The Somerset reporter., 1896-03-12
broken. / wish / could leave it. !"

DIokeU. Wlsn COulu leave 1t.
He looked down into her beautiful
eyes, half smiling. would you go with
me, sweetheart" he asked idly
She looked up, startled and hesitating.
but before she had time to answer the
banjo music stopped with discordant
crash and rude hand thrust them
apart. Jack, turning sharply. found
himself confronted by one of the must
clans, whom he recognized as the su-
perintendent Of the Eaglebird mine.
oh you, the young fellow
said sayagoly, 'what do you want with
her? She is the one pure thing in this
cursed hole, and you shall not touch
her. "
Deyore did not answer him. but
turned to Inez. lyon have not answered
me, ;" he said. "Will you go?'
She looked into his eyes, half hesitat-
ing. He had taken a powerful hold on
her, that he could see, and felt sure Of
victory, but she was flung to one side
and his assailant's knife cleaned in the
air. For a moment the two glared at
each other, while the other men crowd
ed around, silent and loath to interfere,
but bound to see fair play.
Inez sprang between them Don't,
Max, don'tp' she cried
The young man turned to her fiercely.
CHOOSE - he commanded "You know
| love you and would give my life for
you, but I'd rather see you dead than
have him touch you, and, by God, he
shan'tl"
She looked from one to the other,
afraid and doubling. The violence of
one terrified her, and the other was diff
ferent from any man she had ever known
j The chances Of new life opened before
her and dazzled her, yet Max had al
/ ways leen kind and gentle. Both were
waiting for her answer impatiently, and
Devore's hand was ON his revolver. He
was not accustomed to defeat She could
not choose, and, womanlike, burst into
/ tears.
At this juncture Big Jim, proprietor
of the Jack Pot saloon, saw fit to in
terfere. "Quit your bawlin now, Inez, "
he ordered. You've raised devil
enough. You d better square yourselves,
boys, at 20 PAGES; little cold lead II
soon settle the difficulty. " And he
laughed pleasantly as he marked off the
distance with long strides and the men
took their places. A duel was the surest
way, after all.
Jack Devore took his aim with his
customary GOODNESS. In reality he cared
little for the girl-but he was hot used
to being thwarted. He could easily kill
the young fellow who stood opposite
him, but the girl, where would 1t lead
her? His face took on more serious
look than any one had ever seen there.
When he had tired of her, as he surely
must, what then? She was SO different,
could she ever sink to be one of those
painted creatures? A curious impulse
stirred him, and when Big Jim gave the
word to fire he raised his arm and fired
i'll the air, receiving at the same time
severe shock i'll his right arm. Il pass,
was all he said.
When Jack Devore recovered his
senses, he was lying ON a rude couch and
woman sat beside him. As he opened
his eyes, she leaned forward, and i'll the
dim light he recognized her as one of
the hangers on of the place.
Jack, she said softly, you know
me, and l know you, and reckon there
ain t much love lost, but I'm glad you
didn' t shoot. You remember Lola?"
Jack did, and he stirred uneasily 1t
had been hard to leave her, when he was
forced to leave Sacramento, she was so
pretty, and did not speak much Eng
lish, and she had followed him all the
way from Mexico. Poor Lola
Eyes" he answered shortly.
Because, the woman went ON, II
knew her. She died here. She loved
you, Jack Devore, and Inez is her daugh-
ter hers and-yours "
There was silence for long time.
Then, as it began to grow oppressive,
Jack said, i'll strangely softened voice ::
Does she-does Inez know it,"
mo" the other answered.
Don't tell her, then," he said
"And say, Rose"-he reached into his
pocket and painfully produced 5000 in
bills-"give her this, and tell her to
marry that Teller, and get out You'll
do it?'
YES" answered the woman. ANY
thing else, jack"
Yes, " was the quiet reply I'm
going. Get me my pony, Rose, like
good girl +"
Half an hour later the sound of gal
Looping hoofs was heard growing fainter
and fainter out on the moonlit mesa. -
Beatrice Bellido de Luna in San Fran
cleo Argonaut.