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THE GIRL
HALFWAY
A STORY OF
11V B, HOUGH. Al THOU OH
(.otyriehttJ, 1901
CHARTER XXII. Continued.
At this placo they saw a few men
sitting outside the door, calmly smok
ing uniong these Sam, the liveryman,
a merchant by name of Chapman, and
a homesteader, who was known as
One-eyed Pennyman. inside the
house, playing cards with Curly, were
four other men. Franklin noticed that
they nil were armed. They all ap
peared from their story, to have Just
dropped in to pass a .little time with
Curly. From time to time others
dropped in, moat of them remaining
outside in the moonlight, sitting on
their heels along the porch, talking
but little, and then mentioning any
thing but the one subject which was
uppermost 'in overy one's mind. Yot
though nothing was said, It might well
be seen that this little body of men
-wero of those who had taken tho
stand for law and order, and who wore
resolved upon a now day in the his
tory of the town.
It was a battle of the two hotels
and what they represented. Over at
the great barroom of the Cottage
there was at tho samo time assombled
a much larger gathering, composed
chiefly of those transient elements
which at that tlmo really made up the
larger portion of the population of the
place wide-hatted men. with narrow
boots and broad belts at which swung
heavy, blued revolvers with broad
wooden butts a wild-looking, wild
living body of men, suvage In some
ways, gentle in others, but for tho
most part Just, according to their
creed. All drank whisky, and drank
it regularly. Up to ton o'clock the
whisky had produced no effect.
At ten o'clock a big Texan raised
Ills glass high above his head and
mnshed it upon the bar.
"Law an' order be damned!" said.
:lie. "What kind o law an' order is it
to let a raurderin' Greaser like that
"I command you In the
come clear? Which of us'll be the
next he'd kill?"
"Well," said a conservative, sooth
ingly, "let's wait till to-morrer. Let's
let the Co'te set another day, any
how." "Yes, I reckon that's right; yes,
that's so," said others; "we'd better
wait till to-morrer." t
A brief silence fell upon the gather
ing, a silence broken only by tinkllngs
or shufflings along the bar. Then, far
off, over the prairio, there came a lit
tle flat, recurrent sound, or series of
sounds, as of one patting his Angers
softly together. It fell and rose and
grew, coming rapidly nearer, until at
length there could be distinguished
the cracking and popping of the hoofs
of running horses.-
"It's the Bnr O outfit, from the Bra
zos, coming in," said some one. The
crowd pressed out into the air. it
opened and melted slightly. The
crowd at Curly's shanty increased
Hllghtly, silently. Inside. Curly and
liis friend still played cards. The
giant prisoner lay asleep upon the
floor.
The rattle of many hoofs swept up
to the door of the Cottage, where the
restive, nervous horses were left
standing while tho men went in. their
leader, a stocky, red-mustaohed man,
bearing with him the rope which he
had loosened from his saddle. Having
drunk, the leader smote upon the bar
with a heavy hand.
"Come along, men." he called out.
"The quicker we hang that d d
Greaser the better it will be."
He moved toward the door, followed
by many silently, by others with steps
that lagged. "Well, ypu see "began
one man.
"To h 1 with all that!' said the new
comer, turning upon ' him fiercely.
"We don't need no cowards!"
"No, that ain't it," resumed the first
man, "but we got to respeck the Co'te
fust Co'te ever did set here, you see.
The fellers, some of 'em, thinks
some o' the Jury thinks that the fel
ler's too crazy fer to hang."
"Crazy be d d! We'ro goin to
hang him, an' that sottles it. 1-aw an'
order kin take caro of It afterward,"
All tho time they wero shifting
toward the door. As though by concert
they swung into saddle and swept oft
up the street In a body, above tho
noiso of their riding now breaking a
careless laugh, now a shrill yell of
sheer Joyous oxcitement. More than a
hundred men drew up in front of tho
frail shelter over which was spread
the doubtful aegis of the law.
