The leader., 1897-09-08

ure, and Nita was as pretty as her ia
ther was ugly, as good as he was bad.
On claim adjoining Scroggins' lived
Atkinson, who was a bard-vorLipy
young fellow with a title to plenty Of
pay dirt. OF course there was a new
edition of the old yarn of the feryept
youth and the lovely maid. As soon as
Scroggins suspected the attachment he
began to concentrate his enmity, which
he had hitherto directed impartially
against all men, in Atkinson's direc-
tion. After he found other plans in
effective he began seeking a way to re.
duce Atkinson's earthly necessities to
a pine board coffin.
Adjoining claims furnished pretext
for a quarrel. One morning Scroggins
eased his revolver in its holster. shoul.
dered his shovel and went out. Instead
of stopping on his own property, he de-
liberately walked some 20 feet over the
line and went to work in Atkinson's ter
ritory. Atkinson looked at him in
amazement, and Scroggins stopped
shoveling to return the gaze.
"Ef yer think, Bob Atkinson. that n
shadder of skeleton like yerself hez
a patent ter all the pay-dirt in these
diggin's, ye're way off yer level. jest
take up this trail, eff yer lookin' fer
trouble. All we want of you aroun'
hyar ez yer tracks. Sabe?"
Scroggins made mistake. His tenn
per was quicker than his hand and he
opened the battle before he brought up
his artillery; for as the sight of his re-
volver left the holster, he heard lit
tie click and raised his eyes to look into
the mouth of Atkinson's weapon.
Edgerton, coming down the trail, heard
Bobspeak sharply: Cit! Andifyouev ever
set foot on my place again, you'll have
to be carried Off" Scroggins looked
into his eyes, and then backed slowly
and sullenly away.
That afternoon Jerry and johnson,
on their way up from the valley.
stopped to rest at Cayuse Bend. As
they stood, the silence was broken by
the clatter of hoofs, and around the
hNhb, HiiO w NiNlts lNo IOl :.
The riders were Bob and Nita.
"Good-by, boys" said the former, as
he reincd up. "Nita and / are on our
wedding journey to happier times, we
hope. May we ask that you say moth
ing of having met us? Luck go with
you"
The mist crawled upward through
the manzanita and mesquite and how
cred over the trail. Bob and Nita
slackened their pace and went forward
cautiously. 1t was when the fog was
at its thickest that they heard the beat
ing of reckless hoofs behind them Bob
turned his horses head and grasped his
revolver. a dozen gigantic forms
loomed indistinctly into view through
the fog. As he raised his arm, Nita
seized it, crying: Don't shoot. Surely
my father"
Hands up!" rang out the command
and half dozen weapons were leveled
at Bob.
What kind of an outrage is this?''
he demanded, recognizing familiar
faces.
We'll, you are a cool one!" SAID
Edgerton. Kill man and run away
with his darter, and then call it an out
rage when you are follered up! Reckon
you thought it was a personal matter
leavin' old man Scroggins up there in
his cabin dead!"
"Dead!' exclaimed Atkinson. why
/ hadn't even heard of it! Why, am
accused?'
You'll find out soon enough. Yor
come with us"
Atkinson's horses stood quietly, heat
and head together. Nita had tainted
and for moment Bob glanced tenderly
down at the white face on his shoulder
Then he looked at the circle of unre'
lenting faces and said, quietly: Il an
innocent. I'll go back and prove it.
OF course Col. Ike Stebbins, as the
handspring of the social machinery OF
Lone Star, presided at the trial. 1t was
always he who stood at the head of the
new-made grave, with reyerent face ant
appraised hand, while the clOds fell duly
on the pine coffin; he it was who sal
with ease and dignity in the chairman:
place at public meetings; bale with
out the colonel to lead was like the play
of Hamlet" with that gentleman repre-
sented only by his regrets; and it was
admitted without discussion that nc
one but Col. Stebbins could properly
ha anStarity of IpdUf
Lynch.
From the beginning there seemed NJ
doubt of Atkinson's guilt. Edgertol
testified to the quarrel of the morning
and Bill Simpson loquaciously related
how he thought something was VI
when Bob sold his claim to him at hal
its value, explaining that he was il
a hurry to leave. Then Jerry and John
son told of the meeting on the hill
side, and each of the posse swore, witt
due appreciation of his own impor
tance, to Atkinson's guilty actions
when they came upon him in the fog
Uezekiah Smith, of the hilltop, clinchet
the evidence by testifying that he saw
the prisoner standing before Scrog
gins door at noon. ,.,.
The jurors had ceased whiting
ltoothpicks and exchanging jokes; thei
growing solemnity foreshadowed the
verdict. Col Stebbins had with a sigf
dismissed the last witness, when Eze
kiel strolled calmly in through th'
omen door. He nodded familiarly tt
two or three acquaintances, and thei
addressed the judge.
Colonel" he said, easily, guess IL
| better straighten this thing out
little. Where dye plant the wit
nesses?" -,
Col. Ike, surprised, looked at him
"Iet the witness be sworn" he said
"Well, what do you know about this!
81 know all about it,"
"Who killed Scroggins?"
81 did" said Ezekiel, calmly.
For ten seconds there was silence
and then smile that broke into
ripple of laughter ran around the room
Ezekiel was maintaining his reputation
LTbe colonel raped angrily Tor oruel