| Show Selwood of Sleepy Cat By FRANK H. H SPEARMAN Sr Ic br by b Soot Sons I STORY ROM FROM THE START John all wood gentleman tram 1 bl bier birr r and manager of of h a stage UK I nn l at Sleepy Cut Cal com comes j 3 upon a settler vho whose wagon WAlton hn In a 1 creek He lIe helps hilI et gel the outfit out out- fit nt clear after picking up a girls girl's shoe end and and being at nt- nt traded batted by the supposed thereof In Tylers J the wagon Moses McCracken H a youth Is II robbed pf pr GOO In u a Sleepy Cat gambling den Bel- Bel Belwood Belwood wood force the swindle liar liar- toe tOI and ond Atkins to return the money opens open R a dry goode goods store etore with flip nl running run run- ning K a mock auction of worth worth- lets lelO Rood Roads In the tho place Bolwood Selwood the girl rl shoe he picked up Is II Fyler's Iyler daughter Selwood makes make Christie Chris Chris- tie tlell nce and warns warn Fyler that that Atkins AUn I Is la a crook The storekeeper refuses to 10 be believe be be- lieve It c C V Continued V-Continued ed g. e This where jou 11 Ilva Well I Youve You've pot got n o nice big hug tent tent tent- We Wp brought It with U ua uV amid ald Christie dl distantly find hoping ho hI would go But Tint w OR ns In no noI I haste lie kept up il his telling tier her how lie he knew n a make even 11 a 0 tout tent homelike He lie looked nt ot the nap III Intently ns t Ill I'll U us If lie ho would like Ilko to pee m 1110 e Inside hi eyes lyeR fairly tined as ns much Hut nut Christie tle resolved re- re ry solved he ho should ld not If It ho lee stood oh nn hour hen he saw V It was useless I he Changed I the he subject Ive vo gotto rot got rotto ot otto to take u It little drive title this down river 1 Come along fit Til thaw show you the prettiest team and buggy this title side 1110 Demer will er will you Oil go got go Im sorry worry but Ive I've 0 got cot a dress to tomake mule make this till afternoon Some other time perhaps today I couldn't possibly flood flood-by by I Iby Illy lly by the time she ahe had bad rid herself of i him her cheeks were flushed with the tho I effort and her heart was heating a little faster There wea something at moments exhilarating In his hie challenge nut lint Christie could sot not be he at lit nil an sure that she liked him Sk a n point of seeing t Christie tle frequently lie Ile wits so kind In n every evelY WilY lint the she more than once 1 revised ed her early distrust 1 and he ho was os KO so well bred and ond knew so much shoot about everything I He lie wits was well ell liked by her father alai generally popular yet et he lie morn more than once confessed In confidence h to Christie that he tic heO was O was n a lonely man Uan 1 that he III longed ll for something different from the crude life of at th the rough men mn lie he thrown n and this nark was among I of t confidence touched Christie deeply deep delp 1 ly for t he added that sh she wee was the 1 e I I m ri r Had Refused Refuted to Settle HI Hla I Claim only Mily ly one coo 10 In III whom he could confide confide- tie the only one Indeed In the tilt whole big huh f wild town to that heal understood him Im This hits too touched Christie tlc very ry much much much-he he was so big and ond stron strong nail MI su lonesome ry Of course any good tood Im Impression lon that 4 i night might have made guide must fade fude before nil all of this flits Moreover er Selwood w was ns much lit in disfavor with those her She Va was out of humor with him herself bemuse because e ho he stub stub- branly insisted that lint her father w was ue denying his own goods and Selwood lad refused to Iq settle his Ids claim unless her father would first Drat accept the At At- tins kills boots boota So o face toce when b tie be opI op- op I lc at the store was set He still came but hut not so t often nor did he stay so lOll long Christie wan vae with him lie Me had never even ln when he had n a chance offered any grave rn e confidences had hod never ne com complained of loneliness or confessed lIell aneed n a need of sympathy Sl Christie could not say u uy lie lie he was as Ill mannered 01 fit that he he red lId lu Iu any an way In comparison von even with Starbuck who ho had Imd become orr standard nor 1101 was he less les well 11 dressed but more II And Aid not Selwood-not not not slow slew of beadon whatever Ida his faults could could i I I see lIeo co lint he had quite lot lost out with Christie lie Ire suffered reflected resolved revived re re- re- re solved and made modo a desperate de bid for reinstatement nt Ho lIe called one afternoon at the torn storo before the Auction hour SelWood Selwood Sel- Sel wood walked up to the tho cashiers cashier's deskI desk I ier r stood behind It opening ac oc- accounts counts t for Jr the lie day with fig nig Selwood drew from one pocket I Fyer's Fy Fy- y- y ers er's bill for the lost shipment and threw It on tho rho counter rom Krom another pocket he ho drew a n roll of hundred hundred- dollar bills tI lie counted off orr fifteen and threw them thI on the Invoice Theres your our claim Fyler Eyler he said briefly Fourteen hundred and forty dollars there are ore fifteen hundred dol dol- bus ars In currency Give Ghe me sixty dol dol- ars and receipt your bill Mil 1 Filers Filer's eyes ea bulged Ills face