The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-01-27

OF the real facts in regard 20 May
might occasion He was now sitting
with one leg thrown over the horn OF
his saddle. Suddenly his face lighted
up with It's old sickly smile. and In
voice that trembled little in spite OF
the bravado he tried TO throw into IL.
he began:
Say, Bill. that was the devil of lie
| told you about May just now. saw
her not over half an hour ago"
'YOu did, did your When will she
be hereY'
''She won't be here at all"
Bills face grew stern and white.
why won't she:" he demanded.
Because l directed her in the wrong
road. Jim tried to tell her right and
wouldn't let him. Amt that so. Jim?"
Jim nodded grimly. With faces that
now began TO grow drawn and anxious.
the spectators glanced from one speak
er to the other in turn. Blrs face was
fairly livid with rage. and his voice
trembled with the awfulness Of re-
pressed fury as he asked the next
question:
What did you do 1t for?"
The expectant silence that followed
was deathlike. but even then Joe's
voice was hardly audible as he an
swered with the same sickly smile
lowering about his white lips:
Because | useter court her myself
and you cut me outr'
Before the words were fairly out OF
his mouth Bill sprang at him with the
fury of wild beast. With all the force
OF his mighty arm he struck and the
blow descended upon the arm-the Grip
pied, knotted arm-which Joe had inter
posed to ward 1t off. Some say 1t de-
scended upon the very knot itself. He
fell from his pony as il he had been
shot, and lay for several moments on
the turf where he had fallen.
(which way did you send herY'
asked Bill. in the same awful tones he
had used before.
Il won't tell gasped Joe.
Then get off that ground
Joe meekly obeyed.
Get on your pony-no. ! see it's got
away from you. Then saddle mp mine
yonder and go after May and bring her
back at once, sir! Do you hear?"
Joe meekly took the huge Texas sad
die in his left hand and carried It to
where the pony was grazing, tied by
long rope TO a tree. His right arm hung
limp by his side After some ineffecr.
ual efforts to throw on the saddle with
his left arm he gave up the attempt
81 cant get the thing on" he said
Use your right arm. sirr' called his
brother.
Il think you've broke his game arm.
Bill" said Jim Smith.
ITS lie!' shouted Joe, chat arms
as good as ever it was
To prove the truth of this assertion
he made mighty effort and managed
to lift his arm to his shoulder, though
the wrist still dangled loosely from his
elbow. Even then he could not restrain
his face from wincing and his teeth
from clinching with the pain Drop
ping the saddle he turned abruptly and
limped off into the woods without a
word.
Jim Smith afterward said that only
his solemn promise to Joe kept him
from telling the whole truth at this
juncture Just as he knew it to be, and
that he had to grit his teeth hard and
say cuss words under his breath to do
it then. As TO the rest of the crowd. il
must be remembered that they knew
nothing but Joe's own statement about
the matter. and consequently they all
sympathized with Bill. After some
moments of coincidence and conSulta-
ton with the crowd, Bill. with some
four or five others, started out to find
Joe.
Get that rope off your saddle there
and bring 1t along" he said to one of
the men.
"You amt goin to string him up, are
you, BillT was the rather anxious re-
ply,
mo; Just want to skeer him a little.
Come on
In very short time they found the
man they were looking for
Are you ready to tell where May is,
or to 90 after herr" Bill demanded
"N-no." faltered Joe. with dstrust-
full glance at the little group of attend
ants.
Again his brother sprang at him.
This time he threw him to the ground
and held him there with his grasp firm
upon his throat.
Don't, Bill, old fellow, for Gods
sake" gasped Joe, as his brother some
what relaxed the grip on his throat. Il
didn't mean no harm by lt--honest.
didn't. ] won't do it no more. What
are you going to do with that rope,
Bill? You're not going to kill your poor.
no-account brother, are you. old boy p
Without word Bill and his attend
ants continued wrapping the rope
around Joe, Then they stood him up
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