davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
CHAPTER xI.
The Fight in the Dark.

Had the room been filed with men
Keith could have restrained himself
no longer Whatever her past might
be, this woman appealed to him
strangely; he could not believe evil
OF her: he would have died IL need
be in her defense. But as it was, the
ugly boast Of Hawley gave confidence
in the final outcome of this struggle In
the dark. even possibility of escape
for them all. The gambler, assured of
being confronted merely by a frail
and not prescriptions woman, had
ventured there alone; had stationed
his men beyond sound; had doubtless
instructed them to ignore any noise
of struggle which they might overhear
within. 1t was these very arrange
ments for evil which now afforded op-
portunity. and Keith crept forward.
alert and ready, his teeth clenched,
his hands bare for contest Even al
though he surprised his antagonist, 1t
was going to be fight for life: he
knew BLACK Bart" broad-shouldered.
quick as cat. accustomed to every
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

que, and put you in wrong. Come, now,
| know 1t all: be reasonable"
Apparently the girl had lost her
power Of speech. staring blindly at the
face of the man before her, as bird
meets the slow approach Of snake.
Keith could see her lips move, hut
making no sound. Hawley evidently
interpreted her silence as hesitation,
doubt as to his real meaning
"Ycu see where you are at now,
Christie" he went on swiftly. hut
you don't need to be afraid. I'm going
to be friend to you, and you can be
mighty glad you got rid of Willoughy
SO easily. Why. | can buy you dta-
monds where he couldn't give you a
calico dress. Come on, let's stop this
foolishness. took a liking to you
back there in the stage, and the more
I've thought about you since the
crazier I've got. When l succeeded in
pumping Willoughby dry, and discov-
cred you wasn't his sister at all, why
that settled the matter. | came down
here after you love you, do you an
derstand that? And what's more,
intend to have you'll"
He reached out. and actually grasp
ed her, but, in some manner, she tor,
loose. and sprang back around the
end of the table, her cheeks flushed,
her eyes burning.
Don't touch me! don't dare touch
mel" she painted. You lie; Fred VIII
loughby never told you that II you
CT
call your men here; I'll tell them the
kind of cur you are"
He laughed, leaning over toward
her, yet hesitating, his eyes full of ad-
miration Her very ferceness appealed
to him. urged him on.
'Oh, l wouldn't! In the first place
they probably wouldn't hear, for they
are camped down in the corral sus-
pected you might be something of
tigress, and preferred to fight it out
with you alone. Then, even If they
did hear, there would be no irter-
ference-I've got those fellows trained
too we'll for that. Come on, Christie;
you're helpless here
Am II"
Yes, you are"
He took a step toward her, his hands
flung out. With one quick movement
she sprang aside and extinguished the
lamp, plunging the room into instant
darkness A few red Goals glowed
DULY IN the fireplace. but all else was
dense blackness. Keith heard the
movements Of Hawley, as he felt his
way uncertainty along the table,
swearing as he failed to find the girl
Then, like a shadow, he glided through
the partly open door into the room
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
She Scorned to Deceive.

And them" said Ermyntrude.
pausing.
Yes And them" exclaimed Gwen
doline.
He asked me if | had ever been
kissed before" GWendoline gave a
gasp of compassion.
'Oh, you poor darling!" she cried.
How awkward! Of course, you said
-er-no?"
Dear Gwendoline," said Ermyn-
trude, raising her eyes to those of her
companion, do you not know that
the truth is dearer to me than all
else?"
Yes, I know" whispered Gwen
dolinc, pressing her friends hand
What did you say?"
L said" replied Gwendoline, re-
turning the pressure, "tOh, Clarence,
how can you ask Answers.
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

