The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-11

when feeling disagreeable. And he seemed
| to be feeling disagreeable this evening
| Every few minutes he would return from
| the TO N where the beer and whisky were
on tap and LOOK scoVliugly 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 shook his head
and laughed. "PshaWl he won't do any
! thing-uot tonight, anyhow. All right;
/ I'm only going to dance with her this once
more he whispered; and l left him. half
J. tished, but still somewhat appreheDsive
Of trou lie.
! 1t came. The next dance was a quadrille,
and Rice aud his partner were just taking
their places in the first set, when Harve
Bragg, is face like a thunder-cloud, strobe
out on the floor and touched the assayer on
the arm. As Rice turned 1 saw by his eyes
that he, too, was affected by the liquor he
had drunk, and had doubtless been impelled
by its influence to act as he had.
See yere, Mister Mani" Kissed Bragg,
threateningly; this ysre foolin's ben goin'
on long 'nough. Let loose o. that heller an
give white man a show"
Rice's eyes blazed. he stepped back q
couple Of PAGES, out OF hearing Of the
women, and answered, with quite earnest
ness:
$50 ., sir! I'd have you understand
that no white-eyed cow-puncher can bully
rag me. Pm going to finish this dance-and
more, il l choose. But il you have any
thing to say about it I'll accommodate you
after this quadrille in any way you like"
Brsgg's eyes sparkled. Gums" he asked,
eagerly.
"Yes, anything. Go out and wait in the
road by that white rock. III be out there
when finish here. When l reach the CUT
off down there begin shooting"
'All right" And Bragg, who was con-
sidered the best shot in the county, went
quietly away, satisfied. The music struck
up, and the dance began as though nothing
had happened. Indeed. while every one
knew that there had been trouble. there was
only one person besides the principals who
had heard the conversation and who knew
that the trouble was not yet overland
presently he slipped from the room.
Harve Bragg, pacing impatiently up and
down the road. waiting, with slx-shooter in
hand, some one coming from back toward
the house. He turned at the white rock and
halted. his gnRers clutching nervously at
the stock of his revolver. He could see
figure advancing in the gloom. Nearer,
nearer, to whers the cutoff left the main
road.
Nowi
Two shots rang out almost simultaneously.
Harve Bragg felt a sharp pain in his left
shoulder, but Kept pulling the trigger. Two
more shots from each, and Bragg fell to the
earth, shot through the lungs, but with suf-
ficient strength left to fire his three remain
ing shots.
Down in the road we found them both
Bragg just dying, and Milly-poor little
Milly, with three wounds-shot through
and through and gasping for breath. Rice
and picked him up and carried him in,
and the others cared for Bragg. We laid
Milly down on the bed in the Misses Miles
room. de motioned to me to go out aud
close the door, and l went, leaving Rice
alone with him.
Ten minutes later, Arthur Rice, with a
drawn, deathly look on his handsome face,
came into the hall where l was talking to
one OF the Miles girls.
go to her." he said strangely; 'It is my
wife, and she is dead"
He took my arm and drew me from the
house and down to where we had left the
horses. The clouds were gone and the moon
light made his livId face look fairly CHASTITY.
We halted and faced each other.
II lied" he said, 81 lied; she was not my
wife, except maybe in the eyes of God
deceived her-betrayed her and fed like a
coward. | have been sorry, but heard
she was dead and thought l could make no
amends. Bury her, old man, aud say on the
stone. SO everybody can see it: Alice, be-
loved wife of Rice MaoArthur'-that'sm my
name. l can't bear to stay. Good-by-
good-by, dear old boy-God bless you"
He thrust some bills into my hand, whis-
pering "For her." leaped on his horse and
was gone-into the hills. l never saw him
again. He went to Central America and
was murdered by plundering natives year
later.
We buried Alice as he had asked I
wonder IL the little woman knew how many
sincere mourners she had2 And Rice-we
miss him too; but maybe both are happier
now.