The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, May 03, 1923, Image 2
RED CLOUD. NEBRASKA. CHIEF I t i! I i i y ' W i Pi l! h 5 The Light of Western Stars "DUTYOU'RENOTHOROUGHDRED. MAJESTY HAMMOND, ADIOS1" For a moment Madeline sal on her horse wilh shut eyes. She dreaded the light. "Xow you can't say you've never been kissed," Stewart said. His voice seemed a long nay off. "ljut thai was coming to you, so he game. Herd" ' She felt something hard and cold and metallic thrust into her hand. He made her (lingers close over it, hold it. The feel of the thing revived her. She opened her eyes. Stewart had given her his gun. lie stood with his broad breast against her knee, and she looked up to sec that old mocking smile on his face. "Go ahead! Throw my gun on me! Ik a thoroughbred I" Madeline did not yet grasp his meaning. "Von can put me down in that quiet place on the hill beside Monty Price." Madeline dropped the gun wilh a shuddering cry of horror, ''lie sense of his words, the memory of Monty, the certainty that she would kill Stewart if she held the gun an instant longer, tor lured the self-accusing cry from Iter. Sir wart stopped to pick up the, weapon. . "You might have saved me a hl of a lot of trouble," he said, with another flash of the mocking smile. "You're beautiful and sweet and proud, but you're no thoroughbred! Majesty Hammond, ti 1 OS.' A bit tetnpeituout? Well, rather, but it's only one dramatic aitua tion in a red-blooded itory of the cnttle range near the Mexican border. There are other a-plcnty. Madeline Hammond owns "Her Mnjesty'a Ranchn" and Stewart it her foreman. She is a trnnaplanted Eastern girl who has come to Ioyo life under "The Light of the Western Stars." The life of the range has recreated a wealthy, spoiled society girl into a fine woman. And her influence has saved Stewart, a wild, handsome, brave, dissolute, efficient cowboy a college man and a gentleman once. Of course they fall in love. But he glories in it, while she is slow to admit it even to herself. Of course, also, they clnili two dominant personalities. And then the girl is jealous whereupon there is the dickens to pay. And what a dramatic ending 1 The author? Why, Zane Grey., That should be enough to guaran tee a stirring talc, with color and adventure and swift actions. He's the writer of the hour for outdoor Western stories, with success after success to his credit. CHAPTER I A Gentleman of the Range. When Madeline lliimmonil mopped from tin? train at Kl Cnjoil, Now Mex ico, It was nearly midnight, anil lior llr&t Impression was of a huge dark apace of cool, windy emptiness, strange and silent, stretching away under great blinking white stars. "Miss there's no one to meet you," Mild the conductor anxiously. "I wired my brother," she replied. "He will he here presently. Hut, 1L' he should not conic surely I can llnd a hotel V" "There's lodgings to he had. If you'll eu'iise me this Is no place for a lady like you to he alone at night. It's a rough little town mostly Mex icans miners, cowboys. And they carouse n lot. Besides, the revolu tion ncros the border has stirred up nunc excitement along the line. Miss, 1 gue-s It's safe enough, If you " "Tlmnl; you. 1 am not In the least afraid." As the train started to glide away Miss Hammond walked toward the dimly lighted station. She entered the empty wultlng-room. An oil-lamp gave nut a thick yellow light. A tele graph Instrument clicked faintly. Madeline Hammond crossed the wiittlng-mom to a window and, hold ing a-lile her veil, looked out. At first she could descry only a few dim lights, and tlue blurred In her sight. As her ojes grew accustomed to the dark ness she saw a superbly built horse standing near the window, Hoyond was a bare m pi a re. Through u hide In the window-glass came a cool breee. and on It breathed a sound that struck coarsely upon her oar a discordant mingling of laughter and shout, and the tramp of hoots to the hard music of a phonograph. "Western revelry," mused Miss Hammond, as she left the window. "Now, what to doV I'll wait here. Perhaps the station agent will return .soon, or Alfred will come for me." As she sat down to wait she re viewed the causes which accounted for the remarkable situation In which she found herself. That Madeline Hammond should he alone, at a late hour, In a dingy little western rail road station, was