form CT physical exercise, desperate
and tricky, using either knife or gun
recklessly. Yet it was now or never
for all Of them, and the plainsman felt
no mercy, experienced no reluctance.
He reached the table, and straight
ened up, silent. expectant For an In
slant there was no further sound; no
evidence OF movement in the room.
Hawley puzzled by the silence. was
listening intently in an endeayor to
thus locate the girl through some
rustling. some slight motion. A knife.
knocked from the table, perhaps. as
she slipped softly past, fell gathering
to the floor, and the gambler leaped
instantly forward. Keith's grip closed
like iron on his cropping arm, while he
shot one fist out toward where the
mans head should be. The blow
glanced, yet drove the fellow back
ward, stumbling against the table, and
Keith closed in, graphing for the
throat. The other. startled by the
unexpected attack. and scarcely real
izing even yet the nature of his an
tagonist, struggled blindly to escape
the fingers clawing at him, and flung
one hand down to the knife in his
belt. Warned by the movement, the
assailant drove his head into the gam
bler's chest, sepding him crashing to
the floor, falling himself heavily upon
the PROSTATE body. Hawley gave ut
terance to one cry, half throttled in
his throat, and then the two grappled
INT t0
pake weapons useless. Whoever the
assailant might be, the gambler was
fully aware by now that he was being
crushed in the grasp of a fighting man,
and exerted every wrestler's trick,
every ounce of strength, to break free.
Twice he struggled to his knees, only
to be crowded backward by relentless
power; once he hurled Keith side
ways, but the plainsman's muscles
stiffened into steel, and he gradually
regained his position. Neither dared
release a grip in order to strike
blow; neither had sufficient breath
left with which to utter a sound. They
were Sighting for life, silently, des
perately. like wild beasts, with no
thought but to injure the other. The
gamblers teeth sank into Keith's arm.
and the latter in return damned the
mans head back onto the puncheon
floor viciously. Perspiration streamed
from their bodies. their fingers clutch
ing, their limbs wrapped together.
their muscles strained to the utmost.
Keith had forgotten the girl, the ne
gro, everything, dominated by the one
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

might have been an hour later when
she came bouncing in again. She was
snappier than ever, and her eyes were
twinkling.
Have you put that piece in the pa
per yit?" she asked.
NO. I said. TT will be in next
Thursday"
We'll, I'll tell you, said She ''Sam
got back home from huntin', an then I
guess he must run the boss all the
way from the clearin' to here, the way
the poor critter is pantin' an puffin'.
l jest met Sam out here, an instead o.
putin that piece in the paper about
Ann M'riar Slocum's deevorce, you kin
put one in that Sam Slocum. O. Fish
pole Holler. has all of a student took
to huntin' with his old shotgun, havin
took the idee that it was a heap bet
tern his new-fangled rifle, which he'll
leave to home after this. A piece
somethin' like that you mowt put In
your paper instead o. the one about
Ann M'riar's deevorce, cause that in
compatibility o. temper as to farmin'
implements has sort o. been settled
out O. court
tcopyrisht, by W. G. Chapmanj
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
A HIT
What She Gained by Trying Again.

A failure at first makes us esteem
final success.
A family in Minnesota that now en-
joys Postum would never have known
how good it is if the mother had been
discouraged by the failure of her
first attempt to prepare it. Her son
tells the story:
eve had never used Postum till last
spring when father brought home a
package one evening just to try It. We
had heard from our neighbors, and in
fact every one who used it, how well
they liked it.
well, the next morning Mother
brewed it about five minutes, just as
she had been in the habit of doing
with coffee without paying special at
tention to the directions printed on
the package. 1t looked weak and
didn't have a very promising color, but
nevertheless father raised his CUP
with an air of exceptancy. 1t certain
ly did give him a great surprise, put
I'm afraid 1t wasn't very pleasant
one. for he put down his cup with a
look of disgust.
Mother wasn't discouraged though,
and next morning gave it another trial,
letting It stand on the stove till boil
ing began and then letting it bofl for
fifteen or twenty minutes, and this
time we were all SO pleased with it
that we have used it ever since.
Father was a confirmed dyspeptie
and cup of coffee was to him Hike poi
son. So he never drinks 1t any more,
but drinks Postum regularly. He isn't
troubled with dyspepsia now and is
actually growing fat, and I'm sure
Postum is the cause of it. All the chill
dren are allowed to drink it and they
are perfect pictures of health Name
given by Postum Co., Battle Creek,
Mich.
Read the little book, "The Road to
MELVILLE in pkgs. There's reason"
Ever read the above letter: A new
one appears from time to time. They
are genuine. tire. and full Of human
interest.
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

