The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-02-29

and smoked cigarette. The pressed
grass showed where he Ind sat At
one side lay the cigarette stump and
the charred match which had lighted
IT. In front lay a scattering OF bright
metallic fragments. Sheldon recogs
nized their significance. Tudor was
notching his steel jacketed bullets or
cutting them blunt, so that they would
pread on striking-in short. be was
making them into the vicious dumdum
prohibited in modern warfare. Shei-
don knew now what would happen Co
him If bullet struck his body. It
would leave a tiny hole where ii en-.
tered, but the hole where II emerged
would be the size of "a saucer.
He decided to give up the pursuit
and lay down in the grass, protected
right and left by the row OF palms.
with, on either hand. the long avenue
extending. This he could watch. Tu
dor would have TO come to him or else
there would be no Termination OF the
affair. He wiped the sweat from his
face and tied the handkerchief around
his neck TO keep of the singing gnats
that lurked In the grass Never mad
he felt so great disgust for the thing
called adventure" Joan had been
bad enough with her Baden-Powel and
long barreled Colts. but here was this
newcomer. also looking for adventure
and finding 1t Ia no other way than by
Juggling a peace loving planter into an
absurd and preposterous bushwhack-
ing duel. If ever adventure was well
damned it was by Sheldon. sweating
In the MINDLESS grass and lighting
gnats. the while he kept close watch
up and down the avenue.
Then Tudor came Sheldon hap
pened to be looking IN his direction
at the moment he came into view,
peering quickly up and down the ave
nue. before ne stepped into the open.
Midway he stopped. as If debating
what course to pursue. He made
splendid mark. facing his concealed
enemy at 200 yards distance Shel
don aimed at the center OF bis chest.
then deliberately shifted the aim
to his right shoulder. ana. with the
thought. "That will put nim out or
business pulled the trigger The bni
let, driving with momentum sufficient
to perforate a mans body mile dis
tant. struck Tudor with such force
as TO pivot him. whirling him half
around by the shock of its impact and
knocking him down.
Hope haven't killed the beggar,
Sheldon muttered aloud. spriugng to
his feet and running forward
A hundred feet away all anxiety on
that score was relieved by Tudor. VINO
made shift with his left hand and
from his automatic pistol hurled a rain
OF bullets all around Sheldon The
latter lodged behind a palm trunk.
counting the shots. and when the
eighth bad been fred be rushed In on
the wounded man. He kicked the PTS
toll out of the others hand and then
sat down on him in order to keep him
down.
BE quiet" he said i've got you.
50 there's 10 use struggling.
Tudor still attempted to struggle
and 10 throw him of.
Keep quiet tell you" Sheldon
commanded I'm satisfied with the
= eome. and you've got to be. So
you might as well give in and call this
affair closed"
Tudor reluctantly relaxed
Rather funny. isn't IT. these modern
duels?" Sheldon grinned down at him
as he removed his weight Not a bit
dignifed. If you'd struggled a mo
ment longer I'd have rubbed your face
IN the earth. I've a good mind to do
it anyway just to teach you that duel