The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-06-07
SET, PA, WEDNESDAY. JUNE 7, 1893.

I Gardner lost selfcontrol and called
Flood rather an ugly name-foF Flood
had Iun up against him when they were
both sftera runaway steer. Flood said
nothing, but be went away talking.
When he grew silent he listened to his
knife. When two are in partnership and
one is a cur and the other bold II will
take long time to come to 4 fair conclu-
sion. And though Gardner forgot and
spoke kindly, as kindly as the western
wind-for he had kind enough heart
Flood held the memory Of that name
within his own dark heart, and took
counsel, lie and his knife. And be often
followed Gardner about with his eyes.
tie hungered TO Kill him. The desire Of
homicide was growing up in him strong
lit was no longer general, it was parti-
eular. He had no spite against the race,
out spite against one man. And it was
one man be needed, one man that notch
eraved for-one notch over the due tally
Of RECORDED murder. He knew thai.
The bolder Of two partners has the
greatest strength and the greatest author
ity, and works out his own way. There
was no paltering with the cold steel that
bad drunk the blood Of men-that at
least was eager and ready. 1t held life
al least, ana Flood knew it. And the
strength Of the steel came into his hand
and into bis arm, and the strength OF it
into his heart And when he touched it
he saw red, and he felt that he would
ki!l-that he should kill-that he must
kill. But when he laid it By his courage
failed, aud his cheeks we're pallid, and be
only thought and only desired-he had
no strength. He was Ikea man who liV-
ing in the sun, goes into the cold, into
the north where there is no sun, where
his blood grows palid and desire fails
But one day be and Gardner were left
in the camp alone, for Gardner had been
thrown from his horse-OT, rather, bis
horse fell and rolled over him. And
Flood made an excuse to stay. He went
down 10 the creek and played with his
knife and il whispered red murder and
counseled death 70 him And overhead
the SKY was blue and the west wind was
sweet, and the creeks waters passed by
him slowly. At noon he made dinner
for himself and Gasdnerr but he found
no common knife 10 eat with
Use your bowie, ssii Gardner. And
Flood used IT,
And a he sat eating in front Of the
other cowboy the strength came back 10
him. And Gardner caught his eye and
wondered at it, for he could not na-
dersiand. There was a strange look in
the young fellows face. The look was
fir of and his lips moved at times as if
be was talking to some one or some-
thing.
What's up?" said Gardner; and
Flood looked at him again
And then Gardner understood.
But he was lame, his leg was nearly
broken, and he had left his six-shooter
in his belt in the little tent-it was 10
yards away So Gardiner looked down
and said, eoldly:
Il wonder when the other boys are
coming back About time for them to
turn up I should think, ifthey ain; goin'
to make long day Of it. Where tie
devils my tobacco ?"-and he pulled OF;
q pipe
Flood sat there with the knife in his
hand. He had stopped eating, and was
muttering and his right arm tEitehed,
and his hand closed tight on the handle .
Of the bowie.
Lend Us your knife, said Gardner. /
And Flood rose up.
tie took 1t IN his left hand as though /.
he would hand il handle foremost TO I
Gardner. But as he handled it ne saw
the nOtches and he ran his thumb nail /
down them asain-aud there was still /
the empty One-the unnamed notch.
And the next moment he named it /
Gardner