That "sharp" Smith

The Austen coach had left Murphy'i lanche, and was climbing the steep hill just this side of tKe Echo canon, when a man, springing out from uuder a big pine, hailed the driver. The solitary passender in the coach, when he heard the shout of the stranger, drew bis revolvers, clinked back the hammers, and peered earnestly out of the window. This passenger was a man. of thirtyfivo or thereabonts, slenderly built, with a smoothly shaven face, clear gray eyes and dark brown hair. He looked nervous and excited, and the hands that griped the revolvers trembled visibly, as he peered through the window and looked earnestly upon the stranger, who had sprung from the shelter of the piue just as the driver of the coach had eased his horses up on the " rest," preparatory to encountering the still steeper incline whichtty beyond, extending to the hill summitr The person who had hailed the coach was a man just about the size of tho passenger, and singularly like hiin in appearance. He had the same cool gray eyes, the same dark brown hair and long, oval face. He was bearded, though ; a little mustache and goatee ; and was dressed in a neat, dark business suit. As he sprung forward, his coat tails swaying with the motion, the butts of a pair of silver-mounted revolvers peeped out. The occupant of the coach seemed relieved when he discovered that theie was but a single man in the road. " Say, oid inaii, hev you got room for another pilgrim inside your hearse?" quoth the pedestrian, addressing the driver. Tho solitary individual shuddored at the word, hearse. " I reckon I kin accommodate you inside, as the whale said to Jonah afore he swallowei him," replied the driver, with a friendiy nod of recognition. It was evident that he knew the stranger. " All right ; -I've been waiting for you at Murphy's, and I really reckoned that you never would come ; so I walked along the road apiece, thinkin', inebbe, you'd ketch nie afore sundown." "Mighty nigh that time now, ain't it?" queried the driver, with a look to the west, where the sun, now a great ball of fiery hue, was sinking slowly behind tho far-off peaks. " What kept you ? Getting lazy, old man?" No ; heap of excitement down to Spur City ; had to wait fur the mail ; the people were jist risin' onto their hind Jegs and jhowlin' about the bonds issued to this new narrow gauge railroad that's to come up through the valley. Thar's been a heap of gougin' by somebody, and the boys were talkin' to Judge Lynch pretty hot when I left." And here again the solitary passenger shuddered and nervously grasped his revolvers ; they lay on his knees, concealed by the folds of his cloak which he had cast over the weapons. " This durned excitement jest kills business," growled the stanger, preparing to get into the coach. " I ginerally rake the sports down in the valley for a trille when I peel and go fur 'em, but, really, this time they're all talkin' railroad and fight, and won't see the ' blind' nary time." " All they want to see is that Judge Durell, the fellow tüat got the bonds and hasn't put down nary iron hoss yet. I reckon he'll hev to fork or fight. I heered say that they were on his track. A big party passod Murphy's this afternoon ; on the war-path, too, I reckon." Again the passenger started, shivered, and cast a nervous glance around. The stranger got into the coach, took a seat opposite to the solitary passenger, and the steady horses commenoed to climb the hill. " How are ye F" said the stranger, noddiug to the passenger, and lookiug curiously into his face. " Kinder dull traveling.isn'tit? I reckon now that there'll be about an hour more of light, and if you happen to have sich a thing as a pack of keerds about you, we might have a social game, jest to pass away the time." The passenger nierely shook his head. " Ain't got no keerds, eh ? Well, I hev ; allers travel with 'em" and the persuasive stranger drew out a pack of cards from his pocket and shufHed theni with a dexity that gave evident proof of long praot.ice. " Won't you take a hand - jes' for fun, if you hev any objection ag'in' riskin' money on keerds ?" " Thank you : I never play," replied tho passenger. "Aha!" cried the stranger, bringing the cards together with a loud slap ; " I reckoned that you were my man. JJoio are ye Judge f" Quick as thought tho Judge - for it was Judge Durell in peraon- drew a revolver from under his cloak and leveled it at the head of the stranger. " Hold on, Judge !" cried tho stranger. " What in thunder air you arter V" " You are one of these ruffiana who are talking about hanging me to the first tree '" cried the Judge, trembliug with great