The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-08-17
TEN MINUTES
WIN TIE
Short Story
Writers
Bullets and Arrows
10y Theo. Dlngman. J

4
hated even rhe sight of a gun How
ard Hinman raised his eyebrows
when the bill came.
There must be some error here,
he said, mildly. Theresa makes a
charge for 4 shooting dress ] thought
YOU disliked hunting.
4 do" admitted Mamie. abut the
Jacket had such cute little pockets
Her father smiled
We must see that you are provid-
ca with gun to match it he sug
& sted. Mamie shudderea
II YOU do, | know that / Shall kill
myself with il" she warned ANY
| how | won't take it with ME. Ill
pretend to have forgotten it.
Alr Hinman smiled. n his quiet
way he was an inyeterata tease and
Mamie had not been at the Gables
a week before there arrived by ex-
press a dainty rifle with Diana
carved on the stock and gold dam
Iscending upon the barrel
Ii was such q handsome toy that
Mamie could not resist the tempta-
.tion tc show il whereupon three men
.of the house party insisted ur N or
ganizing hunting expedition, lhough
she was warned not Id shoot anything
but squirrels In the closed. season.
II was significant Of the situation
that each OF the three proposed a
party of two rather than a crowd. al
leging that more than two might dis
turb the game-which was perfectly
true, since love, not squirrels, was
the game,
Dick Ralston, Harry Post and Bob
Heeker had been rivals for Nannie's
favor since her debut in society and
she fousd the situation too pleasant
TO alter by distinguishing one by
special approval For two seasons
she had queened it over the three
while Dan Candless looked on and
grieved.
He had loved Mamie since she had
been a child but he was not as
wealthy as her other suitors. He did
not shine in society aud he felt the
hopelesssess Of his love.
He had come up to join the house
party at the Gables for a couple OIL
weeks, but he found only fresh pain,
Tor the other three had been there
two weeks before his arrival. and al
ready they had made plans for every
day that occupied Nannies entire
time
He had made no effort to induce
her = alter her plans on his ac-
count and he had taken to long walks
in the woods with only nature tor
his companion
Mamie was as miserable as he. |
She could not very we'll confess that
she had purchased the shooting suit
merely because she had looked so
well In it, nor would she admit her
terror of guns, Desperation gayeI
her courage and one afternoon she |
her court on the plea OF |
headache, and when they were safely !
off to the lake she slipped from the !
house with the rifle and made for
the woods.
For half an hour she tried to force
her courage to the point of discharg
ing the weapon She knew that ii 1
She could only get used to the noise
It would be all right and she could
'edeem herself, but each time as she
'aisej the gun her nerves failed her
nd she shudderingly dropped il from
ler shoulder again.
AT last she raised the gun. shut
both eyes and fired
The smoke was clearing away as
me opened her eyes again and there
lot So feet away was Dan Candless
toward her ven az she
ooked he pitched forward aud on his
white shirt she could see an ugly red
stain already showing through the
ineu
With Il heartbrOken cry she sped
owafd him. She had not heard nm
oming. she was moi even pointing
i that path, but the gun must have
savered after She shut her eyes. ln
hat moment she knew that it was
Jan whom she still lloved just as she
i'd before she had become a society
nd and belle.
She sank upon the soft moss be-
ide him aud sought TO raise him
le las face downward and his sun
ess frightened her Ii was only
ioment counted by time, but il seem
( Years before he az last raised ms
cad.
II guess / must have hit a stone.
q said uncertainty as his hand Went
, his head II remember tripping
yer root and pitching forward
lave been this way long,
81 don't know" she sohhed. Dan,
We killed YOU. Don't die, Dan.
NE Won. dear. want you 10 live TOR
81 sake <
You love me-" The glainess in his
3ice moved her almost to tears.
I've always loved YOU, she aa
tilted. but didn't know II unth
.w that / had killed You.
But you haven't he insisted
umhled over that root there.
There's blood on your shirt 1 saw
" she insisted lie threw hack ms =
,at With q laugh
Those are berry stains. ne eA
aimed. Il had some i'm my poeke'
Ia forgot to lay down ON a planh
act drink out of the BROOK Is
ashed them and some ei the Juiee
Ickled down on my shirt IL
~rn So glad. she said with sls y
ESQ ana II" he said III you had nor
oucbt YOU had shot me / never
mid have known tnat you s,ih
re3 thought ii was one OF tue
ser fe7iows and 7 v.as trying 10 take
y medicine.
l4e rose 10 his feet and for mo- &
snt bel5 her i'm his arms. Then ne 81
.nf fo where the gun lay neglected
the grass. ..s
TIE sun was low as the Two cross
she lawn Of the Gables
-..-rsf demanded HIi- I