Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-02-18

mean no harm unless you'd pulled that
trigger"
I'D have killed him." sobbed the
boy, ''if he'd touched me agan!"
| Steve chuckled. "He was safe enough,
| kid 1t was the rest of us you had
| scared. 1t was plumb ridiculous"
The boy apparently did not see the
comicality of the situation, for he con-
tinued crying softly, While Steve looked
on, powerless to help. A crying man
was something new in his philosophy
| Look here. kid he said at last.
''why did you come here anyway?
You're mighty young and ineXperi-
enced for this here strenuous life"
81 had to. This was the only place
l could get"
"Ain't you got no kim"
"They are all dead"
| s'Your sister-she amt, is she?"
! "N1y sister? What sister? What do
you mean?"
"The sister whose picture the boys
was admirin' Of"
ooh, she? She's living"
There was long pause. ''She's
right purity GAL" said Steve. give been
studyin' that picture. She certainly IA
vors you heap-that is, if she has yal-
Ter hair, like yourn. Has she?"
Eyes" returned the boy; cts just the
color of NINE"
81 reckoned so. Long, bet, and cur
". l knowed it. What's her name?"
"Er-Jessie."
"Jessie?" Steve pondered over the
name as if to see if it would fit his pre-
conceived notions. you'll be having
her on here soon, reckon, won't you?
I'm powerful anxious to come up with
your sister,
The boy gave queer little laugh,
which changed to sigh.
81 guess not now" he said, 'safter
what's happened. must go away-go
back. l ought never to have come 1
didn't. see it before. Oh, you can't I'M
| derstand," he cried. II don't want to
go. haven't any situation nor money
nor friends"' He broke down, sob
bling, again.
"And run away from nothing The
boys amt goin' to do no harm. I'll see
you don't get messed with too much"
But when you amt here what would
| happen? oh, if you hadn't been here
] tonight! No; there's no way but for
me to leave"
| Steve shifted uneasily in his chair.
''This here sister of yours he said at
last, 'do you reckon now she'd marry
me if l could git to ask herr" He
stopped the boy as he was about to
speak. Just keep quiet, sonny, and
let me bark a spell. I've been doing a
| lot of thinkin' since I come here this
| evening. and it's been about her. I've
been driftin' around these parts for the
last ten years and more, ever since l
was half as young as you, getting into
scrapes and out of 'em, riding the
ranges, roundin' up, fightin' when / had
| to, drinllin' and gamblin' and shootin'
up a town, just like all men does out
here, withouten there's woman to
hold 'em steady, and tonight when
see your sisters picture it come across
me that | wanted to settle down, and
l wanted her to help me. That's why
I don't want you to go away, kid, for
if you do l won't git no chance to see
|
look at me, llid?'
The boy said nothing for moment,
while Steve watched him anXiously.
The dawn was just breaking over the
plains, and a pale light came through
the dirty windows of the station.
"I-I haven't any sister," said the
boy huskily at last 81 lied to you, but
you've been too good to me, and L can't
keep it up. 1.-The picture-it's me.
I'm-oh, can't you see-Im girlv'
ga girl! I'll-be'- Steve didn't
finish the sentence. He rose and went
to the window and looked out on the
faint gray green of the sagebrush.
Brainard continued as if in defense:
II had to do it. l helped my brother
in the station at home and learned to
telegraph. Then he died, and no one
could do. Then | thought / would
come west, dressed as man, and got
this job, and now-now you know why
I've got to go back"
Steve turned and came to the side of
the girl. you amt got to go back, and
you amt a-goin'-not if | can help it.
l might have known you was woman,
only l didn't know women had such
grit. Look here, kid mean-that
Isl
Jessie was my sisters name," said
the girl, with little laugh.
| "Well, I'm rough, and l don't de-
, serve no such gal as you, Jessie, but
there's heap of men git what they
don't deserve, and L amt SO mighty
; bad You say you kin telegraph. Well,
, you sit down then to that ticker and
do some telegraphin' for me, one UP
, the line for new agent for Lone Dog
Station and one to Prairie City for a
parson And tell 'em ] give 'em until
l tomorrow mornin' to git here on the
! first train" added Steve Oliver, with
: emphasis
+ Her Reproof
: Two mischievous boys in the schoo
4 were laughing uproariousiy over some