TALES AND SKETCHES.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12021, 21 March 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

TALES AND SKETCHES.

THE DEPARTURE OF LILYWHITE AVERV. (By EDWARD BOLTWOOD.) With his back against the wall, Lilywhite Avery faced the three solemn committeemen and regarded them with a fluttering eve. His submissive bearing irritated Judge M'Queen visibly. A year ago, when the committee had made a similar demand of Three Card Hendricks, the result had been a joyous running fight as far as War Bonnet Creek. Avery's conduct was insipid, disgusting and distinctly unbusinesslike. "I understands, Mr Nugent/' said Lilywhite. -" It's quit er git." Cornelius Nugent, a citizen of property and consequence, nodded, and received theformal surrender of the gambler's sis shooter. "So I quits," concluded Lilywhite. "1 quits fer good—monte. dice, stud, every thin'. Cross my neck an* heart I'm through, an I stays in the village." "There won't be no second warning," said the disappointed judge. " You make another crooked play in this here town of Spearfish, South Dakota, and—over the river'." He bent an expressive forefinger. .'* That goes—and if yon fellers don't treat me right " " Hey?" broke in M'Queen eagerly. " All I wants is a chance," explained Avery, subsiding. "I was agoin' to quit ! gambiin' anyhow. Mr Nugent, he knows why. If tver I plays dishonest ag'in, bring on yer funeral." In resentful contempt, M'Queen led the committee to retirement. Avery remained, leaning against the clapboards "and staring at the velvety mud of the street where it gleamed brown under the four red lights of the Senate Concert Hall. The distant tinkling refrain of the piano was caught by a lounger on the opposite corner. Mamie, Mamie, pretty Mamie All iier love belongs to ma. • Spurs jingled to the shuffle of the dance. Lilywhite smiled contentedly. He was a slight, swartay man, with" a tense, thai neck and sloping shou-ders. A girl picked a zigzag pata across the street, and Avery extended a hand to assist her to the plans sidewalk. "Mercy, John I" she gasped at the bashful energy of his pnlL "Haa yer supper, Miss Angeline?" he said. "No, I ain't." She glanced through the window of Mrs Majors restaurant - Nobody's there," she said. •• Come on in, John." He followed her awkwardly into tire empty dirung-room. By the murkv lamplight Angeune Nugent looked older than she really was, and the feather in her ugiv hat maite disfiguring shadows on her young, pale face, ana on the innocent grev eves where shyly havered the problem of awakening womanhood. " Fried ham and eggs," recited Mrs Major, hurrying tram tne kitchen, "fried steak, fried—" " I guess I'll take a cup o' tea. I "ue«s that'll do." ° " Y'aint feelin' noways hove down, is yer Miss Angeline?" said Avery. '