Indeed extraordi nary. The close of her debutante year had been marred by the only unhappy experience of her life the disgrace of her brother and his leaving home. She dated the beginning of a certain thoughtful habit of mind from that time, and a dissatisfaction with the brilliant life society offered her. There hnd been months of unrest, of curiously painful wonderment that her position, her wealth, her pop ularity no longer sulllced. She be lieved she had lived through the dreams and fancies of a girl to be come a woman of the world. And she bad gone on as before, n part of the glittering show, but no longer blind to the truth that there was nothing In her luxurious life to mnko It sig nificant. And at last sho knew what she needed to ho alone, to brood for long hours, to gaze out on lonely, si lent, darkening stretches, to watch the stars, to race her soul, to llnd her real self. Then It was she had first thought of iVt6ltlni. the brother who hail gone A ROMANCE by ZANE GREY west to cast his fortune with the cattlemen. As It happened, she had friends who were on the eve of start ing for California, ami she made a Itilok decision to travel with them. When she calmly announced her Inten tion of going out west her mother had exclaimed In consternation; and her father, surprised Into pathetic memory of l he black sheep of the family, had stared at her with glistening eyes. "Why, Madeline 1 You want to see that wild boy!" Then he had re verted to the anger he still felt for his wayward son, and be had for bidden Madeline to go. Her mother forgot her haughty poWfe and dignity. Madeline stood her ground, even to reminding them that she was twenty four and her own mistress. In the end she had prevailed. Madeline had planned to arrive In Kl Cnjon on October II, her brother's birthday, and she hail succeeded, though her arrival occurred at the twenty-fourth hour. Her train had been several hours late. Whether or not the message had reached Alfred's hands she bad no moans of telling, and the thing which concerned her now was the fact that she had arrived and he was not there to meet her. As Madeline sat waiting In the yel low gloom she heard the faint. Inter mittent click of the telegraph Instru ment, the low'tditim of wires, the occa sional stamp of an Iron-shod hoof, and a distant vacant laugh rising above the sounds of the dance. She became conscious of a slight quickening of her pulse. Madeline had only a lim ited knowledge of the West. I.Ike all of her class, she had traveled Ihirope and had neglected America. She had been astounded at the. Interminable distance she had traveled, and If there had been anything attractive to look at In all that Journey she had passed It In the night. A faint sound like the rattling of thin chains diverted Madeline's at tention. At first sho Imagined It was made by the telegraph wires. Then she heard a step. The door swung wide; a tall man entered, and with him came the clinking rattle. She realized then that the sound came from his spurs. "Will .Milt please direct me to a hotel?" asked Madeline, rising. The cowboy removed his sombrero, and the sweep he made with It and the accompanying bow, despite their exaggeration, had a kind of rude grace. He took two long strides toward her. "Lady, are you married?" in tue past .miss linmmomrs sense of humor had often helped her to over look critical exactions natural to her breeding. She kept silence, and she Imagined It was Just as well that her veil hid her face at the. moment. She had been prepared to find cowhojs rather striking, and she had been warned not to laugh at them. This gentleman of the rnnge dellb erately reached down and took up her left hand. Hefore she recovered from her stnrt of amaze ho had stripped off her glove. "Flno spark, but no wedding ring," he drawled. "Lady, I'm glad to see you're not married." He released her hand and rutitrnei' the glove. "Von see, the only hotel In this her town Is against boarding iimrrle.' CoprrUbl by DarptT and Crotkera women. Hnd business for hotels to have married women. Keeps the boys away. You see, this Isn't Keno." Then he laughed rather boyishly, ami from that, and the way he slouched on his sombrero, Madeline realized he was half drunk. As she Instinctively recoiled she not only gave him a keener glance, hut stepped Into a position where u better light shone