“THE IRON HORSE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17647, 21 September 1925, Page 14

“THE IRON HORSE.”

A WILLIAM FOX ROMANCE OF EAST AND WEST. THE “ STAR'S ” LATEST SERIAL. The M Star ” has secured Ihe exclusive South Island rights to the s fir ring romance. ‘‘The Iron Horse.” which has beep novelised by F.dwiu C. Hill from William Fox's great picture romance, 'East and West.'

CHAPTER XIV. “THE ARABIAN NIGHTS." After supper that evening in the t’mon Pacific Hotel, a meal which he j consumed in exclusive dignity at a | table especially set for him. Joe Demux . lighted his cigar and strolled through | the jammed street until he came to a j big tent whose signboard, swung above | the der.rwa-'. announced.in letters two > 1 feet high: JUDGE HALLER'S SALOON AND BAR. I As he smiled, at the familiar sign, hi- ear taught the icitnfnc ol :-oun<is iron! within, hoarse voioc-s. at - the bar. c 'jing tor drim;- or iAllowing jests; the si-iriiJ soprano of J falter s nance hail gir.f, me «• H- u clack of chips rattling good or evil fortune upon the tables' pt the gamblers, the quick strains of t.he oronepfra and loud erics of the caller inviting couples to a quadrille. 1 “The fat old fox is doing well,", he j said to himself. I .He pushed open the door, blinking j in the thick atmosphere of tobacco- 1 I smoke, liquor- sweat and perfume. He, i was recognised and wild shouts went ; up as always, when this baron of the • j out lands deigned to. show himself. Deroux waved a casual greeting, made bis way through the press’ of men and ! women to the long bar and shook .hands with . Haller, the proprietor, i fed Halier, who claimed and was j ready to defend at the point of a sivI shooter the title of “Judge" he had con- ! ferred upon himself, was a pondcrotis 1 chevalier of fortune. riling fiftv in • > ear: . who had pr*sp rod through a j -ful coinlinati(>n ->t shrewdness and I elastic cons'-ienc.-. the whole flavoured with io-ia'it- He had origin, -*.ted I *mcv. h. re in the South, arid laid'claim ; t > ;,ijv-hip with the old holding • but belied the Ivast !•- utter lael c f cdu< atinn and poll h His ante ' rrrlont l : were foggw but in that time i and ■ • netrv noN.d rare \ iv. • > bit,- j ■ .<] >out ■ ’ frilh antecedent and I j there v. a- no ■n ~ to vpntur? embarras I I ring quo'ior.v I Drifting from Heaven knows where, j j Haller had seep his great, chance with the railroad. The Vnd of the war ! ‘ -nod him Hush. He ■ rganised a bus; ' ness *-f following the road with his I r.ir.vahlc . loc.n. dara-c hr.:' i v.a-nl ii-o-g I'os" Sirnuitane-ovdy, and i- • ! • r< :. trictb 1 ; ' ■ town he opere 1 i w. bar His mm t-. I was “T.aw and order if you. have to I boot cm first.' and to give him his i ue he was usurdi able to di«voura.ge • or check the violence his powerful : whisk v pr, \ • 'ked. ! It- v.as Ins eust< m to si: behind the j mido.’e of the long liar, and from a high j : hi.-- la-! lir.t pushed to the bar!; • ' h eagle eye upon the mot lev throng’which night lv jammed i his place. Nothing escaped him. : though he frequently pretended to be , absorbed in a law book, the only IwSok

he possessed. This was a cope of the Re\ teed Statutes of the,State of LHn* is for the >rr 15530. In this important tiyr.'.e he groped for such legal te r -n; as lie needed to garnish his ejef At his right and left a corps ot bartenders were always busy. and ear h end - - the bar a man with a sawed-off shotgun stood ready t , enforce the .indicia! decrees Judge Halier’* “Saloon and Court" .contained in a frame a hundred and twenty feet long by fortv feet wide, a frame of detachable sections, covered w;t i cr.ma; At the beak *'r.d the pla-'-'u-e- nr-Mhlv floored for dancing, a large space being devoted u. tights. w itch was the other and i.'it’.cwr name c-i Haller establishment, wa - fhe great pubY- resort «.i the 1 ran itory railroad capital To the Arab-.an Night- lath good and evil flocked to enjoy their leisure and the savour of the drinking and gambling. The right stele of t'he canvas-covered structure was lined with a splendid bar, where the Judge presided, in state. The sideboards were stocked with every conceivable variety of alcoholic drink, fr ■ m fine French champagne to St Louis beer, the latter arriving bv the barrel tlnilv 'over the new road: with rye end Botirb n whisk' . and with <“ r and - igars Sid d ■ ards and bar g'.i'tered with • ut ‘glass. gdbleiy ic«-pitchers: and rrftrr<v*. Oil paint irg - • ' battle *cec.cs and of voluptuous ladie* rarbed tor heated climes hung '•von t!v si dev. a!’..- - f the !->v.g room. Most r,» .the remaining space was filled wi.h gambling tables tor fare. roulette, r- •ado '• 'do. blackjack* monte and whe.dsS of fortune over which presided a pale, cold-eyed gentry garbed, as a • :sua) thing, in ministerial broadcloth .By’ clay. Haller's Arabian Nights was rather quiet. but when night fell, the yellow lights streamed forth and the brass band snt forth its inspiring call to mirth, the long room soon filled with a throng of four cr five hundred miner-. . ranch---.railroad men. gamblers, rowdies, and the diyinherited from no man knew where. It was then that the brass band descended from the raised platform near the dancing floor and gave wav to the stringed orchestra. Quadrilles,, cotiihons and waltzes were t.he. order qf lhe- evening, with the square dances most in favour-as The readiest excuse for rough' mn and " horse play. At everv summons -of the caller the girls- reired partner-: and led them to ♦lw floor After every dance'there was generous biwing of drinks, champagne i< the partner was ip funds, otherwise whisk w Some of the girls, hx pre vious arrangement with the bartenders were rv-ed oniv with cold tea which could not be told from the hard liquor if no one became inquisitive Sum as did not. care for dancing, immune .to the blandishments .of the "oung ladies, crowded to -the . tables of chance. The musical rattle of dice, the whirr of the fast-spinning roulette wheel, the incessant clash of ivor-.- < hip.-. the clinkle of glasses, the shrill

