Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-21
The Fighting
Chance. s ss;S ;} ::
Copyright. Publishing
Copyrig Chambers
Copyright 1906, by the Curtis Publishing Company.
Copyright, 1905. by Robert w. Chambers.

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Oh-h! Do you see? oh. the little
beautyr'
The woodcock had risen. plumage
puffed out, strutting with wings bowed
and tail sprea'. facing the dog. The
sudden pyg' defiance thrilled her
Brave, bl she exclaimed. en-
raptured, b. -, sound Of her voice
the bird or, led like flash. large
dark liquid eyes shining. long bill
pointed straight toward them.
He'll fly the way his bill points.
said Siward Watch
He rose. She sprang lightly to he
feet There came a whirring futter, a
ltwittering shower of sweet notes. soft
wings beating almost in their very
faces, distant shadow against the
sky, and the woodcock was gone
Ouieting the astounded dog, gun
Graded in the hollow Of his left arm.
he turned to the girl beside him. That
sort of thing wins no cups he said.
ut wins something else Mr.. 81
ward-my very warm regard for you"
J "There Is no choice between that and
the Shotover cup" he admitted, con-
sidering her.
lido you mean it?"
"Of course l do"
."rhen you are much nicer than
thought you. And, after all, II the
price of cup is the life of that brave
little bird had rather shoot clay
pigeons. Now you Will scorn me,
suppose. Begin"
my ideal woman has never been
life taker," he said coolly. Once
when / was boy there was a girl.
very lovely, my first sweetheart.
saw her at the traps once just after
she had killed her seventh pigeon
straight, pulling it down from over
head, you know. very clever. The lit
tie thing was breathing on the grass,
and it made sounds He shrugged
and walked on. "She killed her TWEEN
ty-first bird straight. 1t was hand
some cup too"
And after silence, $50 you didn't
love her any more, Mr.. Siwardv'
) mockingly sweet.
They laughed, and at the sound OF
laughter the tall stemmed alders echo
ed with the rushing roar of a COCK
grouse laundering skyward. Crack!
Crack! Whirling over and over through
4 cloud of floating feathers, heavy
weight struck the springy earth. There
lay the big notified bird, splendid silky
ruffs spread. dead eyes closing, sin
gle tiny crimson bead twinkling like a
ruby ON the gaping beak.
Dead" said Siward to the dog who
had dropped to shot. Fetch" And,
signaling the boy behind. he relieved
the dog of his burden and tossed the
dead weight of ruftied plumage to-
ward him. Then he broke his gun,
and as the empty shells flew rafting
backward slipped in fresh cartridges,
locked the barrels and walked for
ward, the flush of excitement still
staining his sunburned face.
"You deal death mercifully." said
the girl in low voice. II wonder
what your ci-devant sweetheart would
think of you.
"a bungler had better stick to the
traps" he assented, ignoring the badi
mage.
81 am wondering" she said thought
fully, what l think of men who KILL
He turned sharply, hesitated, shrug
ged. "Wild things lives are brief al
best-fox or flying tick, wet nests OF
mink, owl, hawk, weasel or man. bu'
the death man deals is the most mer
ciful. Besides" he added, laughing
! s'ours is not case Of sweethearts."
"My argument is purely in the alb
stract, Mr.. Siward. l am asking you
whether the death men deal is more
Unsuitable a, than a w9man's gift Of
DEATH"
ooh, we'll, life taking, the giving OF
life-there can be only one answer t(
the mystery. and don't know II" ne
replied, smiling.
Il do
"Tell me. then, he said," still amused
They had passed swale after swale
Of silver birches, waist deep In per
fumed fern and brake. The big tim
. her Law before them She moved for
ward, light gun swung easily across
her leather padded shoulder, and or
the woods sunny edge she seated her
self. straight young back against
giant pine, gun balanced across bel
fattened knees.
"You are feeling the pace little
he said, coming up and standing II
front Of her.
1.-THE pace? No, Mr.. Siward."
She sat, bright head pillowed in hel
arms. idly attentive to his low running
comment on beast and bird and tree
on forest stiffness and forest sounds
on life and t wild laws Of life ant
death governf :, the great out worle
'twixt sky and earth.
Somewhere in the woodland worlt
the crows were holding noisy ses
sion. and she told him that was the
Jury debating the degree Of his guilt II
! killing the birds.
Because you're guilty. of course
she continued. 81 wonder what you
sentence is to be?"
"Pll leave it to you," he suggested
lazily.
Suppose sentenced you to STAY ne
more?"
ooh, I'd appeal
"No use. | am the tribunal OF las