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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1922)
THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE CopynghV by WiUiom. MacLeod SYNOPSIS POIIBWOIID. Motoring through Arl- 5ona, a party of easterners, father and iughter and a male companion, itop to witness n cattle round up. The girl leaves the car and la attacked by a wild steer. A masterpiece of riding on the part of one of tho cowboys saves -her life. CHAPTEK I. Clay Lindsay, range-rlder on an ArUona ranch, announces his Inten tion to visit the "big town," Now York. CHAPTER Il.-On the train Lindsay hrnmf.a Inf prnntpil In n. vounir woman. ifltty Mason, on her way to New York to Decome a motion-piciuro acirunn. o marked as ruir prey by a reuow irav- Jar, Jorry Durana, unrig politician ana prize fighter, Perceiving his Intention, adsay provokes a quarrel and throws Jurand from the train. CHAPTER, III.-On his first day In New n. Janitor, that Individual the range rider punishes summarily and leaves tied to a fire hydrant. A young woman who tites the occurrence Invites Clay Into her house and hides him from the police. CHAPTER IV.-Clay's "rescuer" Intro duces herself as Beatrice WlUtford. Lind say meets her ratner, conn wnuioru, aim f Invited to visit them again. He meets Kitty Mason by accident She has been disappointed In her stage aspirations, and to support horself Is selling cigarettes In a cabaret. Clay visits her there. Chapter IV Continued. lie offered Instant reassurance with a strong grip of Ms brown hand, "You've got one, little pardner. I'll promise Hint one big liusky will bo on tho job when you need htm. Don't you worry," She gave blni ber shy eyes grate fully. There wns u mist of tears In them. "You're good," Bho Bald agnln naively. CHAPTER V Arizona Follows IU Lawless Impulse The Sen Siren was already begin ning to till up when Clay descended three Bteps to a cellar and wns warily admitted. A near-Hawaiian orchestra, was strumming out a dance tune and a few couples were on the floor. Walt- ressett, got up aa Loreleln, were mov- j lng about among tho guosts delivering orders for refreshment. The westerner sat 'down In a corner nud looked about him. Tho walls were decorated with crude purple crayons of underfed sirens. A statue of a nude woman distressed Clay. He did not ralnd the missing clothes, buo sho was so dreadfully emaciated tlxtt ho thought It wise for her to cling to the yellow-nnd-rad draped barber polo that rose from the pedestal. On tho base was the legend, "Tho Weeping Lady." Aftor he had tnstod tho Sea Siren fare tho man from Arlrona sus pected that both her grief and her anaemia arose from the fact that Bho bad been fed on It. A mun In artist's velveteens, minus u haircut, with a large, fat, pasty face, sat at an adjoining table and dis coursed to his friends. Presently, dur ing nn Intermission of the music, he rose and took tho rest of those present Into his confidence. "Bourgeois to tho core," he an nounced, speaking of tho United States. "What aro tho Idols wo wor ship? Law, tho chain which binds an ensfuved people, thrift, born of childish fear; love of country, which is another name for craBSnrovlnclallsm. I I am r OosmopolIterTiot nn American, .Bo hemia Is my land, nnd all free souls arc my brothers. Why should I get wrinkles bocause Germany sunk tho Lusltanlu a mouth or two ago? 'Hunt's her business, not mliio." Olay leaned forward on n search for Information. ','Excuso mo for buttln In, and mo a stranger, But Isn't It yoro business when sho murders American women and children?" Tho pasty-faced man looked nt him with thinly disguised contempt. "Yom wouldn't understand If I explained." "Mebhcso I wouldn't, but you take a whirl at it and I'll listen high, wide, and handsome." " The man In velveteens unexpectedly found himself doing as ho was told. There was a suggestion of compulsion about tho grny;bluo eyes fastened on his, something In tho clamp of tho strong Jaw that brought htm up for a moment against stark reality. "Tho Intelligentsia of a country know that tliero can be no freedom until there is no law. Every man's duty Is to disregard duty. So, by far-lag-Tar on tho wings of desire, ho helps break dbwn tho slavery that binds us. Obey the Cosmic Urge of your soul re gardless of whero It leads you, young imn." Ii was unfortunate for tho poet o Bohemia thut at this precise moment Kitty Mason, dressed