The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-01-08
CHAPTER XIV.
At Close Quarters.

At Close Quarters.
| A perfect vofley of oaIhs came hot
/ from the lips of the discounted sheriff
as ne rolled from his PROSTATE horse.
Nelson echoed the rage Of his chief.
and Grimes fell in line sufficiently to
/ shout. but grim smile played around
his mouth as though he was not devoid
OF appreciation Of Nellie's daring act.
"By God, girl" roared Gavin. az he
picked himself up and made a stride
toward the anabashed Nellie IN take
| you back to HuDbicks and lock- you up
Do you know you have committed an
act against the State that will send
you to prison2'
Come, Gavin, said Grimes, not with
cut a suspicion of laughter as ne noted
| the impotence of the sherif's rage.
| There are other horses here What do
you want to waste so much time about?
The girl can't run away. We are out
after a man now. He's getting farther
/ away all the tine. Seems 10 me we
ought to get on.
Get on frothed the sheriff. Get
on, How the devil are we 10 get On?
| She viii shoot me next
| As matter of fact, the lig6t that
J shone in Nellie,s eyes indicated that
Gavin had not exaggerated her spirit
very greatly.
But Deckton saw the need of interfer-
! ence. He was the one man OF the par
/ y supposed to have authority over Net
/ lie.
Take another horse, and bring in
| the man dead or alive he said I'm
take good care there are 10 more acct
dents"
He took hold of Nellie's arm roughly.
and Welmer firmly, but with more gen
tleness, relieved her of the revolver.
Gavin quickly fell in with the project,
! and with the aid of Grimes. stiH mount
ed caught one OF the horses s,ez.e
/ His saddle was soon transferred TO the
back OF his fresh steed
Nellie, held in the grasp Of her broth
1 er, looked with dry and desperate eyes
at these preparations
| All she breathed. what a mistake
made. L ought to have sent all the
/ horses away
| With another curse the sheriff mount
ed and spurred his horse TO a gallop-
-.I'll show you something when I come
back" he said, as his parting shot to
Nellie You defy me. but with Go-
don's aid III have you under my heal
in another day or So
I
they were out OF the enclosed yard, and
then. released by Deckton, she flung
herself in a paroxysm OF weeping on
| the couch in the sitting room
You are a fool" said Deckton, with
out tenderness. You can't expect TO
defeat the sheriff"
--Oh, OH" sobbed Nellie II wish I
had gone with him"
Huh" said Deckton. with the
sherin?''
NO. with that poor man for whose
blood you are all thirsting- He is limo
cent. tell you No guilty man would
have acted as he has done"
HUH" said Deckton. He showed
| lot OF pluck, he did Hid all the tfms
and let girl fight his battles for him.
It's Iie!' retorted Nellie He pro-
tested against II. commanded him TO
remain hidden till I could send him
word He did not know where I was,
| or what to expect. He knew I was per-
fectIy safe with such kind and loyal
friends as Gavin and Judge Gordon and
you On. he knew was well cared for
Had he known that was to be insulted
he would have stood by my side and
| fought the lot OF you
Weln1er gave an impatient gestura
Shut up" he said to Deckton, as the
iatter's lips opened for a heated reply.
/ Cant you see the girl Is excited and
| oyerstrained2 What's the use making
things any worse? Gavin will get the
fellow Leave Nellie alone
| Perhaps he expected a look or word
of gratitude from the girl Perhaps he
would have received one had he not
spoken SO confidently OF Gavin getting
Cayrisht-
Deckton walked away. and Welme-,
/ finding himself still ar q disadvantage,
! esSayed still further to ingratiats him
{ selft with Nellie.
/ He WAS shrewd enough TO see his
former mistake and spoke soothingly
about the start Cayright had had. and
the probability that Gavin would not
| overtake him after. all.
Was the horse fresh2' he asked. IT
mean the horse your-the man rode
L suppose So" answered Nellie.
| Now, as r matter of fact, the horse
| which Cayright rode was far from fresh
When Charlie Ok. at NeIlie's command
had started off on his tour OF the
range. he had ridden the poor animal TO
reached home only a few hours before
/ Nellie arrived He had not studied the
/ question of fresh horses
! When Nellie told him 10 give Cayright
his own horse 10 ride. ne knew that she
had in mind the avoidance of a theft
from. the visiting party Therefore.
! Cayrlght haO started on q sun and
weary horse. and four fresh ones had
been left behind
When. before daylight, Cayrigft had
left the sheItering dugout and, with his
rife swung on his back, started of
TO ma Big Elk trail. he had
gone with q feeling that his part had
been. ali through the trouble, less noble
than Nellie'S-
1t seemed to him that he should have
defied Gavin and protected Nellie. But
after reflection II occurred to him that
Nellie was in no need OF protection