Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1889-11-20

3seg4 - 9o9eoe feeling Of security
Mh&1h ~ 1herished within himself,
~ I'll - anre n his prey and knew %
wsll thAt n could net biz bird 81 any
time.
Men and women outsids the marrow
world Immediately contiguous to the
Dent Scar mine we're unknown quaint.
ties II the Bullockis calculations, and
we're possibilities which new entered
into Jen 6axton's day-dreams--if that
young roman ever INDUCED In such
eiry and intangible Injuries.
II.
The Dent Scar miners earned large
wages and, a. payday came round only
once = month, many Of the men drew
considerable sums Of money every time
the compAnyts paymaster visited the
mine. On certain payday the Bull
lock left Dent Scar. No n at.
tachcd much Importance TO that fact,
however. He had probably gone to
Tyrone, or Johnstown, or perhaps to
Pittsburgh, as he had often done in the
past. He would return when his stock
Of money became exhausted.
He had not been absent two days
when . young engineer visited the mine.
Archibald Allan was . mining expert
and had been sent to Dent Scar by the
mining company for the purpose OF re-
porting OF tile best method of making
. proposed extension. Allan was a
well-brel young fellow; he was also
fairly educated and had travelled much.
In appearance he was only Of average
height and quite slender, while his
years perhaps numbered %. Any one
Of the miners could have thrashed him
in forty-five seconds more or less. Con-
sequently, although he was clever at his
profession, - we'll as pleasant in man
ner and entertaining in conversation,
Archie Allan cut only . very small fig
ure with the Dent Scar people.
Strangely enough, however, Allan not
only lost his heart to Jen Saxton, but
(which was really far more remarkably
that deyotee at the shrine Of brute force
fell in love with the interesting young
engineer.
At ell events, in q few weeks, they
were married by an impecunious justice
OF tho peace, and shortly afterwards
Mr.. and Mrs. Allan started to leave the
western Alleghenies.
That same day the Bullock, tired Of
his prolonged jamboree, was on his way,
afoot, from Tyrone to Dent Scar.
Most men after a months "tear" are
physical and mental wrecks; but such
was not the case with the Bullock.
The only effect his spree had wrought
upon him was temporary financial en-
barrassment and OF course, q consequent
ft Of extraordinary ill-nature. He
was strong as ever and Just as confident
in his own bullying powers.
He saw the couple driving towards
him in the rig which Allan had hired
and. while they were yet several hun
dred yards distant, became aware that
the woman was Jen Saxton. He also
perceived that the man was, to him, q
stranger. Evidently the Bullock
smelled . mouse, or, possibly, merely
objected to Jen riding with . man who
was not known to himself. At any
rate he stopped the horse and, utterly
ignoring Allan, accosted the girl in
broad North Of England dialect.
"Where goin', lass?"
Jen, who was fully conscious OF the
bully's unspoken admiration and per-
haps affection for herself, and who rightly
estimated the frightful possibilities Of
such a nature as his when he should
learn the truth, said nothing. She
shuddered, and the shudder was per.
ceptible both to the Bullock and to
Allan. The latter became impatient;
indeed he was hardly the man to brook
interference from such q fellow as
Evans without resentment.
"Stand aside, my man." he said. my
wife and | have no time to lose."
@Thy wife? Jen Saxton thy wife?
Best that SO, Jen?"
The girl nodded her head in silence,
while Allan added:
1T seems to me that this is none of
your concern"
The Bnllock's face wa white with
suppressed murderous passion. He
felt that he had been euchered out
OF what he had hitherto deemed as
surely his own rs though every legal
form and religious rite had bound Jen
Saxton to him.
.Ah, lad" he said with q queer, low,
savage laugh, "Tha thinks because Jen
said yes and because t. squire
did til old trick, that it's
all right and none O my concern. See
tina, my lad, thou's gotten to ask me.
Do 80 tina understand? Me! Aud the
only way to get my consent is to lick
me. See tina? Whip me-knock me
out-kill me! Tumble out, now, and
see il thou's to keep the lass"
Allan saw that the giant meant mis-
chief, 30 he attempted TO start the
horse. But Evans had unbuckled the
reins from the bit, aud the animal stood
quite still. As for Jen, like an old war;
house that smells powder, her eyes
flashed, her nostrils dilated, and she
clinched her fingers tightly at the pros
pect ola fght-a fight in which her old
favorite, the Bullock, would undoubt-
eddy utterly annihilate his opponent.
The fact that such opponent wal the
man whom she had just married
counted for nothing now hat her old
wild nature asserted itself, strong as
vel. She was eager to behold the fray.
and said never . word Of encouragement
to Allan, nor uttered the ~faintest re-
monstrance TO Evans.
Archie Allan was no coward, though
he knew full we'll that his chances were
small, indeed, In . contest with the Bull
lock. So when the latter, taking one
end Of the reins. bruts!ly struck the
heavy strap across the young mans face,
Allan. springing from the buggy.
planted his fist IN Evans face. Then
the battle began-and ended. Two
blows from the Bullock, one on the
mouth and ~ o. the temple, laid the
young engineer on the wayside, appar-
emily l~ifeless. Asa matter Of fact he
was only stunned, though Jen and the
Bullock thought him dead.
Evans, to whom the exertion OF
knocking Allan insensible had been
the merest trife, now coolly turned his
80 a