TOST,,, >iriWii^lli»lliifnnHEafct- -
Dcseit Dust
By Edwin L Sabin j
Author of “How Are You Feeling?” etc.
Bbshs-s-—s Ill I«—3I
“Daniel and Captain Adams
fcave »io weight with me,
madam,” I stammered. “But
when you yourself requested—”
“That was merely for the time
being. I asked you to leave me
at the fire because I felt sure
that Daniel would kill you.”
“But yesterday evening—I re
fer to yesterday,” I corrected.
“You sent me word, following
fcny talk with Hyrum.”
“I did not.”
“Not by Rachael T’f
“No, sir.”
“I so undf f*tood. I thought
that she intimated as much. She
aaid that you were to be happy;
were already content. And that
I would only be making you
trouble if I continued our
acquaintance.”
“Oh! Rachael.” She smiled
with sudden softness. “Rachael
cannot understand, either. I’m
eure she intended well, poor
(Soul. Were they all like Rachael
#-—But I had no knowledge of
nar talk with you. Anyway,
please leave me if you feel dis
posed. Whether I marry Daniel
,©r not should be no concern of
yours. I shall have to find my
own trail out. Look ! There go
the ducks. I came down to
watoh them. Now neither of us
has any excuse for staying.
Good-“
The hush had tightened into a
Strange pent stillness like the .
poise of earth . and sky and
beast and bird just before the
breaking of a great and lowering
•torm. The quick clatter of the
ducks’ wings somehow alarmed
me—the staring of the children,
their eyes directed past us,
sharpened my senses for a new
focus. And glancing, I witness
ed Daniel nearing—striding
rapidly, straight for the point,
* figure portentous in the fading
flow, bringing the storm with
im.
She saw, too. Her eyes widen
ed, startled, surveying not him,
but me.
“Please go. At once! I'll
beep him.”
“It is too late now,” I assert
ed, in voice not mine. “I am
here first and I’ll go when I get |
beady.”
“You mean to face himt”
“I mean to hear what he has
to e*y, and learn what he intends
to £">, I don’t see any other way
•—unless you really wish me to
got”
“No, no!” cried My Lady.
*‘I don’t want you to be harmed;
but oh, how I have suffered.”
All her countenance was suffus
ed—with anger, with shame, and
•even with hope. She trembled,
gazing at me, and fluctuant.
“So have I, madam,” said I,
grimly.
“1 think,” she remarked in
quiet tone, “that in a show-down
you will best him. I’m sure of
it; ye8, I know it. You will play
the man. You act cool. Qood!
iWatch him very close. He'll give
you little grace, this time. But
remember this: I’ll never, never,
never marry him. Rather than
be bound to him I’ll deal with
him myself.”
ii won t do necessary,
madam,’’ said I—a catch in my
throat; for while I was all iciness
And clamminess, my hands cold
and my tongue dry, I felt that I
was going to kill him at last.
Something told me; the sheer
horror of it struck through; the
inevitable loomed grisly and I
Hear indeed.
A panoramic lifetime crowds
the brain of a drowning man:
that same crowded my brain dur
ing ths few moments which
Swung in to us Daniel, scowling,
masterful, his raw bulk and his
long shambling stride never be
fore so insolent.
From New York and home
And peace I traveled clear here
to desert, outlawy and blood—
and thence on through a second
me as a marked man; but while
I knew very well where I should
thoot him (right through the
heart), I turned over and over
tne one doubtful pass: where
Would he shoot me? Shoot me
he would—chest, shoulder, arm,
head; I could not escape, did not
hope to escape. Yet no matter
where his ball ploughed (and I
•poignantly felt it enter and sear
gne) my final bullet would end
The match. Also, I argued my
rights in the business; argued
them before my father and
mother, before the camp, before
the world.
These thoughts which precede
a certain duel to the death are
not inspiring thoughts; since
then I have learned that other
men, even practiced gun-men,
have had the same trtpidation to
the instant of pulling weapon
Daniel charged in for us. I
did not touch revolver butt; he
did not. My Lady lifted chin, to
receive him. My eyes, fastened
upon him noted her, and noted,
beyond us, the spying visages of
the camp folk, all turned our
way, transfixed and agog.
