it
CAMEO
KIRBY
By Booth Tarkington
AND
Harry Leon Wilson
Adapted From the Play
of the Same Name by
W. B. M. Ferguson
Copyright. 1909. by tht Ainsla Mlgtilnt
' Company
his nostnJt and a bullet through tbo
lungs the younger innn, fighting bard
against bis fall, slowly eased himself
to the floor.
"For yoh, suh," courteously sneered
Moreau, carefully .wiping the smoking
pistol and returning It to bis breast
pocket, wbllo be coolly watched the
writhing figure cough out Us life. "1
calculate, suh, yoh are now booked fob
that front seat In hades which you de
clined. I'll tench yoh to play a low
down game on a gentleman, suh."
As be turned to refill bis glass the
floor was violently torn open and a
large, florid fuced man entered. Mo
reau turned, bis band slipping into bis
breast pocket For a long moment the
two confronted each other In silence.
"Mr. Randall has just blown out bis
brains," said the Intruder slowly at
length. "I guess that's your work, my
fine old bucko, But I beard another
shot Where's my pal, Gene Klrby?"
Ills eyes, restlessly searching the dark
ened corners, at length hnppened on
the huddled thing, now lying very still.
"Gene, he cried, stooping and raising
tho other's head to his knee. "Spenk
to me, boy. It's your old pal, Bunce."
"I calculate yoh friend Is past speak
ing, suh," observed Moreau, backing
toward the door and keeping a wary
eye on the florid faced Yankee. "Mr.
Klrby Insulted me, suh, and has paid
foh it with bis life. I shot him in fair
and honorable combat"
"Fair and honorable hades!" snarled
Bunce, leaping to bis feet "Shot blm
In tho back, you skunk your usual fair
and honornblo manner! You haven't
the nerve to stand up and face a crip
plod hen!"
"Stand back, sub!" warned the other,
flrawlng his Derringer. "Yoh are nat
urally excited, and so I choose to over
look yob words, which I will not do in
the future, liut don't push me too far,
suh don't push mo too far, foh even
a gentleman has bis limits."
"No man ever doublo banked Gene
Klrby twice," said Larkju Dunce la
conically, "and It'll be a good thing for
you, Moreau, If be Is past speaking,
which, 1 guess, locks the case. If he
happens to pull through you can gam
ble he'll fix your case himself, but If
he doesn't my fine old bucko, I'll settle
your honorable bash. Yoh've stunk
up this river Just about along enough."
"It will afford me considerable pleas
ure, suh," replied the pscudo colonel
In hip. best tnnuner, "to place yoh In
the samo position which yob friend
Mr. Klrby will shortly occupy. I re
fer, suh, to a front seat in the grill
room of bis most Satanic ninjcsty.
Yoh servant, suh. and a very good
evening." Rowing, the flower of south
crn chivalry backed nimbly through
tho door and disappeared.
CHAPTER III.
r OLONCL JACQUES GAS
I PARI) DESCIIAMPS MO
rrjr-l It K All, to give him bis full
i&J title, doing ull things thor
oughly, as befitted one of his honorable
character, was not satisfied with, as he
thought, disposing of Klrby's physical
existence, but considered It his pleas
urable duty to effectually ruin what
ever little reputation had survived dur
ing the other's downward career.
Klrby, presumably fatally wounded,
had lieeu carried ashore by Bunce nt
the next lauding, and, in those days
shooting and stabbing affrays emauat
ing from card games being only too
common, but little atteutlou had boon
paid to the affair. Cameo Kirby was
notorious the length of the river, ami
such nn abrupt and tragic termiuatloi
of his career had not only beeu fre
quently and cheerfully predicted, but
was, moreover, expected of nil such
members as graced bis questionable
profession. Indeed, for them a sober
and respectable death would have been
considered bad form. Among the gam
bling profession there existed a certalu
code, which In a manner served to link
those at the top. who, like Klrby and
Bunce, wooed fortune honestly, to the
Moreau type, gracing and disgracing
the lowest ruug in the gamblers' social
ladder. This code, If so It may be
termed, was an understanding to the
effect that In no lustnnee, however
great the provocation, should the law
be invoked. Wrongs, funded or au
thentic, were to be redressed solely by
the bearers thereof, the Joint office of
Judge and executioner being vested In
each seporate and distinct individual.