foro lighted with n a great 1110 smile II e Well Selwood I What does docs nil all this title mean mean It means youre you're paid Well hut but but It doesn't mean menn the company I Is settling this claim In this way Y he added as ns Fler Eyler counted the money All 11 It moans Is Im I'm tired of ot hearing about those hoots receipt hoots receipt your bill In full paid tyler Eyler 1 Fyler 1 pocketing the money tried flattering word words to soften Selwood's cold manner meaner admitted he ho might have been heNI wrong In hI his stand but urged he had Imd tried bled to be lie fair tall Selwood was roils not particularly moved Youre paid arent aren't you besold he be lIal sold said 1 bluntly All right I know who vho stole stoie the goods goods they'll they'll pay me Ole for tor forem forem em sometime CHAPTER VI VIt t 1 Sunday In Sleepy Cat was VOS not the thebe be best t day of the week usually It was wn the tho worst but Sunday morning early was wn fairly quiet and on this Sunday Christie In trouble rouble was abroad early The sun lIun was scarce an hour j when she hastened street un-street from the tent camp toward Doctor Carpy's hotel Slender In figure light of foot toot alert almost swift In action Christie looked neither to the right nor the left Idt and onel the few men stirring at ot that lint hour caught none of ot her glances The front door of the hotel V was I open She entered the narrow hall ball with the caution of ot the Inexperienced and ond looked J through another open opeo door Into the office which h was empty Christie when she hl walked In anti and halted bolted In perplexity nt ot the desk desk desk- which 11 consisted only of ot a shabby piece of ot old counter o und end a half empty cigar cas containing with a few rew cigars an nn at ni of old bills rendered ren rn rendered dered the pr proprietor for merchandise ind and delivered Hut But on the c counter stood the din ncr bell and Christie after some look ing about and some hesitation seized und anti rang It Startled at nt the noise tt It made lOa Christie set lIlt It down In trepidation and waited wilted for results For n 0 moment t there were were re none then men some In coats and some flome some bearded beard beard- ed ld 1111 1 some Rome unshaven but all nil very ninth 1 washed washed and with hair very wet wt anti and plastered began appearing from nowhere here or or ruttier rather from front everywhere every where at where at the doors and through th the windows Christie saw then them coming some I slowly lowly some eagerly but all with great accord toward to the Ito en- en trice lo to the room dining across neross the hull hall The doors were closed but hilt one Ih I adventurer more mare hold bold than tho his hi fel fellows lows pushed p open the door w walked In In nail the tho rest trooped ld heavily In after him Christie heard a n womans woman's voice olto andone and andone one not pitched In an nil amiable key Heady Beady Not it Its It's not ready mind wont won't be tie ready for till halt half an nn hour yet Who rang that belt bell Christie Christ tle le felt like dropping through the floor Very 1 positive steps step were coming Ing rapidly her way WilY The file next moment Int she Khe was ns faced by n II stern stern- looking woman Old Did ld you ou IIII ring that bell Christie felt It would be useless to 10 deny I didn't know It was the dinner dinner bell belI she sho explained 1 II I J Willi weal want I 1 Doctor 1101 Carpy What lint tor for I For lr my lilY father W Well II hes he's not lint here There TherA was W a fight tight this morning down In t the hI Ither Bever quarter A A. man tuan got shot lies lie's down there What's the Iho mutter w with your jour our father Each Kach question was voa chopped off orr with witha a m mental ax nod and the question flung with about as liS much consideration asa us as usa usa a lii bullet I let Sly My father retorted Christie re rl resentfully Imitating and beginning to fet feel the harshness of her questioner needs u doctor II He lie was 0 robbed last night nigh mind and beaten l She spoke poke her words t with due feeling but If It she expected to make any Impression w with the tie news or to ar O fU arouse u e 8 sympathy for fill her anxiety she wits was ih tI 11 ed stories of tle's sort meant lIt III till tl to Margaret Hyde she hud had be bt become come too Inured to the violence of ofa a frontier town Jt It f you Oil want the doctor you'd oud bettel better bet ter tel welt wait here till 1111 he tie cornea comes back She shims snapped As she 11 spoke the thc two women heard u a heavy step on the porch larch and nid lime next moment Doctor Carpy walked In lie Ill threw dOI n do II his bis bar bag and aniS throw threw i off his hla hat with tho the air of ot a tired man mono Then sitting Kitting down n as I bh housekeeper left the room he hoard heard Christies Christie's story Her lIr father fallier had holl h been en called out of ot the tent late tho the night before set on by two men Olen robbed of ot all nU his money brutally beat beaten Ill I'll about the bend bend and and she RIle n l hind i not dared leave len the tent to hunt up tire tiro doctor till after daylight Without discussion Carpy told mild her herto herto to Walt wait one minute till he tic could get Iet geta a 1 cup rup of ot coffee