The evening world., 1912-01-04
Two-Gun Man
The Best Cowbov Story h Ten Years
By Charles Alden Settler

some one who knows. why didn't o
you were hired by Stafford Ia 90
Why. I didn't. ma'am." he protested.
his face pallng.
You did, She stamped one foot
vehemeutIy.
FerGuson's eyes dropped. II came
here to see II Ren was rustiin' csttDs,
ma'am." he confessed frankly. But I
wasn't intendin' to shoot him. Why,
I've had lots OF chances. an dAn't
do II. Ain that proof enough7"
NO" she returned. her voice thrilling
with a sudden. bitter irony. you didn't
shoot him. That Is. you didn't shoot
him while he was looking At you-when
there was a chance that no mieht have
given you as good as you sent. No, You
didn't shoot him then-you waited until
his hack wa turred. You-you coward"
F~erguson's ios whitened. You're
taikin' extravagant. ma'am." he said
coldiy. "Somethin' 10 all mixed up. Has
some ono been shootin' Benz
She sneered. ginning him with q acorn.
tu'. whitening glance. II expected thai
You would deny IT," she returned. 'srhaf
would b following out your policy e
.o""c. WARD. MS eyes wide With
surpr'se. II .he had not been iaborias
might have seen that his surpris. ~
senu'ne. but she was certain that II
was mere c~rafunass-a c~raStinsss mar
she mad hitherto admired, but vSich
heart. S' !" nv
When was no shot." 10 eu.suo..a
quietly. ~
Last nisht." she answered scornh,rv
of course that II a surprise To Won a..
an hour after O left he rods n. A.
.hs CABIN and fell from his iorss A.
me edse Of tho porch. He had bsen
sno' twice both times In the bsck.
she iaughed-almost hysterieaify. ..On
YOU khew enough not 10 take chsnces
w" nn' N spite OF your lbraSginR
IN spite or tho reputation Won havs
or being "A 'two-gun' mani"
lie WINGED under her words. MI. a..
whitening, his lips twltchlnx. his hsnS.
clenched that he might not los. his
cofnposure. But IN spite Of tho sor.
met that was going on within him A.
'he moment he managed TO keen nj.
voice quiet and even II was sdmirAhis
acting, she thought. her eyes burnin~
WIN passion-despicab BILE. Contemplate
acting.
I reckon ! Amt tho snake you think
am. ma'am." he said. looking steady
AT nor But I'm ndmittin' that ,neb,e
You've Got cause IN think 10. When I
le!t Ben last niEht I shook hands with
MIN. after kin up the difference rs'd
mad. Why. ma'am.' he vent on ear
nestly, l just got through tellin' him
about you an mo fEgerin' to get hooked
up. An do you think I'd shoot him
after that? Why. II I'd been vantin' to
shoot him ] reckon there was nOthin'
to stop me while he was standln' there.
He'd never knowed what struck him.
I'm tell!n' you that l didn't know he
was shot: that
She made a gesture Of Impotence. Ell
don't think | care to hear any MORE
she said. II heard the shots here on
tho porch. suppose you were so fsr
away at that time that you couldn't
hear them?"
lie writhed again under the scorn In
her voice. But he spoke again. earnest
~. II lid hear some shootin'." he said
after I'd gone ON q ways. But
reckoned II was Ben"
What do you suppose he would he
shooting at at that time OF the night
she demanded,
why. ! don't remember that I was
doin' a heap OF wondering at tina, time
about H." he returned hesitstlnSly.
"Mebbe I thought he was shoo,in' at q
sage hen. or 4 prairie dog-or somethin'
Tve often took q shot at somethin' like
that-whsn I've been alone that way"
He took a step toward her, his whole
hthe body alive and tinslins With
earnestness. Why. ma'am. there's a
big mistake some where's. u ] could
talk to Rem I'm sure ! could o.
plain"-
She drew her skirts close and stepped
back toward the door. There IL moth
Ing to explalr-now," she said coldly,
Ben Is doing nicely. and when hs has
fully recovered you will have q nance
to explain TO h.m-lf YOU are no.
afraid"
"Afrald7' he laughed grimly. Il ex-
peot. ma'am. that things look pretty
bad for me. They always % when
some ones tryin' TO make 'em. !
reckon there amt any use Of tryin' "a
straighten II out now--vou won't listen.
But I'm tellin' you this: When every
thing comes out you'll see that I didp'S
shoot your brother"
"Of course not" sneersd the girl,
you did not shoot him. Sta fford did
not hire YOU to do II. You didn't CONS
here. pretending that YOU had beer
bitten by a RATHER. 50 that yon nigh
have "A chance to worm yourself Into IN,
brothers favor-and then shoot him
You haven't been hanging around Eeal
Fiat al. summer, pretending TO look fol
stray Two Diamond cattle. You haven
been trying 10 make a fool OF me-
Her voice ttembled and her lips quiv.
cred susplclously.
uo Be cont!nusd) 49,