on his face. It was like red bronze, bold, raw, sharp. Like that of all women whose beauty and charm had brought them much hefore the world, Miss Hammond's Intuition bad been developed until she had n delicate and exquisitely sensitive per ception of the nature of men and of her effect upon them. This crude cow boy, under the Influence of drink, had affronted her; nevertheless, whatever was In his mind, he meant no Insult. "I shall be greatly obliged to you If you will show me to the hotel," she said. "Lady, you wait here," he replied, slowly, as If his thought did not come swiftly. "I'll go fetch the porter." She thanked him, and ns he went out, closing the door, sho snt down In considerable relief. It occurred to her that she should have mentioned her brother's name. Then she fell to wondering what living with such un couth cowboys had done to Alfred. She alone of her family hnd ever be lieved In any latent good In Alfred Hammond, and her faith hnd scarcely survived the two years of silence. Waiting then-, she again found her self listening to the moan of the wind through the wires. Then Madeline heard a rapid pattering, low at ilrst and growing louder, which presently she recognized as the galloping of horses. She went to tho window, thinking, hoping her brother had ar rived. Hut as the clatter Increased to a roar, shadows sped by lean horses, flying manes and talis, som breroed riders, all strange and wild In her sight. Itecnlllng what the con ductor had said, she was at some pains to quell her unenslness. Then out of the gloom two figures appeared, one tall, the other slight. The cow boy entered, pulling n disheveled flgun. that of a priest, a padre, whose mantle had manifestly been dis arranged by the rude grasp of his captor. IMaln It was that the padre was extremely terrified. Madeline Hammond gazed In bewil derment at the little man, so pale and shaken, and n protest trembled upon her lips; but It was never uttered, for this half-drunken cowboy now appeared to bo a cool, grim smiling devil; and stretching out a long arm, he grasped her and swung her back to the bench. "You stay there!" he ordered. Ills voice, though neither brutal nor harsh nor cruel, had the unaccount able effect of maklin: her feel nower- less to move. No man bud ever before addressed her in such a tone. It was the woman In her that obeyed not the personality of proud Made line Hammond. The padre lifted his clnsped hands as If supplicating for his life, and began to speak hurriedly in Spanish. Madeline did not understand the lan guage. The cowboy pulled out a huge gun ami brandished It In the priest's face. Then he lowered It, apparently to point It at the priest's feet. There was a red Hash, and then a thunder ing report that stunned Madeline. The room tilled with smoke and the smell of powder. When she could see ills tlnetly through the smoke she expe rienced a sensation of Immeasurable relief that the cowboy had not shot the padre. Hut he was still waving the gun, and now appeared to he drag ging bis victim toward her. What possibly could be the drunken fool's Intention? This must he, this surely was a cowboy trick. Madeline no sooner thought of It than she made certain her brother was Introducing her to a Wild West amnsement. She could scarcely believe It, yet It must be true. Probably ho stood Just out side the door or window laughing at her embarrassment. Anger checked her panic. She straightened up with what composure this surprise had left her and started for the door. Hut the cowboy barred her passage grasped her arms. Their Madeline divined that her brother could not have any knowledge of this Indignity. It was no trick. Poise, dignity, culture all the acquired habits of character fled before the Instinct to light. She wns athletic. She fought. She struggled desperately. Hut he forced her back with hands of Iron. She had never known a man could be so strong. "What do you menu?" she panted. "Dearie, ease up n little on the liiidle," he replied, gaily. Madeline thought she must be dreaming. She could not think clearly. She not only saw this man, hut also felt his powerful presence. And the shaking priest, the haze of hlue smoke, the smell of powder these were not unreal, Then close before her eyes burst mother blinding red flash, and close at her ears bellowed another report. I'nnblo to stand, Madeline