The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-09-29
CHAPTER xxxI.-continued.

A''N " Up "'I' u 'p'i'
of 1t all came back with added goad-
inss. | had never dreamed how cut
ting sharp 'twould be to see these two
together day by day; to see her loving.
tender are of him. and to hear him
babble of his love for her in his fever
ish vaporings. Yet all this | must en-
dure. and with 1t IA thing even harder.
For, to make 1t worse. II worse could
be. the shadow of complete estrnng"-
ment had fallen between Margery and
me. True to her word. given in that
moment when l had besought her not
to speak aloud for her own safe'y's
sake, she had never opened her lips to
me: and for aught she said or did |
might have been a deaf mute slave be
meath her notice.
And as she drew away from me. she
seemed to draw the closer to Richard
Jennifer, nursing him alive when he
was at his worst. and giving him all
the wo,nanly care and sympathy a sick
man longs for. And later. when he was
fit to ride again. she had him always at
her side in the onward farinR.
AZ | have said before, this was all
as would have it. Yet ii made me
sick in my souls soul; and at times
l must needs fall behind to rave 1t out
In solitude, cursing the day that | was
born. and that other misfortunate day
Nv ~ . 49, ~
able between these two.
What wonder, then. that. AS we
nenred the fighting hcid of the great
war. l grew more set upon seiZing he
first chance that might offer an honor-
able escape from all these heartburn
ings" Twas a weakness. II you
i choose; l set down here taught but the
simple fact. which had by now gone as
far beyond e%cusinss as the underly-
' ing cause of Ii was beyond forgiveness.
Twas on the final day, the day when
we were riding tantivy To reach
Queensborough by evening. that my
delivernnce came. | say deliverhnce
because at the it had the look
of q short shrift and a ready halter.
We had crossed our own catawba
and were putting our horses at The
steep bank on the outcoming side. when
my saddle slipped. Dismounting to
tighten the girth. l called to the others
to press on, saying l should orertake
them shortly.
The promise was never kept. l
scarce had by head under the saddle
flap before a couple of stout knaves in
homespun. appearing from l know not
where. had me fast gripped by the
arms. whilst a third made sure of the
horse.
"A dispatch rider said the bigger OF
the two who pinsoned me. search him,
Martin, lad, whilst ! hold him; then
We'll pay him out for Tarleton's hang
ing OF poor Sandy M'Guire."
l held my peace and let them search
taking the threat for a bit of soldier
bullyrHgging meant to keep me quiet
But when they had turned the pockets
Of my borrowed coat inside out and
ripped the lining and made 1t otherwise
as much the worse for their mis-
handling as 1t was for wear, the third
man fetched a rope.
Did lou mean that. friend'-abou
the hanging" I sked. wondering ii
this should be my loophole of escape
from the life grown hateful.
Sure enough" said the big man
coolly. You'd best be saying YOU
prayers"
/ laughed. Were you wearing IN,
coat and | yours. you might hang me
and welcome: in rutn. you may as /
Is. Which tree will you have me at?'
The man stared at me as one de.
mented. Then he burst out in a guffaw
"Damme. II you bean't a cool plucket
one! I've a mind to take you to thu
colonel
Don't do it. my friend. Though
am something loath to be snuffed GU
by the men Of my W side. we neet
not haggle over the niceties. Point GU
your tree"
mo. by God! you're too willing
What's at the back of all this?
Nothing. save a decent reluctance II
spoil your sport. Have at 1t, a I'M
let's be done with It,"
mot II you beg ME or your knees
You'll go to the colonel. l say. and h
may hang you II he sees At. You mus
be a most damnable villain to want t
die by the first rope o lay eyes on.
THAT is AS 1t may be. Who Is you
colonel?"
May. rather. who are you?"
I gave my name and circumstanc
and was loosed of the hand-gril
though the third man dropped the cor
and stepped back to hold me over
with his rifle.
AN Ireton, you say? Not little Joel
surely!"
mo, big Jock: big enough to lay 20
on your back, though you do have
hand as thick as a ham"
He ignored the challenge and stuc
' ia his text. 81 never thought to sc
the son OF old Mad-bull Roger wea,
Ing a red coat he said.
""Tha ia nothing. Many as good
whie as I am has been forced to wea
a rod coat ere this, or go barebacke,
Rut why don't YOU knot the halter?
common iustice YOU should either han
NE nr feed me. 'Tis hard upon moo,
and I break tasted early,'
"Er.I mi" soid the biv man. and s
u.as n,arched ouickly aside from TT
road and into the denser thicketinr {
INC wood Here my captors blind
folded me. and after spinning n
aromna to n,aka mo lose he comma
0AS