The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-07-08

cause Of your coming west, where You met
mother and you have become one Of the
wealthiest cattlemen in Texas.
.'All of which John Talbot, no doubt,
had in view when he shot your uncle
We will say no more on the subject, as 1t
CRATES upon me, aud Wharton leaned
back with gloomy frown
Forgive me, father, if | have dis
pleased you, and after our long separation,
too, and, disregardipg the presence Of
the other passengers, kissed him.
He did not reply, but lovingly patted
her cheek
''Ah, there. are the lights of Prairie
vile at last, he said II wish that So
called hotel had some other entrance than
through the saloon.
Don worry on any account, father;
it might be worse And it will not be our
first experience. You remember, long ago,
when We drove in after the mail. and the
drunken cowboy, Tom Brinkley, shot one
Of our horses, and then one Of our boys
shot him? And how he would have died
If YOU hadn had him nursed and cared
for2 That was ike YOU, father, and 1t
was the making Of him. But here We
are, and the Big Bonanza aud everything
else looks familiar.
The weary passengers alighted from the
stage coach and headed for the door Of the
tavern saloon, the ranchman and daughter
leading the way. Scarcely had they en-
tered the place when their further progress
was stopped BY 4 closely drawn line Of
cowboys, who were 50 absorbed with what
was passing within a To be obhyIous Of
the presence Of the new arrivals. IL took
Wharton but a moment to ascertain that
trouble was brewing, as he expected. tie
turned aud attempted 20 leave, but found
his way blocked by the other passenger,
aud citizens cc the tnwn who we're striving
10 enter
We might as well make virtue ot
nre,>,sty, said he. and 4 pistol bullets
beein to rs perhaps the t>silr- Of the men
IN front viii stop them before they reach
u Wuadcr vhsl /. gulnE un anyway .
y
enough aud he j. evileugly staring 10
this act. B1dae5ipE >ame unfortunate
.teuisrio,a ua joub, l,-, evidently
Tlptue and l,a.A over this man , shoulder
aud sou can get a gllmI~r It the actor,
before the foughahl> il you eArc 'o,
The sirl ill -. and her glance rested
ar,g upon The <warhy iAe,s Il the MsI-
yan Mzre,, Cal.tra Ia tortu aud feature
he wa< ,u,Iy,,,i handsome man. bui Ju,s
nov hi iacr was distorted by a sinister
cruel expression. aud Whafton noted with
inward satisfaction that hl- daughter shuj
isr,l .lightl, q, she look-i at him Then
her glance followed Morc,, To- where
small dcllcate baking man was standing
near the stove,
For the third and las, time, Mogea
was saying and il i Bot often make
Il thrs.,-i offer you the houorei privilege
If drinking with ne II you have n5i
swaliowed this giss- ol liquor by the time
ooun, three. / \ send yan to keep com
pany vith morc thaa one ,eisdeEiog, who
has dared Ia brave me. For the third
aBI la, gino, vii yoa annk
For the third aRi la, iiue, Do same
the how, ealtu reFly through the pale iI~
II the straagrr.
The cru,I lght ia the eyes ut the Mex
ican EIcamei more hcEesly A. be- dropPcd
hi. hand ga his pls,ol bu,s and b,7saa Go
COUNT One, two
Wharteu had luss 0Icncl BIZ uouih 10
speak, when another actos APPEARED upon
the scene save in physical proportions.
be differed ir5sn the Mexican q, daylight
ir0m darkness ~ the blonde yeung tsl
low stepped forwarI Stella Whartou With
difficulty suppressed a CRY bus her father
was too much interested % observe her
agitation
Bless NV soul it there l,n't Lamax
nov be exclaimed, an,l with thar same
lightning ike smlle Whrrr have | scrn
it7 HUT shat j. he saving
As the stranger paas,,l in front Of Mo
reo h. spoke
Mr. Csiistra ! understand thAl g. t<'
yuur name | ana a stranger IN youT n'ls,
a. thl, Young man L. have sern aud
heard al. and you will pardon me fog say
lux that think You have carried thls jest,
ior Il can surely be noihins else, quite far
enough cannot believe that One blessed
with face aud figure such A. yours can
have other than brave heart aud Ecner-
ous nature. and, Of course. you would not
really have this youag felloW break his
solemn promise to his dying mother. of
which he told you just now, never 20 ALLOW
a drop Of liquor 10 pass his lips under any car
rlrsi,tanee,. Rysides. he has come among
ypa au invalid seeking health, aud practi-
.-ll l.,king Is not calculated to be Of benefit
4, hlm
oh. no, Another Of the sane cloth
come to preach SKY pilot sentiments to u,
bp,s. aud shame us trnm our evil Ways
scofFed Moreo, glanciug aroued Il sup
ppse you promised your mother, too!
turning to the stranger with sneer.
No; it was my father lac said, very
quietly.
oh. it was 80 much the better. -
IN have the pleasure OF reforming two
goody goody fools instead of one. Bill,
be said to the barkeeper ill another
glass. Now IN begin my count over
again, and if both of YOU haven emptied
those glasses by the time say the last
word, IN let daylight through your ear
cases
I'm empty mine without your count
ing, said the tall stranger, stepping for
ward
Picking up one Of the glasses, with a
motion quick as lightning, he dashed 1t
and its contents into the eyes of the bully.
Then, snatching the six shooters from the
belt Of his enemy, he stepped back pace
and said:
80, you cowardly, black hearted VII
lain. YOU force me to fight you with your
own weapons If il were not for my faith
those higher things Of which you make
light, | would rid the world of you at once :;
as it is, cannot kill even you. You must
be taught lessen, however, that hereafter
you may know how to treat the Invalid and
the stranger. We seem well matched ply
sically Have you the courage to stand
up aud fight me with nature weapons?
Try me and see, the Mexican an
swered.
,tN.,l fVlnn ,lr,u, tb,t hnwia nlta