The Worthington advance., 1908-02-07

po10u e11 AOL1c duu pdChcu u0dCly and
appetizingly in tin bucket. It was
not likely there would be repetition
Of bod '''""' It would be poor policv
Still, ~. (. ! not be sure, and II
was most important that Williston ate
no bad meat that day.
Gordon met them in the hot, stuffv
little parlor of the hotel
1T was good of you to come" he
said to Louise, with grave sincerity.
Il didn't want to-" confessed Louise.
honestly. "I'm afraid it is too big and
lonesome for me. I am sure should
have gone back to Velpen last night
to catch the early train had it not
been for Mary. She is so-good."
'The worst is over now that Won
have conquered your first impulse to
fly" he said.
Il cried, though. I hated myself
for it, but I couldn't help it. You see
l never was SO far from home before"
He was an absorbed, hard-working
lawyer. Years of contact with the
plain, hard realities of rough living
in a new country had dried up, some
what, his stream of sentiment. Maybe
the source was only blocked with
debris, but certainly the stream was
running dry. He could not help
thinking that girl who cries he
cause she is far from home had much
better stay at home and leave the
grave things which are mems work to
men. But he was gentleman and a
kindly one, so he answered quietly,
Il trust you will like us better when
you know us BETTER" and, after a few
more commonplaces, went his way.
There's a man." said Louise,
thoughtfully, on the way to McAllis.
ter's office. IT like him, Mary"
"And yet there are men in this coun-
try who would kill him if they dared"
MARY! what do you mean? Are
there then so many cut-throats in this
awful country"
II think there are many desperate
men among the rustlers who would
not hesitate to kill either Paul Lang
ford or Richard Gordon since these
prosecutions have begun. There are
also many good people who think Mr.
Gordon is just stirring up trouble and
putting the county to expense when
ne can have no hope of conviction.
They say that his failures encourage
the rustlers more than an inactive
policy would"
People who argue like that are
either tainted with dishonesty them
selves or they are foolish, one of the
two," said Louise, with conviction.
Mr.. Gordon has one stanch sup
porter, anyway" said Mary, smiling.
Maybe had better tell him. Precious
little encouragement or sympathy he
gets, poor fellow"
please do not" replied Louise.
quickly. II wonder if my friend, Jim
Munson, has managed to escape bat
tle,. murder and sudden DEATH includ-
Ing death by poison, and is on hand
with his testimony"
AS they approached the office the
crowd Of men around the doorway
drew aside to let them pass.
"Our chances of worming ourselves
through that jam seem pretty slim
to me-" whispered Mary, glancing into
the already overcrowded room.
Let me make a way for you," said
Paul Langford, as he separated him.
self from the group of men standing
in front, and came up to them.
Il have watered my horse," he said,
flashing a merry smile at Mary as he
h~x l. l,s
through the press, closely followed
by the two young women.
1t was strange assembly through
which they pressed; ranchmen and
cowboys, most of them, just in from
ranch and range, hot and dusty from
long riding, perspiring freely, redolent
OF strong tobacco and the peculiar
smell that betokens recent and init
mate conpanionship with that part
and parcel of the plains, the horse
The room was indeed hot and close
and reekins with bad odors. There
were also present large delegation
of cattle dealers and saloon men from
Velpen, and some few Indians from
ASOoOUuO ~6OACJ, WAOSO CuI1OSlty Was
Unsuitable where the courts were con-
cerned, far from picturesque in their
ill-ftting, nondescript cowboy gar
ments.
Yet they were kindly, most of the
men gathered there Though at first
they refused, with stolid resentment,
to be thus thrust aside by the breezy
and aggressive owner Of the Three
Bars, planting their feet the more
firmly on the rough, uneven floor, and
serenely oblivious to any right of way
so arrogantly demanded by the big
shoulders, yet, when they perceived
for whom they way was being made,
most of them stepped hastily aside
with muttered and abashed apologies.
Here and there, however, though all
made way, there would be no red
faced or stammering apology. Some
times the little party was followed
by Einsolent eyes, some etimes BY malig-
nant ones. Had Mary Williston spok-
en- truly when she said the Will Tor
/