La Junta tribune., 1907-12-28

Have We thought about that since ye
woke?'
Joe gulp,si Jim's big form and
handsome face rose in his mind. Jim
was the baby and had always been
nearest to old Joe's heart. All the rest
had gone the way OF the feudists. A
vision OF Jiu topi,ling from some high
elin with a bullet in his heart passed
through his thoughts. aud Joc's chin
sank on his breast.
'.Tou we're countiR purity fast lie
said presently. lifting his head again.
Maybe the bullet will come the other
way
Maybe 50. Some have come that
way in time"
1t was Joe's turn to grin.
Don't reckon ye'vc got any talk ye
want 10 make afore I siit that vein In
yer neck. Joe?' Tom had drawn
knife from his pockc: and was whet-
ting n small blade of it on the leather
vsmp of his shoe.
NO. guess not. Tom. an IL ye're de-
termined to do 1t that way there's no
us. wastin' amy more time. though II
sIu't the clean thing. Tom. an .e know
il. Amt nary Duns'on before that
died any other wny than by long
rang. bullet That's all. Tom-all
got To say
Old Tom chuckled and continued to
wiiet the blade ~ his knife. Al length
lie tried the point III 1t with his thumb
and was apparrntly satisfied with It's
keenn.ss Then he arose and went
over to Joe where he kneit by the lat
ierr side.
Lock around. Joc." he said. FOR
where ye see all the sunlight now will
l,e midnight 10 we In few minutes.
Yc're u brave man, an it's a pity FOR
We to die this way. but there Amt no
regulations In the feud. ye know
Tom began to feel about Joe's neck
for the vein and presently pressed II
outward with his thumb. Joe had
thrown his head back ward. and Tom
was bending low and looking upward
under his victims chin. Presently the
sting of the knife thrust started old
Joe into madness. His head darted for
ward with the suddcuness OF ser
pcut's a;;d his long. amber hued teeth
sunppad down upon the throat Of his
cnptor There was .urcie In Toms
throat: then his windpiIe closed. and
as Joe's lifchiood. gushing from the
wound In his neck dyed the young ivy
shoots and the green grass In the bot
tom of the gorge the death set of his
laws sealed the doom Of ii;s slayer. In
little while every luiver OF the flesh
had ceased and one more tragedy OF
the fe,id had left its story more plainly
readable than words could make 1t.
The midday sun looked down int"
the chasm. A pheasant preened herself
In narrow trail Amoug the lanrel.
while a woosicnck ran up the tall. limb
less trunk Of n dead spruce pine and
after shrill call that pierced the deep
silence OF the gorge sent out the long.
low roll OF his drumming.
Ruth wyIIe xtoo,i In the cabin door
way watching the trail that led down
the ravine, winding from one side to
the other ~ II sought the easier ascent
or descent OF the projecting powders.
Darkness WAS stealing slowly up from
the depths OF the hollow. aud still no
sign of old Tom xiidIax along ny the
path In his habitusliy st-altiiy manner.
Dads unconini0u late tonight II
pears to me- The girl took = step
down and sal upon the doOrsill. Her
cheeks giowed like red ripe cherries In
the sunshine. for she had been bending
over the evening lire baking the corn
pon~ and fryin. the hacon for the
nights meal. From the table came the
odor of the meat 1t nosted out through
the doorway on the evening atmos-
ph.re and WIS appetizlng to the sense.
Ifistad- corId stneii'tte meat I reckon
he'd I've comm in home without walt
in any longer. wonder what he can
I've doiu' anyhow"
feeling of uneasiuesS darted
through her ms she thought OF the
feud: but. suddenly rising. as II to es-
cape some burden, she hurled the
thought from her. "'Tain't that. No,
'tain't that" she declared as she sat
down again.
But the twilight deepened into dark
ness. the STARS game out. the meat
grew cold OIL the txble. and It's odor no
longer told Of its SAVIOR. stu old Tom
had not come. Ruth peered into the
darkness at every cracking Of the
twiEs. but nothing materIalized To her
longing. 1t had beea years since old
Tom had spent night away from
home. not since the night when young
Tom wss shot down on the side OF Lit
tie CraYxy. The girl fell to counting
the stars and ssyiug 10 herself:
Before ! can count a hundred he
will be here"
Rut,t the hundred grew to aO. then 10
3W. Then she began and counted
them all over again. Hour after hour
dragged away. and the moon had
climbed 10 = position la the heavens
whence It's light shone down the cabin