The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-09-11
vas nfl Hemlmmg Z" she asked, q b
paused ruSful1y: &

2 cattl0 queen 10 the country I'D make
her take . back seat. I did think of
gettin'. ono of them white faced yaller
hard girls, SIGH as I've seed at the thea
tire; but when I seed you I says to my
set. She do mighty we'll es far es looks
On style goes and when I heard you
play t vas jdS' carried G1aa1t off my feet
An now you're married" r.; r -.
"Yes," she said, and her face dark:
ened, I'm married. It's funny though,
I'm going to Neuces county. I am 60
ing by the next steamer.
Are you?" what for! He amt run
away from ye, is hep"
Eyes, he's run away from me-" she
returned, IN an even tone that seemed
to cover some repressed feeling.
"Well, dog on his mean hide! I'll
shoot him on sight eff ye say 50. You
didn't hear he was in Neuces county,
did ~ your"
Eyes, I heard he was there.
II ought to know him, then. lknow
putty nigh every man in the country.
What is his name?"
She did hot answer at once, appear.
ing to reflect whether it were prudent
to place SO much confidence in 4 stran-
ger; but finally she said slowly, and as
If more to herself than to him:
He calls himself Holden"
Jack Holden?" cried the colonel, ex-
citedly.
$50 I heard" she said, looking keen
~ at him.
"The Wilder Bates's husband, by"
The colonel forgot the restraint he had
hitherto laid upon himself and uttered
q genuine oath.
Its true that he's married then ?"
she asked quickly, and with flashing
eyes.
Handsome, lght-complected, curly
headed sdt / teller2"
"Plays the fiddle?"
Eyes"
"That's HIM! (explective) that's the
Wldder Bates husband! On him
Shootin's too good for him. I'll raise
crowd an hang him."
mo you WON'T" she said, and she
drew her breath fiercely between her
set teeth. II can settle my own affairs. y
Handsome Jack Remming, alias Hol-
den, sauntered slowly down the main
street of Corpus, his wide sombrero in
his hand, his curly head barred to the
mild evening breeze that breathed
softly in from the gulf. He wore the
costume of the cattlemen, but some
how it fitted and became HIM as it be-
came no other. On him the blue blouse
belted at the waist, the leather breeches
and the high boots seemed the proper
dress of gentleman.
Jack spent much of his time in Cor
pus now, since his marriage had put
him in funds again, and there were men
in the town who, had they chosen,
could have given the cattle queen OF
Neuces some information that would
have disturbed the complacent salts
faction with which she regarded her
handsome prince consort.
Jack, however, concerned himself
not at all about such possibilities. His
scheme of life included little beyond
enjoyment of the present, and he was
already beginning to tire of the re-
sources Corpus offered in that direc-
ton.
As he sauntered down the street with
the sun in his eyes, he was revolving a
plan for getting possession Of certain
thousands belonging to the Cattle
Queen, and as he phrased it to himself,
lighting out for Frisco" Frisco
seemed just the place for him; he was
half sorry he had not struck out for
that city in the first instance.
A woman's figure issued from door
way few yards in advance and moved
toward him. The sun being in his eyes,
he did not see her very we'll, not even
when she paused in front of him with
q glittering something in her out
stretched hand directed at his breast.
Something about her must have
struck him as familiar, however, for he
made step forward with an inarticu-
late cry almost simultaneously with the
red flash and the sharp report that split
the evening quiet.
He wavered moment, turned halt
about, made futile effort to put on
his hat. pressed his hand against his
breast, then fell slowly forward.
The woman, who stood watching him
with face from which every particle
Of blood had fed, sprang forward with
q loud shrek, and threw herself beside
him.
A man, it was Colonel Sharp, ran to
her and tried to lift her up.
Come" he urged in low tone,
''thar's crowd getherin'! You mus
git away"
''What! With your" she exclaimed.
Then crying out ''Wait, Jack, I'm
coming too," she turned the muzzle to
her own breast and fred second shot,
as sure as the first.
The colonel slowly recovered himself.
"Thar amt, " he said, solemnly taking
off his hat and stretching out his hand
as if about to pronounce an grafton,
thar amt man in Neuces that's he1
equal fer grit, or woman that's he1
equal fer palmer playin'."