Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-04

they said, and nip and tuck for the yield- ing. The pace was the sort that ex- hausts men, and Shortys brain for lawyering cooked up scheme for his rescue. He was for their going together some night before her, andi after a for nal marriage proposal, each argue his claim and fitness for ten minutes by the clock, their honor at stake to stand by her decision.
 s'It got about afterwards that Emory wouldn't consent till he saw the devil to pay in Shorty's earnestness, and they swore with their fists in each others to carry the thing through to the finish The date and hour were ar ranged for the following Sunday night at eight and they drank to it with gall in the cup.
 When the evening. came theclock had already struck eight when Stokes reached the Blanchard house.
 "The lights from the room fell over the porch, and from the shadow of the steps he saw the something that in all the world he could not bear to see- Emory crossing the room to take Grace Blanchard in his arms; Emory with passion paling his face and Grace Blanchard in the beauty of disturbing humility.
 He cursed as he watched them cling to each other, and he cursed his way back to the saloons and his Mariposa mining
 The next day he turned up again in the settlement, with liquor enough aboard to put wheel in his head, and, after losing fling at the tables, he started to find Emory.
 After a little intellectual riding, he leaped from the back of his vicious-eyed piebald at the corner that bulged thick est with saloons, and stood close to the stirrup with his hand on his hip. Some one who noticed him said his face had the steely intensity of razor edge.
 Then out of the crowd, unconscious, with the music of love in his heart, swung New Emory. His hat was pushed back on his fair hair, and he was whistling the overflow out of his veins.
 Tn one instant bullet rang through the air, followed by another Emory fell in his own blood, and horseman was riding off wildly and safe through the shower of bullets that rained around him. Every man with cayuse tore in pursuit. but they only brought back eight half-dead horses. Stokes had staked relay beasts at different points along the road, and was. then safe in the chaparral canyons toward the north.
 '.The gambling dens choked up with the crowds; gold-dust was heaped on v e.. k1 <,R ardly hound. Murderers weren't rare then, but there was only one New Elm ory, remember.
 Four of us wouldn't drop the search. We let the blood-money men get out of the way, and then we worked as we'd toll for only our own.
 tFThere was scarcely any scent to fol low, for Stokes had bribed the greasers who furnished his horses; but we forced our way along on nothing Day and night we rode with our eyes open, some times bullying and sometimes begging. It began to seem hopeless. The days were running into summer again.
 "One afternoon, toward twilight, we rested on the crest of a mountain where the path took a sudden turn away from a zUO-IOoL precIplce.
 we were torn with the snapping branches of the greasewood, and full of extremest dirt and disgust. Suddenly wa heard the rustic of step on the fallen leaves. Under a live oak, not 30 yards away, on the very edge of the cliff, stood Shorty Stokes. He had not heard us, and he stood looking at the moon which hung a sickle in the hot sky. The evening star was showing.
 "The four of us were like stones. He could go to Guinea before motion d have come to us. Then, simultaneously with our steps forward, he turned and looked into our faces.
 "It was moment to test the nerve of any man. He stood it as we were used to seeing him face all things. "'I suppose I'm the man you're after he said.
 'He said it with the dignity of par son.
 'sIn second he had thrown down his pistols He unsheathed his knives and dropped them to the ground.
 Take me- he said.
 -Four of us looked into the unfiinch- ing clearness of his eyes. As we hesi- tated he spoke again.
 "tListen It is not in excuse that speak, nor in weakening It is to tell you that those among you who are men will follow my steps under like circum- stances.
 "'Emory gave me his hand and his oath, in the manner of his frankness, to stand by an arranged agreement.
 "'We were to meet at eight o'clock on that Sunday night. A--a beautifully good woman was to decide on our argu- ment, which man she would marry. Tn riding to meet my engagement hap pened on an accident. Within half a mile of the settlement, close onto time, my piebald went back on his launches and the groan of a man came up from the roadside. found an overloaded miner, hurt in the leg, and the hope in my own heart aroused my sympathy. I mounted the man on my beast and headed him