Show Selwood of Sleepy Cat a I By FRANK H. H SPEARMAN I I t t r Chitte Charle Son Sons NU S Ice I STORY FROM THE START John d J fr R gentleman birr and ant m r of a stage t ge at t SI Cat eom comes omea upon a M whose hon wagon hoi has mired d dIn In a m creek crek re k H It helps helpa get the outfit outfit out out- fit nt clear lifter after picking up a girl gitl's shoe Iho ho unit and b being ln by the supposed d own owner r thereof In Fy Fy- Urn the th a settlers settler's wagon Mo McCracken a youth li II robbed of I uno teno In a H Cat gambling gambling- ten den tore forces foru the swine diem dlen r j and n J Atkin to re return reo re- turn the money mony Tyler opens n r. dry elry rood i store ore with lIlt big running running- a mock mark auction Inn Atlwood learns learn the girl who whose hoe shoe he picked ked up II li Christie daughter make Christie acquaintance and anel warns warn Joyl that Atkin I is I. a crook fronk Starbuck head bud of the crooked le attracted tries to Ingratiate tle with Christie The 1 girl mind Ind U la pot pol- coned against d. d Tyler Kyler li I beaten ned and robbed Christie I 1 Doctor octor Carpy meet Selwood Sel- Sel wood ind end Informs Inform him that At Atkin kin hal hai thrown h bar r father out of hi his hili to own It It Fyler I la Is not badly hurt With hi hi two companion drive AtkIn and from Tylers Tyler's store who hai hie an for tor gambler turn turne against when ill she Ih learn learne he h. I la I. a gambler Imbler CHAPTER IX Continued IX-Continued Continued t 10 10 tl The young Rambler gambler meant to trim Mm him and all 1111 that had gone before was will only preliminary to what u now In hand From rom the tho moment S Selwood Set Set- I. I wood land sat lint Into the piny the night before he had done clone little more Inure than to 10 study 1 topers toper game came toper Roper liked lI the tho two handed came game S meant that he be should meant that his OliO deuce should bo ho firmly d The gent general continued to win until within halt half an hour of ot breakfast when a n bad streak cost coat him hen hell led him for tor just duet a little while while- too far for that mysterious mys of ot chance luck agency poker Joker momentarily deserted him In n a fit n of ot t the general tried to discipline H to It-to to drag It rudel rudely baric bade to his aid with the mortifying result that in half halfa u a dozen hands ho he lost every dollar h he e had bad made In the early morning hours showing his teeth Nor was the Ule strategy he lie trade made use uso o of ot altogether In In Inthe the monotonous turn i of ot the curds end and the tile w nerve caring g bet tet against the unseen lie He reasoned d that before General would log lose e els winnings he must first lose loso his temper this the time nix lis disastrous hand s had cost coat him lint Dut now time the genera gc like n prudent soldier retreated lie no IT o drew Into hI his shell silent and l 1 and saw easy that something wa wax necessary to tn encourage him lie ordered or or- dered and while It wu was a being prepared the general won sonic some o connotation pot pots II The Tho meal WOI brought to the door y by y the housekeeper hll Margaret Hyde pale silent emotionless Tho fhe Iio better part Int of the pot of ot strong coffee was wn s conceded by Selwood who took only a cupful to Roper The general lighted light ed it a fresh cigar from the big III bu box tilted back bRCk In his flimsy chair an and 1 looked his opponent carefully over o i elwood calm aIm under the Inspection only tU toyed thoughtfully white thoughtfully while Gen Oen- eral fral Roper smoked with smoked with the cards Ord o othe on n th the table tohle before him When Roper hope r was ready to resume he himself drea drew drewa rw w a sealed pealed pack of ot new cards from hi hit hi pocket lOcket Lets Ieta hove have n a fresh deck young man nien he said Mill Indifferently or clr with lIh an nit nil of Indifference ns as us h he produced thorn them Jt