The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-06-26

Knew well enough that Ghe wuS at the
bottom Of his overthrow-that daughter
OF Fields. He could see the mockery
IN her oddly blue eyes the scorn on her
lips when she should hear TINT he had
given up the battle.
She never spoke to him now. Since
he painted advertiser ants on his fences
she bad not 20 much as looked at him
III passing. But she could be gentle
enough. Paxton remembered how
pleasant she had been when he first
came to town the year before looking
for place to establish himself. When
he decided to stay 1t had been with
more thought Of Fields daughter than
OF Fields. He had not thought Of COM
petition, but this had been thrust upon
him before he considered what it
meant.
One morning in May Fields, sur,e y-
Ing from his door the rocky hills, no
longer rugged, but rounding with spring
greenery to virginia. softness of curve,
fetched big sigh.
"Mebby it's only the time o year."
ne speculated, "but somehow don't
feel jess right-'spech'ly when I git
to studyin' bout young Paxton"
Louisa NJ. gave the back Of his gray
.'WhyY she exclaimed.
We've run him too hard" said
Fields, uncomfortably. "A Friend 70 o.
his named it to me yistiddy that he
couldn't hold out much longer. I feel
this ways: I had my chance and he
ought to hev his. He hadn't no ILL.,
will to'des me. He was gittin' trade
far and squar', and he could o. KEEP
it IL hedn't ondersold him crar be-
low cost prices. / feel ex mean and
or'nry ez q dog that sucks eggs. I
hain't treated him white.''
Business is business" said Louisa
NJ, shaking back her hair. She was
o little thing in gathered pink frock,
but she looked to Fields as immutable
as the austere justice on coin Of the
realm. Perhaps, after all, she was
right, and he himself was swayed from
judgment by sort Of limp tendency
to see other folk comfortable.
Though Paxton might be, as Louisa
M. declared him, the evilest Of Adams
brood, it hurt Fields to see the hand
some young fellow going about the
village with drawn face and downcast
eyes.
I'm a-losin' fesh," he complained to
his daughter. ''That Teller has got
away with my appetite. I'd rather 60
ragged as a picked b,lzzard than keep
this up. I'd feel, a heap better, Louisa
NJ, to mark thet last lot o. calicoes up
q little" But under his daughter's
chastising eye he drew q tagging
breath.
"You leave things to me-" command
ed Louisa M. You don't know anything
about business, papa. We're only turn
ing his own blade against Paxton. He
deserves to fail. He came here q year
back, honeying round and never say
ing he was looking for a place to To-
cate. I was nice to him. / used to
talk to him free as air, never suspicion
ing he was aiming to do my father up"
Her voice choked. She had paled un-
der her coppery skin and her wet eyes
were like violets that tremble open in
a swart March bank.
Finally along toward summer the
end came. Paxton assigned for the
good of his creditors. A lawyer from
Burksville came to take charge of
things and the steamboat landing was
deserted, as men gathered in Fields
store to discuss the happening.
'Wa'al, he 'peared likely young
rooster"
''Yaas. Erthough I'm Jest ez willin'
he busted. K'ntucky fer K'ntuckians,
says I. I'm q pertectionis' every time
don keer nothin' bout the plat
FORM
Fields, listening to this acute philos-
ophy, suddenly cut In, his broad face
curiously sunken.
"Confound It, I soy, a far chance
fer every one" He stopped to pad his
brow with punched red hand
his views shortened by two circum-
stances. He had remembered that Lou
lisa M. was somewhere IN the back Of
the store, and just then, too, the throng
Of men had opened to admit young
fellow, who came across the porch at
O run, his hat OF.
"Sayw he painted, the exhilaration Of
bad news in his face, "why, say! did
amy Of We hear about Paxton? He's
went to work and shot hisse'f. That
Teller from Burksville was talkin' to
raft Of us outside Paxton's store, and
we heard rife go off up steers in
Paxton's room, and he tore up thar and
busted in the door, and-Lord! wait till
get my BREATH got it from Smith
thet-"
In front Of the molasses barrel in an
overturned quart measure and q long
nosed funnel suddenly rolled on the
bare floor in lessening arcs. Near by in
the gloom Of the inner apartment some
thing had failed, something which look:
ed like limp heap Of pink calico, and
which, as Fields lifted It, trailed flaccid
arms, it's little neck letting the head
back in a sickening way of ufelessness.
Outside the sunshine lacquered the
river with milky CLEAN. A delicious
blueness misted distant hills and near
by Fields store bluejay flashed its
wings, uttering rasping cries. Two
men coming up the road were laughing
as they sauntered along-one an elderly
person, hopping his face.
You scared me out Of q years
growth, just the same" he sold. II
knew you were down In the mouth,
and when that shot rung out-I-well,
I naturally thought you had done for
yourself. I went up those stairs four
Stems at a time shouting To those fel.