excitement. ' No sih thing !" replied the stranger. " I'm a gentleman, I am, and a sport ; I'm that ' gharp' Smith, aa the boys in Austen cali me. I folio w the festive poker and the frolicsome faro fur a livin'. Now, jes' put up your shooting-irons ; why, I'm right hyor to help you out of this little difficulty." "I don't understand," said the Judge dubiously. " Let me corral the faots and spread 'etu out for you. I was to meet a pard of mine at Murphy's to-night, for to talk over a leetle plan to wool some of these sharps down to Spur City. lt was hot this afternoon you know, and I lay out under some pines just above Murphy's ranche, amusing myself like a gentleman with handlin' the ' papers,' when ten or fifteen fellows rode by all strangers to me, but from Spur City and tharabout, as I jedged from their talk ; and the long and short of it is that they know that you're comin' up in this hyer coach, and they're goin' to lay in wait for you somewhar around Silver Creek. Jest as I heer'd this air leetle game, I kinder reckoned I'd take a hand in myself; so I've biu waitin' for you to arrive." . " Why should you take any interest in this matter F" asked the Judge, just a little suspicious. " Jedge, do you remember Tuskegoe, Alabama, in '59 ?" " Certainly ; I practired law there at that time." " Correct ; and do you remember a young slip of a boy, Charley Winchell, who had a narrer squeeze of it for sticking a knife into a man in a quarrel over a game of cards F" " Of course ; I defended him." " And got him acquitted, too, aad nary a cent would you take from his poor old mother," and just here Smith's voice became a little choked and inaudible. " Well Jedge, I heer'd one of 'em gospel sharps say onc't somethin' 'bout casting your bread upon the waters ; I disremember exactly how the chap he spoke of played his hand, but I know he beat the ' bank' at last. Now, Jedge, Sruith, the ' sharp,' will jest quar' up Charley Winchell's debt." " I should not have recognized you." " Well, I reckon I don't look much as I used to, but the heart's the same. You've kinder changed your looks someway since I saw you about a month ago n Auten." " I've shaved off my mustache and goa;ee, so that I could escape tromt the valey. These men are hot.after my blood ; ;hey say that 1 have made a fraudulent use of the bonds issued by the new railroad. I am president of thecompany." " Now, Jedge, you want to slip quietly out of this hyer coach, and hide in the )ush, make for Silver Creek, and strike off to the left so as to reach the hills. After you pass the crick you can come jack to the road again, and go for Aus,en. When they overhaul this coach, 111 est sw'ar that you got out jest this side of Murphy's, and in course they'll go )iling back there arter you. Now, redge ; now's your time !" Smith leaned over anl oponed the coach door, and as he did so the coach ame to a sudden stop, aud Smith caught ight of a group of masked horsemen lockading the road beyond. " Pard," he cried, as he drew his head nto the coach, " they've trumped our riek '" " 111 soll my life dearly !" the Judge xclaimed, grasping his weapons. " Hold on ; I know a trick worlh two of that '" and Smith, as he spoke, grabed the semi-military cloak which the udge wore and wrapped it around his wn shoulders ; then, before Durell could ay a word, Smith jumped out into the oad. " What ig the meaning of this outrage? Do you know that I am Judge Durell, of Austen F he cried, apparently in great indignation. " Get on, driver ■" yelled the masked man at the head of the coach horses, giving thein a violent laih with his whip. Away went the coach down into the defile at headlong speed, the driver perèctly satisfíed that the single passenger nside was that " sharp" Smith, and that he Judge was in the hands of the maskd men. " ïwo minutes to say your prayers in !" ried ODe of the mob, brandishing a rope. There were twenty at least in the arty, all masked and brandisbing weapons in their hands. " Two minutes to send you to blazes !" 'elled Smith, suddenly producing a pair f self-cocking revolvers from under his loak, and opening ñre upon the crowd. Crack, crack, crack ! The sharp, quick reports sounded upon ie air. Down went a masked min, shot irough the temple ; away dashed a 'righ tened horse, dismounting three or 'our more of the raasked men in his headong progress. Into the bushes at the de of the road went Smith, a dozen bulets pattering around him, and not ono nflicting even as niueh as a scratch. The lynchers returned to Spur City in ad disorder. On the return of the coach rom Austen they learned it was not udge Durell who whipped them singleïanded.