The doctor resumed: "Of course you can't attend to him here. I'll inform
the hospital authorities at once. Meanwhile, communicate with his
friends if you can. He'll be all right for the present."
This valuable man was hardly gone before a lively young fellow with a
smoothly shaven, smiling face slipped in. He went through every pocket
of Harold's clothing, and found a torn envelope with the name "Excell"
written on it, and a small photo of a little girl with the words, "To
Mose from Cora." The young man's smile became a chuckle as he saw these
things, and he said to himself: "Nothing here to identify him, eh?"
Then to the landlord he said; "I'm from The Star office. If anything new
turns up I wish you'd call up Harriman, that's me, and let me in on it."
The hospital authorities were not informed, or paid no attention to the
summons, and Harold was left to the care of the chambermaid, who did her
poor best to serve him.
The Star next morning contained two columns of closely printed matter
under the caption, "Black Mose, the Famous Dead Shot, Dying in a West
Side Hotel. After Years of Adventure on the Trail, the Famous Desperado
Succumbs to Old John Barley Corn." The article recounted all the deeds
which had been ascribed to Harold and added a few entirely new ones. His
marvelous skill with the revolver was referred to, and his defense of
the red men and others in distress was touched upon so eloquently that
the dying man was lifted to a romantic height of hardihood and
gallantry. A fancy picture of him took nearly a quarter of a page and
was surrounded by a corona of revolvers each spouting flame.
Mrs. Raimon seated at breakfast in the lofty dining room of her hotel,
languidly unfolded The Star, gave one glance, and opened the paper so
quickly and nervously her cup and saucer fell to the floor.
"My God! Can that be true? I must see him." As she read the article she
carried on a rapid thinking. "How can I find him? I must see that
reporter; he will know." She was a woman of decision. She arose quickly
and returned to her room. "Call a carriage for me, quick!" she said to
the bell boy who answered to her call. "No name is given to the hotel,
but The Star will know. Good Heavens! if he should die!" Her florid face
was set and white as she took her seat in the cab. "To The Star
office--quick!" she said to the driver, and there was command in the
slam of the door.
To the city editor she abruptly said: "I want to find the man who wrote
this article on 'Black Mose.' I want to find the hotel where he is."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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