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Show 164 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS. I cut some fine steaks from it and cooked my supper. While eating, I heard approaching footsteps. The blanket was drawn aside, and a large man, with unkempt hair and long gray beard, stepped in and glanced fiercely around. "'Hello, Cap.,' said I 'do you live here?' ' "' I thought I did,' was the curt reply. " Not a very hospitable greeting, but the weather outside trampled upon dignity, and forbid bowing out with, ' I beg your pardon, I did not intend to intrude.' So I said again, in an off-hand way, though I was conscious of a shudder, 'splendid steak this, sit down and have supper, Cap.' " He hung his hat on a peg sullenly, and took his seal. " His manner was darkly suggestive. " We ate the meal without another word.- The wind was sighing and wailing-shrieking sometimes-and ending in fearful hisses. As I sat there with that grum stranger confronting me, I thought of the loved ones at home, of my own sweetheart, joyous and happy in fresh and dewy girlhood. If I should fall a victim to this border ruffian, my death would be her first grief. Men think swiftly when their lives are in danger. "After supper I pulled my pluck together and said, ' let's have a smoke.' "Producing an old, deeply blackened and strongly odorous brier-root, the pioneer's meerschaum, and lighting it with a coal, he opened the conversation by asking: "'Where are you from, stranger?' "' From S , a town in Iowa,' I replied. "' Why,' said he, ' that was my old home, I always made hotel my headquarters there.' |