passion to conquer He was swept by
a storm OF hatred, desire to kill. In
their fierce struggle the two had roll
ed close to the fire place, and in the
dull glow of the dying embers. he
could perceive a faint outline of the
mans face. The sight added fame
to his mad passion, yet he could do
nothing except to cling to him, jab-
bing his fingers into the straining
throat.
The negro ended the affair in his
own way, clawing blindly at the com
batants in the darkness, and finally.
determining which was the enemy, he
struck the gambler with the stock OF
his gun, laying him out unconscious.
Keith, grasping the table. hauled him
self to his feet, gasping for breath.
certain only that Hawley was no
longer struggling. For an instant all
was blank, a mist of black vapor; then
a realization of their situation came
back in sudden food OF remembrance.
Even yet he could see nothing, but
felt the motionless dgure at his feet.
Quick" he urged, the instant he
could make himself speak. The fell
low is only stunned; we must tie and
gag him. Is that you, Neb? Where is
the grip
Il am here, Captain Keith" and he
heard the soft rustic of her dress
across the room. What is it | may
do?"
"A coil of rope, or some straps, with
a piece of cloth: anything you can
lay hands an"
She was some moments al it, con-
fused by the darkness, and Hawley
moved slightly, his labored breathing
growing plainly peTceptible. Keith
heard her cropping toward him, and
held out his hands She started as he
thus Unexpectedly touched her. yet
made no effort to break away
"You-you frightened me a little"
she confessed. This has all happen
ed so quickly | hardly realize yet just
what has occurred
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

twenty shillin' apiece, easy, come
tumblin' through the cur'nt bushes
Il grabbed the cubs an cut with
em fer the barn. They squealed so
that their nanny come chasin' back,
an fore l could git to the barn she
had me. dropped the cubs an skited fer
the axe, hopin' that | could harvest
that bear crop after all, but fore /
could git back with the axe the old
bear had got her cubs together an
made off with 'em to the woods.
An all because Sam Slocum was
SO onmerciful sot on my runnin' that
farm with nothin to run it with An
that jest capped the hull business.
put on my poky dot gingham-this un
here-an' my rough'n ready jockey
hat-that un up there-an' sloped
from Fishpole Holler. An now you
kin put the piece in your paper that
Ann M'riar Slocum, late O. Fishpole
Holler, Is goin' to serve notice on to
Sam Slocum, o. Fishpole HolleT, that
she is goin' to git a deevorce."
With that the snappy little woman
bounced out Of the Office. l guess ii
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
Wanted the Day to Himself.

Nothing makes us quite SO weary
as these elaborate, gotten-up-ahead-of-
time jokes that some people stage and
spring with such dramatic effect
Our Washington correspondent told
us OF one Of these. the other day
A man went into the patent Office. last
week, and said he wanted a copyright
They steered him to the right depart
ment, and he opened up like this:
This is Saturday, is it not? Thank
you | understand that you will not
issue a copyright on Sunday?"
mo, sir. That is the rule"
But you will issue a copyright on
any other day of the week."
Yes. sir
I'm SO grad. want to get Friday
copyrighted It's my birthday, and
don't want any other fellows using 1t.
How much will it cost?"
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

take the shotgun to do the huntin'
With! | says. 6ut Sam he jest laugh.
ed an said he'd smile to see hisself
take the shotgun to do the huntin'
with, an so | shet my trap an didn't
say no more But thunk considerable
Yes, | thunk consider ble,' said
she. II guess mebbe it was three
weeks or so after the bear come to
git thai pig of our'n that went out o.
the back door one mornin, an 10 an
behold you! there sot two all-sockin
big wildcats in the apple tree, not ten
yards from the house, an ready to
pounce on to anything alive that come
along. An Sam Slocum had the rifle
out huntln', SO l had nothin' to reap
Wildcats with 'cept the old shotgun.
went an got 1t, an 1t worked good
enough fer me to NOW down one o.
the wild cats. Tother un got away.
When Sam come home | had the
one wildcat skun out an it's pelt hang
IN up, an | says ag'in to him that he
was standin' in hisi own light by not
leayln the rifle to home fer me to
farm with
BE you goin' to leave that rife to
nome Ter aggercultur1 purposes, I
says, an take the shotgun fer huntin'.
or BENT you? l says to him. An
Sam says to me:
No, l bein't' he says But I'll git
you some buckshot, says he
Now | didn't cal'late to farm that
clearin' with buckshot 'Twa'nt ac-
cordin to my idees O. tillin' the sile
But / didn't say no more. Jest thunk.
thunk quite some.
IF you'd been passin' along by
Sans clearin' this afternoon you
more'n likely'd heerd a gun go of. 1t
was the old shotgun. l was weedin
out the garden about that time, when
/ heerd a snort, an lookin' up | seen
the incest, latest, blacklist, an big
gest bear | ever did see.
THAT bear stood right at the edge
O. the sparrow grass he'd, an while l
was starin at it, two cubs, worth
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
SYNOPSIS.

