOllY drew H II roll of ot hills hlll carefully II tied lied Id I'd with a number of lit strings and held It toward hi him 11 Ton 1 ran away aWRY yesterday and left all this thU money I She waited for tor Ids hula comment ho homade homade made none none only only regarded tier her IronI gravely grave Iron I ly take lake It It quick she added hurriedly Ive Ie been ten frightened to 10 death for fear tear I 1 should lose It I You ilia may need It again this Ihl mornIng morn morn- lug Ing objected Selwood Rut Hut Christie would lI listen tell to no blandishments and Selwood knowing when hIli to III quit took his roll roll roll-leaving leaving her to 10 wonder when she due could fluid time lime to to what manner of men nien these mountain I men 1111 were who trusted misted tru strangers with their the money Selwood note toil her One of ot her weightiest curt cared un was that lint of ot making In a blank Munk hook book a 1 record of each article arti cle de sold This took time lint I anti required more nore knowledge of good gods than she could muster kept a duplicate cute cate book hook under his own hand but buthe buthe buthe he Jotted things down fu t peter never stopping his talk lalli Selwood before j long had hod takes take a charge of ot CIrl book though this seemed not precisely precise precise- ly to 10 liking Christie without thinking much about him began to look took for tor Selwood 81 a II nn Incident of ot the day which was QA exacting enough oven even when she he had help und help-and he could rould always nl be he counted count counted ed Id on to 10 keep her cash straight lie He was better mannered than theother tho the other men loon en always reserved re freshly shaven s and always neatly nearly dressed lie too He too asked 11 questions II IK II but bat without seeming Inquisitive and h by easy degrees and without serious et ef effort fort tort picked up more Information than Christie would have hll realized about her father and his Ids affairs and hr herself He lie learned too loo shout about the arrangement arrangement arrange arrange- ment nt under tinder which hind had Introduced Intro the auction Into the store j tics so the story ran hAd Imd a partner part ner nor nor-n n than of ot mystery ns nil far as ns Christies Christie Information went who went who had hadu hadIt u It small 1 stock of merchandise tiny nes hall had suggested the two stocks ho bo combined com om blued and ur sold 11 by hy auction Selwood heard beard all 1111 never nerr by any chance Interposing Interposing Inter Inter- posing pOlling comment and ond nt lit the end of ot each day helped Christie settle with who held rigidly to prompt settlements refusing to for her fathers father's return Selwood had hud not ne- ne Mini limb 1 nt of line th tn t two I e. e L' L b 1 l Christie Was Wrapping Up a Package stocks storks to know Just what the equities were but he knew enough of ot Haynes and ot of Haynes Haynes' silent partner to reach without the conch- conch alum that was to be he d whenever tr feasible Rob liob Scott And hind hill been detailed by I tr fever to Investigate gate the tho disappearance of ot the Fyler shipment of ot boots bool And ns RS their reports re rl ports began bl to 10 cone come In In It was not ant hard for tor Selwood who s 's used Ills Ids eyes es and en oars ears Ill to reach rench the roil con cun elusion that merchandise con ron consisted consisted chiefly if It not nol wholly of ot stolen goods I goods and that these e were of a much better belter quality than Ilion 1 stork Uy Oy kicking a n packing mss IISe here 1111 mind and there under the counters Selwood Ilke likewise viso found reason to believe I that hut some ut least of If hN his boots had found their way to 10 the auction auction and although he bad never seen n II pair of ot boots bOOls put PUI up 11 h by lUg hug slue he was present he hind had seen men anon In iii the street carrying curg cur car bouts boots away from the store 1 When Fyler recovered back to his hili place Selwood hind had told loll Pardi loe be his suspicions and directed him what to do who ho loved 10 nothing so much as ns n a row dropped In at times limes at the tho auction To Rig Ills he was wal not a n Welcome elcome visitor would talk ns us long and as loud Iou as ns Haynes himself and at times would carry on with by bystanders wrangling arguments that distracted the crowds crowd's attention One day dap exasperated d x beyond be bE- yond stopped his side sale to 10 |
