Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1903-02-12
Gg1HITE
FEATHER
BY IRENE ROWLAND
Copyright, 1902, by the
s. 5. Mcclure Company


Four men were seated round a moth
naten green baize table when the Kid
flung his long legs over the window
sill and sat there nonchalantly kicking
his heels against the rough walls of
the cabin. 1t was the most serious
moment of the Kids life not except
ing the one in which his father had
sent him west in disgrace. To so west
that had been something TO look for
ward to; but to be sent back east again
in worse state of disgrace than everi
That was what they We're planning
to do-those four men around that lit
tie table, in the midst of which burned
a smelly kerosene lamp. They were
passing sentence upon Jack Farley, the
Kid of the party, and he knew that
the verdict would be Guilty"
Collin Cutler was the first to speak.
Like the others, he was a college bred
man, who had gone west for pleasure
and stayed there for excitement. He
was a physical giant. There were
vague rumors that once, when he had
caught n little Mexican cheating at
cards and the latter had drawn Il shin
ing machete, Cutler had held him in
his powerful arms and bent him back
ward until he had broken his spinal
column. But these were only rumors.
At any rate, Cutler had never shown
the white feather, and he was merci-
less to those who did.
The others of the group were Addie
Easton, who had been center rush and
"strong man" Of his class at Harvard
Keen Taylor, the marksman from
South Carolina, where shooting is
fine art, and Hal Farley, the elder
brother of the Kid, as brave as cool
fellow as ever sought his fortune in
the west.
81 move" said Collin without Glanc-
ing at the Kid, "that we send him back
east tomorrow. He's shown the white
feather. A man who will break his
guard isn't worth the bacon he eats.
He goes tomorrow
Hars eyes ran tenderly over the fig
ure sitting in the window.
"Wait a minute" he said slowly.
"You haven't found out the facts of the
case yet"
1.-The great fact is this: He wasn't
here when I came back last night, and
every Internal rustler in Ram county
might have carried off our goods If /
hadn't stayed here"
you're sore" said the Kid, taking
his pipe out of his mouth for the first
time, because you couldn't get back
to the dance You're all sore because
Essie Wayland didn't 20 to the dance.
You want to know where she was?
She was with me-that's wherev'
-Four faces at the table went red.
Essie Wayland not at the dance ana
with the Kid -Four men who loved
her, or thought they did, because she
was the only eligible girl in Ram coun-
ty, looked at one another sheepishly.
At length the Kids brother laughed
weakly.
1.-THE Kid always was winner with
the women" he remarked in an at
tempt to be facetious.
'Thank you, Hal" said the Kid sar-
castically, removing his pipe once more.
"I'll tell you the whole blooming story
If you want to hear It, 1t was con
temptibIe trick, and you know it, to |
put me on guard the night of the |
dance You fixed the guard nights so |
that you could all get off TO the good |
time and left me here with novel |
I've read eight times and half pipeful |
of bad tobacco to enjoy the pleasant |
solitude.
81 guess If you'd been in my place |
last night alone in this hole, with that |
moon overhead and dead certain that |
Essie Wayland would be at the dance |
and longing to dance with you, you'd |
have done just ds / did. wrote her |
note to meet me on the south road. | |
told her 1t was my night on guard and |
that / couldn't get to the dance, but / |
suggested that we take our dances out |
in moonlight ride.
al was dead certain I'd get back be- |
fore you did, but Cutler had to come |
sneaking back here to steal one of my |
collars and a new tie | got In Delta
oh, yes, you did-and he found me
gone. You can believe 1t or not, as you
like, but it was Essle Wayland, not |
fear Of rustlers,' that took me out"
"That doesn't do you any good, Kid
die" said Hal quietly
Because you're all making blooming
Idiots OF yourselves over Essie. It's !
jealousy" And the Kid pouted like
spoiled girl.
"Well, you've got to take yourself
and your charms back east. That's
the 'alP Of itp cried Addie Easton,
bringing his heavy fist down on the
table. The kerosene lamp sputtered
ominously, but nobody noticed it.
"Say, boys" broke in Hal Farley
pleadingly, "give the Kiddie chance.
Try the cut of the cards" And he
threw pack down in the midst of /
them.
"He doesn't deserve It," grumbled
Easton.
But Hal had shunled the cards.
cover seven he stays; under seven he
goes"
The Kid leaned eagerly forward from
his seat In the window. Collin lifted
the upper half OF the pack slowly and
looked up at the Kid before turning It,
Suddenly and without warning the
kerosene lamp sputtered, and for sec
ond the room was as black rs night.
Collin dropped the cards with cry.
The lamp fllckcred up again, and four
white faces gazcd at each other, hor-
rlHed, across the table Who had for
gotten to I'll the lamp?
There was another ominous slzzle,
and the fame went blue. The men sat
rooted to their chairs. They knew. as
they looked at each other. that they
had Just one moment TO live before
that lamp would explode and pour its
burning oil over them and their tiny
cabin.
Then with one wild yell those -four
sprang up and made, struggling madly,
for the door. Hal was the quickest.
He gained the narrow opening with
bound. But the others were upon him
In n second. struggling, painting.
white fcathcrw
IT was the Kids voice that rang out
over the tumult. The men stopped
where they were. What they saw held
them 10 the spot.
With one graceful, nonchalant swing
the Kid dropped from the window sill.