slipped down onto the bench. Her drifting faculties lefused clearly to iccord what transpired during the next few moments; presently, however, as -her mind steadied somewhat, she heard, though as In a dream, the voice of the padre hurrying over strange words. It ceased, and then the cowboy's voice stirred her. "Lady, say SI SI. Say it quick! Say It SI!" From sheer suggestion, n force Irre sistible at this moment when her will was clumped by panic, she spoke the word. , "And now, lady so we can finish this properly what's your nntno?" Still obeying mechanically, she told him. He stared for n while, as If the name hail awakened associations In a mind somewhat befogged. He leaned back unsteadily. "What name?" he demanded. "Madeline Hammond. 1 am Alfred Hammond's sister." He put his hand up and brushed at an ImuglnuYy something before his eyes. "You're not Majesty Ham mond?" How Strang'' stranger than tiny Ihlng that had ever happened to her before was It m hear that name on the lips of this cowboy! It was a name by whirl, she was familiarly known, though m ly those nearest and dearest to Ik- had the privilege of using It. And now It revived her dulled faculties, and by an effort she regained control of herself. "Von are Majesty llniniriond," and this time he alllrnied wonderlngly rather than questioned. Madeline rose and faced lilm. "Yes, I am." He slammed his gun back into Its holster. "Well, I reckon we won't go on with it, then." "With what, sir? And why did you force me to say SI to this priest?" "I reckon that was a way I took to show him you'd be willing to get married." "Oh! . . . You you! . . ." Words failed her. This appeared to galvanize the cow boy Into action. He grasped the padre ami led him toward the door, cursing She Fought. She Strungled Desper ately. and threatening, no doubt enjoining secrecy. Then he pushed him across the threshold and stood there breath ing hard and wrestling with himself. "Here wait wait a minute, Miss Hammond," be said, huskily. "You could fall Into worse company than mine though I reckon you sure think not. I'm pretty drunk, but I'm all right otherwise. Just wait a min ute." She stood quivering and blazing with wrath, and watched this savage tight his drunkenness. Madeline saw the dark, damp hair lift from his brows us he held It up to the cool wind. The cowboy turned and began to talk. "Von sec I was pretty drunk," he j labored. "There was a fiesta and a wedding. I do fool things when I'm drunk. I made a fool bet I'd marry the first girl who came to town. . . . If you hadn't worn that veil the fel lows were Joshing me and F.d Lin ton was getting married and every body always wants to gamble. . . . I must have been pretty drunk." "Explanations aro not necessary," she Interrupted. "I am very tired distressed. The hour Is late. Have you the slightest Idea what It means to be a gentleman?" Ills bronzed face burned a llamlng crimson. "Is my brother here In town to night?" Madeline went on. "No. He's at his ranch." "Hut I wired him." "Like as not the message Is over In his box at the P. O. He'll be In town tomorrow, lie's shipping cattle for St 111 well." "Meanwhile I must go to a hotel. Will you please " If he heard her last words he .showed no evidence of It. A uolso outside had attracted his attention. Madeline listened. Low voices of men, the softer liquid tones of a woman, drifted In through tho open door. They spoke in Spanish, and the voices grew louder. Then the womnn'a voice, hurried and broken, rising higher, was eloquent of vain appeal. The cowboy's demeanor startled Madeline Into anticipation of some thing dreadful. She was not deceived. From outside came the sound of n scullli a muflled shot, a groan, the thud of n falling body, a woman's low cry, and footsteps pudding away In rapid retreat. Madeline Hammond leaned weakly back In her seat, cold and sick, and for a moment her ears throbbed to the tramp of the dancers across the way and tho rhythm of tho cheap music. Then Into the open door-p'ace Hashed ti girl's tragic face, lighted by dark eyes and framed by dusky hair. The girl reached a slim brown band round the side of the door and held on ns If to support herself. "Senor (lone!" she exclaimed; and breathless glad recognition mntle a sudden break In her terror. "Honlta 1" The cowboy leaped to her. "Girl ! Are you hurt?" "No, senor." He took hold