Ho barked first at her.
“Go whar yu belong, yu
Jezebel! Then I’ll tend to tk;4
-’’ The rabid epithet leveled
at me I shall not repeat.
She straightened whitely.
“He careful what you say,
Daniel. No man on this earth
can speak to me like that."
All his face flushed livid with
a sneer, merging together yellow
freckles and tanned skin.
“Can’t, can’t he! I kin an’ I
do. Why yu—yu— yu reckon
yu kin shame me ’fore that hull
train! Yu sneak out this
away, meetin’ this spindle-shank,
no-’count States greenie who
hain’t sense enough to swing a
bull whip an’ ain’t man enough
to draw a gun! I’ve told yu an’
I’m done tellin’ yu. Now yu git.
I’ve stood yore fast an’ loose
plenty. I mean business. Git!
Whar yu ’ll be safe. I ’ll not hold
off much longer."
You threaten met”
Her blue eyes were blazing
above a spot of color In either
cheek—with a growl he took a
step, so that she shrank from his
clutching hand, its scarred, burly
fingers outcurved. And the
time, perhaps the very moment
had arrived. I must, I must.
“No more of that, you brute,”
I uttered, while my pounding
heart flooded me with a cold,
tingling stream. “If you have
anything to say, say it to me.”
He whirled.
“Yu! Why, yu leetle piece o'
nothin’—yu shut up!” By sud
den reach he gripped her arm; to
her sharp, short scream he thrust
her about.
“Git! I’m boss hyar.” And
at me: “What yu goin’ to dot
She’s promised to me. I’m
takin’ keer of her; she’s rode on
my wagon; an ’ naow yu think to
toll her offt Yu meet her ag’in
right under my nose arter I’ve
warned yuT Git, yoreself, or I’ll
stomp on yu like on a louse.”
Absolutely, hot tears of morti
fication, of bitter injury, showed
in his glaring eyes. He was but
a big boy, after all.
“Our meeting here was entire
ly by accident,” I answered.
“Mrs. Montoyo had no expecta
tion of seeing me, nor I of seeing
her. You’re making a fool of
yourself, ”
He burst, red, quivering, in
sensate.
“Yu’realiar! Yu’re a sneak
in’, thievin’ liar, like all Gentiles.
Yu’re both o’ yu liars. What’s
she!” And he spoke it, raving
with insult. “But I’ll *ame her.
She’ll be snatched from yu in’
yore kind. We’ll settle naow.
Yu’re a liar, I say. Yu gonna
draw on met Draw, yu Gentile
dog; for if I lay hands on yu
Y>nce-”
“Look out!” she gasped
tensely. But she had spoken
late. That cold blood which had
kept me in a tremor and a
wonderment, awaiting his pistol
muzzle, exploded into a seethe of
heat almost blinding me. I for
got instructions, I disregarded
every movement preliminary to
the onset, I reraenibered only
the criminations and recrimina
tions culminating here at last.
Bullets were too slow and easy. I
did not see his revolver, I saw
but the hulk of him and the in
tolerable sneer of him, and that
his flesh was ready to ray fingers.
And quicker than his hand I was
upon him, into him, climbing
him, clinging to him, arms bind
ing him, legs twining around
his, each ounce of me greedy to
crush him down and master him.
The shock drove him back
ward. Again My Lady screamed
shortly; the children screamed.
He proved very strong. Swell
ing and tugging and cursing he
broke one grip, but I was fast to
him, now with guard against his
bolstered gun. We swayed and
staggered, grappling hither and
thither. I had his arms pinioned
once more, to bend him. He spat
into my face; and shifting, set
his teeth into my shoulder so that
they champed like the teeth of a
horse, through shirt and hide to
the flesh. I raided him; his boots
hammered at my shins, His knee
struck me in the stomach and tor
an instant I sickened. Now I
tripped him; we toppled to
gether, came to the ground with
a thump. Here we churned, while
he flung me and still I stuck. The
acrid dust of the alkali envelop
ed us. Again he spat, fetid—I
sprawled upon him, smothering
his flailing arms; gave him all
my weight and strength; smelled
the sweat of him, snarled into
his snarling face, close beneath
mine.