I voices of the women and the hoarse | laughter of the men made a chorus j scarcely to be matched anywhere m , the . world. As the night aged, the i crowd thinned and the bar trade j slackened,' the astute Judge provided l fresh entertainment. A young man j mounted the orchestra platform and ; sang to the accompaniment of the ’ piano. He sang old ballads, ballads | of home and mother.’ always to deafen- | ing applause. Some of the-girls wept, i old memories raked by this sentimenI tal warbling. They were easily stirj red. these %\-onien who encouraged trade I at Haller's. Dcrotjx lounged at the bar, -spending his money free-handedly. He amused himselb bv commanding various groups to join him.. He drank lieaviiy. straight Kentucky whisky.'but the high proof-’stuff had little visible effect upon him. it rr.erejy fired his reckless blood, sending hjs voice up a pitch or tw-o. heightening In's, characteristic Peter .lesson, cook superior- well* ■! gp.omed. entered the hall and strolled to the bar, his light eyes taking in the : scene of blurred merriment, his lips curling contemptuously. Deroux markt ed him instantly and called across the . room. lesson hesitated. He hated to • be made conspicuous: Deroux s shout I had made him the target of a. hundred pairs of eyes. Should he ignore this swashlnickler of the .prairies or would that cause a still more disagreeable scene r Perhaps Deroux meant, well .enough. A man never knew out in this God-forsaken country when such" a fellow might be useful. He made his leisurely wav to the bar, accepting Deroux‘.f? outthrust, left hand. “Glad to see you,' Mr Jesson. I was wishing for somebody' to talk to - so.tnebody besides these pigs. Anything new at headquarters.?’’ “No, not. much.” replied Jesson, lasdlv. pouring a drink from 1 he bottle of Bourbon that Deroux pushed toward him. "Ah! This is good whisky. Ama jcin gl y good !' “It's my private stc ,ck.“ said Deroux. “Haller keeps it fur me. Help, yourself, I my friend. T am honoured, bo there is j nothing new ?" - Not especial!'-. Marsh decided this ! afternoon to send me out. to the Black j Hills to make a'last search for the pa«s ! he chinks ought t« > bo there. Not • a pleasant assignment. “Detestable," said Deroux. “Two hundred miles of desert and mountain gorges and in a. country- of very bad Indians. A foolish quest for an impossible object ! “THosfc are the orders." said Jesson. *.* ‘Ours not to reason why. you 1;now. , I shall try to get the job done with as soon as possible. T am not enamoured of life in the bush." Deroux darted a quick glance at Jesson but read in the engineer's face nothing more than he had already j gathered. He became thoughtful, speaking only occasionally. Jesson touched him on the arm. then point- I cd to a girl ,on the dancing floor. • “Who is that girl- Mr Deroux? 1 1 think I saw you speak to her to-day." .

