Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-11-18
the expressions he used a "cow handy a
long distance away.


fun Milly and | for awhile sat and
watched the Others and got no end of en-
joyment ont of it. In the corner nearest us,
Rice, with the grace natural to men born
south of Mason and Dixon's line, was say.
ing pretty things TO a big, freckled raw
boned celia monster" with pink dress
and n magenta sash, who responded to his
remarks with an occasional Jaw, shot
Y're stuflin mer or "G'way, nowl Ye
must think rs Dawn yistiddy."
MacTavish, with his broad Gaelic brogue,
was trying to talk to a pretty Mexican girl |
whose stock of English was very limited, |
and who could not understand word he |
said But Mac was never so contented as |
when he was doing all the talking and the
young laly's oft repeated Isl, senor-si |
senor," and glance from her dark eyes
now and then made him perfectly happy |
and quite confident that he was making a
brilliant impression.
Then across the room there was young
cowboy, who was dressed up, and seemed
to feel it. He wore u pair of noisily striped
trousers, seersucker coat and vest, and n
blue cotton shirt, with paper collar, and
ON his shirt front was an artificial flower,
pink in color, of species unknown, and fly
specked to a considerable degree. But he
was, oh, so proud of It'll Every now and
then he would stroke it and readjust it
carefully, and bis satisfied air clearly
proved that he felt himself the best dressed
man in the room. His partner was tall,
thin girl with red hair worn in Psyche
knot a red dress and white sash.
Presently, between dances, in came
couple of the Miles boys, with beer and
lemonade.
Hold ON, You handsr' shouted Nose
Miles TO the musicians "wait till ! water
these yere heifersw And he proceeded to
let the "heifcrs" refresh themselves &C
cording to preference, informing the men,
EFF Nou all wants waterin. 20 tew it, it's
thar, an ! sho' amt goin t. hustle fer you
COW hans"
Pretty soon ! noticed that Rice was
paving considerable attention to one of the
Gila girls, pretty little thing, whose
father raised garden truck few miles up
the river. He danced half dozen times
in succession with her and did not leave
her an inst ant. This is never the proper
thing and is not good policy where girls
are scarce, and knew it might make trou-
bic especially as the girl was understood
to be rs good as engaged to Harye Bragg,
who was one Of the worst men in the
county when feeling disagreeable. And
he seemed TO be feeling disagreeabe this
evening.
Every few minutes he would return
from the room where the beer and whisky
were on tap and look scowlingly on at the
scene in the big living room; and knew
enough of him to believe that he was likely
to cause trouble presently went over
and whispered warning to Rice, but he
only shook his head and laughed. "Pshawl
he won't do anything-not tonight any
how. All right; Pm only going to dance
with her this once more" he whispered;
and ! left him, half satisfied, but still
somewhat apprehensive of trouble.
II came. The next dance was a qhadrille,
and Rice and his partner were just taking
their places in the first set when Harve
Bragg, his face like thunder cloud strobe
ont on the floor and touched the assayer
on the arm. AS Rice turned saw by his
eyes that he, too, was affected by the liquor
he had drunk, and had doubtless been i'm
PEELED by its influence to act as lie had
"See yere, Mister Manr' Missed Bragg
threateningly; this yere foolins ben goin
/, on long 'nough. Let loose O. that heifer
an give white man show"
Rice's eyes blazed. He stepped back a
couple of PAGES, out of hearing of the WON
en-, and answered with quiet earnestness:
$50 to HI, sirl I'd have you under
stand that no white eyed COW puncher car
bullyrag me. Pm going to finish thi:
dance-and more, if choose But if you
have anything to say about it, III accom-
, modate you after this quadrille in any way
, you like"
, Bragg's eyes sparkled. "GunsY" h,
, asked eagerly.
Yes; anything Go out and wait in tn,
road, by that white rock. I'll be out Their,
| when finish here. When reach the Gu
off down there, begin shooting"
/ "All right" And Bragg, who was con
sidered the best shot in the county, wen
quietly away satisfied. The music strucl
up, and the dance began as though nothing
a had happened. Indeed while every on
, knew that there had been trouble ther
was only one person besides the principal
, who had heard the conversation, and wh
, knew that the trouble was not yet over
and presently he slipped from the room.
p Harve Bragg, pacing impatiently up an,
: down the road, waiting, with six shoote
|, in hand, heard some one coming from bacl
toward the house. He turned at the whit
o rock and halted, his fingers clutching nerv
q ously at the stock of his revolver. II
a could see figure advancing in the gloom
- Nearer nearer TO where the cut off left til
, main road
Nowl
u ously. IIarve Bragg felt a sharp pain i
u his left shoulder but kept pulling Il.
trigger. Two more shots from each, an
u Bragg fell to the earth, shot through til
" lungs but with sufficient strength left t
fire his three remaining shots.
Down in the road we found them both
Bragg just dying, and Milly-poor litt
Milly-with three wounds, shot throug
! and through and gasping for breath. Rio
: and picked him up and carried him il
II and the others cared for Bragg. We lai
D! Milly down on the bed in the Misses Mile
" room. He motoned me to go out and co:
: the door, and | went, leaving Rice alor
" with him.
&c Ten minutes later Arthur Rice, with
\ drawn, deathly look on his handsome fac
u came into the hall where / was talking
one of the Miles girls.
;, $50 to her." he said strangely; sit is II
- wife, and she is dead"
;, He took my arm and drew me from Il
house and down to where we had left II
'e horses The clouds were gone and Il