Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-12

was left alone to DO her trading. Her
elderly adnirer took advantage Of this fact
to plead MS cause with the handsome girl
You've got purity little foot fer a gal o
your size" he said, as she tried on a pair OF
calfskin shoes, declining all help from him.
''Huhg" said the lady, too engrossed with
her task to notice the compliment; ''yas,
these here shoes fits kinder slick, but I don't
b'lieve they'll hold water when the snow
comes"
"Oh, they'll hold water fast enough" he
answered; ''but they amt half nice enough
fer sech a hensum foot as yourn. Now here's
pair o. kid shoes I'm a-savin' fer my wife"
well" asked Csddie sharply, then why
don't YOU give I'm to herb Lord knows she
needs uin bad enuf."
Now, LOOK a-here, Cad" he said, t'thet's
torafoolishness, an you know it; Mirandy
don't want fer nothin, and she don't care
about fneries, but most girls does, an tell
you what, my second'll hev the incest duds o
any woman in town"
Caddie had put her shoes On again by this
time, and she did not propose TO listen to him
any longer 1t would not be wise to quarrel
with the bishop, but she had no desire ito
play second fiddle in no kind O music" and
size told him so.
''Haw, haw, haw," he laughed, ~ guess
not [ kin jest see the way my ole wornan'u
hey to step around when you air Mrs. Burns.
See here, Caddie,n he edded, as she turned to
90, - want TO talk TO you, an you might
jest as well listen now as emmy ether time.
I ou know your pa went prospectin' last
year, an I furnished the grub fer the trip.
Wen, he found purity good claim, an now
an eastern conpany's sent an expert out here
To look at it, an like as not they'll buy it.
Wei, one night yer pa got purity fun here IN
town, an l got him TO sign bin o sale OF
the mine. Now he don't know nothin' bout
the company, an he don't know thet the
paper re signed wuz bill o. sale. I've got
grubbin' on the mine, ennyway, an I've got
mines O nv own an money too, an l
wouldn't mind givin' this bill o sale to you
if you'd be sensible an marry me like your
pa wants you TO-"
II don't blieve you've got no bill o sale,n
said the girl, quietly; show me the paper"
Her face was dark with anger. She looked
very pretty, as she sat there in the dingy
little store, on long packing box; her
glorious brown hair had been blown loose by
the wind, her ragged sun bonnet hung By its
strings about her neck, her blue eyes were
bright with excitement, and her brown
cheeks gIowed. The bishop looked at her adj
niringly as ne returned with the paper. She
rose 10 her feet, and her slight, round figure
showed, even through the clumsy pink calico.
its graceful curves. She moved round be
tween him and the open door Of the stove, IN
which a good fire burned, for the evenings
are cold in these mountain villages, and then,
is ne read aloud, she suddenly snatched the
paper and threw it into the stove. He sprans
forward with an oath, but it was too late,
and when ne turned TO look for the girl, she
was gone.
The next day Dick johnson rode. up to the
saloon, and gravely announced TO the loung-
ers there that he meant TO shoot cid Burns
on sight, and that the said Burns had better
have his gun handy. Then the injured man
began to fortify himself with whisky for the
approaching duel
what's the matter with Burnss' asked
one Of the crowd; II allus thought that
you WIZ on the best kind O terms with the
bishop"
"Oh, he's lived long enough, that's ALL"
answered Dick; AN my arms air gittln'
rusty fer want o use"
His enemy had been warned, Dick was
drunk enough to be dangerous, and so he
thought there was no reason for waiting any
longer, and, rising, he slipped quietly out OF
the saloon, and walked over to the Coop"
Arriving there, he stood near the door,
watching the proprietor, until the latter
turned, when the hands of both men few to
their ready pistols, and the shots rang out.
The bishop fell. and Dick, who was @ dead
shot, stood calmly looking at his victim.
Tire murdered mans wife ran in from her
down beside the body with heart rending
shrek. Then the men from the saloon rushed
il. and stood around, looking silently at the
bleeding corpse and at the poor wife, who
mourned the dead man as sincerely as
though he had been the kindeSt OF husbands
10 her.
Her pitiful sobbing aroused the sympathies
of the rough crowd, and they began TO LOOK
angriIy at the victor. One man pointed sig
nificautly TO a coil of rope lying on the
counter, but the rest looked at the revolver
still grasDed in the fallen mans hand, and
they shook their heads.
Dick johnson saw and understood, and he
quietly backed up against the wall, drew
another six shooter, and proceeded To make
his defense. He told the story Of the bill Of
sale. You see, boys, he swindled me. Now,
You Know, g man AIN a-sOiH 10 DC cneaLeU
like that, an not try to git revenge fer 1t. l
give him fair warnin', he had his chance at
me; dore it all up reg lar, an there hain't
10 call fer hard feelin's agin' me. I'm sorry
fer her, but you know it amt my fault be-
cause her man wUZ @ scamp, an needed
KILN" His revoIvers helped him to make
his peace. These men were not towards, but
they knew they could not take him alive
armed in that way, and, besides, they
thought his conduct quite proper, so be was
promptly acquitted by this informal jury,
and ne went quietly home.
Thus was rude justice done. Thus, too,
was it that Caddie did not marry bishop
but became Dan Williams bride.-L Z,
y hitter IN The Arsonaut-