of her. "I heard somebody got shot. Was It Danny?" "No, senor." "Did Danny do the shooting? Tell me, girl." "No, senor." "I'm sure glad. I thought Danny was mixed up In that. He had Still well's money for the boys I was afraid. . . . Say, Honlta, but you'll get In trouble. Who was with you? What did you do?" "Senor (Seiie they Don Carlos vaqueros they quarrel over inc. I only dance a leotle, smile n lectio, ami they quarrel. I beg they he good watch out for Sheriff Hawe . . . and now Sheriff Hawe put me in Jail. I so frighten ; he try make leetle love to Honlta once, and now he hate me like he hate Senor Gene." "Pat Hawe won't put you In Jail. Take my horse and hit the Pelonclllo trail. Honlta, promise to stay uway from Kl Cajon." "SI. Senor." He led her outside. Madeline heard the horse snort and champ his hit. Tho cowboy spoke low; only a few words were Intelligible "stirrups . . . wait . . . out of town . . . mountain . . . trail . . . now ride!" A moment's silence ensued, and was broken by a pounding of hoofs, a pat tering of grael. Then Madeline saw a big, dark horo run Into the wide space. She caught n glimpse of wind swept scarf and hair, a little form low down In the saddle. The horse was outlined In black against the line of dim lights. Thero was something wild and splendid In his flight. Directly the cowboy appealed ngaln In the doorway. "Miss Hammond, I reckon we want to rustle out of here. Heen bad goings on. And there's a train due." She hurried Into the open air, not dining to look back or to either side. Her guide strode swiftly. She had almost to run to keep up with him. Suddenly aware that she had been led beyond the lino of houses, she spoke; "Where are you taking me?" "To Florence Klngsley," lie replied. "Who Is she?" "I reckon she's your brother's best friend out here." Madeline kept pace with lhe cow boy for a few moments longer, and then she stopped. It was as much from necessity to catch her breath as It was from recurring fear. The cowboy, missing her, came back the few Intervening steps. Then he walled, still silent, looming beside her. "It's so dark, so lonely," she fal tered. "How do I know . . . wifat warrant can you give me that you that no harm will befall me If I go farther?" "None. M!s Hammond, except that I've seen your face." "I Ehall not tell my brother of your your rudeness to me." (TU Hi'. CONTINUED.) Shakespeare's Vocabulary Rivaled. Probably no living poet lias a more extensive vocabulary than ("iubiielo d'AiinunzIo, who Is to visit Paris In the spring of this year. "Most peo ple," he once said, "use only SOU words. I employ Ifi.tXM), which 1 cull from different volumes, some taken from an old hook on agriculture, some from mi old translation of Ovid, oth ers from Machlavelll's works. Old Italian authors are my dally bread." Women Compared With Clocks. Women are like clocks. Some of them are fairly reliable with but little attention, while others need almost constant care, and It Is not always the hlgh-piiceil, Jeweled ones that aro most dependable. They may have pretty hands, pretty faces and pretty movements, hut I hey are liable to get out of order, and when they do thi are all very bard to regulate. Ui .! Lemon Punch. 1 After Every Meal B WRJGIEYS Top off each meal with a bit of sweet In the form of WRIGLEY'S. It satisfies the sweet tooth and aids digestion. Pleasure and benefit combined. fiiMiifnTI imiiiiniB.i i i -i jii-ii IN C INCOLN'S Roams for Sr.jl EADING HOTEL THE LINCOLN Lunch Room la ConntUon Rubber Stamps. Adolph Ztikor, the movie mngnate, said In a talk on a'vertislng in Los Angeles: "Our advertisement writers follow one another like sheep. How sick we get of their phrases. Style 'built Into' clothes, the 'house of Schmidt,' and all that sort of thing, you know. "The overage advertisement writer reminds me of the salesman who said In proposing to a girl: "My love for you, darling, exceeds nnythlng that can be offered In thai; particular line.' " Important to All Women Readers of This Pau22 Thousands upon thousand of womTi have kidney or bladder trouble anil never suspect it. Women's complaints often prove to lit nothing else but kidney trouble, or the result of kidney or bladder disease. If the kidneys are not in a beilthy con dition, they may cuuse the other org.ina to become diseased. 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