The record-union., 1891-12-12
..Nerve Seeds ii

freeze out for my claim, and if the felIer
as gifts 1t will give me broncho I'll git
through before next snowfall. That's
fiXed.n
Dan tried hard to keep away from Men
ner's cabin that day; but, as the evening
came, and he remembered how he had
always gone to inquire after Jenny after
his days work, he found he could not
resist taking the same direction once
more.
tits a sure thing,'' he said to himself,
as he set out, Il can't skip the country
without word. Jenny, my dear, you'll
never know how fond Grizzly Dan was
of you.'
When he got to the cabin and asked
Mrs; snaggles how Jenny was she shook
her head.
"She's got 'er mind fixed on it you're
Frank" she said, and she seemed quite
| determined not to allow him to see her.
Maybe she won't see me again., y said
Dan. Pm going over the range"
- For good?"
He could say no more. A lump seemed
to stick in his throat as he looked pite-
ously at her. She did not hesitate any
longer.
Pm real sorry for you, Dan," she said,
as she let him in, and she left him, and
went off to the kitchen. When she got
back she could hear Jenny sobbing Bit
terly inside. Bill Welch, who had come
round to inquire, stood outside the door
with Dan. For moment She looked
angrily at the latter, but glance at his
| face stopped her.
Good by" she said, holding out her
hand, good by.''
| And the two figures moved away into
! the gathering darkness. Their way Law
| across the meadow-land, under the foot
hills, where Frank Menner had shot his
cattle fortnight before. The COYOTES
had made short work of the carcasses,
and presently, as they went silently along
through the crisp snow, they saw the
skull of the young bull living in their
path by small clump of aspen trees.
For moment they stopped and looked
at 1t, each thinking of the man who had
done so much wrong and harm in the last
few months. Suddenly, without a sign
of warning, he stood before them. He
wore no hat, and his clothes were torn
about him. Mad, fierce and shaken
with fury, he stood there and laughed
aloud.
Caught you, hound, - he cried. s'com-
ing from my house-coming from my
Wife"
He raised the pistol in his hand and
fired wildly. Dams hat fell to the ground.
Bill Welch looked hurriedly toward him.
Was the man mad? He stood there, his
hands folded over his breast, silent and
lmmovable. Again Frank stepped for
Ward ana raised his weapon, when, in an
instant. his foot caught in one of the
horns of the animal he had killed, and he
fell headlong on his face. At the same
instant the second cartridge exploded A
cry, sharp, clear and piercing, rang ont
on the frosty night air. and when Bill
went forward and turned over his body
he saw there was blood trickling from the
mans side. Deadi Shot through the
heart by the bullet he had intended for
his rival
Salt Flat is no more; but down on the
creek, where Grizzly Dams cabin used to
stand, there IS neat little white house
and Dan and his wife are well-known IN
Oretown and for many miles around.
She still calls him Frank, and often sits
by the hour puzzling over her second
marriage" and trying-trying to ''re-
member" But she is happy, and men
say that Dan is happy too. There is a
rough grave among the foothills where
she is never likely to pass, and still
rougher headstone. A plain piece of deal
boarding stands upright in the soil-still
1alntly bearing the epitaph the miners of
Salt Flat deemed sufficient:
Frank Menner'
shot hisself
the other was the best man.
All the Year Round,