Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-04-13

unless she would meet and pass one or
the other, she must leap her horse off
hand over the tall pickets bounding
the knobs hither verge. A hazardous
leap, but the gallant creature cleared
it. coming down safe with trif1e to
spare. The river valley was already
i shadowy with dusk, but here upon
the hilltop long wan light bathed all
things-the shining of a brassy foul
weather streak along the sky's west
ern rim. Annette could not choose
but see-and shuddered at the sight.
that her mare had 1eaped almost upon
a grave-the grave of a woman whom
her kindred disowned even in death,
because she had died for love and by.
her own hand. a
The men had met upon the knoll top
! just outside where she sat, safe-screen-
ed by thick shrubbery. la44 sea
Uncle Sandy, she heard Archy say,
his voice perp1eXed and anxious, what
can be the matter? 1t is like witch
work! 1 waited-waited at the ford
nothing came. / was in fever, and
i ga11oped three miles out along the
pike. Yet not a man, not a wagon did
meet, though the gatekeeper said
they h ad passed all right. could not
believe him, for he swore, too, that
they went through it at daylight, or
pretty near it.
Hump! That looks prutty bad fer
our little speckila tiot1, Ell, Arch? Mr..
Clark said, in a dry, cautious voice.
Bad?-it's ruin and robbery! OF
course, I have a notion, but let me
:. hear yours first. What had we better
do about it? the young fellow asked,
eagerly.
Well, 1 should say, jest erbout moth
in! Clark said, thrusting his tongue
in his cheek. Fact is, Arch, I'm sorry
you went gi1pin' off SO, usin' up your
horseflesh fer nothin'. You-you-
oughter come to me. That's whit 1
allowed you would do-else I
Else you! Archy echoed, his voice
hot and hard. You are old, and my
kinsman, sir, still I must know the
reason of all this!
Well, thar's good reason enough.
You see, got'n offer fer that thar
Ticker, cash on the nail. Teller jest
come in an took it at his own resk-
Clark began, hitching about in his
saddle, aud backing his mare a
thought away.
And you accepted it? Gordon said,
with a note of ironica1 Interrogation.
I'd a-been er big fool not ter of done
it, Clark said, complacently. A man
has got ter look out fer his own, no
matter
No matter if he breaks his pledged
word, shows himself a b1ackg ard,
and cheats another man who believed
he could tell the truth! Gordon said,
his words dropping plummet-wise
| through the deepening stiffness. So
!; you kept me hanging about at the risk
of my neck, meaning to use me for
your profit, if no other chance offered,
but without a thought or care for me
otherwise! is
| don't think it WIS me KEEP you, not
. all tergether, Clark said, meaning ly;
| but even eff had? Say, young Teller,
what kin you do but git off yer high
horse? The licker's done safe in Nash
vile two hours ago, at least.
This! Gordon cried, 1eaping down
and dragging the other from his sad
!, - -,
you. he went on, raining blows upon
his adversary. / would do it, only you
are so scoundrelly you do not deserve
to die at the hands. of decent man!
Archy! help! murder! JENNIE upl Oh,
thar's some mo- Ticker! Clark shout
ed, 1eaping now this way, now that.
Archy, fer the love O. God Lord help
mel Help! help!
Annette had been listening with a
4 strang1ing lump in the throat. Now
she stood upright in the saddle, gath
cred her heavy skirt about her, gave a
spring aud landed square1y upon the
combatants, rolled to her knees, sprang
up and tore them apart, crying, in a
checked voice:
Shame! shame! oh, Archy, how
could you. To strike an old man, the
greatest coward, too, in the country.
Oh, if only Joe was here! He is not,
but if you must fight-why, take that,
and that, and that! planting singing
blows all over Gordon's face.
He caught her and held her at arms
7 length, saying, almost roughly:
) B. quiet, Annette! You ought to
have kept quiet. Remember, you love
me! am not like the others, a mere
caprice!
Then he let her go. Clark had van
ished. They were alone with the nj ght
and the winds, and the deso1ate hill
top. Annette folded her arms and be-
gan to say, in her clearest high voice:
. l did love-a shadow called by your
name, and When all at once her
voice died to silent trembling. For
he had drawn her close, whispering:
Darling! it was the unmauliest
thing! 1 ought to have held my hand !,
knowing what was due the man you
1