The National tribune., 1892-12-29

ft over. lie had never broken the sacreu cray
before. IT was indeed, terrible business
Why he should feel so much as grain OF re-
morse he did not understand. He that lay 81
Silent at his feet had been n wicked man. lie
had slain men himself-one of them without
the shadow of cause. He had valued human
life almost as cheaply rs that of coyote or Z
buzzard. He bad euarreled with the man who
had just slain him, and had thought that be
had him At his mercy, for he had stood at the
point of his six-shooter. But his INTENDED
victim had, by dexterity and suddenness thai
surprised even himself, contrived to whip out
his own pistol and shoot his enemy down.
There was nothing TO greve over, and JET
Dodd was not the man TO grieve much, anyway.
But even though the element of grief be left
out, this killing of ones first man is an ugly
thing to think of sometimes, even for cow
boy.
Well, be was alone No one had seen the
deed done. He would bury the man where he
had fallen, and 10 one would know anything
about il. So he went to his cabin nearby and
brought back shovel. The ground was dry,
but il was sandy. and not hard to dig in. Soon
he had his man buried.
Just as he was throwing the last few shovel
fuls of earth on the grave he heard the pound
ing of a horses hoofs apon the ground not far
away. He turned his head and saw q young
woman riding toward him.
His wife-his widow, l mean! Great God -
Cold as death he turned in that instant. be
barely had time TO regain control of his face
when she rode up. Why his mouth should
have twitched so terribly when he caught
sight of her, and why he should feel so guilty,
be could not understand, for this was no.
account man that he had killed. beast of q
man-and he had slain him III self-defense
GOOD morning, Mr. Dodd. i em looking
for Mr.. Harris. Have you seen him?
Dodd. standing st dead Harris's feet, made
q negative motion with his head. He could
not trust his tongue with speech for the mo-
ment. 1t was an organ of uncertainty just
then.
"Ycu see," she went on, che went away
from home last night. 1 fear that be has been
drinking again"
Her voice ouavered. Her face went nearer
the saddle-horn; it was a mans saddle on
which she sat Now when her eyes felkshe
oould look at her. An idle thought ran through
his mind. How was it that, in spite of burn
ing sun and desert wind, she kept her face so
free from tan? Yes. at such a moment this
thought was as strange as il was idle. but it
broke the tension and loosened his tongue. He
told her that Harris had not come his way for
week. he was going down to the station
after be had finished burying his dead calf,
and IL he saw her husband, and he were in
toxicated. he would bring him home.
She thanked him and rode away. He had
been glad enough 10 be near her at other times.
but now he gave deep sigh of relief as he saw
her light dress futtering down the trail, and
the form he had loved 10 look upon grew
smaller to his sight. Even now he could not
Withstand the fascination of that form. He
went 70 his cabin. and through the window
kept his eye fixed upon her until she disap-
peaTed down an arroyo, and there was only tie
little cloud of dust hanging over the margin
of the hollow TO show where che had beer.
The dust-cloud faded, and be came back within
himself again.
=" This frees her." was his one thought
he did not go down TO the town that day, as
he had said he would do lie remained about,
casting an anxious eye abroad now and ngain
TO assure himself that no one was about the
place IL Kate Harris did not find her husband
she might suspect that he had been slain, and
that cslfburying idea was, after all, very
poor one. Cowboys do not bury dead calves.
That night the coyotes yelped among the
sagebrush as they had never yelped before.
Dodd could no more sleep than he could fly,
and, after long and fruitless trial, during
which all his former methods of sleep-produc-
ing had utterly failed. he arose, dressed him
self, and went out.
How the coyotes yelped.
The slender horn of the new moon sent q
light down upon the desert that made its desc
late face moro awful than he had ever seen il
long time. and when he went back he was very
tired. The yelping pack were lifting up their
doleful voices, but now the soul grating sounds
came from aiar. The moment the cowboys
head touched the pillow he fell fast asleep.
When he went out TO feed his cattle in the
little corral back Of the cabin next morning,
one OF the cows was bewailing the loss of her
newly-born. When he heard the mournful
cry be smiled strange smile.
Not for rnany DAVIS did the cnwhov goo Tho
woman who had been the one woman on earth
TO him. At last he mustered up courage to 90
and visit her. She lived 10 miles away. and
the ride over 10 her cabin in the crisp fresh
air did him q world of good. As the swift
gallop Of the feet mustang made the breeze
hum In his ears there seemed to come to him
voice OF cheer Why should he not marry
her? What law was there against itp Though
there were thousand laws he could wed her.
for she should never know. The secret was
now absolutely safe.
She was sitting at an open window when he
entered. Her large. dark eyes showed traces
Of tears, and her softly rounded check seemed
whittier than ever. lie knew that she had not
given up the search for her dead husband, for
while they talked of such matters as came
easiest to their lips, she glanced from the win.
dow now and then and her eye swept the des-
ert 1oor as mariners sweeps the sea-
Then there came an ugly quarter of an hour
In which there seemed absolutely nothing TO
say. For the kind Of words from that soft
mouth Of hers that he would have listened 10
with best interest he would have given much.
But, then, after all, il was not her place to saw
such words, and-deuce take it,-she did not
know that she was free. lie knew that her
love for her husband had died long ago-it
there had been any love, which he liked Ia
doubt
She still cares for me- as she las all along ,
ran his thought "but-she fears me-"
The woman read what was surginp through
has brain and heart, and the reading Of il turned
her cold. She locked at him roproachfully, a.
10 make him feel tho cruelty lie was inflict.
ing. Her eyes said: How can you come t.
Iarass me IN the time OF my distress?"
His eyes fell before hers but he took III,
time when she was again looking abroad &
humble in broken speech something of wha
lay in his heart
She kept her gaze upon the great gray plair
as she said in return:
You are torturing me, and you know IL
For Gods sake, stop. Ny husband would hay,
right 10 kill me If he knew had listened {,
you'll"
"But lie is dead"
Perhape-but how do you know"
IL was a home-thrust, and there was a ton,
OF suspicion in the voice that made the nxs
turn sick. This would not do. He preeipi
tsted another theme upon her at once, and TIT
swift change made her more suspicious STILL
When he stood in the doorway his big sloucl
hat in his hand be looked go like the JEFF of oil,
that her distrust wayered in the background
iad i'm tn ftsIf al