In view of this accepted understand
ing, I.arkin Bunce had accordingly
made 110 mention of the fact that a
probable murder had been committed,
and, the pussongers and steamship otll
cialstllsmlsslng It as a gamblers' quar
rel, which was none of their affair, no
stigma or uotoriety was attached to the
good Colonel Moreau. who, claiming to
be an old and valued friend of Mr.
Randall, had gone to the tatter's state
room and brazenly assumed charge of
tho body. Ru lice's laconic Htatemcnt
was too pitifully true, for the old plant
er bad effectually ended bin life.
Again roferrltii: 10 Colonel Moreau's
f- -'I t'lltV'l Well,
IT was quire cnaracterrsttc thaf fo conT
plcte bis revenge against Cameo Klrby
be now did not hesitate to assume
thorite of Mr. Randall's body, did not
hesitate to meet the son of the roan
for whose death be had been directly
and shamefully resiwnslble, for young
Tom Handall had ridden over to the
Plaquemine landing In order to greet
his father, while over nt the old home
stead nil was bustle and excitement In
honor of the master's homecoming.
Anxiously Tom Randall waited to
see the Jovial and well known figure
of his father march down the gang
plank, waited to cutch a glimpse of
the famlllnr and weather beaten green
portmanteau which the planter always
carried. The moments passed. Other
and numerous passengers stepped
ashore, to be eagerly welcomed and
claimed by their own, but John Ran
dall was not among them. A curious
and seemingly pregnant bush bad suc
ceeded the lauding of the freight, and
off somewhere in the darkness a child
whimpered shrilly. The boy's nerves
were set on edge. Perhaps his father
was having a farewell talk with the
captain and would come dashing out
at the last moment with ail bis old dis
regard for time and place. It was time
tbo bell was clanging, tho signal for
backing away, for by now the landing
of passengers and freight appeared to
be terminated. And still no John Ran
dall The boy walked along tho string
piece until the Texas deck camo the
more prominently into view, the glow
from the open windows of the port
staterooms silhouetting the lean vis
aged pilot absolute monarch of his
realm, who now that an easy stretch
of the river had been entered loafed
about while bis cub took the wheel.
Ilello, on board the Shotwell!"
shouted young Randall, looking up at
the pilothouse. "Is that you, Mr. BLx
by? This Is Tom Randnll. Do you
know If my father is on board? We
were expecting hlra by your bont. sir."
For reply Mr. Blxby, usually the
pattern of courtesy, offered a memo
syllable normative and turned from
the window.
But young Randall bnd no time to
nurse his quick resentment, for now,
"TIIH SCOUNDREL BAH ALRRAPY PAID FOR
IT WITH II IS LK'K."
at last his father had come ashore,
borne on the shoulders of two roust
abouts, while tho captain and officers
stood with bared heads and thankfully
left the uuwelcome task of explaining
the tragedy to the amiable aud willing
Colonel Moreau.
"My boy," said the latter, now lay
lng a fatherly hand on young Ran
dall's heaving shoulder, "although 1
am u stranger to yoh. suh, 1 have
ventured to assume temporary control
of this terrible affair, foh 1 am a
southern gentleman, as was Mr. Ran
dall, and 1 feel bound to yoh all by
the ties of sympathy and country. I
was a witness; suh, to tho events
which preceded and prompted this out
rage, and. although 1 nm aware it Is
but poll satisfaction, still it is some
thing to know that tho scoundrel who
was Instrumental In causing yoh poh
father's death has already paid full
It with his life. My name, suh. Is
Colonel Moreau, and If I can be of
any further service to yoh nil In this
dark hour of tribulation pray com
maud me, suh. As nn old soldier 1
beg of yoh to meet this calamity with
the fohtltude of n Christian gentle
man." with which admirable and pious
adjuration the good colonel flourished
bis handkerchief and helped himself
t(ui '.'! u!!'t'i ":"&-
'T-r tjiiti:; yon, iviouFt .?rsa. for
all you have done." said young Ran
dall stoutly, looking on the huddled
thing at his feet "You-you say you
witnessed my father's death?"
