The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-03-20

Il
"Axcuse me, Mrs. Bell,'' he said, with
q hoarse voice, 'fur dishturbin' yez.
It's business I'm afther havin' wild
Farrier Strait. Will yez come out?''
He shot the last words angrily at
his old friend, and as quickly as the
defiance reached his ear Fin took a
step forward. Healy turned to the:
widow and bowed with stiff, soldierly
formality.
CPL be likely in town tomorrow.
said he, ION the matther av the bust
ness betwixt u.s.
At once the farrier faced the widow.
Mrs. Bell" said he, tomorrow I'll.
seek an answer to my question"
But the widow made no answer.
She was now pale and trembling.
CORPORAL she stammered. "Mr.
Strait!'
They were swiftly gone, however,
the farrier closing the door behind him.
and the widow sat down, no little
frightened at such sudden mutual
wrath. The smartest and most amor
GUS Of youthful lovers she could have
managed, playing one against the 9TH
er, but the white heat of these veter-
ans was beyond her power to cool.
She warmed her pretty white hands
at the stove and shivered and laughed
little and cried little in turn.
''The two silly old things,' she MUIR
INJURED. 'To go and fight when ones
just as nice as the other.''
The snow had ceased falling, and
| the air was colder as the two soldiers
strobe away from the little house up
the trail to the post in grim silence for
many minutes. If the landscape, the
unutterable solemn calm of the snow
covered plain at eventide, had affected
them, the same great plain, with it's
broad breasts yet more deeply blanket
ed in purest white, glimmering shad-
owily in the light of an uncertain,
cloud chased moon, should have now
restored peace to their hearts. Moth
ing of natures calm could yet do that
Healy, his chin sticking out, his thin
lips rigidly tight, marched on blindly,
clinching and unclinching his great
bony hands. A pace to the corporaPs
rear Fin followed, but he, after the
first few hundred yards, so far con-
quered his passion as to attempt non
chalance. He forced himself to whis-
tie and lessened the angry determina-
ton of his stride. They were near the
old bridge, and at the sound of that
apparently merry tune Healy stopped
in the deep shadow of the cottonwoods
and faced his old crony. Many a time
had the two followed that road waver-
ingly late at night, stumbling against
each other, singing loudly and stopping
to laugh, on days when they had been
In the town together for a frolic be-
fore the widow had given each a Sc
cret to keep from the other. Always,
then, they had chosen the bridge and
the shadows Of the cottonwoods for
the last halt before their nearby hunks
should receive them to finish the bot
tie and exchange the last Renaissance
Of their faraway youthful days in the
war. Now they halted here again, and
Healy threw off his coat.
"We're no recrooties, to want the
whole troop to see us, Fin Strait said
he. eve can trust each other fur fair
play"
Fin laughed uneasily and did not
take off his coat. His anger was apt to
cool more quickly than the others.
whats eating you, Healy?" he
asked. 1--WE amt recrooties, as you say,
| and before fight want to know what
I'm fighting about. It's the woman, Of
course"
$50 it u.s." said Healy shortly. whip
me an go fur yer answer tomorrow.
If 1 whip yez, sure it's t'other. way"
"Choo, man, I've a right to court her,
and, now the blood's cooled, I'll grant
you've the same. But what's the use
OF our fighting about things settled?
She had her choice, free and fair, and
| she's choosed. What's the good of
kicking?'
''Yis, she's choosed," said Healy
fiercely. can whin I've whipped yez
fur yer interfarin' tonight, tomorrow
she'll say 'yis' to me-"
you're late for inspection, Healy, my
boy" he said. "'Twas tonight she sat
on my knee and kissed me. Isn't that
as good as saying 'yes?"
"You lie! You liev' =
go easy! You'd better take that
| back!'
"Ye're a dirty liar! She wuz in me
arms this very day! Wull yez fight,
| yeliar?"
In second Fins coat was thrown on
the snow, and then of sudden the
two became outwardly calm. The
shadows of the branches fitted across
their faces, but the moonlight was
quite good enough for each to watch
the others eyes. These, though still
lvengefu!, were the eyes of practiced
boxers, for indeed there were few
among the younger men who could
beat the brethren at the gloves; also
each man remembered that if he were
SO beaten as to be ashamed to show
himself next day at the little house in
the town the rival sutton would have
won the widow. Therefore they fought,
in spite of their rage, with science.
and self control. It was no romantic
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