The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-07-11
The door swung wide open.

IL.
Aye, a bible'
And what, think We, would be do
Ing with bible?"
God knows" said the other. Little
enough. But we do not need one. Come,
man"-turning to me-"stand there"
l turned to the girl, and she looked
up at me. read in her face what she
saw In mine. We must go through with
the thing, or in half an hour she would
be at the mercy Of these outlaws.
why not, my friends?" she said,
turning to them. II cannot be married
too soon. Else why should I have run
away from homer" =
After all, the man was no minister,
and forced affair like this could mean
nothing. And SO there, in the reeking
moon, with one man in a stupor and
with five as wicked specimens Of hui
manity as it had ever been my lot to
meet, the drunken Marvin married us
IN the early morning hours. How the
wretch knew aught Of the marriage SER
vice could not then tell. But he did,
and we agreed by nods-only speaking
when forced toto cleave to each other
IN sickness and in health, In good for
tune and in bad, till death should us
part.
When he came to ask my name, I
hesitated, and was about to give anoth-
er, and then-curse me for a careless
beast-the man called Purdy spoke up,
reading from the rim Of my hat: BAL
fort"
And so I gave my name.
Mistress" said Marvin, your name
now"
Deborah Philipse," she said, be-
meath her breath, and then repeated
part Of what he dictated, though her
arm grew heavier and heavier in mine
till my wounded wrist throbbed with
pain.
I thought then 1t was over, but he
must needs get paper and ink, and
write out blurred and rambling GER
tificate that Merton Balfort and de-
borah Philipse were married the 10Th
day Of September 1850, by James Mar
vim, minister Of the gospel; whereupon
those looking on roared with laughter
at him and his solemnity, and most Of
all at his sigma ture that covered half
the page. When he had signed, Purdy
cried out:
"Now, a toast to the bride!" and we
filled again, and they drank and I tast-
ed.
But Marvin stood up, keeping his bal
ance as best he could, and droned out
in mock solemnity:
Gentlemen, you forget. The minister
has not had his fee
Then. turning to me, he said in a
wheedling tone, with a horse-pistol
You would not forget the man Of God
that made you the possessor of such as
this?"
Indeed, had not seen it until that
moment, nor had it occurred to me till
then that I had on my first night in
this country fallen in with a gang of
SINNERS. It was clear enough now,
and the amusement they were to have,
and were having, while robbing me was
of their own develish making.
"Let me pay the fee," said the girl
eagerly, and, drawing out a silken purse
she took from it half dozen gold
pieces-enough for forty weddings-and
handed them to Marvin, adding, IT
thank you, SIR"
I could have cried with rage at this
last, the simplicity of the girls vision
coupled with her infinite skill in turn
ing the whole episode from a fight into
peaceful, or rather harmless, robbery.
Marvin held the pieces in his hand
and made wry face as he leered at
her.
'''Tis but small sum for so great a
service, Mistress Balfort!"
"Why-" said she, with a vacant
stare, and then looked at me. Some
thing must have shown on my face; for,
with a sudden catching Of her hand at
her throat and a falling Of her smiling
mask, she handed him the purse and
turned away.
Marvin counted out the pieces with
slow precision, and then turned to his
gang.
This is but pa1try pair after ALL"
said he. "And never have I had so
small marriage fee. Can you not help
your lady wife out, good sir?''-address-
ing me.
An uncomfortable movement that 1
made drew four long barrels on my
head not five feet away and with a
groan threw him my wallet.
1t held goodly sum, and I prayed
that they might forget to search me,
for what else I had lay with my dis
patches in my boots. But a savage
grunt from the other side of the room
saved u.s. Every eye turned towards
the sound, and we saw the 'jolly good
fellow" wriggle and sit up. He was
dressed like my opponent, and was
watching him as he struggled to his
feet, when a spasmodic grasp clutched
my arm. I turned to see Mistress Phil
ipse's face close up to mine and abject
terror written on every feature.
That man! That mani" gasped she.
Save me from him, in Gods name!"
And-whether because this was the Ia ST
SlAdH, VI UectuSe OF some new and
greater danger from this last addition
to our company, know not-she leaned
against me and would have fallen had
I not picked her up and carried her
into the other part of the tavern.
The door opened into hall, and from
that turned into the first room, which.
as often In such houses, was a bedroom
there laid her on the bed and took
off her soaked shoes. She lay quiet.
and ]. seized the chance to seek the,
landlord. He was not far, for I found
him standing looking at me as came
into the dark hail. a a -" =
"Gowan," said I, ''you have as viii
famous a lot here as ever saw, but if
you be the man think you, you win
get me out of this place" 49,
What can do with them, sir? They
own the house now. Twill be a god
send il they do not burn it about our
ears!'' 80,
Go back down the road and find the
coach. You'll get a hundred times the
pay there for what I want you to do"
III do. what 4 can he muttered. y
Give me another horse and a won-
ans saddle, II you have it,
have none but an old mans sad
de- - N - -
you'll find two horses hitched to the
coach. Keep them For, If the men
had not taken them, they must still
be there, The men r. knew s,r,o,,I7 4.