"Not exactly, suh. foh he shot him
self in his stateroom. However hard
to bear, I think yoh should know who
and what prompted his death. The
scoundrel, suh. was the notorious
Cameo Klrby, of whom, perhaps, yoh
have heard."
Young Randall nodded dully, and
Morenu, entering Into the spirit of the
tale, continued: "1 fohmed an acquaint
ance, suh, with yoh poh father when
bo came aboard nt New Orleans. lie
confided to every one that he had sold
his sugar crop foh ten thousand and
bad the cash with him, and be wns
In mighty high spirits leenuso he was
on his way back home to see his chll
dren. Poh gentleman! As delicately
as I can I must state that be was not
quite himself, nnd by that, suh. 1 mean
that he had been imbibing a little too
freely. I don't have to tell yoh. sub,
that there are certain characters on all
the big boats who keep a pretty sharp
lookout foh gentlemen with money who
are In the condition yoh poh father,
suh, was In tonight, and I expect there
wns more than one river gambler on
tioiir wlm ;nii'il. hire Ilk';;! to t Ida
hands on .Ut Raudull. tar ue
who got blm was the slickest and clev
ercst of the lot the Cameo Klrby
whom 1 have mentioned. This rascal.
suh. inveigled yob poh father Into a
private stateroom, piled him with mob
liquor aud won from him not only ull
bis money and personal effects even
including a miniature of yoh dead
mother, suh but also a deed to his en
tire plantation nnd nil his slaves, every
thing which he owned. 1 wa.i too late
to save Mr. Randall, but I knew Kirbj
by repute, nnd I was so screamingly
outraged by the whole affair that I de
uouueed him foh the low scoundrel
he was. Thereupon he drew on me. but
I was the quicker and shot tilm down
like a dog. They carried him ashore.
suh, at the landing below this, and the
river Is cleaner foh his death."
You have taken vengeance out of
my hands, said young Kandall un
steadily. "The coward and villain!
For a stranger, sir, the attitude which
you have displayed toward my family
has been most considerate, and i will
never forget It. The the hospitality of
a house in mourning"
"No, no, my boy," interrupted Mo
reau, again employing bis fatherly
band. "I nm sensible of the honor,
but I couldn't think of it This Is a
time when yob all must wish to be
alone, and business calls me north. 1
merely stepped ashore in yoh interests
as any "entleninu wouiu bave done.
There gTjs the bell, and 1 must run
for It Honored, suh, to have made
yoh acquaintance, though of co'se 1
deeply deplore the necessity which oc
casioned It 1 will venture to pay my
respects to yoh family when I return
south, and pray command me in any
occnslon yob may have. Yoh servant,
suh." , And with a magnificent bow
the colonel turned nud raced for the
gangplank, bonrdlng the Shotwell with
a leap Hint shamed his fifty odd years.
Meanwhile Cameo Kirby, a bullet
through his right lung, wns making n
desperate battle against death, fight
ing for the life which he had consid
ered little better than worthless. In
his efforts he was materially assisted
by the crude but faithful Bunce, his
gambling partner, with whom he had
played up aud down the Mississippi
for years. For two weeks this com
bat raged. Kirby hovering between life
and death, but at the end he emerged
triumphant as, over the gaming table
when the odds were ns heavily against
him, he had emerged from ninny a
hotly contested conflict
To those who Judged Klrby's charac
ter from the evil reports which gossip
had spread concerning him and to oth
ers who, in their righteous ignorance,
considered all gamblers legitimate chil
dren of the devil bis remarkable re
covery would bave been accepted mere
ly ns another proof that the evil one
favors bis own, that the mills of the
gods grind slowly, that Justice is blind
nnd that a scoundrel is difficult to kill,
together with many similar ancient
and redoubtable maxims which igno
ranee and self righteousness love to
distribute on every fitting occasion.
