Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-14
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Molly Gray-By Clarisst Mackie.
copyrighted. 1870 by Associated Literary Presa

did her little mare Daisy. mounted
and dashed down the street toward the
assay Office.
Pete Clarkson?" repeated Brown
ing. Just left here for down the
street"
If he comes back tell him to so up
to our place. There's a message for
him. Will you tell him?" she inquired
breathlessly.
"Sure thing. Miss Molly" he said
heartily; then he watched her disap-
pear down the long street and out
upon the short cut through the canyon
to Crow mountain. The afternoon sun
shone on her hatless head and the
light wind 6uttered her pink skirts as
the little mare broke into a gallop.
Once she drew rein and took swift
survey of the country.
Mile after mile the mare covered.
scrambling up steep hillsides and slid
ing reckIessiy down the slopes. Molly.
with blazing eyes and compressed lips.
watched for the temperance of the
sorrel horse and its slouching rider.
Lumly. taking advantage OF the fnfOr-
nation he had cleaned at the registry
Office, would remove Pete's stake, sub
stitute one OF his OVID and claim pos
session of the Molly Gray. If she could
only reach Crow rock before Dave
Lumly she would fight with all the
6erceness of old Jim Gray himself for
the possession of her lovers rights.
Molly frowned as she thought all
these things over. and every now and
then she turned and looked back along
the trail for some sign of the approach
of Pete Clarkson. If he returned to
the cabin, as he had intended doing, he
would find her note.
With heart beating in time to the
muffied thud of Daisy's boots. she drew
rein on the crest of the ledge and
looked about for Dave Lumly. but he
was not in sight. and with resumed
confidence she cantered along the mar
row. uneven trail TO Crow rock.
When she rounded the rock the sor-
rel was nipping the parched turf and
Lumly, on his knees, was stufhng a
piece of white paper into his pocket
His back was toward her. and he had
doubtless mistaken the tread of her
horse for the trampling of his own
beast.
Look here. Dave Lumly?'
Lumly jumped to his feet and look
ed into the barrel of revolver leveled
with cool precision.
You git outer my way, young lady"
he snarled defiantly, making a move
ment to grasp her bride rein.
"Stop there or I'll frew she said
calmly.
what do you want?" he growled,
ut no ont Of OF red
81 want you to put that paper back
In the hole" she commanded sharply.
"And If 1 don'tT' he grinned savage
ly.
"Why, If you don't" she said. with
a calculating glance, 81 believe I'll just
bore your right armw
"The devil you Wilt 1t seems to me
you are pretty highly tightly. miss"
Are you going to do that?" she
asked.
ooh, sure; Of course couldn't refuse
a lady," he said. taking the paper from
his pocket with his right hand and fur
lively reaching with his left around to
his hip.
"Your left hand upg' she command
ed again.
With muttered oath ne swung MS
arm aloft. The sorrel horse drew near
and thrust an inquiring nose toward
his master. With u quick movement
Lumly held out the paper. the sorrel
caught it between his lips. and in an
other instant it fell to the ground a
mass of pulp. Lumly laughed exult-
ingly.
Molly Gray whitened about the lips.
"Other hand upw she commanded
shortly.
The man obeyed.
''Turn your back and walk toward
me-" Then. as he hesitated. she added
contemptuously. Don't be afraid I'm
not going to shoot you in the back"
He turned sulleniy and backed slow
~ up to the mares side. With muZZle
messed cInsa to his shock of rough