The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-30

capped. 4een onyt0l0e OF 0efT
There's 4 young lady here. Shes
just been married"
'Married!'
The man jumped from his buggy,
hurried into the hotel and confronte6
the wedding party.
Edith he said. "I'm astonishe0.
Come home with me-"
This young lady" said the groom.
'is my wife. and she goes where she
chooses"
She'll go with me-"
The new arrival was q large man, the
groom rather slender and not above
the medium height. The latter threw
on his coat and stood In an appropriate
costume for a fight. The guardian took
no notice of him, but caught the girl
by an arm and began to pull her to-
ward the door. when the groom at
tracted his attention by a blow on the
jaw. The other dropped the girl and
went for his assailant like a bull after
a red cloth.
The fight lasted ten minutes. The
guardian. though he had plenty of mus
Gle, knew nothing about boxing. The
groom. On the contrary. had evidently
been taking lessons in that art. for he
kept out Of the way of his opponents
blows and now and again got Ia one
himself.
The others stood looking on. the girl
with intense eagerness. for she felt
that her fate depended on the result
Of the struggle. Once back In her
guardians hands. he might defy the
law. Every time he made a lunge for
her husband she gasped. and every
time her husband got In q blow she
danced for Joy. The landlord. fearing
that the woman was really a lunatc.
did not care to mix himself up in the
matter. and the parson was q man Of
peace.
Evidently the younger contestant
raj in training for some athletic
event, or perhaps his devotion to his
wheel gave him endurance. for as his
stouter opponent lost his wind the 9th
er gained his own. But matters were
still undecided when the latter got In
a blow under the chin that threw his
antagonist backward. He fell on the
floor and. hitting his head against an
oaken chair, lay quiet.
"Come." said the wife: ''let US be or
before he gets on his feet again."
Leaving the fallen ma to the care
Of the landlord and the parson. the
groom lifted his wife on to her horse.
and, getting on his bicycle. in this in
congruous fashion they rode away.
isn't this too ridiculous for any
thing?" said the bride. If it were not
a matter possibly Of life or death with
MI l believe I should laugh"
"a prancing steed and n bike with a
croak in the rear wheel aren't a we'll
matched team. are they?"
They had not gone far before a horse
man was seen galloping toward them.
When they met he refined in and they
also stopped.
II feared 1 would be too late" said
the newcomer.
"You are too late," said the girl.
What do you mean?"
Gin order to escape my guardian I
was obliged to take a husband. This
gentleman kindly offered to help me
out"
MAUD exclaimed the man, "you
don't mean to tell me that you r
married."
"Married-not fifteen minutes ago.
Why were you not at the Antlers when
Il thought I had plenty of time"
"what you thought doesn't help
matters. Had it not been for this gen.
tleman-my husband-I would now be
going back to my place Of imprison-
ment."
"You must get a divorce"
"If l do / don't know that I'll marry
you"
'Maud!" reproachfully.
"See. here interrupted the groom,
where do l come in in this businessT'
"You don't come in at ALL" said the.
other man angrily. "You go out"
perhaps I shall. but I've licked n
man for my bride. and before ! give
her up I'll lick another"
We'll see about that" said the other
savagely. throwing himself OF his
horse. He was angry with himself for
having been too late. and a man angry
with himself Is prone to be angry with
every one else. He stalked up to the
groom. who was standing by his wheel.
and shaking his fist in his face.
growled:
you'll help annul this marriage or
I'll break every bone in your body"
Harry exclaimed Maud. "You. are
acting like a fool. You can't bring
about an anpulment that way"
But before the last word vas spoken
Harry and the impromptu hubbard
were pummeling each other unmerct-
fully. Harry. whose hardness had oc-
CURED from having stopped at q road
house to refresh himself, was BY NO
means in the condition Of his enemy
and was knocked out in half the time
required to do the guardian. After Q
fall he tried to rise. but, falling, sat IN
the road covered with dust and blood.
49, sEH-Haha