“That’s Ruby- -R übv Kenny,” said j Deroux. “A very pretty girl. iv:v friend Very high-spirited. By no means a voung woman to take liberties with even in such a place ns tins." “What! ’ exclaimed Jos-r*n. iu-redu i louslv. “It is so." said Deroux. "I assure vou. it is so. The girl is - whc.t you c.-dl '•traight. N'artous bold gentlemen have been convinced ot it. The engineer, interested, lingered at the bar. but after an hour or so. Deroux had enough of ihc place As he started for the door. he caught Ruin 's eye and jerked his head. She did through the crowd, sinuous as a eat. Deroux detained her briefly. I may want to see you at the hotel oreaent!-- Ru’-uw- It T nd tv<r o)ii. iV.nv- quick]'-. It’s a big thing." He went out into the night- Ruby 1- cd after him < urt< •m'ly T hen sne shrugged her bare shoulders and drifted, back, to the centre of the hall. Her ! roving eye fell upon the players at Iventuekv lack’s poker table, and particularly' upon a sour-faced railroad I timekeeper whose luck had been about on a;par with hjs skill. As Ruby stepped behind his, chair he pushed his last stack into the pot. Kentucky Jack showed a lullhquse and raked in the pot. Sour Face drew back from the table with a string of curses, and so : suddenly that the chair bumped Miss Kenny’s shapely knees. “Can't you see what you're doing, you clumsy ox?" she snapped. “What’s the matter J Did losing a few dollars ruin your life?" He snatched a glass of whisky from the.table and dashed it, in her face. She sprang backward, face white, eyes blazing, 'as the room boiled. The men at the table clutched at the timekeeperbut he dodged them and made for the door. Swift as a leopard. Ruby jerked a derringer from her dress, blazing a shot at the fleeing figure. The timekeeper dropped with a yell. Old Halier’s stentorian voice Wag booming as he rapped the bar with the barrel of his long forty,-five, and the two .Texans guarding the ends of the bar were now standing on top of it., threatening the crowd with their guns. “Shut-up!” Haller boomed. “Shut up, •everybody! This is a. law and order house. This bar of likker is now a bar of justice. The lady wha-t done the shc.otin’ will step forward. Likewise, all interested parties. Hank. bring the punctured party to the bar. that is. if he's able to walk." There was a surge forward. '“hairs, tables, stool;;'and empty kegs were. dragged toward the bar. The Judge, high hat .pushed back upon his grizzled lock;:, fat. red fare beaded from the heat and' e\< iternent. his stu •>bv fore- j finger pawing at the soiled pages of the Revised Statutes of Illinois; establish ed court from his'high stool behind the bar. Ruby was led before his Honor and stood leaning over the counter; It was apparent that there was to be no great formality between distinguished judge and fair defendant The time keeper, who had stopped a bullet with his shoulder, and U'lidSe 'disp«ssitiaa b*

1 this jin ■ resembled t» •>’ of a wr.uiule 1 badger, was seate<l m a t nair . ' A'|.; c ., • under tlv Judge’s eve There was :> good deal uJ buz;.h.., ru ,q giggliv't.. V-ul Haller ended lin h frivolTt with a bang of hi.- rcVC “Silemw In the < ■ uri !" ho roared, j “This court yfiivii' for cjuict lb- returned t-> pawing his lawk'ok Rub'- as a mu< h inter 'st -d j>; rt '• ancd over his plumb clNne. Her qui< k c\ < !' I'ri-'m a hn-- f : re nding of the tinlv,, r q;,-} r ir-gal jargon .fie gathered that mnwlwrt'ffli T» llliiwsV. i» *!><• rc»r of grace ISCkO. Maggie Ri-.sh had com Ali'Vat Song. -»t'd tl i. th • ‘ h;vl created a valuable precedent for the guidance of justu-c. Rubv pointed out this instance to Judge' Haller, who was immediately impressed. To the prisoner he said: “You bean't a G-hinaman, be vuh ? ” “Nah.” said Sour Face. “ 'Twon’t do, Ruby.” said the Judge. Abandoning all precedents, ho set his own sails: “As the Court sees the. case—” One of the dance hall girls slipped through the crowd and whispered in Ruhr's ear. Ruby nodded, skipped backward and made an affected curtsov to old Haller, lie looker] at her. inquiringly. “If your Honor picnso'c id Rubv. “Mr Deroux sends word that, he re quires u:y charming presence at the hotel So. if you don't mind- ta*ta!' 11.-;'.!-r - xrat.-hcd Vi- hv.-v!. pushing I the tail hat still farther back. “The fair defendant is excused." he ruled, even as Ruby disappeared . into the street. “The ease kin go right on without her?' lie paused. de!il>cr«ting | hcavilv. j “As' the Court, sees it." he resumed. | chewing a fat cigar, “the defendant, j Rubv. i- accused <■: emptying her little : shootin' iron at this hens ’•••“"• wit!i feloniovis attempt In oak-' a 1-ettcr | citizen outen him. which same can't / be did in the Court's opinion But the t'ourt hp.s deeiiberated long and earnest over this case and has reached the following conclusion, t-> wit, ail and sundry: that the false 'alarm we see before ns, and hereinbefore referred tv a -ah] plaintiff. threw a glass i«f whisk v in the tail' face ol a hub what ' known to tote a gun. In the opinion of the Court that's attempted suicide, to live dealt, with accordin' to law. The I verdict, is that the drinks arc on this aforesaid lizard, and Hank, my dep pity- will see that the fine is paid. Kali ark- verdict was greeted with a wild bursts.'of cheering and laughter, joined in by every man anti woman in ithe hall except Sour Face, the plaintiff. His protests that he was broke --hadn't a dollar went for nothing. The j lanky. deputy, carrying the all persuading sliotgun, accompanied the timekeeper to his boarding-house where he found enough to-settle the liquid fine CTo be eoiitinued j