Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-04-03

NJ MU shooter. Inc sheriff stood at the other
GS94& n end of the bar, watching.
2S 4 %1E Waiting for his drink Julio warily ran
HSASSH his eye over the crowd surgng about him
TG& n Dirty negroes from the irrigation bitches
predomnated; but here and there Julio
sS1s'rsEsaS spotted well-known choilo, or horse
EIN thief 1t was Saturday night, and the
W. sheriff had prophesed trouble Julio had
been waiting half an hour and every min
tie the cursing had grown louder, the stencil OF cheap
quor stronger. Saturday night always bad but,
18th the Nugget crowded to the doors, and the
egro element to deal with tonight babe fair to break
be record. Julios dark eyes--the feature betray
g the Spanish in his blood-werc slightly dlatcd with
xctement For Julio knew little of fighting. He had
Zen appointed deputy sheriff six months before, but
is arrests had been quiet ones.
At the crucial moment when panic and gun-smokc
ade setting for death-ridden brawl, the
herf who fought for control The sherfs smoke
Egrimed face, surmountcd by that urmisakable
sandy hair, could always be located at the cursing,
,rithing center of any riot. It the sheriff who
new the trick of dealing a blow with the butt of his
IA blow that would slit clean cash in mans
cap and would rob him OF consciousness until he
ailed-sometimes longer Because OF this the sheriff
adj won great favor; but his deputy said to be
oward Julio knew the things said OF him. Instead OF
nfurating him. they cut him to the heart He did not
cieve that he yellow, for he had never run. But
see men fighting and snarling like dogs paralyzed
i'm; and the sight or smell Of fresh blood overcamc
i'm with a terrible nausea. Tonight would tell; the
herif had ordered him to Saturday-nght duty in the
Eugget Julio prayed for trouble The sx-shooter at
lis hip had been given him by Marie, the sherfs
laughter; he wanted her to know too. Julio glanced
own the bar and saw the sheriff drinking another
traght whisky; it must have been somewhere the
cnh since supper. 1t flashed through Juo's mind that
bis astounding capacity for drink might have
fhing to do with the herifs impervous courage; but
! put the uncean thought from him.
As Julio raised his small glass of red wine an accom-
fanyns culver Of ruby light raced up the big mirror
|efore him. and he lowered the wneglass to the bar
|e quzzically followed the fash OF descending ripple
Above the laughing oath leapcd out-thc oath that
| Ices not go unchalenged.
In the maddcned uproar Julio did not hear the shot,
but in the great mirror thousands OF wrgglng lights
fadated from a round, black hole foot above him.
bnc twisting cracl, darted like lightning fash to the
|eling The second bullet sang above his head, and
hist OF singed hair sifted his face The shaerng
mirror swayed toward him; there din OF crashing
slass-the cursng and screaming of men. The SIAM
bede dragged Julio from the bar and flung him to the
|loor A man rampng over him was plowed down
nd fell Of blood gushing from his leg. Julio
Iawed his way toward the door, crawling like some
lnimal between the trampng legs OF the stampeders.
He found himself the sidewalk, flung against the
| ront wall of the saloon He to his feet dizzly.
kgain he had been found wanting. He reeled through
The spntcred doorway He stumbled over body that
yielded sckenngly beneath his feet suffering lamp
In distant corner Of the saloon hiCkeed into feeble
anne and showed two men beneath it, graphing. Run
hing toward them, Julio the light CLINT six
shooter butt as it flashed up then sank down crook
4, MANS chOi,ldpr The man drOoned
With quiet thud Julio did not have to see the name
BIZ sandy hair that bent above the fallen body he knew
that twisted blow.
The sheriff clutchcd the unconscious by the
Shoulder With the other hand he playing the
circle of his flash huddlcd mass lay against the wall
broken chair tossed upon it.
"Thats one Of 'em Get him." the sheriff command
3D. Viydly conscious Of the unmistakablc sickness
bf the shirt he dragged the man toward the sheriff
"Thcre's more" the sheriff grunted. "Shots come
from three different places
by the door" Julio gulped 81 walked on him"
"I' take him, too"
Giles dead" Julio answered
"Ill get him to the sidewalk and the doc-man can
BAY that
They struggled toward the doorway with their CHASTITY
luqgage The sheriff added the second body to his
FARGO and without the guidance of the fashlght they
Stumbled down the ItlldlIllS Slds9St'ON" oOP9 " 'O
btreet A crowd stretched in big horseshoe before
khe door burst into an ecoing shout the officers laid
kbcir spoil upon the sidewalk. With flush mounting
10 his forehead the sheriff swept off his Stetson in
awkward recognition Julio seized the excuse to bend
Eown and manacle one of the prisoners who
ing family,
A doctor stepped forward. The Mexican who had
kaIen near the door had been shot through the heart
Julio and the doctor rolled the body to the wall and
covered it it'll the bartcnders profered bbapron The
negro and the Irish miner would live The sheriff
forced way through the crowd and loaded the pris-
pners into the first vehicle he found, Julio took the
reins and the sheriff with the doctor mounted guard
Pr the wagon-bed
ct don't know what the row started up about the
sheriff said "but they was firm from three different
spots in the saloon The only worse fight ! ever see