corree and he lie would go with her nut Hut the tho cook hod overslept the coffee corree was not ready Carpy muttered mut bred somewhat hot Rill and pu sputtered II e 1 rummaged rum ruin maged about for some and was 08 ready to lo go with Christie Selwood kept a It room at lit It locally known and Usually U slept there but his hours were Irregular and he did not often appear In the lie room dining before noon This Sunday morn morning In he wu Willi up early und and walked down to tho rho River liver q quarter orter on his hi way RY to Tracys Tracy's R tent rear Near the bridge he lie saw lIo coming up from the lie tents with Doctor noctor Doc noc- tor Corpy Carpy lie He would have Ilave passed III them and preferred to do so III without comment for he hI was In to no moral mood being heln jealous and resentful to make makenny e eony any ony appeal for Christies Christie's favor accordingly ac oc- accordingly cordingly ly he be tried to pass on on however held John I Iho Carpy him hint ho he began without preface or apology y and catching I the lapel of Selwood's coat to snake make sure lIuro of his victim Isaid I 1 said Fall ld to you only the other day If It theres there's nay any human scum In the whole whore blamed United Stoles States that landed In Sleepy Cat It must taut be he they aint never neler heard olIt ol ot It yet It Beyond touching his hb hot hat and that almost without looking at her Sewood Selwood Sel SI wood did not acknowledge Christies Christie's presence He lie held his eyes strictly on 00 Carpy and ond received the lie doctors doctor's outburst without visible vl emotion Why dont don't you OU say any something you big big- galoot demanded the he doctor fussed to to tell the truth b. b by the lie pres presence ence enre of ot the slip of a young yount woman athis nt at his side side so so young Indeed that she hc should be culled a a girl ruttier rather than thon a II woman What do you OU want me to say any asked askell Selwood without a smile You always s 's as ask c me 1111 that when you OU gel get mad mud mad youre you're mad l most ost of ot the time lime What's bothe bothering ng you ou John heres here's this Fla nice little girl girllie lie he looked toward her and end knit his Ills brows In to perplexity perplexity dash dash It I 1 he continued apologetically I never ne can cun remember your jour our name name- The doctor had ind taken off its Ids hat lint nod mind was scratching his hl ear Ill when I lie he appealed to his companion for help Christie Fyler Eyler Interposed Christie Chris Chris- tie Just the soUnd Mund of ot her lieI voice pulled Selwood's to her eyes ees eyes els And nd ho he saw slue she he had b been n crying You know this III big hulk dont don't ou j-ou Christie asked the doctor with genial Informality If It you OU dont don't he hI continued meet O John Selwood was Impatient nt Dont be a n fool ol Doctor he be protested sed neither at lit the tho mention of ot his hIli Sleepy Cut Cat nickname nor 1101 at ut the situation before be be- fore ture him Well lII It I Is Gentleman John I You cant can't get rid of It It It pf persisted the IIII doctor ductor You Just j tipped lipped up tip your our hato ha lint to 10 her hr didn't you ou Nobody else plse w wit with withIn h. h In III n a hundred and tind fifty tiny tulles miles n of Sleepy Cut ut would do that would they Selwood perceiving the Iho source o othe fit mif the doctors doctor's loquacity Ignored the rest of it It lie He turned his t eyes s on ChrIstie whose hose face showed slum tier her lis- lis trl's tress Is I your father sick he o asked w without much fl feeling lie He robbed and 11 beaten last las night ail she replied looking at lit him bin and 11 speaking quickly q Two neu rime to tho the tent culled him nut knocked him hint senseless and took look al albis all ull hI bis money money- A too tool I Intersected interjected the doctor mid And yesterday morning Mr Atkins took look possession of f the th store anti and put tenter out o of It II entirely I Selwood lol could no longer pretend In Inv difference Why hy he hl n naked mildly Christie Christ le wrung one 1111 hand ou nef nervously I In the oilier other Oh I dont don't know I cant can't understand It neither can father lIe He says father owes him him money he money he doesn't not lIot not n II penny Rut Iut hes he's taken nil our goods anti e I I and put pat us out In the street I I t Selwood Sel listened without butting batting an e eye eje Christies Christie restrained grief was lis plainly acute Carpy thought It should hove havo called forth some expression lon of from frow the gambler Jt Why hy dont don't your you u say something remonstrated the Ihl doctor Selwood h i od naked asked a question of at the doctor Urns IIII low bad lId 1 U Is hurt Welt Well from froDI III his hilt head being cut rut wide open and beta i Pounded up lip generally with a wagon OIl spoke poll 1 he aint really hurt at al nil nil replied Carpy ironically Ironic Doctor murmured Christie lIe net nat anxious to 11 get getaway el away from frolO an stubs I I phere Lher ought we se not Ilot to tu b bt be hurry curry I Ing ng fo to get ret the medicine bark back to father Selwood turned to Christie I Ion won on wonder der whether I could l your see fe your father fathera a 0 a minute lie didn't want |