Fifty men met them. The lights
W6iit out in the house In an instant,
AT THE
HOUSE
THE PLAINS
THU STORY OV Tllli COWBOY
by I). AtllftOH Sr" CtmHinr, V i'ark
?WWlfwWAwWgaWfyWwWJW3
and in front of the door thero swept
a dark and silent cordon. The leader
of tho invaders paused, but went
straight forward.
"Wo want that man!" he said.
"You know very well you can't have
him."
"Wo don't know nothln' o tho sort.
Wo want him, an' we're goin' to have
him." Qit out of tho road!"
A second figure stood by tho side of
Franklin, and this man was recognized
by the leador.
"Aw, now, Curly, what d il foolish
ness is this here? Bring him out."
'You know I won't Jim," said Curly,
simply. "We're tryln' him on the
square. You ain't tho Co'te. I koln't
give him to no one but the Co'to."
Silence fell for an Instant, then from
tho rear of the party thero came push
ing and crowding and crleH of "Burn
tho house drive him out!" Thero
was a rush, but It was met by a silent
thickening of tho Hue at the point ns
sailed. Men scuffled with men, swear
ing and grunting, panting hard. Here
and there weaions flashed dully,
though as yet no shot was flred.
Tho rushers toward the house grew
closer, so that assailants and besiegers
were now mingled in a fighting, swoar
ing mass.
"You're no cowman. Curly," cried
ono voice, bitterly.
"You're a d d liar!" cried Curly In
reply, "whoever says that to me! I'm
only a-keepin' of my word. You kaln't
clean us out. I'll shoot tho llvln'
soul out o' any man that touches that
door! This hero is the Jail, an' I'm
tho dcpplty. and, by ! you'll not
have my prisoner!"
"Quite right, me man," said a cool
voice at Curly's side, and a hand fell
on his shoulder as a tall form loomed
sprang toward tho building. The cries
became savage, heastllke. It was no
longer human beings who contended
name of the law!"
over this poor, half-witted being, but
brutes, less reasonable than he.
Juan left the door. He swept Frank
lin and Curly and Batterslelgh aside
as though I hey were but babcB.
It was his purpose to rush out, to
strike, to kill, it was tho moment of
opportunity for the leader of the as
sailants. The whistle of a rope cut tho
air, and tho noose tightened about tho
giant's neck with instant grip. There
up in the crowd. "There's good ma
tayrlal in you, me bully. Fair play's a
Jule, an' it's fair play we're goin to
have here."
Backed by a crowd of men whoso
resolution was ns firm as their own,
these three fell back in front of the
door. Franklin felt his heart going
fast, and knew that more was asked of
him here than had ever been upon the
field of battle. In a moment, he re
flected, the firing would begin.
Suddenly the climax came. The
door was thrust invslstlbly open, not
from without, bur from within. Stoop
ing, so that his head might clear Its
top. the enormous figure of Juan, the
Mexican, appeared in the opening
A roar of anger and excitement rose
as the prisoner was seen standing
there before them, though outlined
only by the dim light of the sky.
Every man In the assalllug party
was a surge back upon the rope, a
movement which would have been
fatal for auy other man, which would
have been ratal to him. had the men
got the rope to a horse as they wish
ed, so that they might drag the vic
tim by violence through the crowd.
But with Juan this act was not final.
As the great bear of the foothills,
when roped by the horseman, scorns
to attempt escape, but pulls man and
horse toward him by main force, so
the giant savage who was now thus
assailed put forth his strength, and by
sheer power of arm drew his would-be
captors to him. hand over hand. The
noose about his own neck he loosened
with one hand. Then he raised his
hand and let it fall. The caster of the
rope, his collar bone broken and his
shoulder blade cracked across, fell in
a heap at his feet as the swaying
crowd made way.
There came, boring into the silence
with horrible distinctness, tho sound
of one morclful, mysterious shot. The
giant straightened up once, a vast
black body towering above tho black
mass about him, and then sank gontly.
slowly down, as though to curl himself
In sleep.
Thore was a groan, n roar, a swift
surging of men thick, black, like
swarming bees. Some bent above the
two prone flgurcB. Others caught at
tho rope, grovoilng. snarling.
