The Placer herald., 1873-03-15

| VIII do you mischief If he gets chance. =
"Why? wha: for 2" sad Tom. "He and
| never had any difficulty"
"lle can't get over your cutting him out
with Luisa and he don't take it very quietly. y
ooh, guess he amt dangerous, said
Tom, careessly.
In few moments Merlin entered the
house and approaching Tom. said: 81 would
like to speak few words with you, Belton
"All right" was the answer, as Tom
stepped out of the house followed by Merlin,
"what is it, Henry?'
Merlin hesitated
"What want to know is this; If you
are going to escort Luisa night p
eyes, said Tom, opening his eyes in as
constituent, "why ?"
81 will tell you Why" said Merlin saw
agely. Before you came here and turned
her head with your fine talk and fancy rig,
was her escort everywhere, but now she
pays no more attention to me than to the
lowest peon on her fathers ranch sup
on her that you did on Manuela in Albu-
que;que, when we were in the army, and
after you have made her as bad as the other
women of this acculsed town, you will leave
her and make your triumph subject of Jest
among your associates; but warn you not
to attempt it, for if you do, by the God
above us, | will shoot you with as little COM
junction AS would worthless Mexican curl
Merlin, said Tom, calmly, "you are
entirely wrong. Luisa Montoya will never
suffer Il wrong from my hands. Since you
| 70 ha ,,,,,b ,,,tora,t,I -, IA
ter, | will tell you that we are to be married
on the 18th of next month"
"Tom BeIton" said Merlin, in voice al
most choking with suppressed rage, lit is use
less for you TO try to make me believe thai,
you intend to marry Ter in good faith, and
be true to her. This trick of mock maria
ges which has been played on SO many Mex
lean girls by Americans shall never succeed
with her. | would shoot you with as little
compunction as would dog before would
sntfer it. You may deceive her with your fine
to fulfill your promise. You think too n uch
of the opinion of your rich relations and dread
The scon of their high toned friends too much
to attempt to introduce to them a woman as
your wife who can ueitler write, read or
speak English. So take warning and do
not attempt to consumate this rascality, for
| swear that will take your life if you do. 4"
Tom Bolton, who WAS naturally very quick
tempered, had listened to this speech with
different emotions. His first impulse had
been to knock his accuser down; then came
the reflection that Merlin bad been his friend
and was now intoxicated and not accountable
for what he was saying, so he said as calmly
as he could:
"Evcn were it so, what concern is it OF
yours ?"
"What concern is it of mine?" almost
shouted Merlin. "Ihis is what concern OF
mine it is, | love her dearer than | do my
life; yes, "A thousand times denrer. Had
thousand lives would give them all rather
than IA hair Of her head should be harmed
much less her young life bIighted, her pros
poets ruined, her beautiful person polluted
by such II reprobate, such an unprincpled
scoundrel AS you are.
''Hold, Merlin, exclaimed the now exas-
peraied Belton, "where you my brother you
should not use such language as that to me.
Thank your drunken condition for preserving
you from the chastisement which Tomorrow
you shall receive if you do not retract every
syllable of abuse that you have uttered to
me tonight"
You chastise me retorted Merlin, with
\ taunting laugh, at the same time stepping
back and drawing his pistol, eff you have
my idea of having that job done you had
better let it out by contract, or commence
the work at once, as it is a job that will he
likely TO last you for some time. Coward!
he added, as he saw Tom, who was totally
unarmed, did not offer to advance TO the I'M
equal conflict, and then rails ne his pistol and
taking deliberate aim at Bellon, AS he stood
in the full light Of the door way from which
streamed the refulgcnce of dozen chande
liers. "Potroon, have a great mind to send
your dastardly soul to hell where it belongs,
at once"
Belton faced the desperate man with an
unblanched cheek as he re,orted:
"Coward and poltroon in your teeth, you
miserable bastard, to draw pistol on a man
you are well aware is unarmed.
There is but little doubt but Belton's te-
meriry would have cost him his life, for Mer
lin had raised the quarrel with the deliberate
intention of killing Bolton, and would have
done so upon receiving this provocalion, had
not Wilson, who had been watching them
during the whole of the foregoing conversa-
ton, and who, when he saw Merlin raise
his pistol. had contrived to get behind him
unnoticed, now thrown his arms around him
and Turning the muzze of the pistol in the
air, said:
"Gve man chance for his life"
Merlin struggled fiercely to free himself,
but " ilson was large, powerful man, and
held him with grasp Of iron, while he called
to his poems:
-"Jose, Pedro, go and call Juan Arroyo.
Tell him to come here quick.
"Here am, senior, said voice close at
hand; "what is wanted?'
Theowner of the voices broad-shouldered,
athletic Mexican, who held the office of al