Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-08-07
The Argus Daily Short Story
With Flying Colors.-By Clarice Engle.
Copyrighted, 1902 by Associated Literary Press.

A man picked his way slowly along
the sun baked trail that led westward
10 Taggart across the desert 1t was
high noon and thu day had been hot
and dry and the mans throat was
parched with thirst. This did not tend
To lessen his fcrocious aspect nor Ia
soften the anger that "lowcd in his
eyes. Ii was all due to his visit that
morning 10 the little ranch 4 few miles
behind. for there lie had met with the
first failure i'll his life. He had pro
posed and been rejected.
1t was not Bill Warrcu's nature Ia
he baked by anything. He usually
carried matters his own way ard with
a high hand rs 4 result of which ne
WIS looked upon as sort of locai
bad man" But this cognomen WAS
applied to him only hy people who did
not know Bin In reality no better nor
kinder natured man than he ever rode
into Taggart.
But Sue Patterson WAS one Of those
who were not Intimately acquainted
with Warren. and this aS'PrtiycneSs
she looked upon as something evil
Therefore. although otherwise she
liked Warren better thar any ether OF
her admirers. she felt that she Was
acting quite right when she rejected
his offer of marriage.
All the consolation that she had
given him in answer TO his earnest
pleading was that she would put him
on an indefinite probation aud if lie
came through it with flying colors why
she would think about it.
All of which Warren took ton liter
ally. and he thought that she had
spoken thus only To soften her refusal
He became angry at The thought of it.
She don't care nothin' fer me- hr
muttered savagely. AN | know why.
It's all along of that Sneakin' coyote.
Ralph Henderson Been 10 Frisco an
seen a few things an comes out here
to lord it over us. know the brand
She's plumb loco over the cuss. too
an he ain't no man No.%-he finished
spitefully. "he amt no man."
He rode on across the desert in a
sort of dulled consciousness. with his
hat pulled well down over his eyes
At length. toward the. middle of the
afternoon. he came into the foothills
Before him lay the Tooth OF Time,
the largest mountain in that vicinity.
Beyond it. ten miles to the westward,
was Taggart. This necessitatcd his
taking the trail that wound round the
slope of the mountain. This trail was
hardly more than well trodden foot
path and was only wide enough TO per
NIT single rider upon it. One side
of it sloped up at an angle of almost
eighty degrees. The other formed the
side of precipice that dropped u
sheer 200 feet to the sandy ravine be-
low.
AS he rode over the trail. lost in
thought. Warren was dead to external
sounds. He did not notice the tidget-
ing of his horse nor his frightened
whinnies. He had no intimation what
ever that any one was approaching
along the trail from the opposite direc-
ton. And yet not hundred feet
ahead of him horse and rider were
rounding the curve of the mountain.
Neither noticed the other until they
were fifty feet apart. Then by some
strange intuition both raised their
heads Recognition was mutual and
instantaneous. for the man ahead OF
Warren was Ralph Henderson.
The faces of both men paled with
fear. Not in years had two men met
on that narrow trail. and it seemed
some strange Intervention of destiny
that it should be Warren and Hender-
son. While the face of the cattleman
grew anxious, that of Henderson be-
came quickly overshot with crafty
cunning.
"Hellow he drawled pleasantly.
.'Hello." muttered Warren nervously.
well. what are we going to dc
about it," the city man continued. I'll
looks as If you'd have to go back"
mot by - sightv' snapped War
rem. There's no turning about fol
either Of US. Well have to manage tc