Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-11-15
His One Good Impulse
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Frank Brayton was one of those char
acters that in the wild and woolly west
are, considered semirespectable. but in
the east soon land in state prison. 1t
is question whether the western man
who lives by his wits, his cards and his
revolver is painted better or the east
ern man who lives by his Jimmy, his
drills and his nitroglycerin is painted
worse than the originals Be this as
it may, Brayton was pretty bad He
never came up before Judge Lynch,
for he was not horse stealer or a
common murderer, yet he had taken
many peoples money as card sharper
and killed many more in disputes.
One evening BraytOn, who had at the
time come to be a middle aged man,
rode into hamlet in South Dakota and
noticed a young girl standing in the
door Of a cabin. There was something
in her face that arrested his attention,
something that reminded him Of the
wife he had loved twenty years before,
when he was an honest and Industrious
young man, and whom he had later de-
serted. Though hardened sinner, a
pang shot through him as ray Of sun
light will penetrate some dark and
musty corner, and desire came to him,
q desire that vaguely united his wife
with this girl. Could he through the
one atone for his cruelty to the other?
"Little gal," he said, refining In his
horse, "d' We live in there"
"Yes."
with father and mother?"
''Mother-that is, have been brought
up to consider her my mother. But
''Where is she?"
"She's gone somewheres."
"Do you have to work hard?"
Eyes,
''I'm looking for a girl like you.
How would you like to marry me?
I've got plenty Of money, and you'd
have nothing to do but amuse your
self"
a faint color rose to her face and q
CLEAN Of interest came into her eyes,
She looked the man over from head to
foot.
''I'lI be mighty kind to you," he add
ed
"What would Bill doT'
"Who's Bill?"
"My young Teller; but he's poor and
I'd have to work lot"
"Never mind Bill"
Several men were coming, and as
Brayton spoke the last words one Of
them, fine looking young fellow,
stepped out from the rest and said:
Reckon We will mind Bill, stranger
I'm Bill and I'd like to know what
ye're monkeyin' round here for?"
''Oh, only asked the gal il she'd like
to marry man that could give her
plenty of money. She knows best what
she wants."
Dolly" said the young man re-
proachfully, shave We been encourag-
ing the stranger?"
Dunno" she replied, apparently un-
certain.
young man." said Brayton, reckon
you will have to fight for her."
"I'm yer man." replied the young
ster, casting reproachful glance at
the girl and vengeful one at Brayton
Brayton dismounted, the young
mans friends arranged the terms, and
the principals took positions with re-
volvers, the girl looking on. They were
to begin firing at the discharge of a
pistol and continue to do so till one of
them dropped There was no need,
however, for more than the first shot
Brayton was too quick for the young
man and sent a bullet into his SIDE
which dropped him. Then, after the
damage consequent upon her indecision
had been done, the girl plainly showed
her preference by taking her Bill in
her arms and going into Mysteries.
The lover was carried into the house
and Brayton was left standing alone
outside. The momentary desire to
anchor himself to something better,
something akin to his only real love,
had. but led to new victim He
sighed. 1t was the first time he had
ever sighed at bringing down al
enemy
Hearing a tootstep behind him, he
turned. A woman was approaching
who, the moment she saw him, stopped
and stared at him.
'Are you Frank Brayton?" she asked
Eyes. And you Moll Brucew
Eyes. What We dom here? Better
steer clear O. this house yer standin
before"
"WhyY
"Well, there's some ole lives there
with me-thats my housewife ye'd
rather not see-that is, if We got
spark O. decency left in ye."
''Doll? asked the man eagerly, yet
with shudder.
mo. Doll died in my arms, and as