Jack Keith, Virginian, now a Dor
der plainsman, is riding along the Santa
F'e trail on the lookout for roaming war
parties Of sayages. He notices camp
fire at q distance and then sees team
attached to wagon and at full galiop
pursued by men on ponies. When keith
caches the wagon the raiders have mass
acred two men and departed. He searches
the victims finding papers and locket
with q woman's portrait He resolves TO
hunt down the mUrderers. Keith Is ar
rested at Carson City, charged with the
murder, his accuser being a ruffian named
Black Bart. He goes to jail fully reallz-
ing the peril of swift border justice. A
companion in his cell is a negro, who
tells him he is Neb and that he knew the
Keith family back In Virginia. Neb says
one of the murdered men was John
Sibley, the other Gen. Willis Waite, for
Inerly an officer in the Confederate army.
The plainsman and Neb escape from the
cell, and later the two fugitives become
lost in the sand desert. They come upon
a cabin and find it's lone occupant to be
young girl, whom Keith recognizes as
singer he saw at Carson City. The girl
explains that she came there in search Of
a brother who had deserted from the
army A Mr.. Hawley induced her to
come to the cabin while he sought to To-
cate her brother. Hawley appears.
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
Actors Proper Place.

Mahlon Ivans. Jr.. of Merchantvflle
has a reputation as an actor and
takes part in nearly all Of the local
shows. In the last show that was
given. Shorty had one OF the leading
parts. After the show, while he was
taking off his makeup. an elderly man
made his appearance in the doorway.
Are you Mr.. Ivins?" inquired the old
man. Yes" replied Shorty. as he
motioned him to be seated. We'll"
the old man continued. Il just want
to tell you something. I've been
watching your acting tonight. You
should not be playing in this town:
you should be with Mansfield, Booth
or Irving, or Joe Jefferson "Why-w-
why said Shorty, those actors are
dead" II know it," said the old mai.
as he turned on his heel and left. :
Philadelphia Times.
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
x2zzeSgzZaa& e @zM@.azKgSs~ &. g
g. ssN8EN60e ~ OasSsSSS:HzS2 .
When Aunt Cally Gave Up

see her work grow and has pride In
counting the number of pieces she can
do in day
The trouble is. she has washed a
long TING for woman of trem endous
proportions and she has become dis
couraged
I done stop washfn' fuh Mis-
Portly!" she announced the other day
Why, how can she get along with
out you? About ten years you have
done her washing, isn't it?''
Yas'm. I don't known what she
goin' do. But. ies cain stan it no
longer. Tell de truth, | jes' lief un'
take trip round de world es to iron
one o. her skirts"
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
Worm Turned at Last on ironing
"Mis' Portly's" Voiuminous
Skirts.


Aunt Cally belongs distinctly to the
type OF born not made" laundresses
She loves her ironing board exactly
80 wide and just SO long. She wants
plenty of blanket and sheet on it SO
the embroidery stands out clear and
she carries her own piece OF beeswax
around in her apron pocket Maybe
the magic is In that piece of wax. for
she has carried 1t always. it seems
The irons work well Tor her because
she selects them at just the right
heat and then she administers little
pat which she calls "tasein' EN-"
applies little wax and OF they 60.
making the linens look as II they were
polished.
But Aunt CaIly. like other artists.
has not escaped trials. She likes to
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