They were snveil the last stago of
their disgrace. Into tho crowd thero
pressed the figure of n newcomer, n
hatless man, whoso faco wns pale,
whose feet wero unshod, and who
bore one r.rm helpless In a dirty sling
which hung about his neck. Haggard
and unkempt, barefooted, half-clml as
he had stumbled out of bed at his
rnneh six miles away, Bill Watson,
tho sheriff nppiarcd a flgure heroic
enough. With his broken arm hang
ing useless and Jostled by the crowd,
he raised his right hand above hts
head nnd called out in a voice weak
and halting, but determined:
"Men, go go home! I command
you In the name of the law!"
BOOK IV
The Day of the Plow
CHAPTER XXIII.
The End of the Trail.
The Cottage Hotel of Elllsvllle was.
singularly enough, in Its pnlmy days
conducted by a woman, and a very
good woman she was. It was perhaps
an error in Judgment which led the
husband of this woman to undertake
the establishment of a hotel at such a
plnce and such a time, but he hastened
to repair his fault by amiably dying.
Tho widow, large woman, of groat
kindness of heart nnd n certain skill
i,i the care of gunshot wounds, fell
heiress to the business, carried it on
and made a success of it. All these
wild lange men who came roistering
up the Trail loved this large and
kind old lady, and she called them all
her "boys." watching over the wild
brood as a hen does over her chickens.
She fed them and comforted them,
nursed them and burled them, always
new ones coming to take the places of
those who were gone. Chief mourner
at over threescore funerals, neverthe
less was Mother Daly's voice always
for peace nnd decorum; and what
good she did may one day be discover
ed when the spurred and booted dead
shall rise.
There was yet no key to the Cottage
bar when there came tho unbelievable
word that there was no longer a buf
falo to be found nnywhere on the
range, nnd that the Indians were gone,
beaten, herded up forever. Far to tho
north, it was declared, there wero men
coming In on the e&w range who had
silver-mounted guns, who wore gold
anil Jewels and who brought with
them saddles' without horns! It was
said, however, that those new men
wanted to buy cows, so cows wore
tnken to them.
Mother Daly looked upon this, and
it was well. She understood her old
boys nnd loved them. Sho was glad
the world was full of them. Sho look
ed out over tho wide, wind-swept
plains, along the big chutes full of bel
lowing beeves, at the wide corral with
ite scores of saddled Nemeses, and she
was calm and happy, it was a good
ly world.
It was upon one day that Mother
Daly looked out opon her world; upon
the next day she looked again, and all
tho world was changed. Far as the
eye could reach, tho long and duaty
roadway of the cows lay silent, with
its dust unstirred. Far, very far off,
there was approaching a little band
of strange, small, bleating, woolly
creatures, to whose driver Mother
Daly refused bed and board. The cat
tle chutes were silent, tho corral was
empty. At the Cottage bar the keeper
had at last found a key to the door.
Up and down the Trail, east and west
of the Trail, all was quiet, bare and
desolate. At some signal some sig
nal written on the sky all the old
life of Elllsvllle had taken up Its Jour
ney into a farther land, Into another
day. The cowman, the rnllroad man
and tho gambling m'an had gone, leav
ing behind them tho wide and well
perforated Cottage, the graveyard
with its double street, the cattle
chutes with well-worn hairy walls.
(To be continued.)
Senator Hoar's Advice Ill-Received.
A young man from Florida uaiac
to Washington to represent a news
paper in his state,, says a correspond
ent of a New York paper. A few days
after ho arrived Senator Hoar Intro
duced a bill referring to a lottery in
Florida. The young reporter has
tened to see the senator, with visions
of n column Interview witli him con
corning the bill and Its effect and all
that. The servant said the senator
would see him.
"What Is It?" asked Mr. Hoar, when
the young man had been shown in.
"I want to ask you about tho bill
you Introduced to-day?"
"What do you want to ask me
about it?"
"Why, I am from Florida and rep
resent a Florida paper, and I thought
you might give mo an explanation."
"Have you rend the bill?"