Once he partially freed him
self and buffeted me in the mouth
with his fist, but I caught him—
while struggling, tossed and up
heaved, dimly saw that as by a
miracle we were surrounded by
a ring of people^men and
women their countenances pale,
alarmed, intent. Voices sounded
in a dull roar.
Presently I had him crucified:
his one outstretched arm under
my knees, his other arm tethered
by my two hands, my body across
his chest, while his legs threshed
vainly. I looked down into his
bulging crooked eyes, glaring
back presumably into my eye's,
and might draw breath.
“ ’Nuf? Cry 4 ’Nuf,’ ” I bade.
“ ’Nuf! Say ‘ ’Nuf,’ ” echoed
the crowd.
He strained again, convulsive;
and relaxed.
44 ’Nuf!” he panted through
bared teeth. “Lemme up, Mis
ter.9 9
“This settles it?”
“I said 4 ’Nuf,’ ” he growled.
With quick movement I sprang
clear of him, to my feet. He lay
for a moment, baleful, and slowly
scrambled up. On a sudden, as he
faced me, his hand Bhot down
ward—I heard the surge and
shout 6f men and women, to the
stunning report of his revolver
ducked aside, felt my left arm
jerk and sting—felt my own gun
explode in my hand (and how it
came there I did not know)—be
held him spin around and col
lapse; an astonishing sight.
CHAPTER XVH
The Trail Forks
So there 1 stood, amidst silence,
gaping foolishly, breathing hard,
my revolver smoking in my fin
gers and my enemy in a shocking
ly prone posture at my feet,
gradually reddening the white of
the torn soil. He was upon his
face, his revolver hand outflung.
He was harmless. The moment
had arrived and parsed. I was
standing here alive, I had killed
him. _
Then I heard myself babbling.
“Have I killed nimt I didn’t
want to. I tell you, I didn’t want
to.”
Figures rushed in between.
Hands grasped me, impelled me
away, through a haze; voices
spoke in my ear while I feebly
resisted, a warm salty taste in my
throat.
“I killed him. I didn’ want
to kill him. He made me do it.
He shot first.”
“Yes, yes,” they said, sooth
ing gruffly. “Shore he did;
shore you didn’t. It’s all right.
Come along, come along.”
Then
“Pick him up. He’s bad hurt,
himself. See that blood t Nj,
’tain’t his arm, is it t He’s bleed
in’ internal. Whar’s the hole!
Waitl He’s busted something.”
They would have carried me.
“No,” I cried, while their
bearded faces swam. “He'said
4 ’Nuf’—he shot me afterward.
Not bad, is it f I can walk. ’ ’
“Not bad. Creased you in the
arm, if that’s all. What you
spittin’ blood fort”
As they hustled me onward I
wiped my swollen lips; the back
of my hand seemed to be covered
with thin blod.
“Where he struck me, once,”
I wheezed.
“Yes, mebbe so. But come
along, come along. We’ll tend
to you.”
The world had grown curiously
darkened, so that we moved as
through an obscuring veil; and
I dumbly wondered whether this
was night (had it been morning
or evening when I started for the
pondt) or whether I was dying
myself. I peered and again made
out the sober, stern faces hedging
me, Dut tney gave no answer to
my mutely anxious query. Across
a great distance we stumbled by
the wagons (the same wagons of
a time agone), and halted at a
fire.
“Set down. Fetch a blanket,
somebody. Whar’s the water!
Set down till we look you over.’’
I let them sit me down.
“Wash your mouth out.”
That was done, pinkish; and
a second time, dearer.
“You’re all right.’’ Jenks ap
parently was ministering to me.
“Swaller this.”
The odor of whiskey fumed in
to my nostrils.. J obediently
swallowed, and gasped and chok- ,
ed. Jenks Wiped my fa<5e with a ’
sopping doth. Hands were rum
inaging at my left arm; a ban
dage being wound about.
“Nothin’ much,” was the re
port. ‘ ‘ Creased him, is all. Lucky
lie dodged. It was cornin’
straight for his heart.”
“He’s all right,” Jenks again
asserted.
