The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-10-26

against chair. Two others OF the
party, younger men, but even more
roughly dressed than their leader,
were lounging between him and the
door.
Bungay chnckled expectantly.
20 Lord If they only git the OIL
gal Just little more riled," he whis-
pered hoarsely, jumping up and down
on one foot in his excitement, they'll
rev ther fight of their life"
do you know the fellows?" asked.
'1s that Red Lowrie?"
He shook his head.
Never laid eyes on any of 'em
afore, but ye bet they're no good.
Reckon they're part o. his crowd"
The man who posed as the leader of
the party picked up the empty cof-
fee-pot beside him and shook It.
Come, now, Mrs. Bungay," he COM
r,anded, 'I tell you we're hungry, so
trot out some hoecake and fill up this
pot, unless you want to reckon with
Red Lowrie."
The woman stood facing him, yet
never moved. could see ared spot
begin to glow in either cheek. If
had ever doubted 1t, knew now that
Maria possessed temper Of her own.
you amt no Rec Lowrie," she re-
torted.
The fellow laughed easily.
mo more amt, old woman, but
| reckon we amt so durn far apart
when 1t comes to getting what we go
after. Come, honest now, where is
the little white-livereG cur that runs
this shebang?"
Whatever Maria might venture to
call her lord and master in the
privacy of home, 1t evidently did not
soothe her spirit to hear him thus
spoken of by another.
"If Jed Bungay wus hum" she an
swered fiercely, her eyes fairly blaz-
ing, 81 reckon you would MT be sprawl.
in on thet thar table fer long"
Wouldn't l, now? Well, old hen.
we've fooled here with you about as
long as care to. Bill, go over there
and put some Of that bacon on to fry
II she doesn't get out of the way I'll
give her something to jump for" And
he patted the stock of his gun.
Instinctively | drew my revolver,
and pushed its black muzzle into the
light under Jed's nose.
shall ! give him a dose?" l asked
eagerly
Not yit; o Lord, not yit!" he ex-
claimed, dancing from one foot to the
other in excitement Let ther oil
gal hev a show. / reckon she's good
ter ther whole three of 'em, iess they
shoot"
Bill came up grinning. He evident
ly anticipated some fun, and as he
reached out a grimy hand for the slab
OF bacon, took occasion to make some
remark. What II was could not hear,
but noted the quick responsive flash
In the woman's eyes, and the next
instant with a crash she brought the
iron skillet down with all her strength
on top of the fellows head. Without
even a groan he went plunging down,
face foremost, in front Of the fire. In
another moment she was battling like
wild fury with the other two.
1t was quick, intense struggle. The
man near the door chanced to be the
first in, and he received a blow from
the skillet that most assuredly would
have crushed his skull had he not
lodged; as 1t was II landed upon his
shoulder and he reeled back sick and
helpless. BY this time the fellow with
the red beard had closed upon her,
and wrested the skillet from her hand.
Struggling fiercely back and forth
across the floor, Maria tripped over
the body OF the dead dog and fell,
but as she did so her fingers grasped
the red beard Of her antagonist. It
yielded to her hand, and bare OF face,
save for a dark moustache, the man
stood there, painting for breath, above
her. Then suddenly, almost at my
very ear, voice cried,
Frank! Frank! am here!"