In sandals nnd a lilad-pattcrned smock, stood before klpa with a tray of cigarettes asking ft hi trade. Tin naive appeal In her s&'t eye Kad Its weight with the poet Wkt la the us of llvjng in Bohemia ifteoa cannot be free to follow tin psJac? JIa sJlppedyBii arm about the girl and klswd the crimson 4lps up turned to him, Kitty started back with a little cry t 1 bund by MMacIeodRgine; Kustraftons by Raxn l of distress, The freedom taken by tho nenr-poot was Instantly avenged. A Cosmic Urge beat In the veins of the savago from Arizona. He took the poet's ndvlco and fallowed his Law less Impulse where It led. Across the table a long arm reached. Sinewy fingers closed upon the (lowing neck wear of the fat-faced orator and dragged him forward, leaving over turned glasses in tho wake of his course. Tho man In velveteens mot the eyfcs of tho energetic manhandler and quailed. Tills brown-faced barbarian looiccd very much like business. "Don't you touch me I Don't you daro touch me 1" tho apostlo of nnarchy shrilled ns the tnble crashed down. "I'll turn you over to the police I" Clay Jerked him to his feet. Hani knuckle pressed cruelly Into tho soft throat of the Villager. "Git down on yoro ham bones and beg the lady's par don. Tell her you'ro a yollow pup, but you don't reckon you'll ever pull a bone like that again." Tho companions of the poet rushed forward to protest at tho manhandling of their leader. Those In tho rear Jammed tho front ones close to Clay and his captive. The cow puncher gently but strongly pushed thorn back. "Don't get on tho prod," he advised in his genial drawl. "Tho poet he's got an Important engagement right now."t A kind of scuffle developed. The pro prietor Increased it by his hysterical efforts to prevent any trouble. Men Joined themselves to tho noisy group of which Clay was tho smiling center. The excitement Increased. Distant corners of the room became the refuge of the women. Some one struck at the cow puncher over the heads of those about him. Tho mass of closely packed human beings showed n convulsive ac tivity. It became suddenly the most popular Indoor sport at the Sea Siren to slay this barbarian from tho desert who had Interfered with tho amuse ments of Bohemia. But Clay took a lot of slaying. In the rough-and-tumble life of the out door West he had learned how to look out for Ids own hand. The copper hair of his strong lean head rose above the tangle of the melee like the bro mldlc Helmet of Navarre. A reckless light of mirth bubbled In his dare devil oyes. The very number of the opponents who Interfered with each other trying to get at him wus sk guar antee of safety. TJio blows showered nt hi m lacked steam and were badly timed as to distance The pack rolled across tho room, tlppedover a table, and dolugcd an artist and his alllnlty with hot choco late before they could escape from the avalanche. Chairs went over like ninepins. Stands collnpsed. Men grunt ed and shouted advice. Girls screamed. The Sen Siren was being wrecked by a cyclone from tho bad lands. Arms threshed wildly to and fro. The local point of their destination wns the figure at the center of the disturbance. Most of tho blows found other marks. Four or five men could have demol ished Clay. Fifteen or twenty found It n tough Job because they Interfered with well other at every turn. They were packed too close for hard hitting. Clay was not fighting hut wrestling, no twed his nrms to push with rather than to strike blows that counted.' The Arlzonnn could not afterward remember at exactly what stngo of tho proccotllngsjtho faco of Jerry Durand Impinged Itself on Ills consciousness. Once, when the swirl of the orowd flung him closo to tne door, ho caught a glimpse of It, tight-lipped and wolf eyed, turned to him with reloutlcss mnlce, Tho gang leader was taking no part in die fight. Tho crwd parted. Out of tho pack a pair of strong, urms and loan broad shoulders plowed a way for a some what damaged faco that still carried a 'debonair sialic. With ptftithcrlsh Utltcttcss tho Arlzonon ducked ti swinging blow. A moment, and ho was outsldotaklng tho threo steps that led to the street. Into his laboring lungs he drew de liriously tho soft breath of tho night. It cooled tho fever of his hammered face, was llko an icy bath to his hot body. A little dizzy from tho blows ' that had been ruined on him, ho stood for n moment nncertnln'vhlch wny to go. Then