The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1893-03-02

aiming TO do my own father up Hei
voice choked. She had paled under l.er
coppery skin, and her wet eyes We're like
violets that tremble open in swart
March bank.
Finally along toward summer the end
came. Paxton assigned for the good OF
his creditors. A lawyer from BurksvilLs
came to take charge of things, and the
steamboat landing was deserted, as men
gathered in Fields store to discuss the
happening. The river was sinking and
traffic was nearly suspended Cows
grazed on the sunburned pastur &c OF
the lower hills. Tan colored hog led
about the paveless streets, and children
of corresponding tint of complexion
played shrilly on the perilous river slope.
"Waal, he 'peared likely young
rooster"
'Yaas. Erthough Pm jest ez willin
he busted Kentucky fer Kentuc,Sians.
says |, I'm a pertectionis' every time
don keer nothin about the platform. 4"
Fields, listening to this acute philoso.
ply, suddenly cut in, his broad face Gu
riously sunken: "Confound it. | say.
far chance fer every one."
He stopped to pad his brow with a
punched red handkerchief; his views
shortened by two circumstances. He
had remembered that Louisa NJ. was
somewhere in the back of the store, and
just then, too, the throng Of men had
opened to admit young fellow who
came across the porch at a run, his hat
off.
'Say!" he painted, the exhilaration of
bad news in his face, 'why, sayl--did
any of we hear about Paxton2 He's went
to work and shot hisse'f. That feller
from Burksville was talkin to raft of
us outside Paxton's store and we heerd
rifle go off up steers in Paxtons room,
and he tore up thar and busted in the
door, and-Lord! wait till I get my
breath!-I got it from Smith, the
There was little sound behind the
huddle of men-a sound like sharp
breath, and clatter of tin and heavier
resonance.
In front of the molasses barrel an
overturned luart measure and long
nosed funnel rolled on the bare floor in
lessening arcs. Near by in the gloom
the inner apartment something had
fallen, something which looked like a
limp heap of pink calico and which, $
Fields lifted it, trailed flaccid arms, its
little neck letting the head back in a
sickening way of lifelessness.
Outside T. sunshine lacquered the
river with milky CLEAN. A delicio'
blueness misted distant hills, and ne
by Fields store q bluejay flashed
wings, uttering rasping cries. Two mel
coming up The road were laughing al
they sauntered along-one, an elderly
person, mopping his face.
You scared me out of a years growth
just the sar e!' he said. II knew yo
were down in the mouth, and when that
shot rang out--I-well, / naturally
thought you had done for yourself.
went up those stairs four steps at time
shouting to those fellows below to run
for DOCTOR"
Paxton gave rather grim smile.
81 believe you're disappointed that a
was only chicken hawk I was frino
at" he said. Mrs Wick had Just
called to me from the back yard to shoe
it. She's been missing pullets lately"
$50 you ct go. Say, Paxton, some
thing must be the matter down at Fieldc'
Look! Isn't that Fields crossing the
road! He's carrying-it looks like 8
woman!"
Fields lived opposite his store in 6
white cottage. Paxton, staring ahead
caught vanishing glimpse of the old
mans clumsy figure, his arms overflow
ing with the springlike freshness Of
Louisa Ms gown.
"Hello!" S ID fellow on the skirts Of
the little group Of men at the store step
as Paxton s'~ode forward. "Yeh ain
hurted, them What's thet? Oh, abou,
Fields-why it's Louisa M. She's lit
tie fainty, believe. Some O. them foo
boys KEN in and blurted out about yor
bein-waal he boy unly told what 4
heerd-I don't blame him-but Louiss
NJ, she jes' swounded agin the mer
lasses bar'l and Uncle Jimmy he"--
But Paxton was not listening any longer
He had crossed the road and gone u,
the little path to Fields front door, anc
he had gone with SO vague premedita
tion that when Fields himself lumber
toward the threshold, look of relief OF
his stolid face, the younger man coult
only stammer at the reason of his pres
ence.
"They were telling me-of hero,
your daughter-I wanted to ask aft,
all he stopped feebly enough and III
Fields fill out the sentence as he might
"She's all right now, thanky, M
Paxton" said Fields. "We got word q,
they wasn't no truth in them reports ;
He waved his hand behind him "She,
in thar"
Paxton had already seen her, tn,
stern young foiler Of his commerce.
prowess, sitting back in rocking chair
her lips rather white, her eyelids droop
ing,
She managed to lift them as Paxtor
came into the room. She even held he,
hand out and glanced up at him jus
once. 1t was the merest half glance
but Fields, who CHANGED to be looking
had queer unwonted sense of being
startled.
He went out, his jaw speculatively lie
down.
II wouldn't of believed" he pondered
"she could of looked that sugarfed o
the Angel Gabriel Ireckon kin he,
a agyarden now! They won't need me il
the store. She's business, Louisa M. Isl!