The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-11-07

he with him. unable to move hand or
foot. lying all day IN the little rough
cabin. the men away bounding over
the plains. or In bad weather quarrel
ing nnd gambling. lot Of dirty.
half-brced ''grcasers," surly and
grudging In their care as they
grew more tired of him. She threw
herself upon him In paroxysm OF
tempestuous grief. She didn't care for
herself, she vowed: she didn't care for
her fathers wrath or disinheritnpce,
or what people thought of her course.
she could not leave him. and would
stay with him ns long as he lived.
whatever the consequences.
Nevertheless. the Preparations for
her departure drew nearer completion
every day. aud she was forbidden to
even speak of remaining behind. She
would have defcd her father and
stayed unhesitatingly. but Dixon was
even more unrclenting than Fernan-
do. ON the ground that she was hurt
ing him beyond endurance with the
thought Of SO recklessly throwing
away her life, more precious Ia him
than any one else.
The parting came. fcrnando's op-
prehensions of one of her unbridlcd
outbursfs Of temper. which usually
lasted days, or until the camp was
brought to submission, were inbound
ed. Tige had ccnsed 10 be a child
and was now n woman. To make
amends for his apparent harshness in
rcpulsing her proffered sacrifice. and
thankful that she had yielded to rca-
son, Dixon's manner was full OF ten
dcrncss on this, their last happy day.
Together they went back over the
history of their lives since Dixon
rode down from the Sobrantc grant,
the happy "tom-boy" days that fol-
lowed. then their last ride when they
were returning home through the
golden plains in the glow Of the early
summer sunset, both carefully avoid
ing any allusion to Dixon's accident.
For the first time In all these long
months. Tige's happy laughter rang
through the cabin, for each was de-
icrmincd their last moments should
not he saddened by the shadow of the
parting that was to come with the
morning.
Finally. this last day. too, drew Ia
n close. and everything was in rcadi-
ness for an early start In the morn
ing. When the house was quiet and
every one asleep. Tigc arose and stole
like n wrath into Dixon's room. 4
moment she bent oyer him. dc,ouring
him with her eyes. In the clear. sill
| yer light Of the moon not the lenst de-
| tail was lost; the burrows ON the
broad forehead, from which the heavy
locks had fallen, the strained look
| about the mouth that had come the
| last few months from the mental an
| guish he had suffered, and the help.
| lessness- utter hclplessncss -oi
this great, splendid fellow. For that
very reason there was touch Of the
maternal in her love. How she ycarncd
to take his head upon her breast and
carcss him, Groom over him, soo'h
| the anguish out of his soul at any
cost.
AZ she bent over him he muttcreJ
something in his sleep. With the
iuickness and agility Of an Indian she
crouchcd in the shadow until his
breathing grew deep snd regular
again. Then she arose and came near
or. The horror of the life that ln,
before him, and her own inability to
alleviate IL in any wny. surged over
her with fresh poignnncy. She
threw ont her arms and ground hei
teeth tn choke back the cry that ros,
Ia her lips. No, she could not leav,
him. friendlcss and alone. Ia becom,
a burden Ia those about him. an oh
icct of charity 10 his friends, and
finally. Of contempt. Resignation hut
no place in her hot, young blood. Sh'
was not of the tame, patient sort tha
submits unqucstioningly to the work
ings of fate. This was Dixon, the MAJ
she loved with nll her heart. an,
with all her soul, and with all he
strength" and there was only on'
way Ia save him.
Slipping stcalthily along the wal
10 the shelf where his belt hung. sh,
reached for his revolver, examining
II carefully to see that II wns loaded
With hands that did not tremblc sh
covered his heart with the muzzl
and shut her eyes. Dixon slept ol
peacefully. unconscious OF her pres
cncc. 10 he had muttered in his slce
again. IL there had been the slight
est noise from the out side. the yap a
% coyote or the bark of "A dog. he
courage might have failed her: In
az she bent over him there was not
I sound nor sigh. A still white moon
light lay over the plains.
Thus a moment passed. She sii
. might spare him and no one won't
ever know how near she had come :
. being his delivrrer ar murderer
7 which? Should she let him live o,
!, u long life Of slow dying. or mere
= fully end II now? She did not tur
e gguin tn look at him. she could no
hut with n auick in-,lrawing Of he
breath, brcathed "Madre de Dios:
% which blended with u cry for gui'
G ancc, strength 10 do this thing, io
giyeness IL II were wrong, and couinl
e to live out the remainder Of her Ion
Il ~ life. Then her cold hand touch'
y the trigger and Dixon was saved.
eel The report aroused the househol
4 Fernando and Juana rushed into II
Y room. the vaqneros. aroused by u
II sound. came running Ia the scene, m
u babel of confusion reigncd. Fc
d nantlo. standing In their midi
r stopped and picked up the smoki'
a | reyolyer, Dixon's own. "How he az