It It seems as If It I cant can remember r your jour our name It ought not to lie Ie hard for tor you ou t to remember wu was nil Selwood retorted re ro- l. l Hut tut the remark was unnoticed 1 its fir Sei 11 meant It to be tol When Roper brought out Ms ids own cards Set SI tel telwood wood without comment took the cards s they had been playing with alt all night nigh t threw them In a n corner and d Ropers Roper's puck pack Th The play 1101 went nt on Within un an hour Selwood hod had his s Fame where ho bo thought tho he ht could manKe man man- Ke 1 It When Roper Hoper played for tor safety i was vm patient when the ge Ken gln n cm cral I dashed at him headlong d l the charge o and exacted his hl e wound und of flesh Ily Dy ten o'clock thai tin morning tenured he hI lied had found nun nuns d s man his superior In nerve nene an and 1 ht bU I CIU equal II I In strategy and his hili anger ancer wa s t the e nn fairer r of ot that master minister of ot fence wh o 11 that his bin skill I hsC ha R her been n end and his rapier o I Hut But the general lacked the caution n to prom profit b by hU hii discernment Igge d on en l I. I by y that hint sreh enemy n of ot us all all vat vun- he hI Irl pressed hIs bis nm enemy Selwood recognized rl the symptom II C Cas M as tilt the bi of ot the end s recklessness 1 wits ns 1111 stimulated design e ly b by 11 minor Mice ease and hIs Ills hopes hope s were t repeatedly dashed by hl losses He lie i tuns ns gently Kently le ItOI 1 Into int o c and brutally punished for ht hU hll v Ills d turl was anal nd ml liH Illi trodden underfoot I Ima In n I Ij j ro ma other oilier possible why could 1111 his hili pride e I 1 till rune hate t le been 1110 n M to nn and RI l his pro pre pretentious Ho Ito rose cos C l J from the tile e nt noon noon In t t Kelwood I o offered to play longer If It h he ht e I 1 wished exhausted exhausted physically hi III e I ryea 71 un fire firl his bis voice shrunken to tot Itt n It t rn trel treble a R ben ten mUll It U a a r the lo lost through t he ha had tl row rouiti tely out out hut h L hj b. b C I j I At A- A Q t bud 1111 been at Mil Ills 0 own n game i and he hI knew know It I fet Olt et my lilY I t 0 Us U's together and see ee I what I owe you ou be hI mild brusquely i iII II a no s he be pu pushed hU his choir buck luick Look i h ire iere he ended added Insolently insolently Kelwood Selwood In n Kus 09 iii up I hIs where did you OU u learn to lo pl play y poker did dIll not the trouble tro to lo look lonk up UI Among Awong the es t trail c bt rt filter r c-r he be un un- lI no luck loch of amid I In n tle ete Indifference to lime th result I of or Ms Iris words word M Rhy he naked In III I turn and with no less leis of In Insolence Dont ont you like tn my your our i demanded Roper The had bad CJ cast t n II node Ii tell the mn mask k of suavity e worn orn f for r so o many tunny hours met bis hla n with Stith maleness R. R poker he lie retorted re- re ent to In r result I exclaimed c Roper kindling Do you OU mean nn to soy joure youre 11 n profen- profen gambler sounds founds like it ft doesn't It ItT IU You Mott Insult me mt sli I exclaimed with willi nn on You Instilled me tilt when ThIll you refused to play pIny with my ruy cards You railed called for tor jour our own didn't you And I 1 cleaned you out with your own new flew Into a passion slon Do you piny with marked curds he thun dered Selwood was RA Impassive Nobody would need marked cards to piny with you OU Gi he be returned I plo play piny with marked cards when I play with thieves thieves they furnish them Wentworth I 1 Campy 1 roared Roper Como In fn hero herol I The Tho two t men appeared ap up vented nt at time the door together lher What do you mean he be demanded with a n string of ot expletives b by running r In n professional gambler on me tire for tor a gentlemen's gen en ns n's game gamo of ot poker looked hooked blank but blank but the look mostly assumed lIns he lie cleaned you OU General he n