The herald., 1893-07-12

and IN whose mind was room for but q
single thought-that he was about to
lose her.
But men Of intelligence, refinement
and wide experience with women end the
world have had their heads turned in
even shorter time and have done even
crazior things than he. He no longer
puzzled himself over the question of her
identity. Was she In truth Lowry's wild
ow? He did not know, but neither did
he now care. Had he seen that face be-
fore? Possibly, but If he had Il was now
matter Of indifference to him when or
where or under what circumstance Ho
could not let her go away, or IL she went
he was determined TO go with her. And
SO he stumbled on up the trail affame
with love and liquor.
Iswas hours past bedtime, and there
was no light in the window o. Jerry
made the turn in the trail that brought
him almost to thecalin door. Suddenly
he collided with an object. he started
back with an oath, and at the same time
he heard an exclamation of surprise.
A man stood before him, and in the
bright starlight Jerry could see that it
was Bradford, the gambler. Jerry's
hand went to his pistol. "What the
devil you doin here, and at this time o
night?' yelled Jerry in voice like the
explosion of blast.
"You sneaking spy, take that!" cried
Bradford, suddenly springing forward
and striking him blow in the face that
sent him sprawling. But even as the
blow. was struck Jerry thrust his right
hand upward and forward, there was
blaze Of fire, and the still night became
alive with the reverberating echoes Of
pistol shot.
Headlong down the steep trail over
Jerry's body fell Bradford, uttering q
single cry--"O Godl' And there he lay
speechless, motionless, his face prone in
the dust.
The shock of the blow and Of his tall
and the report of the pistol instantly
cleared away the fumes from JerryA
brain, but before he could arise be heard
ashriek, the cabin door few opsn, and o
figure clothed in white came running
down the trail, calling out ln tones Of
terror: "John, Johni Oh. Whist l. III
John, what has happened7 Ind thus
calling and running in few seconds
Mrs. Lowry, clothed only In her night
dress, was down the trail stopping over
the two prostrate forms sobbing, moan
ing and crying for help.
Jerry, ashamed, half frightened, ,closed
his eyes and lay quiet. The widow,
shuddering, gave him q glance and then
flung herself upon Bradfords body. And
there she lay fondling his bloody faos,
mingling her frantic kisses with curses
upon the man who shot him, until at
last she tainted.
Jerry was no coward, but the unex-
pscted meeting, with its trsgical result,
had unnerved him. He got up and
stealthily hurried away. Besides, her
words had cut him to tho heart. Her
curses, her scorn, her vindictive raging
these he could not stay to face
Suddenly he stopped and abruptly
flung his hand to his head. Like flash
that face and form were again before
him, but in other surroundings than
these.
"Great flumes!" he exclaimed as he
gazed blankly up at the stars. cts
Mandie LIE Brunt, the brazenest female
in all Sacramento"
The papers were not made out the next
day. That morning woman, closely
veiled, climbed into tho outgoing stage
at point below the camp, and that
very afternoon another woman, plainly
dressed, with streaks Of gray in her hair
and face that indicated years Of patient
toll and sadness and trouble, was gently
assisted from the stage at the hotel door.
And 1t was Jerry who helped her to
alight.
"Fellers, he said as in inafewmoments 8
dozen or more miners crowded up to tho
bar, "fellers, fac is, women Is devilish
uncertain, but they can't fool US oilers.
Here's to the widder. Fred L. Foster
in San Francisco Examiner.