The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-12-18

he did not II nrst see Bolande's N
volver. and there was an unrestraine
, cordially In the How" with whic
ne greeted him. while the warmth @
5oiande's answer stio,e with a paci
ncatory uneasIness.
. When finally the CLINT of Bolande'
dingy weapon struggled through tn
smoke OF the room to the marshal
eye. he said quietly. that others Nigh
not hear: Jesse. stick your gun be
hind the bar Till you're leaving town
Can't let you tote your gun in thi
mans town now"
Perhaps there was too much OF tn,
city marshal and too little OF the frient
in his tone. but Bolande's look tool
on a hint Of rigor. and there was
twang OF defiance in his tone as M
tried to laugh out his Owning thi.
place now. are you, marshall"
There was too little subtility in Bo
lande's intonation to deceive the mar
shall In its porteEt. and he flung back
sharp reply: ANY skin of you. il
do?"
And Bolande Gained before the 9TH
er's frank resentment and Struggling
himself again murmured. Nope But
thar'll be some OF the man that ,ries
TO take my gun away"
Almost pleadingly the ouiesccnt
marshal answered: Jesse. I'll rive
you till six to put up your gun. or pull
your freight out OF this"
Still mora uoo,.,.-,
more firmly. Bolande answered.: "Ycrl,
lind me right mere at six. Bring YOUR
nerve with you. marshal. Have a
drink"
Don't mind II do, Jesse. Here's
how" and they drained tho martyr
dom with unfiinching gustc. Then The
marshal turned to leave. and Rol,pdc
sang out. with no whit OF banter in his
voice:
so long. marshal! Six O'Clock. n
IT,"
Six. jesse" he answered. with az
much OF tender appeal in his voice as
was possible in the throat made brass
with the raw western air, and heart
grown flinty with years OF concealed.
depressed, and thereby littlc-hncwn
emotion. Better think it over,
Jesse"
Bolande only answered half anolo-
getically: I'm not heavy on the
think" and retrieved himself from
tenderness with a blunt. but I'll be
here. six foot two in my socls." The
outer day had swallowed the mar
shall
The cynosure OF all the eyes am
pushed behind heavy eyebrows and
low -brimmed hats was Bolande. who
was again at the bar, rigid and erect
as tower One hand played a tat
too with his half-emptied glass. the
other lowered at the butt Of his pis-
toll lie was stolid. alert. grim. deadly
The whiZz and boom Of the striking
clock startled everyone in the almost
noiseless room. The fights of from
tie-omer are generally the sudden
promrtings OF an Unforeseen rage. For /
nal. punctual duello is rare. Even Bo- |
ande was little nervous. and gulped /
not infrequently stimulants to whet
his nerves and anger TO the nicely OF I
4 razor With knowledge born of life
long experience. he had equally re-
trained from drinking himself past the
best form
Tho marshal evidently thought II
,nly right TO give his old friend three
minutes OF grace. for 1t was a little
after the hour when his step was
leard on the board walk outside. His
can. strong figure was clad in his best
would fight like a gen
leman. ready for grave or triumph.
That his ready-made suit was much too
Dose hardly married the untheatric
ublimity of his erect. stern. stubborn.
Inglo-Saxon courage In very mod
sty he pulled his broad-brimmed hat
yer the panther blaze OF his Ruthless
lare
When the marshal entered the sa-
bon, Bolande waited calmly for his I
yes 10 learn the denser twilight of I
he room. His hand drew little {
e2rer his revolver. but forebore TO !
raw II or even clutch its handle. /
As the marshal's searching look (,
lade out Bolande's form. and hunting '
irther, found his pistol undethroned. r
is teeth set hard upon the last plea i
friendship. and with perfectly @
vel voice he said. inquisitorially T
lin: You're still here. | see' Il
I'm here" came an answer OF equal n
hlegm. r
And though there was a cry OF irony
his voice. yet ii was quiet. as the e
arshal declared war thus: Then. by 2
cd. look out for YOURSELF" s.
With epic equality and speed the 81
eapons lcaped into position. The r
'ectators. knowing no shots would be r
asted. kept only from the immediate k
,ighborhood of the fight. Two semi e
relies Of faint glamour marked the II
lth of the revolvers as they flashed b;
ON hip to aim. A splitting Of quick 81
1.-TWO sharp srsacks OF noise. so W
lined that neither eye nor ear could fc
'me the earlier. and the rcvolvers lie
ID spoken. Neither in vain. ~
fought with his arm swing OF
z free. his whole body exposed. The ps
arshal's first bullet hit him in the Js
pth of his chest and whirled him W