asked ked with cal innocence Wentworth blurted out Roper you told me he ire was your Jour superintendent dent here Hash Dash It he Is la returned Wentworth Wentworth Went wort worth h testily Last IlIst time you OU were wre up III hero you O cleaned out Dave e Trucy Truce You weren't BO so blamed particular then whom you 1 0 played poker with toper stamped about In a tantrum Ive been ben played on on taken taken In b by a common card rard sharp sharp sharp-I've Ie Ive I've been robbed Selwood who had been sitting flItting n as ns nn on unconcerned listener slapped th the e eerie with which they had berg been playIng play Ing lag sharply down on the table lie rose Instantly and confronted Roper rI r I wouldn't call n a man of ot your yenta years a liar OI General rAI lint Hut you OU cant can t crawl I nw ny after a game with me wit with h any such puch word ns as robb robbed d'- d' blamed old martinet martinet- Why you ou shouted Campy Carpy angrily Hold on Joc Hold your horses 1 1 I Interposed Wentworth hostile hastily The Tim e general 1 J s m my guest were guest were we're gentlemen ei i here could cool not be suppressed I Every man on the Mountain divide Idt he thundered nt would call you ou n a liar If Itou you called John Selwood d a crook crook- rook It Selwood put lut up his hili hand haud lIe He wa was s white with anger Ill do the tLe talking felting Doctor Portor he an said II The men watching 6 him made no further attempt lt to In testers Roper r sullen glared ginned at hint him This man ruun Selwood Sel pointed t to Roper calls c IU mo me a card sharp sharp sharp-he he e leas has good rt reason llon t to to-a to n better reason cease en n than thun be he knows I lie He was looking a ae ahe s II he lie e spoke at Wentworth and Carey CUI and directed his hll words to 10 thrill theta I wan wanto want t to tell you gentlemen who that ma man manU n U his I. hla finger anger 1 pointed remorselessly v at Roper Hoper And I Wit want lit to tu tell yo you OU t u who I 1 am That man sent my rather father r lo to hi his hll death nt at the tho hands bonds of Indians Indiana t That man tried to 10 send III my lay mother 11 r and und me to the same death That nna man n put Iut a Main en on my mothers mother's name nimie 11 He e sent ni me out Into till this world without t a 1111 name III e. e It If that mans man's word wood Is IK goodhe good goodhe he he shot the words sturdy out like ilkI bullets my toy father never married ur III my y mother lit I 1 t Damnation shouted Corpy fn en i raged ragel Why Wiry dont don't jou Sou kill 11 him Selwood lood went steadily on un Ill tell tel 1 you IOU that drat too terse I 1 come iune out on tin the DIvide Divide Di nl vide Ille ten years Ilir ago ague I I was wan n fifteen S years old oh ohI I 1 went to tu this thin mun man up Ill u ul III t the tile Fort ort told told him hint who ho I St wit ht L he r cursed toe me The only limn on 01 th the e whole holl huh trail trull that shone ve l I me l honest oros oro's I kindness wit Will the lime old aid who all lie 1111 down there In Ih the tent tent lInn p In Tracy Date e Truc Trucy was as a gambler h he could coal rl me tine no unit trade but hut Iris his 1 0 own n Ii lie 11 N never ne tried to tu make a of ot toI to III e I I noels one Ine of ot myself I 1 I liked It t 1 I I drifted tutu Into It I ei- ei to tn dlo In It ItI ItI t I 1 dont don't excuse It 11 I dont don't whine about abort t It I know Iono the cards they the they know OW min inc c. c They're false friends like ilkI nil all friend l lI v I with with you 1 0 when you lU 1 win ln In u you yo t u when you lo lose l' l limit I dont don't lr f fume forget t what hut that th titan man has hili done ilon I to me mo min d ruins mine You ou ask tn me Campy Carpy w why Ly I don't dont t kill Mm its hint It because hU tale son scan 1 Ilea leut t Henry no Roper r was my ny father ether I IAn IAn An Instant of ot silence Ce terrible to to o sustain followed the astonishing c words Roper