agalu ho becamo uwnro of Durand. Tho man was not nlono. no had with him u hulking rufllqn whoso "hc,avy, hunched shoulders told of strength. There was a hint of tho gorilla In the way the long arms hung straight from tho shoulders ns he leaned forward. Both of tho men woro watching tho cow puncher ns steadily ns alloy cats do a houso finch.' "Hrl's going to pop In about threo seconds," nnnounced Clay to himself. SHootly, without lifting their oyes from their victim for an instant, tho two 'men moved apart to take film on both sides. Ho clung to tho wall, forc ing a frontal attack, The laughter had gone out of his eyes now. They nad hardened to pinpoints. This time It was no amateur horseplay, lie was fighting for his life. No need to tell Clay Lindsay that the Now York gangster meant to leave hli os good as dead. The men rushed him. He fought back with clean, hard blows. Jerry bored In llko n wild bull. Clny caught him off his balance, using a short arm Jolt which had back of it nil that twenty-three years of clenn outdoors Arizona could give. Tho gangster lrlt the pavement hard. He got up furious and Charged again. The Arizona:), busy with tho other inau, tried to sidestep. An uppcrcut Tha Men Rushed Him. Ho Fought Back With Clean, Hard Blows. Jarred him to the heel. In that Instant of time before his knees began to sag beneath him his brain flashed the news that Durand hnd struck him on the chin with brass knuckles. He crumpled up nnd went down, still alive to what was going on, but unable to move In his own defense. WenKly he tried to protect his face nnd sides from tho kicks of n heavy boot. Then he flonted balloon-like In space and vanished Into unconsciousness. Clay drifted back to a world In which the machinery ef . his body creaked. He turned his head, and a racking pain shot down his neck. He moved a leg, and every muscle In It ached. From bend to foot he was sore. Voices somowhere In space, detached from any personal ownership, floated vaguely to him. Presently these re solved themselves Into words and sen tences. "We're not to make a pinch, Tim. That's the word ho gavo me before ho lofifc. This Is wan nv Jerry's private little wars and ho don't want a Judge askln' a lot of unnlcossary questions, y' understand." "Mother av Moses, if tills ho-man from II l's Hinges hadn't the luck av tho Irish, thcre'd be questions a-plenty nsked. He'd bo ready for the morgue this bllsscd minute. Jorry's a murderln dlvvle. When I breezo In I find him croakln' this lad proper and he actsllke a crazy man when I stand him nnd Gorilla Davo off till yuh come a-runnln'. At that they may have given tho byo more thnn he can carry. Maybo it'll be roses and a nice black carriage for him yet" Clay opened his eyes, flexod his arm muscles, and groaned. Ho caressed tenderly lira aching ribs. "Some wreck," he gasped weakly. "Th&y didn't dp a thing to mo out sldo of bcntlu' mo upland stomplh' on me and rutinln' a steam roller over tho dear departed." "Whoso fuult will that bo? Don't yuh know better than to start a tight with a rlglment?" demanded tho ser geant of pollcetsovercly. "That wasn't a fight. It was a waltz." The faint, unconquerod smile of brown Arizona broke through the blood and bruises of tho face. "The fight began when Jerry Durand mid his friend rushed me nnd It ended when .Torry landed on me with brass knucks. After thnt I wnB n football." Tno words enmo In gasps. Every breath wns drawn In pain. "We'd ought to pinch jwh," the ser geant said by wuy of reprimand. "Think yuh can come to rlaw York and pull your small-town stuff on us? We'll show youse. If yuh wasn't, al falfa gpeen I'd glvo yuh a ride." Tho officer dropped his grumbling com plaint to a whisper. "Whisht, bje. Take u straight tip from a man that knows. Bent It out of town. Get whero the long arm qf of a friend of ours can't roach yuh. He's a re vlngcful lucmy If ove thero was wan." "You .mean that Durand " "I'm not namln' names," tho officer interrupted doggedly. Tra tellln yuh somcthln' for your good. Tako It or leavo It" "Thanks, I'll leavo It. Tills Is a free country, and no man Hvln' can drlvo mo aw'ay," answered Clay promptly. "Ouch, I'm sore. Glvo mo a lltt, sor grant" Thoy herped the cow puncher to his feet, no took a limping step or two. Every move was torturo to his out raged flesh. "Can yoiuget roo a taxi? That is, If you'ro sure you don't want mo In yoro calaboose," tho range-rider