Among possessors of, the lust men
tioned attribute Eugene Klrby was
regarded as a black sheep who, re
ligiously avoiding the whitewash
brush, was deemed beyond redemp
tion, for what man worthy of the
name would have acted as had the
last of the Kirbys? What If he had
been but fifteen when his father died
a bankrupt? What If he bad been
left an orphan, a pauper, with no im
mediate relative to care how ho acted?
Wasn't the heritage of an ancient and
honorable name, the knowledge that
some of the oldest and best blood In
all the south (lowed In his veins,
enough to keep him straight? Most
assuredly It was. There was abso
lutely no excuse for his drifting In
with wild and dissolute companions,
becoming a common river gambler nnd
rendering notorious and obnoxious a
tinme which had hitherto been the
synonym for honor and Integrity.
Klrby had been kept In Ignorance
of Mr. Randall's suicide, but when at
length be became convalescent Lar
kin Ituuce, harking back to the eveuts
of that memorable night, informed
him, and the Invalid, 011 his part, re
counted the occurrences preceding
Colonel Moreau's precipitation of the
honorable" combat
"The news of Mr. Randall's death Is
a great shock," be added, greatly mov
ed. "He was my father's friend.
Bunce, nnd when the devil played
hnvoc with our affairs did all in his
power to be of assistance. But for
k
. ; f sis
;. ... :." ; ' l'':'v :i '
"I'll bcaub ce a hiiavku on two koh
jAC.i MODKAU'H HOfli."
my great pride I would have iuce;iied
his offer of gun rd luu and. under his
1 BUc2
r
1 1
j
1 1
Tcredrr fo the name fLsfeuu of tfie
disgrace I am."
"Now, you quit these here postmor
tems," remonstrated Bunce good na
turedly, but firmly. "You don't call me
a disgrace, do you? And ain't 1 your
old side partner? Bosb, if you play
the game straight I guess there's lots
of worse ways of making a living than
gambling. The sawbones said a lot
of rest was coming your way. so Just
turn over on the other side, nnd for
get It"
"No, I can't, Bunce. Don't you re
alize the position In which I am placed
by Mr. Randall's death? 1 hold a deed
to his entire plantation, and I must
sign a release without delay. What
if it should ever be thought that I en
tered the game In earnest, with the
deliberate Intention of robbing Mr.
Randall? You know my reputation,"
he added bitterly, "nnd how easy it Is
for a dog to earn a bad name. Bring
me pen and Ink at once. Lurkin, if you
please, for I won't have a moment
peace until I sign that paper."
Propped up on the pillows and sup
ported by the still grumbling Bunce,
be wrote the following:
I hereby surrender the absolute posses
sion of all the property herein described
to the child or children 01 John Randall.
EUClENE KIIIBY.
"There!" he exclaimed. "Now I feel
better, and there Is no chance of my
old neighbor's children being defraud
ed out of their inheritance."
"You worry a heap more about them
than yourself," observed Bunce, "nnd
there's no call for it Even if they
knew you had got this deed you'ro
reckoned as a dead man by everybody.
I beard from one of the boys that Mo
reau bad skipped to Mexico, but you
know bow the river calls, and he'll an
swer sooner or later. When the fine
old bucko does return don't be fool
enough to give him another chance at
your back, for he's a painfully modest
cuss and prefers to stay in the rear.
By rights he ought to get the same
dose he gave you, nnd I'd do it for the
asking."
"You know you wouldn't," said Klr
by simply. "Tho moment I learn that
Moreau has returned you may arrange
a meeting for us. You con leave the
rest to me."
Bunco nodded. "I guess there ain't
any one who could get tho better of
you, Gene, face to face. I nln't much
of n hand nt the gospel, but I'll scare
up n prayer or two for Jack Moreau's
soul."
CHAPTER IV.
