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


ton'sn and looked about him ruefully. Ben
toms was a rough story and-a-half structure,
built OF logs and slabs, standing on the bank
of the Arkansaw river, thirty miles from
Grey Earth City, Dukes destination. A
''shanty" boat was drawn up at the rude
landing place, and three hard looking sub
iects were smoking on the deck. Behind the
house were thick forests, sloping upward till
they blended into indistinctness with the
cloud mists that were sweeping downward
from the mountain submits.
"a blasted tenderfoot dUde-thats what he
Is, you kin bet your sweet life, JiInn said a
very audible voice.
And the speaker, heavily built young
man, wearing faded red shirt and high
boots, into which the legs of his trousers were
tucked, expectorated violently over the rail,
as though 10 show his contempt for the new
conner, who, having turned, was cycling him
steadily.
~ beg your pardon" remarked Duke,
mildly, shut will you please step ashore and
repeat that remarkF'
For, as his friends could have told you, the
young college athlete was ono whose quick
temper and utterly fearless disposition never
was known TO let an insult pass unnoticed.
Buck Cummings, the youngest and most
notorious desperate in western Arkansaw,
audacity. But he pulled himself together in
another instant, as Duke Ridge coolly began
taking OFF his coat.
"Repeat itln he said, with hoarse chuckle,
that was echoed by bis two companions.
''Well"---
But checking the vituperative epithets
which began escaping his lips, Buck drew
his revolver from its holster and handed it to
one of the men beside him.
~ might forgit myself an blow hole
through him before 1 mash himl' he re-
marked.
Then, springing ashore, Back confronted
his youthful antagonist, who, with his guard
held low, left foot advanced, head turned a
trife to the right and keen gray eyes fixed
unswervingly on Buck Cummings bloodshot
orbs, stood coolly awaiting the onset.
Now, do not purpose going into detail
1t is enough to say that Buck Cummings
mad onrush was met with what tho fancy
term cleft upper cut, and caught severely
under the chin, he was nearly lifted from his
feet and sent topping over the bank down
on the deck of the shanty boat.
SIN here-quickf' cried a clear female
voice behind him,
Turning quickly, Duke saw young and
remarkably pretty girl holding open the door
of the building behind him. 1t was lucky he
obeyed unquestioningly; for scarcely had the
door closed behind him and a heavy oak bar
been dropped into place at the top Tor bot
tom) than two sharp reports from without
were followed by the thud Of two bullets,
which buried themselves deep into the plank
ing.
''They've only been waiting for an excuse
10 open fire." said tall, resolute looking wo-
man, the only other occupant of the plainly
furnished ROOM
"What is it all aboutr' demanded Duke,
greatly bewildered.
The girls sweet face, framed in masses of
short, curly black hair, crimsoned painfully
as she glanced at the woman by the window.
"It's Buck Cummin's, )" said the tall woman,
who was Mrs. William Brant, pretty Kitty's
stepmother, IAN he's purtendin' to be dead
in love with my Kit here, which would nigh
as soon Eev n RATHER or a horned frog round
her. He knowed my old man was away to
the settlement fer stores, an TUX the chance
fer to make us a call. Kit she slammed the
door into his face this mornin', an it's been
KEEP barred ever since till jes' now"
All the while Mrs. Brant was speaking her
sharp eyes were following the movements Of
the men without as she stood by the one
window.
But fear have placed you in dangerl"
exclaimed Duke, glancing with respectful
admiration at the young girl.
"There won't be no greet Of trouble"
grimly returned Mrs. Brant. "Buck Cum
minis won't dast show his face inside tho
door now there's man round the premises,
an he amt goin' to wait till John gifts back /;
there's an old gredge betwixt 'em, an he
knows John swore to shoot him on sight"
This was an entirely new phase Of exist
ence to Duke Ridge. His father, a wealthy
Chicagoan, had bought into large cattle
ranch in southern Missouri, toward which
Duke was making his way by easy stages, en-
jhying the novelty of his ever changing sur
roundings with the keenest possible zest.
Buck Cummings and his two companions
had withdrawn to the ''shanty boat" so that
Mrs. Brant, putting down her rifle, became
communicative after the manner of women
in the west leading lives completely isolated
from society.
Thus Duke learned that Kitty's mother
Mr. Brants first wife-was an English lady
OF good family, and that Kitty herself had
had advantages of good society and schooling
aefore the misfortunes which had sent Mr..
Z rant into the wilderness, where he had given
Kitty stepmother.
The sun went down, and neither did the
boat pull out from the bank, nor was the
welcome roi. Of the wheels of John Brants
tilted wagon heard approaching the house.
sim going to try to find out what those
fellows are up to-" said Duke, at length;
''for feel sure that they are planning some
sort of mischief"
s'If you think you won't come to grief
noways," rather doubtfully remarked Mrs.
Brant.
s'You had better take fathers spare re-
volyer,n suggested Kitty.
But Duke unwisely declined, and slipping
through the partly open door, stole to the
bank under cover of the darkness.
The boat was like an ordinary "flat," the
''shanty" or cabin being at the stern, raised
some three feet above the flush deck. In the
end fronting the bow was the one window or
aperture intended for a small, narrow sash.
Through this came the light Of "A smoking
cabin lamp, a cloud of tobacco smoke and the
murmur of voices. Creeping over the rail,
Duke wormed himself along the dirty deck
to the square opening.
ssWot's the use waitin' hour longer7" one
of the trio, an i'll favored, black bearded fell
low addressed as Ben was saying. "lf you're
40 sot on carryin' off the gal an marryin' her
outer hand, whether she's willin' or not, why
not set to work one time wells another,
Buckf'
1VThat blasted tenderfoot, comm so onex-
Dected, has kinder upset my calculations"
growled Cummings, filing a cracked mug
three quarters full of fiery corn whisky from
a Jug on the table before them and swallow
ing it at a draught.
s'He don't count,n contemptuously put in
Tim Brady ''Ie don't even kerry gun
sl,,dg to him, l say as Ben does" he went
amt no use OF waitin' hour, no
more half hour. Old rpan Brant is a-!ayin'
on the perarie with a ball through his skull,
an, 'ceptin' the tenderfoot, thar's only the
two women in the shebang. say, less make
a move, if we're gwine to-"
Duke could hardly trust the evidence Of
his own ears. Brant dead, and these villains
purposing young girls abduo-
lion and forcible marriage with the low
browed, blonde moustached young desperate
q lr,anst ,ritl,ir, ranch nf his hnnAI