The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-02-10

i the crowd sounded clearly.
That's right, shoot at me, you dirty
coward" said Buckley defiantly. Here
l stand in the light, and l can't pick
you out in the dark. Shoot, you cow
ardly sneakr'
PUT that gun down." cried deter
mined voice in the throng. ''You harm
George Buckley an I'll put daylight
through you"
There was a sound Of a struggle,
stif1ed oaths and the clash Of revolver
as 1t struck the pavement. 1t was fol-
lowed by grumbling words, hot dis
putting and-silence.
you are a set of cowards." said
Buckley, running like pack of wolves
after a poor boy for what he said and
did when he was drunk. Now, clear
out, the last one of you! You know
who l am-and you know If there is
any one of you, or any three, that want
to hold me responsible for this step
I'll be on hand. Has any one here any
row to pick with JEFF Truitt, then let
him speak up. I'll represent him. I'm
In a fighting mood tonight and will
satisfy just as many as will apply"
AN he'H do it, too, boys" said an
admiring voice. "Buckley's got the
right stuff in i'm! Come on, let's 20
home. George seems friendly to the
cuss,s an any friend o. his is safe as
fur as I'm concerned"
"Same here" Joined in another voice.
Buck, yo're all right, but that's
dern slack wad yo're takin' up fer, as
shore as yo're knee high to duck"
"Well, he's my friend, and I'm his
mothers friend,v said Buckley. "A
mob like yours shan't send his corpse
home to her If can help it."
He'd be about as much use to 'er
that away as in his natural condition"
laughed a man near the front. But
eff she bankers after i'm, an Buckley
wants i'm to live on, I'll withdraw my
claim. This is the sort of rabbit hunt
l don't much like nohow."
A laugh rose and went round. 1t was
a favorable sign. George lowered his
revolver. go home, boys" he said
YEARLY. I'm sorry l spoke as did
Just 'fiow. You are all my friends; l
tan see that. Good night"
They stood for an instant as If I'M
certain what step to take, but Buckley's
last words had completely disarmed
them. Slowly they disbanded and
away. When they were all
lost in the darkness George closed the
door and locked it. Just then JEFF
Truitt emerged from the darkness In
the interior of the building and, with
hanging head and downcast eyes, drew
near.
"Oh, George" he faltered, II wish |
they had killed me. I'm a coward. l |
was afeard of 'em-afeard of 'emw
ut wasn't that my boy; don't you be.
lieve It," said George consolingly. You
were simply stampeded. The best SOL
diers are that way when they see
numbers approaching. |
You've got grit, but they tell me you
have to fill up with whisky to float it,"
But you wasn't afeard of EN-" wall
ed the boy.
Eyes, l was-at first" said Buckley.
Il shook all over, and then l got drunk
with rage, just like you do on whisky.
It's the same thing-just as wide as
It's long. Don't you bother; you'll
light. JEFF. If I'd thought you were
coward I'd never been the friend to
you am. My Lord don't remember,
lway back at the log schoolhouse, how
Press Triton -bullied you all day, pinch
ng you. calling you names, and finally,
when he began to bump your head
against the wall, you turned in and
rave him the worst licking he ever
lad? He had black eyes and puffy
avs for a week Some men are that
yay-jlst don't like trouble and stay
way from 1t till it's showed on them.
low did they happen to come here for
QUIZ
"They went home after me. reckon"
aid the boy, IAN when they found out '
was here they come on to get liquor ,
n settle with me. Eff you was me, ,
george, what would you do-go home i,
onight? You know the folks will be ;
worryin'."
4NUJ you stay ucIc anu ,SIcep VIII I
ne," said George. I'm not going to :
isk you anywhere else tonight" I
They went back to the bedroom, =
buckley carrying the light AS they /,
assed the big fireproof vault In the 7
flee JEFF said, Looks like it would !,
e resky to leave jest one man here r
18th whole lot o. money in safe
Ike that, George" =
1T has a combination lock-" Buck =
y told him. 1T would take an ex- a
ert burglar several hours to open it, :,
nd the nose would wake me. That's #
ny sleep here. Nearly all the poor II
eople in the mountains and here in ii
,wn deposit their savings with us. y
IS big responsibility, but the safe f,
nd vault re the best in the state. Or
hey are better than those at the bank \,
ptown. an that's why the people 8.
ant to deposit with us. It's lot of hi
ouble, but Mr.. Hillyer likes to accom-
odate them" ~,
And thar's always lots O. money h,
the safe, reckon" said JEFF. h,
of dollars nv bow" re-