Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-11-20

ttlt.
"YYhat yen Gy7iHo to do. Dave?' tho
girl por1i7tr1, coming closer ard laying
hcr hcnf ca lis ar,1. Dave a,ao,; Gavev-
al cartridges into tae cyliaicr of tho
winchester and waited IN silence, ape
parcntly not aware t.as Sac bad teucA-
cd him. Only q few moro l9omcuts to
wait and tEcn the last cet il toe COM
nonplace littlo tragedy. a lo-l rorud-
ing at the rickoty cabin door aad q de-
%risive, imperative voice demanded:
eli, in there. open up, CT wei
make ~splintcIs @; yer ole Gcc-. ' The
threat was ggrnishcd b. several circ9g
explosives and accompanied with mo.s
vicious pounding.
Then for answer went tho r~-lto,uI
frgp Of the winchester, followed ly a
'su isco howl of pain, more yoiublc
profanity and footsteps inr, 9.i retreat.
Dave won't TO tho window, and
thou h ol.rotholo IN the shr~t.lrrc-iaw-
ed the situation Of the cucuy Incn
though The aperture the riGc araiu spaAo
with decisive. loadon emphasis, and
whom the smoke clo.rod AWAY thc man
inside behold ono OF tho l3cs.cga.s lying
prone across The freshly hoaa potato
rows, wLilo another Nmpcd painfully
in tao rear of tie rctreating trio
In tEo short silence yeat followed Che
last shot the aid topography Of Honey
path Gccmed TO flash before Dawes
vision, each pc1u-i4r.ty standing ogt
strong and clear. Tho hnc, Vhi.a sand,
covered everywhere with fat lcavcd
prickly pear and cactus t,lt blcoacd
porpetually in BIS iuttor cl.orcd Cow
ors; the bright, blazing sky, tne best
that rose up and hung heavily over MAN
and beast, the many insects tAat sat out
in the iurnaccLke auu, rGttliug shelly
with very joy. Then the dense shade Ct
the muray Swallowed swamp and The
big sc1ly aacC scorpicuso and dainty mul-
tico!orcd lizards that played an eternal
game Of hide and seek ainong the rot
ting rails Of the old snake fence.
The trio had disappeared into the
swamp, and Dayc calmly rodllod his
rife, waiting rs Though lest inthoaghl
Presently from the rear Of JLc cabin
cano tho harsh command
'.You coWa.dly bushwhacl.er in jho.c,
como ont an fight Like a man. ii 80
don't, We'll burn sc an yer shaliy pn
the gal with yo."
There WAS 10 opening in tho year oa
the cabin, the logs wcfc thick and die
chinks wero we'll stopped with clay, so
that Dave could not return q lcaIc1 ana
sy,er to this brutal challenge. lie I'm
gercd the rife nervously and BOXED at
sue.
"Oh, Dave, don't open the Cocri " she
pleaded, meeting the earnest lock b,ut
IN her face from beneath the lr.m 81.
Dawes frouzy slouch bat, "Igiuta,eor-
ed Toe barn.
His lips %blanchcd, his l;ncg3 were
wobbly with fo..r, bat 10 lad not for
gotten tho enc boast Of his pccc, pinch.
cd lie, uttered so long ago. "Ioa pur-
tee 80 houah al hGppinc.s I 'ul throw
away my Wut1lcas life. lac u,1,rcI
the Vo-ds again L-onotonously, f,ager-
ing the rife that was held Imply ia
his shaking hands.
Poor Sue! There was 10 dpggoriug
laughter in her soul now Tor these lro-
tczQucly s|entonticu5 Ncr45 Uh.ch broke
in husky mcuotono ON her nearing like
a last prayer.
In that moment Dave. who had al-
ways been q coward. who had ali hls
life long borne mccklY tho sco~a and
opprobrium attached 10 Tie character,
no whom heretofore nothing could
rouse to n sense CT his degradation,
calmly arse to u,o yery pinnacle Oh HOY
oism.
Pm coming yut, he called and
shooting back the bolt be s,cod OH the
cabin step before thcm.
'Fall back ana give him q show; he's
coming out, boysl" Sho chung to hia,
pleading Dave, don'tl Ihorc's lourto
one Don't col" Eat he plshcd, her
gently backward into tho rcco.
'Bol5 tho door behind met he said
and passed out.
Sue stood motionlcs5 in tho center Of
the room waiting for it 90 begin. Dave
pulled tho trigger Of his gun and turned
the corner and instantly four Weapons
barkod with one voice.
Sue heard something heavy flll
against tic side of the cabin; ta.n in
stautly the sharp, clear uttorauce az u
winchester answered the carbiucs again
and still again. One carbiue only an
sWercdi then all was still; only the fret
ful Warbliug of q wren in the nearby
Cherokee rose hedge breaking the tense
silence a the droysY afternoon hush.
AnSicty corqucriug terror, sue drew
back TIE bolt, throwing tho door wide
open. A brosd stream Of yellow Light
aud a rush of hcatmot her, pcss4-Hoy over
Il figure on its knees that always tren-
blod at the sight of deep matcr. Dlyo
was gasping his last breath. Bleeding
and shattered, he cI2pt to her feet, alt.
er the manner Of q faithful dog, to die.
In the grave gray eyes thut wore raised
TO hers there was the light q the ex4l-
tation Of % passing spirit, triumphant
over the shadow al GcItiYhich already
darkenod thcm. His lips moved I'm the
lNQntortion Of n smile that broke into an
h ioulato muImur.
81 done said that toe rurtcc' yo'
hC an and happiness / wculd Oh ow
EW, ny wuthlcss lifo-an / dcleLit 10
add Dave. with the crimson Eigy Of
his "wuthlcss life'5'' blood s.et4liug
from many woucGs, passed to the Jadg-