Gilpin observer., 1910-10-20

he was beaten.
A miracle did intervene. Disbrow
choked down his breathing and the
beating Of his heart. His aim was
perfect. But Just as his finger
squeezed the trigger. the sun-browned
hills began to blur. The ground crept
and trembled sickeningly. A baby
earthquake was upon them.
pisbrow tried instinctively to re-
lease his pressure on the trigger; but
his brain could not get the message to
bis fingers quickly enough. Just pre-
viously 1t had signaled the muscles to
contract. As the quake joggiHd the
muzzie Of his rife OF the target. they
did contract. The shot went Wild.
The trembling was over in o few
seconds. The frightened markers re-
turned to the pit from which they had
fled. In due time they signaled to
the pair lying pale and thoughtful on
the firing line. Disbrow had lost by
three points.
He knew. and Tergott knew, that
he had not lost fairly. The firing
regulations do not intend that the
riflemen shall buck earthquakes. But
Tergott. the adroit. said quickly:
TOO bad about that miss. The
wind veered just before you fred
But you beat the earthquake"
Disbrow looked at him curiously
with lonesome ache at his heart. A
man is likely to feel bereft when he
has lost faith in friend.
Tergott took 1t for granted that
everything was settled. He began to
talk regretfully of Disbrow's early
departure from New Vista. Next day
he wrote to Spokane and got his rival
place with better pay. BY subtle
suggestion he set Disbrow's departure
a scant two weeks ahead.
DisbrOw had lost a friend and a
sweetheart. and the one hurt almost
as much as the other. He tried to
ease the latter wound by telling him
self philosophically that Belle McNee
had never really been his sweetheart.
They had been friends, and he Lad
taken her to the beach and the the
ater. But she was friendly with
Tergott. and went to places with
him. too. Disbrow had intended tell
ing her. when he had $40O saved up,
that he loved her.
But that was all of now. He had
made bargain with Tergott, and
was going through with It, That Ter
gott was not playing fairly did not
release him from responsibility.
The night before his going-away
day he went up to the little Mission
street house where Belle McNee lived
with her invalid mother. The girl
was wholesomely. daintily sweet, and
she managed to make the tiny, spot
less home reflect her own character.
istics. despite the fact that she worked
all day as bookkeeper in q depart.
ment store.
They sat on the porch and watched
the stars. Belle did not talk much.
and when she did 1t was with a queer
fippancy that made Disbrow un-
comfortable. It wasn't an occasion
for hippancy.
1t was IL o'clock before he got up
to go. They shook hands. the girl
with few testing words that grieved
Disbrow. There was a hard little
smile on her face. as he could sec
by the rays Of the electric light on
the corner. His throat choked up; he
could hardly get out the word Good.
by" But he did. somehow.
At the gato he jumped as II some.
one had stuck a pin in him. For q
voice was speaking to him. a strange,
broken. yearning little voice. half
tears-a voice that sent a million
mad prickles along his skin.
Tommy. It said, II know. IL
made him tell me. Tommy. you silly
boy. you aren't going to let q little
old earthquake beat your"
Tommy went back in three bounds
and gathered her to him hungrily,
while her arms went round his neck.
He kissed her hair and her wet
cheeks and her lips as he said. over
and over: Sweetheart. sweetheart,
sweetheart! Not even an earthquake
not even an earthquake!"