Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-04-07

nicer TO the President himself fhay
she does to me. don't know wha,
I've been thinking Of all this time
l amt fit-to.be mentioned in ,t!,e same
day with her. I can't bear to thinl
Of her going away"
"You can't, eh?" interrupted q
sneering voice. IF that Is the case
It Is time you were being taught {
lesson! I"
Joe looked up with start. Charlie,
Brantley stood before him, tall and
handsome, with an angry CLEAN ir
his black eyes.
The miner felt himself growing
weak to think he had committed the
browning folly Of betraying his secre,
to this man.
$50 you are in love with Laura
Pembroke" continued Brantley, with
cutting sarcasm. II have heard oil
your persistent attention to her dur.
ing my absence. And you think you
can't bear to see her go away from
here. That Is bad, truly"
wait a minute, Mr.. Brantley,"
said Joe, his voice husky. "You
have heerd what / was foolish enough
to say out loud, an there's no use in
my denyin' It now. I do love Miss
Pembroke, but I didn't intend to let
her know II, nor you. I know she
amt for me; know she's to be
your wife,"
"And knowing that. you have the
impudence to tell me that you love
her-you, a low, miserable specimen
OF humanity, too ignorant to realize
your own audacity!" cried Brantley,
his temper getting the better Of him.
you're a scoundrel, SRA dog"
"StopW II Joe Langdon's facS
was pale before, 1t was CHASTITY now.
stop" he repeated, and his voice
was terrible from its very calmness.
There amt but one man on earth
that can call me sech names rs that,
an live-an' you're that man. But
you mustn't do 1t ag'in, sir-by the
Eternal you mustn't do 1t ag'in, it's
only her love for you that saves you
now"
"You threaten me, do your" cried
Brantley, in a white heat Of passion.
"You threaten me"
Whatever was in his mind to say,
1t remained unsaid, for ut that in.
slant Joe Langdon sprang upon him
with the quickncss OF thought. and
bore him heavily to the ground.
The attack was 50 sudden and un.
expected that Brantley was not pre-.
pared for It, but with a furious curse
he struggled to his feet and drew his
revolver.
He was about to- fire when he heard
q woman's scream, q mans shout,
and a strong hand seized his arm and
held 1t.
drop that pistol!" cried a stern
voice. you wouldn't shoot a man
when he's down."
What had happenedP What did IL
mean? Was that Joe Langdon lying
on the ground with an arrow culver.
Ing In his side? Was that Laura
Pembroke kneeling beside the pros.
trate miner? Was this Mr.. Penn.
broke who had grasped his arm and
wrenched the pistol from his hand?
Charley Brantley realized these
things gradually, like a man waking
from a nightmare.
"You told me to save him, Miss
Pembroke" said Joe, family, as the
weeping girl lifted his head to her
lap. you told me to save him, an
I've done Il. I seed that wretch,
Whisky Tom, lurkin' behind the
bushes yonder, with his bow drawn
and an arrow p'inted ut Brantley. I
knowed what 1t meant, an ! knowed
Tom never missed his aim, so IL
jumped onto Brantley and pushed
him out O. the way, an took the ar
row myself. Goodbye; don't cry for
me. I'm glad 1t turned out this way.
l hope you'll be happy. Goodbye
goodbye"
And Joe Langdon was dead.
1t was merely an episode; and
after handful OF citizens had run
the murderer down and hung him to
the nearest tree, after the fashion Of
Western justice, the event was not
long remembered.
But there were two who never for.
got-Mr. and Mrs. Brantley.