Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-22
THE SAGE BRUSH PARSON
BY A. b. WARD.
Copyright. 1905. by Little. Brown & Company,

tails floating out behind. Up. up went the
horse, snorting and struggling. then sud
denly stopped and shook like an aspen.
GO oni" shouted Vaughan Hoarse
shouts answered him from below. The
plaud.
Hang to 1t. parson!" they called stick
Black Birdie wheeled and looked down
the way she had come. shivertng.
do you want to go DOWN? asked the
rider: All right, well go down"
{. Still quivering. the mare sank upon her
launches. Up went the parsons long legs
upon her neck. and so together, horse and
man. they slid down the side Of the can
yon.
Below the excitement intensified. When
Black Birdie reached the level the pair
were at once surrounded. but they broke
through the ring and went gathering down
the road
There goes your horse Mart" said Tim,
and they all damned the Methodist approx
fngly for flrst-rate horseman!
While they stood there Minnie Holloway
came running down the road. you just
wait till my uncle gets home, Martin
Young" she called Indignantly Hell at
tend to you" Then she turned and ran
back to the house before any one could
stop her.
Vaughan was by this time halfway down
the canyon. He burst upon the astonished
Henleys as they came slowly UP the ra-
vine. his dark hair flying. his black beard
What on earth" began Henley
Vaughan wheeled and refined in beside the
blackboard.
my horser' he cried jubflantly MAR
tin Young said I might have her IL I'd
ride her. We climbed up the mountain and
toboganned down"
'Tll be daned!" exclaimed Henley.
Let's see you make her go!'' shrilled the
little girls Mary said nothing but clasped
the sleeping Sonia to her, looking grave
Could this be the man who had returned
from Lewis. worn and bowed with the real
ization of what he had seen there?
How do you like my new horse, Mary2"
pursued Clement, determined to make her
speak
OF course you can't have her in Eu-
reka,' she answered
'Thatll be all right. I'll take care of her
until you're ready for her." said Frank.
His respect for Clement had measurably
Increased
After supper he beckoned the young man
into the deserted dining room. 1--WE been
thinking" he said in low voice before
you go 1 ought to give you a few lessons
in" he glanced cautiously up and down
the hall before he added, boxing. Eurekas
pretty tough place. You don't carry
'shooting-iron.' and it's a good thing to be-
prepared to defend yourself" He closed
the dining room door and from a lower
drawer In the sideboard brought out the
gloves.
Clement drew on the pair handed him and
squared off"
you've seen these things before" ex-
Claimed Henley suspicously.
Only seen them. Father wouldn't let us
hight when we were boys Come on"
Clement danced toward him
Henley came on" tenderly at first but
growing freer. as his opponent proved his
ABILITY and Willingness to give hard hits
and take them
they stood facing each other and painting
after the first bout. Now nj show YOU
a 3, Trick which will help you out OF any
tlght scrape you may get into. When
petter OF you, give him the rabbit
hit, this way Henley rapidly paved the
air, hand over hand and finished by tap
ping pine his adversary lightly under the chin
''Then-land him, see?"
Il see said Vaughan.
NOW, then, try 1t. Come on. Ready?"
Ready" and Clement advanced
II was while he was IN this position.
air Ike maniac, that the door opened
and Mary appeared on the threshold
element! Frahk!' she called re-
proachfully.
but Clement went straight up to her.
Didn't I do that well?" he asked, kiss
Ing her. Frank has been teaching me the
manly art of self-defense.' I should have
given him the Knockout blow in another
minute, If you hadn't come in-not real
one, you know, but a make believe
He drew off his gloves and threw them
on the table Come on he said. taking
her affectionately by the arm. There's
something in one of the magazines I want
to read to you
Mary suffered herself to be led back to
the sitting room, silenced but far from re-
assured. 1t was with intense relief that
she welcomed Clements formal appoint
ment to the Eureka Mission a few days
later.
The necessary preparations were soon
do fTNrn
ready ordered sent out from England His
other belongings were few and unimpor-
tant. No letters had yet come In response
to those that he had written.
At last the morning arrived for his de-
parture. Three-fourths of Galena were on
hand to see him 60 Frank sat In the
blackboard which was to convey them to
Battle Mountain, watching the farewells.
smiling quzzically as he noted Minnie's
red eyes. There was look of apprehen-
sion on Mary's nun-like face. She doesn't
feel quite sure of him. yet" thought
Frank. That boxing business and the
horse undermined her confidence. Come
on. come on he called impatiently, but
Vaughan must shake hands with each one
and give each special word.
Come back soon" piped Lillian, and
mothers arms to get at him. He waved his
hand to her, took his seat beside Frank
and the horses dashed away
Two three days later the letters came,
father and mother one from the old min
lister who trained him, four from Della 1t
was easy to discern the sequence of these
without looking al the dates of mailing.
The first and second were addressed with
many fiourishes to the Rev. Clement
Vaughan. Respect and Difference were re-
vealed In the shaping of each word. The
third letter was directed to Clement
Vaughan" without title or compromise. The
fourth, addressed to c. Vaughn, ESQ.,, said as
plainly as handwriting could, You de-
serve as little as possible, and that not or
the best"
Della was pretty mad when she wrote
that" soliloquized Frank.
II dread to send 1t to him." exclaimed
Mary Gust as he is starting-and allr'
"Oh, well, he can't expect anything else.
under the circumstances. He'll have TO
stand It," said Frank But he was as well
satisfied as she was. when day after day
passed without furnishing an opportunity
to send the letter to Eureka.
(To be continued tomorrow