Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-02-24

figure OF horse and man on the crest
OF the nearest hill. 1t hung poised for
an instant, then slid down the white
strip Of causeway, and with that for q,
background, moved slowly toward
him. Lowell smiled as he saw him.
mayhap q bit wistfully. 1t was an
epoch 60 him, you know, q hegira
from which he would date the next
six days. The man had an uneasy
look on his face as he rode. His
twinkling gray eyes were cast down
and his fingers fumbled the reins merry
ously. He sat sideways in the saddle,
huddled together like q carelesslv
thrown sack, and swung one foot to
and fro against the dangling stirrup.
"Only one letter, Cap'n,' he said as
he halted, ''guv to me at the turn o.
theroad whur ther crick comes in frum
Lost Butte. Didn't know Their fell
Ter; didn't haveter; didn't wanter.
Ornery-loOkin' cuss he were, tooby
shore. No time ter talk -day"-he
was gone in a smart gallop, with q re-
lieved look on his hard red features.
Lowell watched him wonderingly as he
swung over the brow of the hillock,
then turned curiously to the dirty
missive in his hand. 1t was directed
in sprawling writing to "Sheepman
John Lowell" and bore no post-mark
or seal of any kind. He sat down on
a smooth slab of granite at his feet
and read:
On OUR RANCH April 19.-Your sheep is
running the range. You're not wanted here,
Weldon twant to buy Them we want you to
move quick. Git, or we will burn the cabin
over your head and ship you by express
Git (signed) BLIND HORSE.
It came home to him with q shock.
He knew that he was not liked and
that his stock neighbors alleged dam
age done them by his herds, but he had
not dreamed of violence. Legal meas
ures he sometimes thought, would be re-
sorted to in order to drive him from
his lease, but lynch law had not en-
tered his calculations. And yet to g.
man of his nature, after the months of
solitude and inaction and ceaseless re-
pining-when the murderous meaning
had seized his logical Northern brain
and found lodgment there-the missive
was halfway welcome. For the first
time in months the red famed to his
cheek, and the muscles in him Quivered
with excitement. For the first time in
months the blood raced in him, and
as he rose slowly to his feet he
stretched out his arms with a wide,
free motion. All the iron that was in
him was at white heat, and he said, as
he stood alone among the verdant
hills, that he would die by the assas-
sins bullet and rot like g. dead wolf
on the prairie before he would purchase
life at the expense of his courage. 1t
was all he had left, but there was
plenty of it.
"Hello, Lo'ull,' said a voice near
him. Turning he saw Briggs, ragged,
dirty, footsore, hatless, bereft-but
Briggs; with nose showing the richer
effect of winter of added whisky, with
eyes bloodshot and dull, with lips vel
low-stained OF yore-but Briggs
Bounced" he said, with an ex-
planatory wave Of the encrusted hand.
sole man Scrap done it. Cuss 'em
Said [ were drunk. Hear that, Lo'ull
Me. Said Iwere organizin myself inter
a anti-fertilizin' company (limited),
an preservin' myself in alcohol SOS [
might looks pretty in er thousan'
years as I do now. Told me ter Git.
Never paid me Off. Cuss Scrap!"
"Served you right" said Lowell.
GLOW did you get here?"
Grid Shanks' mare" answered
Briggs with his yellow grin. Jus rid
her ter STAN still. Look at 'er,"
and he held out warped and bleed
ing leg. "See here" he added. eyer
don't like me, Lo'ull; but, dem it, I
loves yer; there's a something in yer
that makes O. Teller like me think O.
what he mighter been but amt. Gim'-
me some hash, will yer, an place ter
lay down for two days, an s'elp me
God, I'll go away an not worry yer
no more. I'm a mighty hungry man
an a tired man." he said plaintiv ely.
Lowell looked at him as he lay
loosely on the grass, the setting sun
shining in level light across his ugly
lace. The man was utterly distaste-
full to him; he should be talked to
death in those two days he told HIM
self, but Briggs was something from
the outer world, q fragment thrown
upon the shore of this Western sea, a
fragile link connecting him with the
past and all he had left; and he was
glad he had come.
"Get up behind me, said, shortly;
tI'll fill you up and give you a pair of
shoes; but there's no liquor at the
ranch"
"Wouldn't fetch it," asseverated
Briggs. whisky an mes DONE"
1t was the second night from the
coming If the hotel clerk. He Law at
full iengto oefore the roaring fire, for it
was cool and windy, though in spring.
A yellow stream of tobacco Juice
trickled down his grizzled cheek, and
his tongue and jaws wagged in concert.
He was full to the chin of such food as
the ranch afforded, and he was happy.
He thought not Of his promised going
on the morrow. Tt was a disagreeable
thing, why should he think of it?
Briggs was a pleasure-loving animal
that seized the day. He did not know
Latin, but was unconsciously Hora-
tian to the core.
"Pears ter me, he said, as ne turned