Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-02-18
Copyright, 1909. by Stanley ]. Weyman.)
CHAPTER XXIII-(Contined.)

Asgill had no wish to precipitate a
quarrel. Only in the last resort mad ne
determined to fling off the mask. But
at that word coward" though he knew
IL to be well deserved, his temper,
sapped by the knowledge that love
was forcing him into a position which
reason repudiatcd, gave a n ne
spoke his true thoughts.
.What a bully you are, Payton," he
said in his slowest tone. sure, and
you insult the mans sister in your
drink"
Whats that to you?" ;.
"You insult the mans sister" Asgil
persisted coolly, "and because he treats
you like the tipsy creature you are,
you'd kill him like a dog.
Payton turned white. And you, too,
he said, "if you say another word!
What in heavens name Is aniss with
you. man. this morning? Are you
mad?"
"Pil not hear the word coward used
Of the family I'll soon be n Of" AS
gill returned, speaking on the spur or
of the moment, and wondering at him
self the moment he had made the state
ment. That's what I'm meaning. DO
you see? And if you are for repeating
the word, more by token, it'll be all
the breakfast you'll have, for Ill cram
il down your ugly throat"
PAXTON stared, divided between g
and establishment. But the former was
not slow TO get the upper hand, and
enough said" he replied. IF you are
willing TO make 1t good you'll be COM
ing this way
"willingly," Asglll answered.
I'll have one of my men for witness.
Ay, that / will. i do not trust you, Mr..
Asgill. and that's fiat. Get you whom
you please. In five minutes, in the
garden, them"
Asgin nodded. The Fnglishman
looked once more at him to make sure
that he was sober; then he turned on
his heel and went back through the
court yard. Asgill remained Alone.
He had taken the step there was
no ~retracing. He had cast the dice
and the next few minutes woul decide
whether ii was for life or death. The
sunshine lost its warmth and grew
pale; the hills lost their color and their
beauty as he reflected that he might
never see the one or the other again,
might never return by that lakeside
road by which he had come-as ne re-
membered that all his plans for his
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. and they were many
n clever, might end this day, this
morning. his hour! 1t might we'll be,
for the odds were great against him,
that ii was TO this day that all his life
had led up; that life by which men
would by n by judge him, recalling
this chicane and that extortion, thank
ing God that he was dead, or perhaps
one here and there struggling his
shoulders in good natured regret.
Faith, Mr.. ASgill," cried a voice in
his ear. Its IL you're III, the majors
asking. And, by the power, It's not
very well you're looking this day"
AsgiIl eyed the interruptor-it was
Morty O'Beirne-with a sternness
which HE n191An made 80 nfrflsnr
Il am coming" he said. Il am coming
to fight him"
The deuce you are" the young man
answered. Now, are you meaning?
This morning that ever is?"
"Ay. now. Where is
He stopped on the word. and was
silent. Instead. he looked across the
cou yard in the direction of the house.
II he might see her again. II he might
speak to her. But no. Yet-was it
certain that she knew-that she un-
derstood? And If she understood,
would she know that he had gone to
the meeting well-nigh without hope.
aware how large. how very large, were
the odds against him?
But faith. n it's no Jest ighting
him, the the least bit i'm life Of what
I've heard be truei" Morty said, a cloud
on his face. He looked uncertainty from
Asgin TO the house n back. is it to
be doing anything yol want nae ?,
Il want you to come with me and see
1T out Asgill said. He wheeled
b~rusquely TO the garden gate, but when
he was within a pace of ii he paused
and turned his head MIR. O'Beirne,"
he said. I'm going in by this gate, and
It's not much to be expected I'll come
put any way but feet first. Will you
be telling her, IL you please, that /
knew that same?'
Il WILL Morty answered, genuinely
distressed. but I'm asking is there no
other way?"
There is none,e Asgill said. And he
opened the gate.
Payton was waiting for him on the
path under the yew trees, with two of
his troopers on guard In the back
ground. He had removed his coat and
vest, and stood, a not ungraceful figure
in the sunshine, bending his rapier and
feeling it's point with his thumb. He
was doing this when his eyes, surprised
his opponents entrance, and, without
uesisting from MS employment, ne
smiled.
IL the others courage had begun to
wane that smile would have restored
II. For Ii aroused in him a stronger
passion than fear-the passion OF ha-
tired. He saw In the maj before him,
the man with the cruel smile, a demon
who, in pure malice, without reason
and without cause, would take his life,
would rob him of joy and love and sun
shine, and hurl him into the blackness
of the gulf. And he was seized with a
| rage at once fierce and deliberate. This
man, who would kill him and whom he
| saw smiling before him. he would kill!
He thirsted to set him foot upon his
throat and squeeze. and squeeze the life
| out of him. These were the thoughts
that passed through his mind as he
| paused to throw off the encumbering
| coat. Then he advanced. drawing his
weapon as he moved, and fixing his
| eyes on Payton. who, for his part,
reading the others thoughts in his face,
for more than once he had seen that
LOOKOUT himself on his guard WITH
out a word.
Asgill had no more than the rudi-
mentary knowledge OF the sword which
was possessed in that day by al who
wore Ii. He knew that, given time and
the decent ob~servances OF the fencing
school, he would be a mere child In
Payton's hands; that II would matter
nothing whether the sun were on this
side or that. or his sword the longer or