"No, indeed. 1 ain't got a eail to be nothin' only happy to-nigut, John. But I'm that nervous—John, tookahere. When I see you standin tnere, it come over me to say sometmn. First I planned to send these uiuigs, bat now I'm goin' to <nve 'em to you." ° From her pocket she took a roll of vetlow paper, elaborately tied wjen a p\nk ribbon. Inert was a moment's pause. Sat watcned the man's lips. " Those are your presents," Angeline said braveiy. " Utt, Joun, I nates to hurt youi" She was twisting tne scarlet fr.nge ot the tabieciotn in titr ringers. •• You ve been as good as a brother to me since vou come to apearfish. But i can't never love you—l've tried and I can't. And now I've tound—l've tound more'n a brother, and somehow—well, it just don't seem square for m« to keep these tricks of yours." Avery ran ms tnuaib mechanically around the eage o£ a plate. " That's r.ght, Angeline," he said. " Yes, sir. That's dead right. Goin.' ter git married, 1 shouldn't wonder?" he asktd, bending over ttie knots of th.6 ribbon, wnJe Miss Nugent slowly sprinkled sugar into her steaming cup. "I'm goin to get married to-night. 1 reckon dad and every body'll be surprised when they find out. I was surprised myself, Jonn. I promised—l promised him not to tell until it's settled; but ot course 1 had to tell you part of it. My! That tea's awful hot." " Try one <>' them there candy crackers. I remember how yer hke-d 'em" the night we—go ahead, try one." " >o» 1 don't guess I want anythin'." I hey pusned back their chairs and walked out, eaca waiting tor the other to speak. In the suadow beyond the door she halt cried, under her breath : "John, yuu ain't sore, are you?" "No, .Angeiine," he said," doggedly. "1 ain't no kicker. Don, ty er worry. We're pais, same as ever." "Sure we are, John;" and she kit him alone in tne darkness. The group or loaders on the corner chan» ed sentiiueutaliy to tae wiry accompaniment of tae piano in the dance-nail. Lilywmte Avery stumbled into the shaft oi iigut winch escaped underneath Mrs Major's btuw window suade, and Uiere lie unloosed the tissue paper and spread the contents oi the packet on his palm—a coral bracelet, a book o: cgarette pictures, a ring, a button with ids puotograpu on it. He turned them over curiously, and the grip of a pain he could not understand began to steal about his heart. " Must a' hoodooed my fool self," he mattered, vaguely rebellious. Ihe nag, siuei* on the end of his little finger, mocked aim wan the sparkle of its gaudy stone. Laughing and singing, the louugers Hooked triruugti tue doors of the Senate, and Avery snook nis hst at tbe deserted stceet. •" Ou, Lauga '." he sail fiercely. " You kin lau.-a cc»ai-j motnm', too, alter sfie —by tiiuuder, stie mustn't do notnm' ornery 1 Hr tilted his ch.n, in defiance at the stars. " She snun't hitch up to no cuts that'll misuse her, an' shanii ner, an' put the: laugt. onto her. .No, sir. Stie- ain't ier me, nei the Lkes o" me, an' she shan't do nothin' ornery. Vou jus' tuuk out, Jonn, ot' boy, an' lay Low." The phrase brought a certain comfort. He rtpt-atcd it as he drifted into Schaelfer's saloon. Ik-ne Clay, tht solitary customer, i leaned on the b,.n r taikiug to trie landlord. stood between them. In tbe Bad .Lauus the consumption of champagne is significant of extraordinary occurrences, pa.se, present, or to come. '" Vou're in time, sport," said Clay, slapping, the bar ra.l. " Here We. go !" Clay ware the parade dress of a cow puLcxier —black clothes, trousers uver his boots, a stir! shirt which creaked when hemoved. His bullying" mouth asserted itsei. beneath the sleekly curied moustache. Down, the sid« of his face ran the thread of a scar, nude by the knife ot a hali-brcsd wcrrun u'h ■- a. he had cast oif in Deadwood. 'the scar red whenever G*ne was excited, and to-n.ght it darned. "Hiiliiu' "em kinder high, ain't yet.'" s.iid Lilywhite. " V'.u b.-tciitr!" Clay Ujcanhr grave- as !..-• u:iv..,uui the .-trip or rattlesnake skin from Lis. puckctbook. " Say, charge up the wine, wLI you, Ditch? I ue-.-is all the stuff I got." "Sui>-." Schaeffer. wheeling to the sbte. I i;-;i».-'s pur-e tiv i»p-u for an instant, and Avery observed within it tun p'lf-en niiirn.id ticket-. " l.i.'i—■ v-.'r. u'i>in' tr'Vidliti'." Ik g.«e.l. "tfi>..H ai;a:n." Ctav. Some- «'::■>: -::;.'-. ,-—•~1. '";.-" -MrtPd V ; . ..[-,,.,.