ILMOST one year elapsed be
fore Colonel Morenu. bark
ening at length to the call of
the river, returned to his old
haunts in New Orleans. When he did
so it was to learn that bis supposed
victim bad entirely recovered from the
effects of the "honorable combat" and.
in conjunction with bis partner, had
reoccupled bis old niche of fame
premier professional gambler of the
Mississippi Quite aside from all finan
cial reasons the fact that a more
skillful nnd successful rival wns gar
nering the mnjor spoils of the river
the news of bis victim's recovery was
seriously disquieting to the honorable
colonel, and bnd he been forewarned
he might have indefinitely prolonged
his acquaintance with tho more health
ful climate of Mexico. He knew that
Klrby was not the type of mnn to for
get or condone a bullet in the back
or the smirching of whatever little re
mained of his once fair reputation.
nnd had he even remotely suspected
that he would recover ho (Moreau)
would not have prevaricated so cheer
fully and with such abandon to young
Randall. How much did the boy now
know? That was the nil Important
question. Klrby. of course, had learn
ed that he stood accused of the late
John Randall's suicide, but had ho
taken tho trouble to refute It? Mo
reau did not think so, and Moreau
was right.
Klrby had but vaguely heard of the
unjust accusation nnd, having been
long since ensehardened to calumny
in all its phases, paid little If any at
tention. Had any member of the Ran
dall family sought him out he would,
ns a mntter of duty, have proved his
Innocence. But they, believing blm
dead, had not dono so, and he refused
to take the initiative, partly because he
could not give absolute credence to
the rumor, but in a greater measure
because of the demands upon his
time. After all. it did not matter. It
meant only nnother tally to the score
of Jack Moreau, and all would be
wiped out by that gentleman's death,
on undertaking upon which he bnd
definitely decided. What stood be
tween them could be eradicated only
by tho bullet
Meanwhile the passing year had
brought with it many changes for the
surviving members of the Randall fam
ily. Life Is tenacious, and they bad
persisted in surviving ns best, they
could the shock Incident upon their
father's suicide. The one small meas
ure of satisfaction in the whole ter
rible affair wns the knowledge that the
despoller of their home had promptly
met his death and that In consequence
they were at least saved from pauper
isation, for they wero entirely Igno
rant of Klrby's recovery or the meas
ures he had voluntarily taken for their
protection.
To the only girl, Adele. had fallen
the brunt of suffering. Tho General,
n child of eight, was too young to fully
comprehend his loss, while Tom, a
hot headed youth In his enrly twenties,
occupied nli his lime with the planta
tion nnd devoted all spare moments to
nursing his hatred ngnlnst Klrby's
memory. While glorying in the bit
ter's supposed dentil lie deplored that
his hand had not effected It Where
grief had paralyzed Adele It had but
further aroused the boy's militant nnd
nggresslve nature, adding, moreover, a
veneer-of youthful nnd bitter. crnlgWni,
8 y
I BEAUTIFYING THE HOME I
Graining is so easy that a child can do
it provided the
CHI-NAMEL PROCESS
is used. ,
We are willing to demonstrate this pro
cess to you at any time, and show you why
this process is the easiest and most satis
factory one known. You can cover any
painted work, no mcttcr what color, or how
dark and rough.
WEYRICH &
lie abhorred Klrby's memory with an
Intensity passing the hatred of man
and, even had he been a stranger to
the then prevailing nud primitive no
tions of Justice, would, had he known
the other lived, have Immediately
soiiirlit lilm nut and killed him. If his
father's ineiiioo' demanded that no re
sistance should be made to the gam
bler's claim It likewise demanded Unit
the iatter should not live overlong to
I'ttjoy his newly acquired property
More than ouie. as If uneasy intui
tion sought to prompt the truth, t lie
hoy had suggested to his sister the pos
nihility of Klrby having survived Mo
renu's sincere attentions. Then he
would break out In an uegoveriiiiMe
lit of fury and hatred
"Supposing that scoundrel hits lived
and Intends reaping the reward of iU
crime!" he would cry. "He gained
that deed by the vilest scotindrelisin
ever practiced. Well, let bl;u make
good his claim if he can."
