Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-12-10
Nearly two hours.
"Why didn't you tell me befureY


Kate. dear. take him i'm time Io save
him-f"r my sske-aud I'll love YOU
forever.
Not wiShin' TO lose time I broke
away from her. I scen blood on her
lips. and ] knowed the excitement or
the runnin' 10 the barn or both had
brought on hcmorrhuyr
Don't Kill Kate heard Susie say.
and that was the last. for then ! was
out % hearin.
i Leaned down ON the mares neck
ana patted her and said. Yer doin
this for Susie. and | know youth do
yer best
II reckon she understood. for she lis,
got down TO n st,ady gait tllai she
could keep all day and reel OF the
miles while she WAS n dom In
knowed Walcotts life depended on my
gittin' there Ms soon ms StiggS. fer I
didn't reckon SiiSgs would give his en-.
envy any advantage His way was To
ride up behind man. MAKE n show
o givin him chanct 10y callin' out TO
him and shoot him before he could
turn
"Stiggs had got n good start O. mo.
and he never rode poor horse. But
he didn't know any one was after him
Nevertheless II would be nip and tuck
with me TO overhaul him. Kate kept
her steady gait till we got within about
five miles q the Wnlcott ranch. when
across the grain ground saw Stiggs
ridin' along at Il good pace. Then |
said 10 my mare:
Now or never. Kate. Remember
what Susie said to you'
''She knowed what | was q sayin'.
and she got over the ground like
greyhound. We was within n mile o.
the ranch when. strikin' u soft bit o.
ground. the mare stumbled and fell,
shootin me over her head tried to
pull her up. but 1t was no use. Her
left foreleg was broke.
II used my own legs the rest o. the
way. neared the ranch I'm time TO
see Stiggs lettin down the bars 10 go
in. AS bad luck would have 1t. there
was Walcott standin' with his back TO
Jim. watchin' a man who was putin
horse through his PAGES. | seen
Stiggs remount and ride up toward the
man in the yard, drawin' his revolver
at the same time.
Before startin'. thinkin' there might
be occasion for long range shot.
I'd hooked a Winchester 10 my sad
die and brought it from where Kate
fell. Suggs must "a been 100 to
1900 yards away. but | knew Wal.
colts life depended on my bringin' his
enemy down at that distance | took
a good aim, fred. and Stlggs tumbled
off'n his horse"
The narrator paused to light a pipe
II suppose" ] said. this is the kill
ing you referred to that has always
troubled you. You excused the man
because he acted from love"
IT troubled about KILN Jim Stiggs.
Not much. It's another KILN that
bothers me. AS SOON AZ ! seen Stiggs
drop | went back 10 Kate. she had
saved the man Susie loved. and Susie
had told me not to Kill her But there
was Kate lyiD' on her side with n bro
ken leg. There's but one thing to do
with horse i'm that condition. shoot
him. Kate when she saw me comm
whinnied, and when reached her
there was mighty sad look In her
eye. She was an intelligent animal
and knowed that il was all up with
her
II TUX my revolver from its case.
Kate glanced at It and at me If ever
horse said In plain language Don't
Kill Kate that horse said IL. Or was
II because ] was seem the little girl
standin' there With the drop Of blood
on her lip-the death mark and heard
her say II ag'in?
II scarcely think I'm the Kind o.
man 10 be chicken hearted Leusta-
ways ] wouldn mind cuttiu decr's
throat after shUotin' il when IL looks
appealin' like outer it's soft eyes. but
showed the white feather at shOotin'
Kate. And | never could tell whether
Ii was most because | loved Kute or
whether was conscience struck at
hayin TO go back ON the little gul that
tole me not to Kill her. walked away
Ter few rods. then turned and come
back. When did chat could .blowed
her head of. put the muzzle q my
revolver to her brain. pulled the trig.
ger and fired All the while she was
Obleeged
81 walked four miles TO house. Dor
ryed spade. went back mud buried
Kate. Then b / walked all the way
back 10 the Courreny ranch / wasn't
in hurry 10 git there neither. Least
aways | wouldn't "a been IL 1t wasn't
to tell Susie that the man she loved
had been saved. Seemed az il I'd only
done half what she wanted me to do.
] had stopped Stiggs from dom any
damage. but had killed Kate
WAL when ! got TO the ranch I
seen sump'n had happened. Every
body was lookin solum. They tole
me Susie had been havin' hemorrbages
They tolG me. too. that she was wait
in fer me TO come back. and / was to
go right up TO her as soon as ] come.
When | went into the room where she
was she was paspiu' I knowod II