Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-05-03
Two Make a
Quarrel
1t just Escaped q Serious
Ending
By OoRorHRA HALE

ranch were herding bunch OF cattle
among the Bow hills, which were not
really hills at all, but bits Of the prai-
rie lifted into little mounds OF heritage.
Gabriel and Theron Crane had not spO-
ken for three weeks. The reason for
their sudden change from warm friend
illness TO bitter enmity was mystery
to their comrades and matter for re-
great for the entire outfit.
Now they rode few hundred yards
apart, silent. taciturn and moody. II
was not for them with hatred In their
hearts to rejoice In the sweetness of
the spring morning or to feel the pulse
of the new season beating strong with
in them.
A very little matter precipitated the
smoldering passions that lay beneath
the calm exterior OF their sun Drowned
faces Gabriel in passing his comrade,
who was smoking one of his everlast.
ing cigarettes. felt the stinging burn of
dying ash against his cheek. Invol.
unfairly his hand sought his hip peck.
ct. but Crane had already drawn and
wasSlooking rooliy at him from behind
his heavy wenpOn.
we'll" drawled Crane after little
startled pause. did you reckon you
could do for me this wayT
you know better than that. You
needn't chuck your sparks In my face. '
retorted Gabriel furiously.
Crane smiled with puzzled look be-
hind his honest eyes. whats eating
49, l,o As,A a ffnr an ltffIa
pause.
Whats eating you. you mean. You
been looking for trouble this here three
weeks heard all about what you
said down to the canyon 4" Gabriel
still sat half turned on his saddle. one
hand on his hip. r
Looking for troubler' repeate
Crane incrednIously. "why. | been
trying to keep outer trouble with you
I reckoned you'd lay for me some
LAY for your roared Gabriel ~
amt that kind When have bone to
pick I amt a-going around throwing
cigarette ashes in anybody's face. If
yon got anything against the III meet
you down to Satan's gulch and well
fight 1t out"
There won't but one 60 home again. 9
said Crane angrily.
Sure" t'
when Will You be thereT
Tomorrow. morning at half past a."
without another word they sep
arated.
There was a certain air of grim de-
termination in Gabriei's manner that
-. No.
Tim Lewis to exchange uneasy glancesi
and later to meet at the gate Of the
corral Harry Barry was the flrsr To
break the silence. 49, ...;s
"Gabriers cleaning his gum" he re-
marked with assumed iightness
SOS Crane" said Tim significantly
What do you think they're going to-
dor" asked Harry uneasily.
Tim Lewis shook bis head dubiousIy
mo telling"
mary guess They've never been the
since they came home from that dona
ton bee over to the Forks church"
Donation beef reckon you're
meaning the party they give the new
minister. where everybody took vic
tuals and then stayed to eat up what
they brought"
Harry Barry nodded his handsome
head II guess ] was some mixed up
with the quilting bee ! heard they was
giving to the widder who keeps house
for the minister Whatever. made
them two geezers get mad at each
other?. They didn't have anything to
drink except milk. They paid some
notice to the Wilder Padrose.''
Tim Lewis shook his head obviously
And they was always the best of
friends" mourned Harry Barry. Per
haps woman came between EN-" he
added hopefully as one who had dis
covered an elusive clew
Don't blame everything on the win
men," chided Tim. There isn't any
use rs guessing. We better do what
we can to help keep 'em from manu-
featuring sieves."
"You mean to draw the charges from |
them guns" observed Harry Barry |
But somehow don't know as 4 like ]
the job of taking Gabriers gun away |
from him while he's sleeping innocent |
like Why. he'd 60 Into the sieve |
business right away With me for 9
Guess again"
MY best guess Is that IN get up |
bright and early and trail 'em till Fun
satisfied they're not out for blood"
said Tim
Long before Harry barry had thrust
MS head from beneath his blanket
Gabriel and Crane mad arisen Ms by |
mutual accord and. dressing quietly.
had gone down to the corral and
taught up their horses
Out In the pale dawn of new day
ode the two men who had been close
'riends for years. They both knew that
me would never come back and the
,ther would be a fugitive from Justice
Which one would be the fugitive and
which the other thlngf
Perhaps they were asking Themselves
hese questions as they rode swiftly
ind silently across the ,dewy grass
arRe and brown. with strongly MARK
"a fhay rxrsone mn a.. t,..usx