The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-02-12

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There Is nv number"
lea4etwirled card across the table
and it fell face down before Long
He took 1t up without turning It over
tore It across and dropped It on tn
floor.
"Strange," he said "you and me-
quits. don't know You and yol
don't know me, but If I was frien,
Of yours, and advisin' you what wa
best for you, I'D say to you, q,
home" His skullcap drawn for
ward and his face set and threatening
he leaned forward, with his powerful
arms on the table, and spoke In hi
tsnal emphatic way, and with hi
deliberate huskily-musical voice
Field laughed; his right arm wa.
back upon the arm of his chair ant
his fingers under his coat played
with something that clicked.
"Just So" Long went on, as i
Field had spoken, perhaps a shade
darker In his face, but with the same
even manner and voice. sour bears
don't carry no towards devil-fingers
that kill by Printing at twenty foot,
but they hev got teeth and claws"
Field started up and flushed like
fire: "Did you say cotcdrd :" he said.
"By-! that's more than I'll take
from youW And his voice, and his
hand on the back of the chair shook
q little as he spoke.
Long lay back i'm his chair, folded
his arms and nodded: "YOu heard
what 1 said. Maybe it amt York
English, but It's such as we hev In
these parts"
Field stood minute looking at
him. Then he drew out silver
mounted revolver from his pocket
and laid it on the table.
"There," he said, "Imake you q
present OF it. BE carful, it is loaded
and cooked"
Long looking up with something
like admiration in his face. He took
the pistol in his hand, went to the
window and fired the six barrels, one
after the other. The landlord came
in to see what it was,
WannOck," said Long, clock
up this pistol till Mr.. Meadow calls
for it,"
"It is not mine," said Field; 81
gave 1t to you and you took it,"
Long went out without word.
Field did not go home. He fell in
with the Wanita and her people very
often. One evening-it was Thurs
day, the 20th-he was In the village
of III, and walked out with his cigar
alone. He strolled up the road to
the high levels and walked on.
Field sat down on the stones with
his feet hanging over and looking
down and around. The still, bright
water, the hills bright and black In
light or shadow, and the serene sky,
made ascene exceedingly solemn and
He heard u crunching sound be-
hind him and looked around sharply.
Then he turned and got up on his
feet and stood with his back TO the
precipice. The long fellow stood in
the path facing him, with his hands
in his pockets and his dark face in
the shadow. A glance told Field
what he knew already, that there
was only one way to 60 back. His
face was white, but there was no
more tremOr in his voice than If he
had leaned against a pyramid instead
of hundred feet of thin air, when
he said, "Well?"
There was something just q little
strained and by no means pleasant
to hear in the familiar husky voice
that answered. "Ain't it kind o.
dangerous out there? Suppose you
was to fall off there 2"
~ don't choose to suppose it,"
was the steady answer. 'Let's talk
about something else"
ut amt pleasant to think of, is
tt ?" the husky-musical voice went
went ON. at must be something
like hundred foot to the rocks down
there" He paused and began again:
"Moonshine's queerish sort o. light,
though, amt it? Makes you look as
white now as If you was scared"
"Come," Field said sternly, begin
ing to fear that If he stood much
longer on that spot he should grow
dizzy and fall. "Let's have no more
of this. Have you anything you
wish to propose IfyOu haven't I'll
trouble you to move on and let me
pass,
~ PROPOSE" replied the other,
with a twist of his head as if there
was something i'm his throat hard to
swallow, speaking slowly and repeat
ing the wOrds-"I propose to throw
you over"
Field knew that the fellow united
the strength of the bear and the
agility of the wild cat. He knew
that, even if he had not the disad-
vantages of position, he would stand
no chance in a struggle. CHANGING
down he caught the flash of wave
upon the black rocks far below. But
no only bit his lips and stood still, a
little whittier, perhaps, but his eyes
never flinching from the, others
face. When he did not speak, Long
"DO you know what that
means ?''
The answer came straight and
"Yes, il means DEATH"
"I guess you're about right" Long
"And l calculate you're
about as well prepared as you'll
most ever be-"
II have only one thing to say to
you," was the reply; "you are not
going to throw me over" There
was o dimness in his young eyes then
and a rising In his throat. He thought
of a great many things and people In
a very brief space, and the world and
a score of friendly faces seemed very
smeet and hard toilet go. And yet AT
the same time another and sterner
self steadfastly put all that aside and
triumphed over the shrinking of the
flesh from the dreadful certainty and
of the spirit from the dread unknown,
and to the long fellows advance and
fierce question. "Who'll hinder me?'
He cried aloud, 81 will" He turned
and shut his eyes. gathering himself
together and sprang into the awful
abyss. With his arms by his side
and his feet together, swift and
straight as an arrow, he dropped
through the moonlight and through
the black shadow and struck with 9
quick, keen plunge, moment after
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