Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-10-27
CLARENCE
BY BRET HARTE.

AAo oa'N@
sary's second say carelessly to tn,
deputy sheriff: II presume this is {
case where there will be no apology
or mediation" and the deputy's reply;
Il reckon my man business
but he seems a little queer" He
heard the other second laugh and say
lightly: They're apt to be SO wher
It's their first time out" followed by
more anxious aside of the other
second as the deputy turned away
Yes, but by Cd, / don't like his
looks!" His sense of sight was also
SO acute that having lost the choice
OF position, when the coin was tossed
and being turned-with his face to the
sun, even through its glare he saw
with %unerring distinctness of outline
the b~lack-coated figure of his oppon.
ent moved into range, saw the perfect
outline OF his features, and how the
easy, supercilious smile as he threw
away his cigar appeared to drop out
of his face with n kind of vacant awe
as he faced him. He felt his nerves
o as steel as the %countering be.
gan, n at the word three knew
he had fired by the recoil 1T the pistol
in his leveled hand simultaneously
with Its u%tterance. And at the same
moment, still standing like a rock, he
saw his adversary miserably collapse,
mis- legs grotesquely curving inward
under him, without ever the dignity
or death in his fall, and so sink help
lessly like a felled bull to the ground.
Still erect, and lowering only the
muzzle of his pistol, as a thin feather
OF smoke curled up it's shining side,
he saw the doctor and seconds run
quickly to the heap, try to lift its
limp impotence into shape, and let II
drop again with the words: Fright
through the forehead, by Cd"
you've done for him." said the dep-
uty, turning to Clarence with a singu-
TAR look of curiosity, "and | reckon
you'd better get out of this mighty
quick! They didn't expect it-they're
Just ragin', they may round on YOU
and'-he added more slowly-"they
seem to have just found out who YOU
ire!"
Even while he was speaking, Clar-
ence with his quickened ears heard
the words, "One of Hamilton
Brant's pups" Just like his fa-
Iher, o the group around the
dead man. He did not hesitate.
but walked coolly toward them. Yet
a certain fierce pride-which he
had never known before-stirred in
bis veins, as their voices hushed and
they half recoiled before him.
Am l to understand from my sec
0n0 pRnflnnNo, " h. -. =
around the group, shat you are not
gatisfied?"
"The fight was square enough"
said Pinckney's second, in some EN-
barrassment, "but l reckon that he
pointing to the dead man-"did not
know who you were."
DO you mean that he did not know
that l was the son of a man proficient
in the use of arms?"
se~SpurIrve
the second, CHANGING al the others.
Il am glad to say, sir, that / have n
better opinion of his courage said
Clarence, lifting his hat to the dead
body, as he turned away.
Yet he was conscious of no
concern or ever pity in his act. Per-
haps this was visible in his face. for
the group appeared awed by this per-
of the duelist's GOODNESS, and
even returned his formal parting salu-
tation with a vague and timid respect.
He thanked the deputy, regained the
hotel, saddled his horse and galloped
away.
But not toward the rancho. Now
that he could think of his future,
that he had no place in his reflections;
even the episode of Susy was forgot
ten in the new and strange c
tons of himself and his irresponsible
ity which had come upon him with
the killing of Pinckney and the words
OF his second. 1t was his dead father
who had stiffened his arm and direct
ed the fatal shot! 1t was the here
ditary infiuence-which others had
been so quick to recognize-that had
brought about this completing climax
OF his trouble. How else could he
account for it that he, a conscientious.
peaceful, sensitive man, tender and
forgiying as he believed himself to be,
could now feel SO little sorrow or com
junction for his eliminating act? He
had read of successful duelists who
haunted by remorse for their
first victim; who retained a terrible
consciousness of the appearance Of
the dead man; he had no such feeling:
had only a grim contentment in
the wiped out inefficient life, and con-
for the limp and helpless body.
He suddenly recalled the callousness
a boy, when face to face with the
victims of the Indian massacre his
sense of fastidious superciliousness in
the discovery of the body Of Susy's
mother-surely it was the cold blood
Of his father influencing him ever
thus. What had he to do with affec-
ton, with domestic happiness, with
ordinary ambitions Of mans life.
whose blood was frozen at it's source!
Yet even with this very thought came
once more the old inconsistent tender
ness he had as a boy lavished upon
almost unknown and fugitive
who had forsaken his childish
companionship, and remembered him
only by secret gifts. He remembered
how he had worshipped him even
while the pious padres at San Jose
e~ndeavoring to eliminate this
terrible poison from his blood and
combat his hereditary instinct in his
conflicts with his school fellows. And
t vas a part of his inconsistency that,
away from the scene of his first
his eyes were dimmed
moisture, not for the victim, but
Tor the one being whom he believed
had impelled him to act.
This and more was in his mind dur-
ng his long ride to Fair Plains, his
by coach to Embascadero, his
midnight passage acros the dark
of Francisco-but what should
his future was still unsettled.
AS he wound around the crest of
Russian hill and looked down again
lpon the awakened city he was
to see that it was futtering
md streaming with bunting! From
very public building and hotel; from
he roofs of private houses, and even
he windows of lonely dwellings