"That there's a swell lady's ring you got, Lilywhite," said he. Lilywhite covered the" jewel with an involuntary gesture, but - Clav's attention was focussed on the finger. "How much d'you want for it?" he asked. "Tain't fer " sale. Leastways, I don't reckon you're man enough to buy it off of me." "Aw, don't get fresh," advised Clay, frewning. "I tell you, I could just u-se that ring," he explained to the bartender. " Well, well, keep your fore hoofs on the prairie,"* interceded Schaeffer amiably. "Gene's well heeled." He pointed at' the pocketbook, and, with a mind for trade, produced a leather dice box. "Roll the bones with him for the ring, Lilywhite." "Ain't got over much time," said Clay, with a swaggering look at the clock; " but n« tin horn gambler's goin' to stump me!" Avery fondled the dice box thoughtfully. He was unarmed; he had nothing but his craft- wherewith to fight against Gene Clay for the good name—lor so he was now convinced—of Angeline. It was ten miles from Spearfish to the railroad. Without public scandal, if he could, he must block this knife-marked betrayer of women. Gene misconstrued the hesitation, and showed his teeth in a sneer as he bit off the end of a cigar. "Nobody'll stump me!" he repeated, and blew a cloud in Lilywhite's face. "I'll roll yer a few," said Avery. Mr Schaeffer scuttled from behind the bar and drew back the calico curtains which screened a table in the coiner next tne duor. Tne two men slouched alter him, Avery carrying the learner box. As he followed Clay he emptied Sdiaeffer's dice into his pocket and substituted live of his own. They sat down. Lilywhite took the corner seat with his back against the window. " JLwenty-five beans," announced Avery, tossing tne ring, but within his reacn, on the stained oilcloth. Clay contemplated it with.studied indifference. " ..flat do you say, Dutch?" - Twenty-five goes, i t,ue»s," said Schaeffer. Avery watcned him rub the stone on his wiping rag. "Twenty-five's rignt.'" The dice xattled. BcnaeUer yawned, trimmed ttie wick of the single iamp, ana retired into the columns or tne " ispeamsh ibcimitar." Tne minutes slipped by, punctuated by the soft thud of the dice box. When the door swung open, Lilywhite Avery hitcned about snarpiy in his chair. Tne ring still lay in the angle oi his wrist, and beside it was now a little pile of gold and silver. The newcomer Gow Wong, with a tin pail. The trickle of the beer into the pail attracted Gene; he looked up, : called for another cigar-, and swore loudly at his evil fortune. The Chinaman, bland and silent messenger of Nemesis, pattered to the street, ana to his launary, wnere , Judge M'Queen sat waiting for his Sunday . linen and passing the gossip of the town.

" Schaeffer, lemme have a stake, old man, till next week, will youi" said Clay. " Dangedest luck 1 ever" was to!' Schaeffer drummed on the lid of the cigar box. ." Oh, Lilywhite'll give yer a chanst for yer money,'' He temporised consolingly. " Seen a railroad ticket or so in yer wallet from Deadwood ter Buffalo Gap. I'll roll agin tnat," drawled Avery, grim and nonchalant. Clay scowled doubtfully across the oilcloth." ''Ef yer sand's run out " added Lilywhite. '* Let 'er rip!" growled Gene, crunching his cigar between his teeth. He made a throw and calculated the result. "Pair o' bed posts—six—deuce " he began, but raised his head at a quick fmrry of footsteps beyond the door. " 'Pears like we'd 'most have ter wind this thing up," said Lilywhite laconically. The men outside halted at the threshhold, talking. Avery spun the dice, then Clay, then Avery, and immediately the latter snatched the tickets from the table and tore them once across the middle. " What the devil's this "i" cried Gene, springing up. "They're mine. I won 'em. There goes yer honeymoon, Mr Hewgene Clay! An' ef yer lets loose the gal's name in this gang, I'll—" The crowd surged in before he could conclude. M'Queen stormed in the lead, brandishing a pistol, determined on the centre of the stage. '* Up hands, ye gangle legged varmint!" he roared. Lilywhite obeyed. " Gen'lemen," said he with a deferential cough, "you all has cert'nly got me beat." "Not an hour gone yoa lied to me, Avery !" yelled the judge. "He snivelled off irom bein' run out o' town," M'Queen went on. "He passed us a pledge to quit skin games, and now he's bust it!" "I know that," assented Lilvwhite. "What then?' "What then? I told yer what then." The judge lurched forward murderously, but Cornelius Nugent laid a restraining hand on his shoulder. Gene detailed his losses to a cackling group of sympathisers ranged along the bar, behind which, Schaeffer, his fat, rosy face distorted by excitement, was wiping glasses automatically. Lilywhite Avery surveyed a dingy lithograph on the wall. " I'm a lot sorry there ain't no 'more hilarity about this finish, fellers," he said, moistening his lips, " but I ain't got no gun, and—well, I guess it's up to you, Mr .\l*Queen."

