Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-04-11


"And be considered what called him
"a coward?"
eyes"
"Why do you say that" I was trou-
bled.
"Because if you do not you will be
what you called him."
"Deedie!''
felt wise like grip on my arm, and
found myself awakened. A strapping
youngster about my own age, with a
box under his arm, was visible in the
glimmer of early dawn.
"Never mind the girl" he said; "get
up"
"What girl?"
"The one you've been calling in your
sleep. Your girl is locked up for the
present"
The laugh that accompanied his words
Jared upon me, scarcely awakened from
my vivid dream.
"Where?" 1 asked, bewildered.
"In here" and he tapped with his
finger on the box.
"Yes, yes, see."
I threw off the covering and sprang up.
There is the policeman walking on the
same beat, his saber swinging, his head
thrown back. But where is the child?
1 scan the different groups near me. No.
She isn't here. should know her among
a thousand children.
But that eventful morning. We
two, my friend and myself, walked
briskly along road. 1t was daylight,
though the sun was not yet up. The
country smelled fresh and sweet. The
birds were about, preparing breakfast
for their young; chirping loudly, and
somewhat discordantly, it seemed to me
in my peculiar state of mind. A cart
man came driving along the road in his
cart, which was loaded with cabbages.
He saw the box under my friends arm,
and eyed us suspiciously. With the in
stinct of one living near German uni
versity town he scented the truth.
$50! my young gentlemen" he called
to us as he passed; "this is no padded,
masked work. This is the real thing?"
1--WE are going a-fishing," said my
friend.
Admitting, rather" said the buck
ster, with grin.
We hurried on. 1t was getting late.
/ could not divest myself of the feeling
that beside me walked a figure. Wheth-
er l walked fast or whether I walked
slow it kept pace with me, ever turning
upon me pair of blue eyes, and kept
saying: "Would you kill him because
you insulted him2 because you struck
him?'
Would kill him? was an excellent
shot; he was a bungler. l had tried to
make him a better, but he was too
clumsy. He could handle neither a foil
nor pistol, and hadn't the delicacy of
sight or touch to learn.
Suddenly we turned aside into wood.
SIN here" said the young athlete who
guided me, vaulting fence.
l followed him, and we passed through
a thicket and out into an open space on
the bank of the river There stood my
friend of the day before, now my enemy,
with his tawny English beard, fresh
complexion and blue eyes. Beside him
stood companion and medical stu
dent, the latter looking very important,
with his arms folded, and his short,
high shouldered body perched on pair
of long, thin legs. He was staring
through his glasses at us.
l cast glance at my adversarys face
He was calm and resolute. 1 saw as
plainly as words could have told me the
condition Of his mind. Besides, l knew
him well. His nature was eminently
practical. He was the most stolid, mat
ter-of-fact man ever knew, yet honest
and steadfast at heart. He had deter
mined that he must kill me, or would
kill him; and he had decided to kill me
if he could.
We were not on the field ten minutes
The distance was paced. I was handed
my pistol and sent to my station. The
word was given.
But other words sounded in my ears
with the signal to fire-the words spoken
to me by Decide in my dream.
Both shots rang out as one, sharp and
spiteful on the quiet morning air. l pur-
posely fred aside from the living mark
before me. My adversary stood unhurt;
l had bullet in my side.
l saw figure striding toward me. 1t
looked strange and tall and indistinct,
but knew it was my adversary.
care you satisfied" asked.
Satisfied Good God, are you badly
hurtT'
at was all my fault" extended nv
hand. He attempted to take it, but the
seconds interfered. "We haven't time
for palaver; we must get away from here
at once" A carriage in which the mad;.