"Yes. sir."
"Do you understand it?"
"I think I do, sir."
"Well. If you do not. no explanation
I could make would help you to. Good
evening."
And that was another of those inter
views never printed. ,
Beecher and the Medium.
While In England Henry Ward
Bpecher was entertained by p gentle
man who believed in spiritualism and
was himself a medium, says the Ar
gonaut. Ono day he asked if Beecher
would like to talk with the spirit of
his father. Dr. Lyman Beecher. Mr.
Beecher replied that it would ploaso
him Immensely. Alter the seance wan
over ho was asked how it had im
pressed him, at which, with tho
twinklo in his oye, Belcher respond
ed: "Ail I have to say is that If I
deteriorate as fast for tho flrst ten
years after I am dead as my father
has, I shall be a stark uaked fool."
HARBOR BLOCKED
STEAMERS SUNK ACROS3 THE
CHANNEL BY RUSSIANS.
IMS KEEPS THE JAPANESE OUT
All Vctscls on the Outside Keep Up
Steam for Emergency Believed
that Vice Admiral Makaroff Will
Adopt the Offensive.
LONDON A correspondent of tho
Daily Mall at New Chwaug says that
after the removal of the hnttloshlp
Relvlznn four Uusslau steamers, llio
Hnrbln, tho Hallnr, the Nlngutn nnd
tho Snngnrl. wero nnchorcd at tho
mouth of tho entrance to Port Arthur
In proper position and sunk, leaving
only a small channel available, Vlco
Admiral Makaroff having previously
ordered tne whole fleet to remain out
side with steam up, economy of coal
being unnecessary.
This disputed, which Is prominently
displayed by the Dally Mall, and
which tho correspondent says is "on
Hussinn Information." Is, if true, news
of the Hrst Importance, confirming the
Idea that Vlco Admiral Makaroff will
adopt the offensive and make n des
perate attempt to bring together Bus
sla's scattered naval forces nnd on
deavor to Inflict dnmngo upon tho
Japanese navy.
Tho story must, however, lie view
ed cautiously, the only approach to
conilrmallon from any other quarter
being In a dispatch from tho corre
spondent of the Dally Telegraph at
Yin Kow, which says: "Vlco Admiral
Makaroff has Issued orders that the
saving of coal is unnecessary, but the
big gun ammunition in tho fort must
not be wasted. Evidently the ammu
nition is running short."
Thero is no other news to hand on
the subject.
The Dnlly Telegraph's Toklo corre
spondent sends an unofficial rumor
that tho .Tapaneso have occupied
Dalny.
it is remarked that the British
newspapers all regard Vice Admiral
Togo's report that lie has laid mines
nt Port Arthur as a mero bluff and
they say that such a feat would bo
I in possible under tire.
The Daily Mali thinks that if Vice
Admiral Makaroff closed the channel
it was in order to prevent the in
gress of Japanese torpodo boat de
stroyers. as was done at Wei Hal Wei
during the Chlno-Japanese war.
It is a subject of unceasing remark
and conjecture that nothing lias been
heard of the Vladivostok squadron,
and it is beginning to be believed that
it Is really inside the harbor of Vladivostok-.
DOES IT INCREASE CANCER?
Investigating Effect of Chilled or
Frozen Meat.
LONDON. The question was raised
In the house of commons today
whether chilled or frozen meat has
any injurious effect on consumers,
and especially whether such meat
contributes to the Increasing number
of cases of cancer In the United
Kingdom.
President Long of the local gov
ernment board said that while be had
no information to the abovo effect,
he thought the matter might prop
erly be referred to the royal commis
sion of inquiry into tho causes of
cancer, which Is now sitting.
Civil Service In the Philippines.
WASHINGTON'. The president has
Issued an executive order applying
civil service rulos to the sorviee of
tho war department In the Philippines
and also classifying umployos In that
servlco specially commended.
Grover is Sixty-Seven.
PRINCETON. N. J Grovor Cleve
land quietly observed his 07th birth
day at ,home. Thoro was no colohra
tlon except that he rocolvod some of
bis most intimate Princeton friends,
who calledd to offer congratulations.