'• Ye sponge-livered greaser!" exclaimed the judge. "Is there anythiug more you want to—" "Yes," interrupted Avery. "I wants a short talk with ol' man Xugent. Xo gum games. Y r er kin trust me." " Guess that's so, considerin' circumstances," said Cornelius. He advanced, stroking his grey beard. .The others noisily engaged the service! of the bartender, and listened to Clay's fourth shrill recital of the manoeuvres of the loaded dice. "" This here's a double cinched fix, Avery." said Angeline's father. " I can't help you, nohow. What'd you go for to lie to" us ait for':'* " 'Tain't that," whispered Lily-white. " I don't care a Injun cuss. Lookahere what I lifted off Gene Clay. Lookahere the writin's into the inside of it." Mr Xugent inspected the band of the ring, spelling the engraved letters somewhat laboriously. " ' My darling Angeline,*"' he grunted. " My darling—blazes '. Him !"' " Fair o' railroad tickets ter the Gap fer this night,' 1 ' continued Lilywhite remorselessly ; " coral bracelet—bunch o' money —an' him in his other clothes, fer no rea20n "cept one." Xugent blinked rapidly, and reached under the flowing skirt of his coat. "" Hot' on," interposed Lilywhite. " You mustn't make no gun play that'll start the gang laughin' at her. Don't yer see':" tie spoke quick, for M'Queen was becoming restive. "She ain't hurt yet. You just go hoine. an' talk to her fatherlike, au' watch over her, an' nuss her same's yer wife might do ef ahe warn't dead, and save the shootin* till a better chance. Keep her name quiet. I couldn't get no word to you before, an' 1 couldn't let Clay outer my sight. Guess that's about all." "I—l'm cbliired to you, Lilvwhite," said Xug..-nt. " Didn't see no o;her nay than this," apologised the other, huskily. "She's only a k:d. Kinder didn't like to sec- her git all messed up." " "i ou're a sort of a low-lived crook, Avery, but there's only :i single cayuse on the hitchin' tail in front. au'~i: you had a st:trt, 1 -tuntu*—" Xugent pnused,* deliberating. " Anytime, .-lie give in..- my medicine this eveiiiu',' murmured Liiywhitr. "unit to himself. '• Put mt straddle- a horse and you'll never see me no more." .fudge M'Queen whirled impatiently on liia -eel at the bar. "Time's up, over the.e!" he called. "Tiic window's handy," said Cornelius, softly. " X»w, ye homely son of a s«_-a cook, hump!'' Whereupon he shook tho .filing with a frontiersman's whoopee, and a forty-five revolver crashed a barking voile v from his hip. Old in'ii Xu;ent's ;>im wa> true. His ;

shots riddled the lamp, filling tie room with the blinding, livid smoke of burning oil. In the stifle and hot confusion the men plunged wildly for the door, but there, as ill luck would have it, sprawled Cornelius Nugent, entangled in two chairs and effectively blockading the entrance. Over him they tumbled in a profane pile, and no one heard the shiver of the window panes and the rush of a hotse as Lilywhite Avery galloped away. "Take your 'big foot off my nose, M'Queen!" shouted old man Nugent from the bottom of heap on the" threshold. "" The dodgasted greaser had a knife, and 1 took a crack, at him. Why doesn't that Dutch fool make a light?" •'Avery, he's skipped," the judge, when the citizens of Spearfish had ilisentwined themselves. "Reckon there's no use chasm'. He'll never come back. l\-e seen you shoot better, Cornelius.'* " But he's got my stuff!" Gene Clay complained. "No, he ain't," snapped Nugent. "I your stuff. We'll talk about that i ter, you and me." On a rise of ground beyond the town Avery drew rein and turned in his seat, .-t arching the, valley in vain for .the f':adow of a frame house he knewj and ti:e twinkle of its windows. The darkn.ss defeated Mm.

" Well, so long, anyhow, Angeline 1" he ighed. " You're well shet o' such cattle s me, Lord knows, and "

He looked "down in surprise at the horse's back 'underneath his hand. Behind the saudle was a pad of cloth, arranged as lor a woman's pillion. Lilywhite bent forward and examined the bridle.

" Why, this is Clay's horse!" said he. "Yes, sir, Gene Clay's. She might be setting' there!" And, smoothing the pillion every now and then with his fingers, he steadily burrowed a hole in the night as he made his way towards the Powder River country.