Under the bidding of the I
liquor the faintness from the ex
tion and reaction was leaving me.
The slight hemorrhage from the
strain to my weak lungs had
ceased. I would live, I would
live. But he—Daniel?,
“Did I kill him?” I besought.
“Not thatl I didn’t aim—I don’t
know how I shot—but I had to.
Didn’t I?”
“You did. Hell not bother
you ag’in. She’s yourn.”
That hurt.
“But it wasn’t about her, It
wasn’t over Mrs. Montoyo. He
bullied me—dared me. We were
man to man, boys. He made me
fight him.”
“Yes, shore,” they agreed—
and they were not believing.
They still linked me with a
woman, whereas she had figured
only as a transient occasion.
Then she herself, My Lady, ap
peared, running in breathless and
appealing.
“Is Mi*. Beeson hurt? Badly?
Where is he? Let me l»lp.”
She knelt beside me, her hand
grasped mine, she gazed wide
eyed and imploring.
“No, he’s all right, ma’am.”
“I’m all right, I assure you,”
I mumbled thickly, and helpless
as a babe to the clinging of her
cold fingers.
“How’b the other man?” they
abruptly asked.
“I don’t know. He was carri
ed away. But I think he’s dead.
I hope so—oh, I hope so. The
coward, the beast”
“There, there,” they quieted.
“That’s all over with. What he
got is his own business now. He
hankered for it and was bound to
have it. You'd best stay right
hyar a spell. It’s the place for
you at present.”
They grouped apart, on the
edge of the flickering fire oirele.
The dusk had heightened apace
(for nightfall this really was)),
the glow and flicker barely
touched their blackly outlined
forms, the murmur of their voices
sounded ominous. In the circle
we two sat, her hand upon mine,
thrilling me comfortably yet
abashing me. She surveyed me
uinwinkingly and grave—a
. triumph shining from her , eyes
albeit there were seamy shadows
etched into her white face. It was
as though she were welcoming me
through the outposts of hell.
“You killed him. I knew you
would—I knew you'd h^ye to.’’
(To be Continued.)
Hopeleee ae Peace Ship.
From the Shoe end Leather Reporter
Friends of Henry Ford say that he
will spend $7,000,000 to “clean up pol
itics.” Henry should know that there
are many things In this world that
money cannot do._
Old Tuakegee.
From the Youth's Companion.
The bears of Yellowstone Park are
famous for their courteous treatment
of tourists. But old Tuskegee Is not
a bear but a bison; he has no high
standard of politeness to uphdld. He
Is the monarch of the herd and—so
we learn from Mr. Lewie R. Free
man In Down the Yellowstone—Is
reputed to be the largest American
bleon alive. When he Is Impolite he
is exceedingly poor company.
The old fellow, says Mr. Freeman,
la estimated to weigh more than three
thousand pounds, Is covered with a
net-work of scare from fighting and
has only one eye and the remnant of
a tall. He has been seen to give
battle to' three pugnacious bull elks
at once and has killed numbers of
them In single combat
A few summers ago he left the herd
and charged a coach full of tourists.
The vehicle was nearly overturned by
the plunging horses one of which was
gored so badly that It had to be shot,
and the occupants, a party of New
England school teachers, were driven
Into frenzies of terror. Neither the
bullets from a nickel-plated revolver
In the hands of one of them nor the
long stinging whip of the driver nor
even his stinging language affected
Tuskegee In the least. He continued
butting about among the frightened
horses as If wrecking a slx-ln-hand
coach were a part of his dally rout
ine. At last, however, the shrieks of
the women seemed to be too much for
the old fellow, and, wheeling about,
he galloped bellowing over the hill.
For two years the big herd grad
ually dropped to pieces and wandered
about in leaaerleas fragments. Then
one day a big bull elk was found
crushed and torn and trampled Into
the mud of Violet Springs, and the
scouts told one another that the king
had returned. A few days later a
soldier of the game patrol saw the
reunited herd debouch from a canyon
with old Tuskegee puffing proudly In
the lead. His tall was stubbier
than ever, the grizzled red hair was
more patchy on the rump and more
matted on the neck and a new set of
soars was crisscrossed and etched
Into the old set on his flanks. The
former fighting spirit still flamed,
and the trooper owed his life* to the
fact that the ,anow on the slope was
deep, the crust was firm and the
skis were wdll Waxed.