OFFICER OF COSSACKS.
RATINQ OF PENSIONS.
Order Regarding Payment Undor tho
1890 Act.
WASHINGTON.-Commissioner of
Pensions Ware, with tho approval of
Secretary Hitchcock, hns Issued an
order milking the following change lu
pension rntlng:
In tho ndjudlcnllon of pension
claims under the act of June 27, 1800.
ns uiuended, It shall be taken nnd con
sidered ns an evidential fact, if tho
contrary does not appear, and if all
other legal requirements a.ro prop
erly met -that when a claimant has
passed the age of (It! years lie Is dis
abled oneiiinf In ability to perform
manual labor and Is entitled to bo
rnted at $0 per month; after GS years
at $8 per month, after t!8 years nt $10
per month, nnd nftor 70 years at $12
por month. Allowance at higher rate,
not exceeding $12 per month, will con
tinue to he made as heretofore, whero
disabilities other than ago show a
condition or Inability to perform man
ual labor.
This order bIiiiII take effect. April
111, lOOi, and shall not bo deemed rot
ronctive. Tho former rules of tho offlco fixing
the mnxtnium and minimum years nt
75 years, respectively, are hereby mod
ified ns above.
Committee Sees Private Report.
The special committee of the hoiuo
on the postofllcc report has, it is said,
received the report known ns "Exhibit
Q." Tliis document has never been
made public nnd tho feeling created
among members by tho thorough man
ner in which the special commltteo
is dealing with the task assigned it,
is growing somewhat Intense.
Revelations of "new deals" are hint
ed at In the cloak rooms. In tho mean
while the special commltteo is car
rying on its work behind closed doors.
An all-day session was held today.
May Grade Consular Service.
Senator Lodge was authorized by
tho senate committee on foreign rela
tions to make a favorable report on
his bill to grade the consular service.
The bill was materially amended and
as npproved oy tho committee pro
vides that vice consuls may be ap
pointed to perform the present duties
of consular agents nnd that the latter
grade shall cease. Provision is mado
that there shall not be more than two
consul generals of tho first class at
$2,000 per annum; eight consul gener
als of the second class, at $8,000; thir
teen consul generals of the third class,
at $0,000, and thirteen or the fourth
class, nt $5,500 eac.i. There will bo
thirty-seven consuls of the first class,
at $5,000; thirty-five of the second
class, at $4,000; sixty of tne third
class, at $3,000; forty of the fourth
class, at $2,500,; .thirty of tho fifth
class, at $2,000, and fifty or the sixth
class, at $1,800 each por annum. The
bill regulates all fees, official or unoffi
cial, and provides for the performanco
of notarial acts.
Demand Statehood Rights.
LAS VEGAS, N. M. Tho republican
territorial convention selected dele
gates to the natlonul convention nt
Chicago endorsed the administration
of President Roosevelt and passed
the following resolution by a unani
mous vote:
"We tavor and arc of right entitled
to statehood within tho boundary lines
of our tenltory as they now exist. Wo
! hereby expross our confidence in tho
national administration and congress
dealing with us In the mattor of state
hood fairly and justly."
Russian Captain is Shot.
NEW YORK A telegram from
Lomberg. forwarded by the London
Times correspondent nt Vienna, says
that Captain Leontieff, of the Russian
gonornl staff, has been arrested at
Warsuw for having sold to a foroigu
power a lUt of the socret agontB
maintained hy tho Russian general
staff in the frontier districts of Rus
sia, on the wost. The dlscovory was
made through tho dolivory of a
money order to another person of tho
same name. Leontieff is reported to
have been shot.
I poultry
1 1 in ii c ' i- j1
111
Raising Pheasants.
For pheasants take a medium sized
den, after sho lias been sitting two
or throo days, gently lift her oft of
tho nest nnd placo not over 15 to 18
pheasant eggs In tho nest, gently re
plnco her ou tho nest; it she flies off
when replaced, lot her go, she will
most likely go back of her own will.