leper apoplectic with em emo emotion eLinn n e Linn tion started and aud clutched at nt his iris shirt almir t collar any anyone one could reach him h ht bt e f. f fell u belt hea to th wi We floor COOl and Campy Carpy with wills touch much i lifting non trigging arr Roper tto to tu tolie the lie bod het In n Cn Carpy's illYS illY'S r HIU w white while the j doctor administered restoratives nl Sel Sel- II 1 ns assured that no hll fatal lUl 1 went Int down n III W Wentworth Went Went- nt worth Joined hint presently with tit the news flint hn t Roper biter had ll recovered con con- sr f on and had biro n gh ghen en a seda- seda lire Ive Canty came down dO within half an hour and accompanied h by Wentworth went flIt nt at ollI 11 to 10 hl his hie room moth There Selwood h tint tent nt do lown n a 8 sup sup- ply ly of ot I I bold lold jou ou 1111 the hare bare fact of or tills thin mans man's rr 1 tilon to me lie hI began ad addressing dressing the two men n limit Hut you OU are arc entitled to 10 more My h other father was urns I lett Henry my mother was Annie Annh she hI tt w-ns w the daughter of ot n II nl post l i t t trailer nt at eld eM fort ll 1 Young ono I fell rIll In to toe lo with whit my nty hint 1 her r Ills father then Ihen Colonel toper com com- o there tIr nl violently nn angry he ry r-hp r be wouldn't listen to their getting married married married-he he 1 thought ht a 8 post trailers traders daughter wn nt good enough for the Roper blomi hot but that didn't chill the young couple Their one object object ob ob- In life was to get It would t he a poor kind of ot a n man gentlemen that wouldn't sp speak lIk well 1111 of ot hi his own o mother who mother who wouldn't deal gently with her weaknesses anil draw w n a alII veil lII If It need were over her mistakes Hut gentlemen I want to tosny sn say Im I'm not called on to apologize In any way tor for my Illy little dead mother She was wan a 8 whip of ot a n girl lrI eighteen years old old- Ho Ito was twenty one She Sho weighed ninety pounds when Henry toper married her only her only ninety pounds but every pry ounce of ot that ninety I I I I I ct v Sent My Father to His Death at the Hand Hands of Indians Indian pounds was true tr womanhood as all you yet t will soy say when you jou OU hear henr me and sh slit lih r Knew v what was due to herself And 1 I can Iun SO say no too word against my dead deai 1 father tether tether-ho he knew what was ire duo to th the e woman he loved love and respected It SIh was the better educated be was th the e older older and and I know nothing of ot either r of It it them but what hut Is I. to their honor hone r and mine There were few chances at the of oia olt d fort forI In III those thoRe dos days to get el married amid If there Is la one thing for tor which winch m to father should be blamed It was WI the that i be lie was afraid of t hi iris his own n father nn an h let Itt him hums bully him film hut Hilt in spite ut tit tin tilt bullying he wouldn't give e up lp the girl girland and to break up II the time tnt attachment tint thin old uld won up upstairs stairs arranged to lu e e his son Ion transferred to 10 ort Fort Calhoun the transfer order antes come e and while the yours young couple couple- were erl e growing desperate over their thin a II party parI of It Crows started on In tin till d' d warpath Colonel Roper ordered s II t troop I of cavalry out after after- the Crows e It happened Just dust when there wm wa im an on outbreak of ot at the fortU fort It U was ryes lI light ht but hut ninny many of ot the tact iuen n were Steno down the captain w who hn woul c l have ha ordinarily commanded the lime exp exits exits- tilt 1011 was wua down dawn M My father was assigned us liS signed I to the tho Job dub of ot punishing time IIII Crow Cruise Cruise- sHut s. s Hut be he had to watt wait for tor men inert Colonel like an nn old blunder l bins u s sputtered around to ICI hurr hurry things up III but u a week slipped HilliN away |