West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-01-23

Il can III you'll tie me into the sad
die. Come. get the horses
II was still pitchy dark aud the rain
was pouring. but the wind only sighed
weakly. as though tired by its vio-
lence. when she helped the Bronco into
his saddle. The effort wrenched a
groan from him. but he insisted upon
her tying his feet beneath the horses
belly, saying that the trail was rough
and he could take no chance OF fall
Ing again; so, having performed the
last services she might for strive. she
mounted her own animal and allowed
II to pick it's way down the steep de-
scent behind her brother, who swayed
and lurched drunkenly IN his seat
gripping the horn before him with
both hands.
They had been gone perhaps half
hour when another horse plunged furi-
ously out OF the darkness and halted
before the roadhouse door. Its rider.
mud stained and dlsheveled. flung
himself In mad haste TO the ground
and bolted in through the door. He
saw the signs OF confusion In tho out
err room, chairs upset and broken. the
table wedged against the stove and be-
fore the counter n shattered lamp In
pool OF oil. IIe/called loudly. but
receiving no answer. snntched light
which he found burning and ran to
the door at his left. Nothing greeted
him but the empty tiers OF hunks.
Turning, he crossed to the other side
and burst through. Another lamp. was
lighted beside the couch where Strive
lay. breathing heavily. his lids half
closed over his staring eyes. Roy
noted the pool OF blood at his feet and
the broken window; then. setting down
his lamp. he leaned over the man and
spoke to~him.
When he received no answer he
spoke again loudly. Then. I'm frenzy.
Glenister shook the wounded man
cruelty. so that he cried out In terror:
I'm dylng-oh, I'm dying" Roy
raised the sick man up and thrust his
own face before his eyes.
This IL Glenlster. I've come for
Helen-where Is sheT A spark Of
recognition flickered into the dull stare.
You're too late-I'm dylng-and I'm
afraid"
His questloner shook Strive again.
Where Is sheT" he repeated. time
after time, till by very force OF his
own inslstence he compelled reallza-
ton In the sufferer.
"Fhe Kid took her away. The Kid
shot me-" and then his voice rose till
it Hooded the room with terror. THE
Kid shot me. and I'm dying" He
coughed blood to his lips, ut which
Roy laid him back and stood up. So
there was no mistake. after all. and he
had arrived too late. This was the
Kids revenge. This was how he
struck. Lacking courage to face n
mans level eyes. he possessed the foul
ness to prey upon n woman. Roy felt
n weakening physical sickness sweep
over him till his eye fell upon sodden
garment which Helen had removed
from her brothers shoulders and re-
placed with dry one. . He snatched
II from the floor and In a sudden fury
telt 1t come apart in his hands like
wet tissue paper
He found himself out In the rain.
scanning the trampled soil by light OF
his lamp. and discerned tracks which
the drizzle had not yet erased. He
reasoned mechanically that the two
riders could have no great start of him
so strobe out beyond the house to sec
if they had gone farther into the hills
There were no tracks here, therefore
they must have doubled back toward
town. 1t did not occur to him that
they might have left the beaten path
and followed down the little creek to
the river; but, replacing the light
where he had found 1t, he remounted
and dashed his horse into stiff canter
up toward the divide that lay between
him and the city. The story was grow
ing palmer to him, though as vet he
could not piece 1t all together. Its
possibilities stabbed him with such
horror that he cried out aloud and beat
MS steed into faster time with both
hands and feet To think OF those two
rufhans fighting over this girl as though
she were the spoils OF pillagel He
must overtake the Kid-he would! The
possibility that he might not threw
him into such ungovernable mental
chaos that he was forced to calm him
SELF, Men went mad that way. He
could not think of 1t. That gaspIng
creature in the roadhouse spoke all too
well Of the Bronco's determination.
And yet, who of those who had known
the Kid In the past would dream that
his vileness was so utter as this?
Away to the right, hidden among the
shadowed hills, his friends rested
themselves for the coming battle, wait
Ing impatlently his return and timing
II to the rising sun. Down In the val
ley. to his left were the two he follow
co. while he, obsessed and unreason-
ing, now curslng like a mailman, now
grim and silent. spurred southwark to-
ward town and into the ranks of his
enemies.
TO BE CONTINUED