nssghbor higher than two miled. Less
It moWt be them squawkin' an
stueakin spindle shanks cranes down
along the swamp run. But as fer four
footed neighbors, they'm plenty
enough. Sassy enough, too, goodness
knows. An familiar enough to come
an borry our pork an mutton an
chickens without as much as askin', if
I'VE don't watch out. But don't mind
the havin' no two-legged neighbors
none hain't much on company any,
how That's what l KEEP tellin Sam
Slocum when he come pesterin' of me
with his, but he wouldn't take the
hint, an l jest up an married him to
git red of his pesterin'. No. | hain't
you hain't got no neighbors why you
don't have to keep runnin after the
flatirons you lent 'em, an you don't
always have a cup O. lasses or a
DRAWN O tea, or a settln' O turn
pike yeast or setcn comm to YOU
So / don't mind the havin' O. no two
legged neighbors none. But here
home from town on the blackboard,
with some tradin' I'd been dom, when
something turned up that rumpled me
quite some.
none
81 was comm along by the laurel
swamp, miled an a-half this side Of
our clearin', when out bounced two
thumpin' big wildcats an made after
me an the blackboard an the boss.
The boss was young critter, an the
pesky varmints skeert him so that I
couldn't hold him in, an away he
went, lickitty brindle, an never stop
ped till he got home an slam into
the wagor shed. An the wild cats
follered right along after US, scream
in an catterwaulin like all possessed,
an never wunst cut fer the woods till
| sprung from the blackboard when
the boss had arrived with it to home.
Then I guess they cut, consarn 'em,
Il was mad. tell you, an to make
me ruff1ed all the more, every whip
stitch O. my tradin' had been joggled
outen the wagon an strung along the
road somewLe,eS, an amongst it was
a new red drNgs had bought to make
up fer goin' ON a visit to my folks's,
over to Blarin Ridge. Soon as / could
git into the house I did, my mind all
made up as to what was goin' to do,
=ut there [ found that Sam had gone
off huntin' with the rifle, an there
want no use o. me follerin' the wild
cats without it, an so l had to let 'em
to NOW them two varmints down as
good as cost us as much as losin a
buckWheat crop
We'll, sir, it want but three days
after that, when Sam had gone off
huntin ag'in, takin' the rifle, that
pen, an act'ly got into 1t, an was
levyin on TO a pig before / could git
in the house an come out agin with
The shotgun. peppered Mr.. Bear with
It, but, massyful Peter.- 1t didn't hurt
him none, an if l hadn't made fer
him with the axe he'd KEEP right on
an tuck the pig, whether or no. But
when he seen me an the axe comm
fer him he clum Outen the pen an
skited fer the woods An we lost
that harvest jest cause I didn't have
the right kim o. farmin' implements.
When Sam come home from hunt
In / says to him, See here, Sam Slo-
cunt I says. If I'm goin' to CO the
farn-.n' while you'm out huntin',' |
SAYS. WIZ you're jest got TO leave me
h& rife to 20 ,. with, SAYS, an you
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
Eorebodinus.

Webster had made his great speech
in reply to Hayne
Some day, / suppose" he unused, cit
VIII devolve upon Hennery Cabot
Lodge or Winthrop Crane TO squelch
Ben Tillman, and I'm not so blamed
sure they can do it,
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22

tues are in the ground. the waters, the
heavens, and how to come at these
enchantments-is the rich end royai
man.-Emerson
Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-09-22
The HERDS Lament.

Achilles lamented his vulnerable
heel
1t means my wife will always make
me wipe my shoes off when | come in
the house." he cried.
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1911-05-18
Judge Denton. Gets Good Job.

Judge C. A. Denton Of this city,
formerly Circuit Judge of this district
has accepted the position Of State
Pardon Attorney under Governor
Hadley, to succeed Major w. L.
Chambers who has rendered his res
ignation. Judge Denton is promi-
nent member of the Bates county bar
and has always been active in Repub-
lican politics.
The Governor has announced the
appointment of Austin w., Biggs, a
St. Louis printer, as state labor COM
missioner, to succeed j. C. A. Hitler,
Democrat, whose term of office will
expire June IA. He is a Republican
and formerly represented a district
of that city three terms in the legis-
lature. The position pays an annual
salary of 5000. The commissioner
has eight appointments at his call.
The last legislature appropriated
~, 500 for support of the department
for the years 1912. ...