El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-30
The HeraId's
Daily Short Stsry
The Passing Of the Black Sheep

and he could see Macy Burke's sheer
ing smile flaming before his eyes.
Suddenly he saw Nell standing by
herself for a moment, and he went
over to her hurriedly There was hu-
mility in his face, and his voice had
pleading note in it, as he spoke
jerkily:
you don't believe this, Nell Say
you don't"
She answered with faltering lips:
How can 1 believe otherwise?"
You ought to know me better than
that, Nell,' he said earnestly. Have
you ever known me to do anything
crooked before?"
She hesitated.
why didn't you come with me to
the dance that night?' she asked sud-
denly
got word that the floods were coming
down, and that meant there were 2OOD
sheep to be shifted on to high ground.
Do you blame me that I didn't conner"
But at that moment Angus Duncan
came UP and took Bradley by the
shoulder. His face was red and there
was a suppressed anger in his eyes
Look here, Bradley" he said:
you've got out of this scrape, and
I'm not going to throw It up in your
teeth continually. But don't have any
more truck with me or my daughter or
I'll make this place too hot to hold
you. Understand"
And turning on his heel he walked
off with his daughter while Bradley
caught his horse. and rode home with
bowed head
The floods were out in earnest. A
week later every little creek and gully +,
was running banker, and on the low
flats the water lay miles wide in places,
while a sodden rain fell continually
Had Duncan. known it beforehand he
would have stayed behind at the little
township whittier he had driven with
Neil, but he had come half way now,
and to turn back would be as risky as
to go on.
The night was dark and moonIess,
and the water stretched ahead in black !
patches. The horses were tagged out
and slipped at every step, so that Dun
cans arms ached with holding the
reins.
Suddenly there was a splashing in
the water behind them, and a voice
came out OF the darkness:
who is It? Can I give any help?"
Duncan leaned over and scrutinized
the speaker by the light Of the buggy
lamp. he drew himself up stiffly.
Thanks" he said abruptly; II won't
take any help from you, Bradley
But the course of a week had steeled
the young man against such insults. |
He said good humoredly:
Don't be a fool, Duncan There's
hut up here where my boundary
rider sleeps sometimes. but it's unoccu-
pied now. You win at least get shelter
and fire there. II you could hobb1e
out the horses III take Nell up there
right away"
Duncan hesitated, but he was cold
and hungry. and the young mans mas
terful way swept everything before 1t.
A little later Bradley had taken Nell |
in his arms and his sturdy stock horse |
was blowing up to the hut on the hill |
She lay still, never speaking until they !
had reached the door Of the hut. Then, |
as he lifted her down, she looked up |
at him and said softly: "Oh, Wall It is !
good TO be near you again.
His. pulses were unsteady, but he |
checked the words that came surging !
TO his lips. Pushing the creaking door |
Pickering in the CRATE. and the man
started as he saw 1t.
'sWho could have lit that?" he said in |
Amusement
But at that moment there was an |
uncanny cry from the corner of the |
hut Swinging round, they saw by the |
glfmmering light man half raised |
in his bed. There was a revolver in |
his outstretched hand and his eyes |
flashed with delirfous glare.
Keep back! Keep back!" he cried. |
'I know you've come to take me, and I
don't want your blood on my head"
az nd q
bullet fitted by him burying itself
in the woodwork. In another moment |
he had knocked the revolver from the
mans nervous hands and was holding
his wrists Duncani had come in at |
the door, and was gaping at them with
wondering eyes. but Bradley, bending
over the fever-stricken man. was held
by the broken words that came from
his fumbling lips
Those cursed opa1s-I always knew
there was no luck in opa1s. What a
fool I was to let them tempt mei''
Bradley was startled. In the inco-
herent words was a vindication Of his
honor, a cleansing of his name from
the stain that had threatened to tar
nish it forever. He looked up at the
girl.
believe me now"
But her face was hidden in her
hands, and her body was trembling.
Duncan had come up to the bedside,
and his lips were white
BRADLEY" he said lloarsely, "it's my
sonny son Steve"
The PROSTATE mans lips moved, but
no sound came. After a moment Dun
can gripped the young mans hand and
said slowly:
bradley, I'd have had to ask your
forgiveness anyway, but I want 1t
doubly now"
And by the side Of the black sheep
drifting out with the tide they made
their peace.
PRINCE IN A WRECK.
Brussels, Belgium, June 30.-Prince
de Nesso who attempted to make the