Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-11-23
!. CLUB.
AROnlance Of West Virginia.
~
BY DAVID LOWRY.
BY DAVID LOWRY.
CHAPTER 1.
rna FIGHT At THE CORNERS.

"Touch him, Put finger on him II
YOU dare! I'll put bullet through tho
first man who makes move. >"
Tho crowd fcl back before Chub's
flashing eyes.
Every man there knew she would
shoot as quick as she would look or
speak. :
Club Dawson hold her head erect, de-
fant: her osom heaved with emotion
Her hands clutchcd her rifle with a tense
grasp that afforded an outlet for tho
passion that blazed out in the defiant
threat that caused those nearest her TO
rccol in dread,
"You arc a lot of towards A great
set OF ig, hulking lOafers, to set on one
man. If he had fair shOw-as he VIII
have-he'd whip the best man your
crowd can pick to set up against him. /
want you to leave him. Git, now. II
there's any shO0tin' done now, I'll take
hand in it myself" -
"Sho! now, Club, you'd oughtnt TO- "
"Steve freddie, the best thing you ca1
co is to cut sticks. Who maze you
spokesman for the COrnerS?"
The crowd laughed, family, to be sure,
but the contempt in Chubs voice Q ,hoeu
the sentiments OF more than one there
Resides. the crowd was ready now TO
laugh at anything
They had wit, ess d enough blood
letting for one day, and Chub's appear
ance on the scene, unexpected as it was,
proved timely in more ways than one
The crowd looked at each other sheep
ishly, and skunk off. Soon there was
~, Ia
"You had to fight, l suppose, sald
Club, as she looked, first a. the ground,
then at Dams face.
Dams eye was marked. There was a
red cash on one cheek, too, and his
clothes were covered with dust-duSt
that hal been lying on the real.
81 couldn't help it,"
Dan did rot apologize-did not ex-
plain. He simply told the truth.
81 suppose l can tell how it happened.
You quarrclcd with Ned Monk"
"No. He quarreled with me-"
couldn't you get awayfrOm hm?"
"Whv Should try to avoid any man?"
Dan locked at (huE in q way that
brought the blood to her checks, and
knowing it Club grew, or pretended to
grow, very angry again.
eyes it is nice way for men to maui
and pound each othcr-to bite and KICK,
and-ald - and scratch - and and
gouge, and"
Club paused for lack of words to ex-
press her disgust.
81 tell YOU it was no moro my fault
than it is yours. He crowded me twice.
was here on business. | didn't come
of nv own choice. | had to talk to the
school directors-had to wait here to see
two of them, and the crowd was here,
shooting at a mark. | was sitting right
where YOU arc standing, when first Ned
Monk tramped Oh my foot pushed
him of. and when he didn't apologize
saw he was half drunk Then he was
beaten-thcy all beat him ShOotng-anC
he wanted to fight, and picked on me
When he said he could whip me, wha
ought | to have done? Run?"
"No," said Club in low tone, W I'll
banning checks.
81 didn't! stood up; they all gath
cred around, and. before he suspected it
I had HIM on his back. / knocked
him down three times in succession, anC
then his brother Bill Camc at me.
knocked him Gown, too; | had then
down. when one of the gang hit me will
q stone on the che, k bone, here"
Dan pointed to his eye.
"That knocked me dOwn-then three
of them were on me at one tlmo Tina
was what made me pull the gun, an(
shoot Ned Monk. If | had shot hin
through the heart, | would have servet
him right, the coward"
q ri ChJIh 9n IF
ingly. "Wen, didn't know the ms an(
outs Of it. l believe you, though. IL
sooner take your word, Dan Bash, thar
the whole crowds"
"I'm obliged to you, Miss Dawson"
"Don't Miss me-my names JUS
Club"
"WelI, Club, then. owe you my
life.
"Nonsense. Nothing Of the kind.
just happened to come over in time
that's all l thought our Ben was here
and"
Club paused. She could not, woulC
not tell q lie. and the truth was she hat
heard the shouts of the cOmbatants a
she stool on her fathers back porch.
There was no one in the house bu
herself.
To pick up tho rife she was familla
with, and had used for more than year
and run over the low hill between he
fathers house and the tavern an
smithy occupied less than two minutes
She burst upon the crowd like a.
avenging angel
Her hair worn in loose curlS, was fly
ing over her shoulders, her bonnet ha
fallen back on her neck, and her fac
was set with scorn and passion as sh
aimed her gun at the crowd and com
manded them to deSlst
Half a dozen had gathered about Dal
Bash: they meant murder, but Dal
managed to get his back against th
smithy, and was striking out right AM
left when Club Dawson interpoSed IN TN
very nick Of time.
"You'd maybe best go to our hOus
till pa comes home, Mr.. Bash"
Dan Bash medtated.
II was good advice. The chance
were that if he met any OF the GROVE
controlled by the Monks they would re
sumo the quarrel, and he would eithe
suffer at their hands or be compelled T.
kill some of them to save his own life
But Dams sober second thought gov
erned him
mo, am obliged to you for the offer
but I'll not let anything prevent m
from attending to the business tina
brought me here. I'll go back the wa
came"
"You know best" said Club, stiffiy
Then she looked at him coverty, turne
and hastened home, while Dan Bas
looked after her.