A new superintendent was In chargt
and his satisfaction at seeing ^he
scattering herd once more united
was so great that he stayed the order
of execution. Since that time,
strangely enough, Tuskegee has ap
peared to show his appreciation of
the offlolal clemency by behaving in
a most exatnplei’y manner.
Following are some <
of the opinions ex- .
pressed by various
professors and teach- <
era in noted agricul- <
tural schools regard
ing the SHARPLES
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arator that we aro
lending to farmers
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At Kansas Univer
sity—"Well, I like
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turn and clean,” and
Prof. - said
"that is the biggest
little separator I ever
aaw.”
At Nebraska Uni
versity — "That Is
some separator; I
caii recommend that
to any one,” while
the Profs. -
said, "It was the
frreatest separator
»hey had ever seen.”
At Missouri Uni
versity—"That sep
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Separator business in
Missouri when peo
ple learn how easy It
turns and what it
toes.”
At Ohio University
r“If we had not run
ourselves and
sted It they would
tot believe It; sure
ave a wonderful
feaohlne.”
At Ames — "Tou
have made a big Im
provement in separa
tors and are using
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and want one as soon
as possible.”
Again at Illinois,
Wisconsin, Purdue
and other State Uni
versities the Profes
sors and authorities
call the Allsteel Sep
arator Woaderfal.
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Whales Face Extinction
So many whales are now being
killed off the coasts of South Africa
that appeals have been made to the
Union government to restrict their tak
ing to the larger size males. A total
of 700 whales In a year were killed
by companies operating out of South
African ports and In the nearby wa
ters. Whales are becoming scarcer
and smaller as a result of unrestrict
ed slaughter and it Is now proposed
to prohibit the killing of females and
of all whales below a certain size, de
pendent on the species.
“Bottle Books”
About a century ago “bottle books”
Fere made In the south of France.
They were used to carry liquid re
freshments and were popular with
judges, lawyers and the learned folk
generally. The legal profession was
given to carrying Its authorities back
and forth under the atm. Hence these
bottle books, which were made of lus
trous, decorated dark blue faience,
were In appearance not urfllke tooled
levant leather. The contents were
wholly liquid or partly literary, with
a liquid compartment. When the own
er felt the need of a nip he opened
Ids little book.—Detroit News.
To Havo a Clear, 8weet Skin
Touch pimples, redness, roughness
or itching, If any, with Cuticura Oint
ment, then bathe with Cuticura Soap
and hot water. Rinse, dry gently and
dust on a little Cuticura Talcum to
leave a fascinating fragrance on skin.
Everywhere 25c each.—Advertisement.
Nations have vices as Individuals
have; and the most besetting one is
covetousness. It promotes war.
Anyone can carry on business by
new method after a commercial Na
poleon has shown the way.
Carbide
Carbide consists of compounds of
carbon and ttie metals of certain ol
the metalloids. The name earbldei 4$
Is also applied to compounds of car
bon with certain nonmetallic elements
such as silicon. The carbide pf sili
con Is a crystalline substance remark
able for its great hardness, and used
under the name of carborundum for
making whetstones, polishing cloths^
etc. The carbides of nonmetallic ele
ments are not attacked by acids.
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Dye or Tint Any Worn, Shabby Gar
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Each 15-cent package of “Diamond
Dyes” contains directions so simple
that any woman can dye or tlut any
old, worn, faded thing new, even if
she has never dyed before. Choose
any color at drug store.—Advertise
ment.
As an Omelette
A very bad actor once ventured te
appear in the part of Hamlet, but even
the village audience he tried It on
would not tolerate It, and he was
pelted with rotten eggs.
The next day two colleagues were
discussing i lie performance.
“Well," said one, “I never laughed
so mui'h in my life as when Jones
came on as Hamlet.”
“Oh,” retorted the other, “I laughed
much more when he went off as
Omelette!”
Whatever ails a man, he thinks
spring will cure it.
good breads Yeast Foam
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