The Republican journal., 1898-05-19

timber's so thick a wild cat would mighty
nigh get lost in it-let alone woman"
II should think you and Bill had been
to Plum Greek schoolhouse often enough
to know the way by this timer
81 amt a going to Plum Crick,' said
May, with foolish giggle.
''What amt you goin' to get mar
ried?''
Eyes"
''Well, Bill's at the schoolhause now,
a waitin' for ye."
May tossed her head and then giggled
again.
81 amt waitin' for him none," she
said. 81 might as well tell you now as
any time. I'm goin' to be married to
Tom Jackson this morning at Round Tim
bers. I've lost my way there, and l want
you to tell me how to CO."
At the mention of Jackson name Joe's
face hardened for moment. He was the
man who had been SO quick to take Bill
part in the quarrel with his brother.
Then Joe began to reason with May as to
her conduct, but very few moments
, sufficed to show him the futility of the at
tempt. Promptly changing his plans. he
gave her detailed account of the way
to Round Timbers.
had listened in profound establishment to
the whole conversation. "you' re mistaken
about
"No, l ain't'' retorted Joe. 'The
trails been changed lately. That's all
right, May. Come on, Jim
II still think you are mistaken about
that TRAIL said jim, as the two men rode
on together.
''No l wasn't mistaken" said Joe. 81
just hed-that was ALL did it for Bills
sake. If May goes the way | sent her
she, II not get to Round Timbers this
morning.
After they had ridden few moments
in silence, Joe began again:
'Jim, old fellow, for Cod sake don't
let on that you'v seen nor heard nothing
this morning. It'll be plenty tough on
Bill, anyway"
~ shore WON'T said Jim.
There was quite crowd assembled
around the door of the little log school
house when these two men rode up. The
groom was there, and so was the preacher
so also were the people. The house was
decorated within and without with flowers
and leaves and other ornaments more or
less appropriate to the occasion. However,
there was one ornament generally consid-
cred necessary on wedding occasions
which was still missing-namely, the
bride.
''Seen anything of May lately?' asked
Bill, stepping to the front as the new
corners rode up. There was just trace
of anxiety in his voice as he spoke.
Nav" answered Joe promptly His
face looked perfectly unconcerned as he
spoke, but in very few moments cloud
hacra To ne,t fhn, ul,
that instead of grieving over the lie he
had told-as of course he should have
been-he was merely wondering how he
might spare Bill the modification which
public discovery of the real facts in re-
gard to May might occasion He was now
sitting with one leg thrown over the horn
of his saddle. Suddenly his face lighted
up with its old sickly smile, and in
voice that trembled little in spite of the
bravado he tried to throw into it, he be-
gan:
''Say, Bill, that was the devil of lie l
told you about May just now. l saw her
not over half an hour ago
you did, did you? When will she be
here?'
''She won't be here at all
Bits face grew stern and white.
"Why won't she?" he demanded
''Because | directed her in the wrong
road. Jim tried to tell her right and |
wouldn' let him. Ain that 50 .Jim?"
Jim nodded grmly. With faces that
now began TO grow drawn and anxious,
the spectators glanced from one speaker
to the other, ill turn. BET S face was
fairly lvid with rage, and his voice trem-
bled with the awfulness of repressed fury
as he asked the next question:
what did you do it fOr?'
The eXpeetant silence that followed
was deathlike, but even then joe voice
was hardly audible as he answered with
the same sicl1ly smile lowering about his
white lips:
Because ! useter court her myself and
yOu cut me OUT
Before the words We're fairly out of his
mouth Bill sprang at him with the fury
of wild beast. With all the force of his
might right arm he struck and the blow
descended upon the arm-the crippled,
knotted arm-whch Joe had nterposed
TO ward it off, Some say it descended
upon the knot itself. He fell from his
pony as if he had been shot and lay for
several moments on the turf where he had
fallen.
'W hich way did you send ber?' asked
Bill, in the same awful tones he had used
before.
Il won't tell, - grasped Joe.
Then get up off that groundn'
Get on your pony-no, | see it's got
away from you. Then saddle up mine
yonder and go after May and bring her
back at once, sir. Do you hear?'
Joe meekly took the huge Texas saddle
in his left hand and carried into where
the pony stood grazing, tied by a long
rope to a tree. His right arm hung limp
by his side. After some Intellectual eff
forts to throw the saddle on with his left
arm, he gave up the attempt.
Il can't get the thing on he said
''Use your right arm, sirn' called his
brother.
II think you We broke his game arm,
BILL said Jim Smith.
cts Iiev' shouted Joe, ''That arms
as good as it ever was"
To prove the truth of this assertion, he
made a might effort and managed TO lift
his arm to his shoulder, though the wrist
still daugled loosely from his elbow.
Even then he could not restrain his face
from wincing and his teeth from clinch-
ing with the pain. Dropping the saddle,
he turned abruptly and limped off into
the woods without a word.
Jim Smith afterwards said that only his
solemn promise to Joe kept him from tell