said, leaning against the wall. "We'll let yuh' go this time." "Mucji obliged to Mr. Jerry Du rand. Toll him for me that maybe Fll meet up with him again soma time nnd. hand him my thanks personal for this first-class waUophV." From 'the bruised, bleeding face there beamed ugnln the smile indomitable, the grin j still gny nud winning. Physically ho hod been badly beuteti, but In spirit ho wns stilt the mun on horseback. Presently lie ensed himself Into n taxi ns comfortably as he could. "Home, James," he said Jauntily. "Where?" nsked the driver. "Tho nearest hospital," explained , Clay. "I'm goln' to let the doctors j worry over me for a while. Much obliged to both of you gentlemen. 1 always did like the Irish. Friend Jerry Is nn exception." The officers watched the cab disap pear. The sergennt spoke the com ment that wns In the mind of them bvth. "He's the best single-barreled sport that Ivor I met In this man's town. Not a whimper out of the guy nnd him mauled to a pulp. Game ns they come. Did youse sec that spnrk o' the dlvvle In his eye, nud him not lit to crawl Into the cab? S'long, Tim. No report on this rough-house, mind yuh." "Sure, Mike." CHAPTER VI Beatrice Up Stage. If you vision Clay as a man of bat tles and violent death, you don't see him as he saw himself. He was n peaceful citizen from tlie law-abiding West. It wns not until he had been flung Into the whirlpool of New York that violent nnd melodramatic mishaps befell this Innocent. This wns the version of himself thut he conceived to be true nnd the one ho tried to interpret to Bee Whltford when he emerged from the hospital af ter two dnys of seclusion nnd pre sented himself before her. It wns characteristic of Beatrice thnt when she looked at his battered face she asked no questions nnd made no exclamations. After the first startled glance one might have thought from her expression that he habitually wore one black eye, one swollen lip, one cauliflower enr, and a strip of gauze across his cheek. The dark-lashed eyes lifted from him to take on u business-like directness. Sho rang for the man. "Have the runabout brought round at once, Stevens. I'll drive myself," sho gave orders. . With the light ease that looked silk en strong she swept the car Into the pan. Neither sho nor Clay talked. Both of them knew thnt an explana tion of his nppenrnnce was due her and In the meantime neither cared to fence with small talk. She drew up to look at some pond lilies, nnd they talked about them for a moment, after which her direct eyes questioned him frankly. He painted with n light brush the picture of his adventure Into Bohemia. Tho details he filled In whimsically, In the picturesque phraseology of. the West. Up stage on his canvas wns the figure of the poet In velveteens. That Son of the Stars he did full Justice. Jerry Durand and Kitty Mason were accessories sketched casually. "I gather that Mr. Lindsay of Ari zona was among those present," Be atrice sold, smiling. 3 "I was glvln' the dance," he agreed, and his gay eyes met hors. Since sho wns a woman, one phase of his story' needed expansion for Miss Whltford. She mado her comment carelessly while she adjusted tho mile age on the speedometer. "Queer you happened to meet some one you knew down there. You said you knew tho girl, didn't you?" "We were on the same train out of Denver. I got acquainted with her." Miss Whltford asked no more ques tions. But Clny could not quite let tho matter stand so. He wanted her to Justify him In her mind for what he had done. Before he knew It ho had told her the story of Kitty Mason and Durand. "I couldn't let him hypnotize that little girl from the country, could I?" he nsked. "I suppose not." Her whole face be gan to bubble with laughter Irr the "Put You'll Bo a Busy Knight Errant If You Undertake to Right tha Wrongs of Every Girl You Meet In New York." way ho liked so well. "But you'll be a busy knight errant If you undertake to right the wrongs of every girl you meet In New York. Don't you think It possible that you rescued her qut of n Job?" Tlie young man nodded his head rue fully. "Thnt's exactly what 1 did. After all her trouble gettln' one I've thrown her out again. I'm a sure enough futliead." "You've been down to find out?" she nsked with n sidelong tilt of her quick eyes. "Yes. I went down this nmwnln' with Tim Muldoou. He's n policeman 1 met down there. Miss Kitty hnsn't been seen since that night. We