The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1909-03-06
BY RIGHT OF LOVE
Short Story Of Rural Life
A Short Story Of +
By MARY c. RINcWALT
copyright. By Boss.-A.rrlr Co,

/ The laughter trailed from the shop
to the sidewalk. and Joe Riley stalked
pompously toward the buggy. the
boys" in his triumphant wake.
well. Doc" said Riley with bolster.
Gus toviality. what is 1t to-day-tea,
oats. or clothes-wringer?"
The doctor laughed II guess its
congratulations first. isn't 1t, Joe?"
"Pete's been leaking?" Riley play
fully slapped the mans shoulder.
There followed q general exchange
Of bantering pleasantriss, then in
little drift of silence the doctor said
genially: so this legacy was in your
mind week ago. Joe. when you
asked me to wait to settle that little
business affair of ours?"
Riley lifted one foot to the buggy
sAsp and bent over to tie dragging
shoe-string. Yes, Doc, had the leg.
acy in mind all right"
Norton's smile held the radiance Of
sunshine after storm. Tho money
couldn't have come in more handy.
Joe. That little mother OF mine Is all
worn out. Now shall take your $500
and send her to the shore for as long
. time as can coax her to stay"
You amt a-frying your chicken be-
fore you've catched 1t. be you. Doc?"
'1-don't quite-understand?" The
Doctors mind fumbled for the point
Of humor in Joe's joke.
This here sleek. bobtailed fortune
amt no hack horse to haul a load Of
debts. She's to be ridden for sport
sect"
Come. Joe.'' said the doctor quiet
II. quit your fooling. I'm in dead
earnest
$50 am II"
Norton's eyes blazed. Joe Riley.
give you fair warning-I'1l put up with
NO nonsense! You'll pay me that $500
or I'll have the law on you!"
"And the laugh on you. Doc Nor
toni" cried Joe. mimicking the doc
tors tone. Your bill was outlawed
yesterday-I had that In mind. too.
when | asked you to give me another
week."
For an instant the doctor sat mo-
tionless, then he threw the lines out
Of his hands and jumped from the
buggy. Dashing OF. his coat and toss
| ing 1t on the sidewalk, he cried: THE
bills outlawed. is it? By heaven,
wen settle 1t without the law them.
| The astonished Riley skunk back
from Norton's threatening INST.
You're making q pretty good bluff.
Doc" he laughed derisively, but It
dun't cut any ice with me! You book.
ish men amt got the ginger to fight.
and"
| A blow from Norton's fist stung a
crimson trail down Riley's left cheek.
With cry Of rage Joe sprang upon
his antagonist.
| Out of hurrying clouds OF dust up
and down the pike men came running.
| Something was doing" in front Of
| Watson's-in the field the pillow was
left in the furrow; in the butcher
shop the cleaver flung down upon the
chopping-block!
There was no time for explanations,
and the crowd was not one of fine dis
elimination. but for the past ten years
Doc Norton had come into intimate
touch with their lives and hearts, and
they championed him to a man.
60 1t. Doc! Steady there! That's
the boy. Doc!" were cries given in an
ascending scale of enthusiasm.
Riley's great bulk was now a wall
of se(f-defense, now a battering ram
of danger against his foe. But Nor
toms staying power. his habit Of ig-
noring fatigue, aches and pain In the
performance of a physicians duties,
had stored the strength of resistance
in every hber of his being while his
alertness, both of mind and body.
gained in telling force when brought
into prolonged play with Riley's lum-
bering clumsiness.
The blow upon Joe's left cheek NO
longer showed-his whole face was
purplish crimson, drops Of sweat trick
ling from his forehead. his breath
coming and going pantingly.
Come. Joe-give in," cried Norton.
Lets call 1t q finish"
"Never!" yelled back Riley
With q new squirt of fury the nght
continued.
Suddenly Joe staggered. threw up
his arms. reeling to one side. On the
t instant Norton dropped the attack,
standing on guard. In flash Joe
swung down his arms. gave a lunge
forward, devilish CLEAN in his cum
ming eyes.
A moment more and Norton, tricked
second time, would have been
tripped up and thrown to the ground.
but in that moment an intuitive sense
of danger made him spring aside be-
fore Rney's outstretched fingers could
snatch at his ankles.
Riley. clutching at the air. lost his
balance and pitched Forwards he
struggled to regain his footing hand
of steel gripped the back Of his shirt
collar, . weight bore down upon his
shoulders. forcing him firmly to the
sidewalk, where he sprawled In the
dust, Doc Norton's hold still on his