Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-17

own reflections and stepped ashore
Dukes feelings, as, lying bound and help
less, he watched the villainous trio approach
the door OF Brant's dwelling, cannot well be
put into words. Though he himself had
everything to live for, his own fate seemed
comparatively of small moment as he thought
OF the living death awaiting the young girl
And he ground his teeth in impotent wrath
as he saw Buck Cummings draw back the
butt of his gun, as though to drive it through
| tho panels of the door, But, to his great sur
prise, tho door was thrown open before a
blow was struck. The river was swollen by
the rains, and the deck Of the boat lay nearly
on q level with the top of the little bluff.
And the house itself was not twenty feet
| from its edge.
So, from where he lay, Duke could see by
| theshood Of light that streamed through the
| door that Mrs, Brant and daughter appeared
| to welcome, rather than repel, the invaders.
And, en- silhouette, against the background
of light, he noticed a black bottle standing
on the table. All this was torture to poor
Duke, particularly when he saw Buck Cum
mings, the only one of the trio who appeared
| to be armed, lean his gun against the wall
and drop heavily upon a stool, in which ex-
ample he was followed by the other two.
The blinking of glasses, blended with
hoarse laughter, reached his bewildered ears,
and Duke was beginning TO wonder whether
the whole were not some part of IA terrible
nightmare, when all at once he saw the
young girl steal from the open door. Selling
the ak, which stood by the chopping block
in the yard, she ran directly toward the boat,
looking back as she did SO.
The reason was obvious. A moment later,
Duke, whose heart was beating almost to
suffocation, was conscious that Mrs Brant
had snatched Cummings rifle from its place
and followed her daughter.
"Quick, motherl"
And as Mrs. Brant sprang aboard the
shanty boat Kitty severed the mooring line
with two quick blows Of the ak. Then,
Selling setting pole, the plucky girl pushed
the bow into the stream, and, as the swift
current swung the shallow craft clear of the
bank, she dropped the pole and ran to the
tiller
The whole affair had been cleverly planned
and so swiftly carried into execution that be-
fore the three men were fairly out of the
house their boat was dozen yards out in
the turbid current, which was beginning
to sweep it downward with considerable
force
Tall and bareheaded, Mrs. Brant stood
holding the cooked rifle in readiness, while a
grim smile was visible on her careworn visage
river bank, raved and swore and threatened
terrific improbabilities.
"We'll burn your old shebang down if you
don't head the boat inter the banll" yelled
Jim Brady, clutching madly at his hip.
Alas the heavy pistol which usually was
SO handy lay with those Of the other two on
the rude table in the boats cabin.
"It's time John was home; he'll hev word
to say about that" retorted Mrs. Brant,
whose faith in her husbands fighting powers
were evidently of the firmest kind.
"Give him my love when you SEQ himI"
shouted Jim Brady, mockingly. I'm sorry
to hev to say that Buck here got the drop on
la this mornin' at South Bend forks, an
he's a-layin' under the wagin deader'n'--
1t was not the cry of horror escaping the
lips of the young girl in the stern that
checked the further utterance OF the brutal
speaker. Mol 1t was the sudden conscious
ness that unwittingly he had sealed Buck
Cummings fate.
" GU fooll" fiercely exclaimed the latter,
turning savagely.
But before Jim Brady couIo pull him ont
of range the ringing crack of rifle echoed
through tho ravines, and Buck Cummings
fell dead, with ball through his brain.
Crack
And Jim Brady himself clapped his hand
W LIS Sloullci WIN u yen VI It'IHi NLbo luo
third man dropped to the ground and cTawled
into bunch of cottonwood.
Mrs. Brant mechanically recovered her
rifle, pushed out the empty shells and snapped
the lever back to place.
can eye fer an eye an tooth fer a tooth,n
she muttered, vacantly.
And then, apparently noticing Dukes I'M
pleasant position for the first time, she re-
leased him at once. After which the poor
woman laid down the rifle, and seating her.
self on deck buried her face in her hands
and gave way to a burst of the widest grief.
Duke took the tiller from the hands of the
weeping girl, who joined her mother, and
together their tears were blended for the
husband and father, while d uke looked on
with a sympathizing face.
One year from that eventful evening, Duke
Ridge took to himself wife, and when last
heard from him he was living on his fathers
ranch literally sin clover"
Pretty Kitty adores her young husband,
and Mrs. Brant, who comes and goes at will,
allows that Duke 'ain't no slough-in fact,
is considerable of a rustler, consderin' he
comes from She-cago."-Harry Hale in Phil
adelphia Saturday Night.