went out to the Pirate's Den, .the Purple Pup, Grace nodwln's Garret, nnd nil the places whore she used to sell cigar ettes. None of them hnve seen any thing of hor." "So thnt really your championship hnsn't been so great n help to her after all) has It?" "No." "And I suppose It ruined the busi ness of the man that owns the Sen Siren." "I don't reckon so. I've settled for the furniture. And Muldoou says when It gets goln' ngnln tlie Sea Siren will do n big business on account of the fracas, it's Kitty I'm worried about." "I wouldn't worry about her If I were you. She'll Innd on her feet," the girl said lightly. Her voice had not lost Its sweet cadences, but Clny sensed In It some thing thnt was nlmnst n touch of cool contempt. He felt vaguely thnt he must have blundered In describing Kitty. Evidently Miss Whltford did not seo her quite ns she wns. The young woman pressed the start er button. ' We must be going home. I hnve nn engagement to go riding with .Mr.' Bromfleld." The man beside the girl kept his smile working ami concealed the little stub of Jeulousy that dirked him. Colin Whltford had conllded to Llnd suy thut his daughter was pructlcally engaged to Clnrendon Bromlleld and that he did not like the man. The range-rider did not like him either, but he tried loynlly to kill his distrust of the clubman. If Beatrice loved him there must be good In the fellow. Clay meant to be u good loser anyhow. There hud been moments when the range-rider's heart had quickened with a wild, Insurgent hope. One of these hnd been on a morning when they were riding In. the park, knee to knee, In the dawn of a new clenn world. It hnd come to lilin with n sudden clamor of the blood that In the eternnl Tightness of things such mornings ought to be theirs till the yfluth In them was quenched In sober uge. He hnd looked Into the eyes' of this slim young Diana, and he had throbbed to the certainty that she too In thnt moment of tangjed glances knew a sweet confu sion of the blood. In her cheeks there hnd been n quick flame of flying color. Their talk hnd fallen from them, and they had ridden In n shy, exquisite si lence from which site had eslcaped by putting her honse to a canter. But In the sober sense of sanity Oluy knew that this wonderful thing was not going to happen to him. He was not going to be given her happiness to hold In the hollow of his hand. Bee Whltford was a modern young woman, practical-minded, with a proper sense of tho values that the world esteems. Clarendon Bromfleld was a catch even in New York. He was rich, of a good family, assured social position, good looking, and manifestly In love with her. Like gravitates to llko the land over. Bromfleld, too, hnd no doubt that Bee meant to marry him. Ho was In love with her as far as he could be with anybody except himself. He wanted her tlie youth, tho buoyant life, the gay, glad comradeship of her and he had always been lucky In getting what he desired. That wbb the uso of having been born with a silver spoon In his mouth. But though Clarendon Bromfleld had no doubt of the Issue of his suit, the friendship of Beatrice for this fel low from k Arizona stabbed his vanity. It hurt his clnss pride ana his personal self-esteem that she should take pleas ure In tho man's society. Bee never had been well-broken to harness. He set his thin lips tight and resolved that he would stand no nonsense of tills sort after they were married. If she wanted to flirt It would have to bo with some one In their own set. Beatrice could not understand her self. She knew that she was behav ing rather Indiscreetly, though sho did not fathom the cause of the restless ness that drove her to Clay Lindsay. Tho trnth Is that she was longing for nn escape from tlie empty life sho was leading, ffad been seeking ono for years wltlibut knowing It. Surely thiSiround of social frivolities, tho. chattor of these silly women ana smug tnllor mndc men, could not be nil there was to life. She must have been mndo for somothlng better than that. Arid when sho was with Clay she knew she had been. 4 He gavo her a vision of life through eyes that had known open, wldo spaces, clean, whole some, nnd sun-kissed. He stood on his own feet and did. his own thinking. Simply, with both hiaids, he too', hold of problems aud examined them stripped of nil trimmings. The man was elemental, but ho was keen nnd broad-gauged. It amazed her ono day to learn that ho