Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-03-24

! this thing out. He's a-goin' to do it.
I'm responsible fer him. Sagebrush,
you will collect at the door sech arti-
| cles Of hardware as these gentlemen
has in their belts. l deputize you
Gents, as you walk out the do you will
deposit your weapons with Mr. Sage
brush Charley, the same to be return
ed to you when the court sees fit an |
proper"
"YOu hain't goin' to let HIM Buck |
did not finish the sentence, for Slim,
thoroughly aroused, shouted: "Buck
Mckee, IT you say another word I'm
goin' to kill you. Gents there's the
door. Your bosses are in the corral
Get!''
Preceded by some of the Sweetwa-
ter boys, the Lazy X outfit filed out.
Sagebrush taking their guns as they
passed him. Fresno and Parenthesis
brought up the rear.
"He needn't think he'll escape We're
bound to have him." declared Buck.
"Are you goin'?' demanded Slim,
his voice full of menace
Cant you see meY' sneered Buck.
Sagebrush relieved him of his gun
as he passed, handing it to Fresno.
Buck paused in the doorway long
enough to lament: "Talk about hospi-
tality. 1 never get in but what 1 am
put out"
Slim watched Mckee from the win
dow until he disappeared through the
gate of the corral. Then, walking
down to Jack, he took him by the
hand
It'll be all right in an hour. Thank
you, boys" Payson assured them.
eve all know you are the whitest
man on the Sweetwater," assured
Sagebrush, speaking for the punchers
as they left Jack prisoner with Slim.
Speaking in a low tone, Jim asked
Jack, where did you get that mon
ey?"
Don't you know?' he asked in sur
prise.
From
Jack nodded his head
. "I'll wait fer you in the other room,"
said Slim.
"Maw, Polly-we all better leave 'em
: alone"
q AS the woman and the girl left the
: room the old ranchman paused at the
doorway leading to the kitchen to ad-
wise his son-in-law earnestly: II low
: you better tell her. It's BEST"
The two young people were left
f alone in the room in which they had
j. passed SO many happy hours to face
k n crisis in their lives. The day which
O had begun so sunnily was to end in
It darkest clouds The awful accusation
n was incredible to Echo. Her faith in
d her husband was not shaken. Jack
she felt, could explain. But, no matter
/, what the outcome might be, she would
g be loyal to the man she loved. On this
point she felt wholly confident. Fad
: she not pledged her faith at the mar
l. riage altar?
n "Jack| A volume of questions was
IS in the word. Taking her hands in his
# and looking searchingly into her eyes
e he said:
Ii 'Before tell you what's oeen on m.
IS mind these many weeks want to hOlt
IN you in my arms and hear you say
is Jack, believe in you"
le Echo put her arms about his necl
d and nesting close to his breast, de
re- clared: II do believe in you, no mat
at ter what circumstances may be agains
d. you. No matter if all the world call
,e you guilty, l believe in you and low
I'd you"
w Jack seated himself at the table an
ne drew his wife down beside him. Pu
ly ting his arms about her as she kne
at before him, he murmured, You're
wife, wife of the west, as fair as II
IS. skies and as steadfast as it's hills, an
as I'm not worthy
re. 'Not worthy-you haven't-it isn't
ID, gasped Echo. starting back from hin
in thinking that Jack was about to col
fess that under some strange stress {
= circumstances he had slain the EXPIRE:
| agent.
| "No, 1t isn't that" hastily answere
Jack, with shudder at the ide
| "Fve lied to you," he simply CO
Il fessed.
il "Lied to me-youY cried Echo
dismay.
give been a living lie for months
relentlessly continued Jack, nervil
himself for the ordeal through whi,
Il he would have to pass.
I "Jack," walled Echo, shrinking fro
him on her knees, covering her ia
with her hands.
mn tits about Dick"
Ml Echo started. Again Dick Lane b
VIII arisen as from out the grave.
Fl "What of him?'' she asked, rising
her feet and moving away from him
"He is alive!'
Jack did not dare look at his wi
FL He sat with his face white and pine
ed with anguish.
The young wife groaned in her az
ny. The blow had fallen. Dick ali
and she now the wife Of another ms
What of her promise? What must
think Of her?
81 didn't know It until after we we