If possible, select tho tamest hcus for
hatching quail and pheasant eggs.
Food nnd water should bo placed so
that tho hen can subsist during incu
bation. This is especially essential
If tho hen Is shut up in some out
building, otherwise tho food part Is
not so essential, as she will soon find
food If nllowcd to roam over tho
yard, etc. If tho hen is qulto tame,
examine tho eggs frequently to see
that nono is broken or whethor sho
has fouled her nest; it any of the
eggs hnvo been broken, remove tho
broken eggs and clean nil the othors
that have becomo dirty from tho
broken eggs; do this with a damp
cloth dipped in warm water. Nevor
put tho eggs in water. A foul nest 13
quite certain to kill the young Llrds.
It takes 22 to 24 days for the eggs
to hatch. After tho eggs havo been
under tho hen 20 days sprinkle the
eggs with hike-warm water. I find
that this greatly assists the young in
leaving tho shell. Tho hen should
ulways bo set In a box whoso sides
are at least six inches highor than
the nest; if not tho youug will leave
their foster mother nB soon as they
nro out of tho shell. Don't remove
the den until tho young nro at least
24 hours old, aB by that tlmo they
will havo learned a part of their
foster mother's call or talk. When
you dcslro to rcmovo tho heil aud
her brood to a coop, first get four
boivrds, say 12 to 14 Inches wide,
edge them up, making a square en
clcBuro; nail tho ends together and
then throw dirt around the bottom
odgoB of tho bonrds, so that It Is not
possible for a bird to get out; better,
perhaps, to put dirt ou both sides ot
the boards, as it often happens that
other chickens mny scratch the dirt
away from tho outside, thus giving
tho young a 6hance to get" out. When
you nro qulto certain that you have
jour enclosuro such that tho young
ennuot escape, then take any old box
that you may have, rcmovo ono end
and ono side, placo the box in the
center of enclosuro with open sldo
Oown, nail slats over the front to
keep tho hen in tho box. When this
Is all done, tako tho hen and her
brood and place them In the box, aud
tho first thing to do after this has
been dono Is to give tho hen all the
corn sho will eat. h J, Wilson.
Crested White Ducks.
Crested White ducks are valuable
chiefly as ornaments, as they possess
no qualities that are not found in
more commonly grown breeds. Tho
standard weight ot tho mature drake
Is 7 pounds and ot the duck G pounds.
Scaly Legs.
"Scaly legs" is caused by a para
site and hence can be quite easily
eradicated from a flock. Tho trouble,
does not spread rapidly and this again
indicates that it Is quite easy to con
trol. It Is seldom met with in young
fowls nnd less in tho light Mediter
raneans fowls than in tho heavy
breeds. Old birds of the heavier
types are most likely to havo it.
Fortunately for the raisers ot water
fowls, ducks and geese are not subject
to It. As parasites of all kinds can
bo killed by tho use of grease and oil,
these may be disposed of the same
way. Probably tho oil and lard them
selves would do the work, but to make
the remedy the more efficacious, kero
sene Is added. It Is also sometimes
woll to raako an emulsion of kero
sene and water and dip tho legs of the
fowls into this. Pure lard Is good and
if tho legs of the fowls are greased
with this till the spaces between the
scales are filled the recovery should
ho complete. This is a matter that
should be attended to, as tho birds
doubtless suffer greatly from the in
cessant itching. This is shown by
the persistency with which fowls at
fected with this disease peck at their
legs, often maKlng them bleed.
Every farmer can Improve hl3 flock
of fowls by constant and careful se
lection, always weeding out the poor
est A Change of Corsets.
A valuable discovery has been mado
that half of woman's ills come from
wearing the same pair of corsets
every day, says Philadelphia Pres3.
There is somo truth in this statement
for the reason that pressure is always
exerted upon the samo placo and ono
gets tired in spots.
A change of corsets would naturally
moans a change in pressttro. Tho
same holds good in shoes and hats.
It people would only consider these
small things, much discomfort and
annoyance could be avoided. The
poor liver gets credit for all our Ills.
.-rlrl r - - "