had read William Jamelj aud understood his philosophy much better" than she did. There was in her mind no Intention whatever of letting herself do any tiling so foolish as to marry him. But thews woro moments when tho thought of It had a dreadful fasclnntion for her. Sho did not Invite such thoughts to remain, with her. For she' meant to accept Clarendon Bromfleld In her own good time and mako her social position In New York absolutely secure. Sho hnd been In tho fringes too long not to appreciate a chanco to get Into the social Holy of Hollos. A bow-legged little man In a cheap wrinkled x suit with a silk kerchief knotted loosely round hla neck stepped In front of n window where a girl was selling stamps. "I wnnttn see the postmaster," i "Corrld'y'rlght Takel'vatorthlr'door- left," she said, Just ns though It were two words. At that the freckled-face little fellow opened wider his sklm-mllk eyes and his " enk mouth. "Come ngnln, ma'am, please." "Corrld'y'rlght. Tnkel'vntorthlr'door. left," she repeated. "Next." The Inquirer knew us much ns ho did before, but he lacked the courage to nsk for an English translation. Ho shuffled away from the window and wandered helplessly, swept up by the tide of hurrying people that flowed continuously Into the building and ebbed out of It. From this ho wns tossed Into n backwuter thnt brought hlm to another window. "I wnnttn see the postmaster of this burg," he announced again with a plaintive whine. "Whut about?" nsked tho man back of the grutii'g. "Important business, nmlgo. Where's be ut?" The man directed hlm to n door upon which wns printed tho legend, "Super intendent of Complnlnts." "Well, sir I Whnt can I do for you?" the man behind the big desk snapped. "I wnnttn seo the postmaster." "What nbout?" "I got Important business with him." "Who nre you?" "Mo, I'm Johnnie Green of the B-In-a-Box ranch. I Just dropped In from Arizona nnd I wnnttn see the postmas ter." "Suppose you tell your troubles to me." Johnnie changed his weight to tho other foot "No, suh, I allow to seo the postmnster himself personal." "He's busy," explained tho ofllclal. "Ho enn't possibly seo anybody with out knowing his business." "Thnt's nil right I've iost my pal. I wnnttn see " The superintendent of complaints cut Into his parrot-like repetition. "Yes, you mentioned thnt. But tho postmnster doesn't know where he Is, does he?" "He might tell me where his mall goes, ns the old sayln' Is." "When did you lose your friend?" "I ain't heard from him since he come to New York. So bcin' as I got a chanct to go from Tucson with a Jackpot trainlond of cows to Denver, I klnda made up my mind to come on here the rest of the wny nnd look him up. I'm afraid some one's done him dirt." "Do you know where he's staying?" "No, suh, I don't." The superintendent of complaints tapped with his fingers on the desk. Then he smiled. The postmnster was fond of a Joke. Why not let this odd little freak from the West have an In-, tervlcw with him? Twenty minutes later Johnnie was telling his story to the postmaster of the city of New York. He had written three times to Clay Lindsay and had received no answer. So he had como to look for him. "Is your friend like you?" asked tha postmnster, Interested In spite of him self. "No suh." Johnnie, nllna the Runt, began to beam. "He's a sure-enough go-getter, Clay Is, every Jump of tha road. I'd follow his djfst any day of the week. He's the llvest proposition that ever come out of Graham county. You can ce'talnly gamble on that" The postmaster touched a button. A clerk appeared; received orders, and disappeared. Tho clerk presently returned with three letters addressed to Olay Lind say, General'Dellvery, Now York. Tha postmaster handed them to the little cow puncher. "Evidently he never called for them," he said. Johnnie's chin fell. He looked a pic ture of helpless woe. "They're the let ters I set down nn' wrote him my own Be!. Something litis sure happened to that boy, looks like," ho bemoaned. "We'll try pollcejieadquarters. May be we can get a fine on your friend," tho postmaster said, reaching for the "Go to Police Headquarters, Center 8treet, and Take This Note to Cant. Luke Byrne."' telephone. "Bui you must remember New York is a big place. It's not lik your Arizona ranch. The city has nearly elgnt million innabitants.' YouU understand that when one man geta lost It Isn't always possible to find hlrtL TO BE CONTINUED