"Eut who will dispute It?" Adele
Would lifelessly Inquire, plucking at
her bltck dress, while twin patches of
scarlet would begin to buru In the
dead white of her fuce. "Do you think
we could stoop to ask mercy from a
man of that stamp? Whether the
deed was gained honestly or not. It
does not matter. Father's slgnuture
is on the paper, and wo must stand
by It Tom. You know that Any
way," she would finish drearily, "what
does it matter? What does it matter
where we go, what we become? Let
this Mr. Klrby If that be his name
finish the work be began so well."
"I 1 wish you could pluck up a
little more spirit Dele." he would re
turn, solicitous and reseutful In the
one breath. "Doesn't the thought of
that scoundrel's possible recovery
make your blood boll? Dou't you ever
' ' UT'O
"BUPPOHINO THAT SOOtWDMtti INTENDS
B RATING TUB UEWAUD Ot HIS CUIMBl "
consider the thought of you and the
General and me being rendered abso
lute paupers? Think of what It would
mean to leave the only home we bave
known."
Barclay's
m ma?
S-i t"-'-' ;-.',?''
Center of Block Between 4tiy and 5th Sts.
HADRABA
Sole Agents. y
"I have thought of all that until
my bruin Is su k sick like my heart."
she would Interrupt colorlessly. "1
fcave long contemplated the possibility;
thought that the deed might, after all,
be enforced. I have talked the mat
ter over with Aunt Dnvezac. We have
decided that the moment we learn
that this this gambler Is alive wo
will put the place in order nnd leave
Immediately for New Orleans again
quarter ourselves on aunty. After t
that well, you and I must learn how
to work. Tom. We must provide for
the General's schooling, and of course
we cannot be a burden on Aunt Da-
vezac one moment longer than is ab
solutely necessary. Above all, there
must on no account be any opposIteVi
to this Mr. Klrby's claim, supposlngV
he still lives." V.
"Yes. 1 suppose you're right Dele,"
he would reluctantly agree. "We could
not dishonor father's memory by re
sisting the scoundrel's claim."
And bad sorrow not blurred the girl's
perception, rendered her indifferent to
everything, she would Instantly have
suspected her brother's Ingenuousness,
for, hot headed and Impulsive, he wna
not one to heed advice, accept the pas
sive course that she bad outlined.
As the months passed aud nothing
wns heard of Kirby the possibility of
his being alive and ever claiming the
plantation was finally abandoned by
Adele. But young Randall, although
carefully professing to the contrary,
still entertained the suspicion that bis
enemy lived. In time the thought bej
came so Insistent that he determlneoiTo
quietly set on foot a thorough investi
gation. Visiting In person the town In
which Klrby had fought his victorious
battle ngalnst death, he eventually suc
ceeded in tracing the physician who
bad intended the wounded gambler,
and by I1I111 the boy's suspicions wero
verified beyond tho possibility of a
doubt Ills Intuition wns vindicated.
Klrby lived and. so far as the doctor
knew, was nt that moment busily en
gaged with his chosen profession.
Young Kandall relumed home, care
fully coiieeallng from his sister all hint
or his mission. The girl laid but lately
expressed a desire to visit their aunt in
New Orleans, for the plantation wtin
pregnant with memories and sorrows
r hut were fast growing unbearable.
Taking advantage of this opportune
desire and keeping his real purpose In
the background. Tom now suggested
that the house be temporarily closed
anj. tlieloii;.Jv.ii,m'jMLei vJs'i CHl
To lie continued
Rates.
Nat ioiinl Education Association, Bos
ton, Mass., July 2 to 8, 1910.
Tickets on sale via Mo. Pac. June
28 to July 2 inclusive, Return limit
July 17th.
Sec Mo Tac agent relative to side
trips, extension of limit etc.
Round trip $34.00.
II. Norton,
198-23 Agent.
Restaurant
THE PLACE
TO EAT
Everything veal and
clean and a good place lo
go for your SUNDAY
DINNER. Board by
the week. Lunch counter
in connection.
L Jl r . () ... .
upen ah nigw
.
