The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-08-30

ran from hin.
Let me 10. you. Let me freel
want 10 tight the coward that struck
my wife. You've killed her! Who
was IT, let me get at him"
Shorty stiffened as though a douche
Of ice water had struck him. Killed
herl Struck his wifeF' My God! Not
that sweet creature OF his dreams
who had talked and smiled at him
without noting his deformityl
An awful anger rose In him. and he
moved out into the light
Hans upp
| Whatever or weakness may have
dragged at his legs. none sounded in
the great believing command that
flooded the room At the compelling
volume or the sound every man whlrL
ed and eight empty hands shot sky.
ward. Their startled eyes beheld q
mans squat body weaving uncertainty
on the limbs OF an insect, while In each
hand shone a blue-black Colt that
waved and circled in maddening. er.
ratio orbits.
At the command Marsh Tremper's
mind had leaped TO the fact that be-
hind him was one man, one against
i've, and he took gamblers chance.
AS he whirled he drew and fred.
/ None but the dwarf of Bar Y could
4 have lived. for he was the deadliest
! hip shot In the territory. His bullet
crashed into the wall hands breadth
+ over Shorty's cowlick. IL was a clean
heart shot, the practiced whirl and
| flip Of the finished gun fighter. but the
roar OF his explosion was echoed by
another, and the elder Tremper spun
unsteadily against the table with a
/ broken shoulder.
TOO high" moaned the big voice
"Dern the liquor"
I He swayed drunkenly, but at the
/ slightest shift OF his quarry the aim
less wanderings of black muzzle
stopped on the spot aud the body be-
4 hind the guns was congested with
deadly menace
Face the walll" he cried "Quickl
Keep 'em up higher!" They sullenly
| obeyed, their wounded leader reach
! ing with his uninjured member
To the complacent Shorty It seemed
/ chat things were working nicely,
/ though he was dlsturblngly conscious
/ Of his alcoholic lack or balance and
/ tortured by the fear that he might
suddenly lose the iron grip OF his fac
/ ulties.
Then. for the second time that night,
/ from the stairs came the voice that
] a. Al a fgl
OF his modesty.
"Oh, Ross" II cried, i've brought
your gum And there on the steps,
dlsheyeled. pallid and quiverins. was
\ the bride, and grasped In one trem-
bling hand was her husbands weapon.
"Ah-hr sighed Shorty seraphically
as the vision beat IN upon his misty
conceptions. "She amt hurt"
In his mind there was no room for
desperadoes contemporaneously with
her Then he became conscious OF the
lady's raiment, and his brown cheeks
famed brick red, while he dropped his
eyes. In his shrinking, groveling mod.
esty he made for his dark corner
one OF those at bay, familiar with
this strange abashment, seized the mo-
ment. but at his motion the sheriff
screamed. Look outl'
The quick danger In the cry brought
back with surge the men against the
wall. and shorty swung Instantly, fir
\ ing at the outstretched hand OF Bailey
as Il reached for Tremper's weapon.
The landlord Strengthened. gazing
afrrightedly at his finger tips
TOO low" and Shortys voice held
aching tears IN never touch another
drop It's plumb ruined my aim"
"Cut these strings, giElie,' said the
sheriff rs The little mars gaze again
wavered. threatening to leave his pris-
oners. "Quickl He's blushlng again"
When they were manacled Shorty
stood I'm moist emulation. trembling
and specchless. under the incoherent
thanks OF the bride and the silent
admiration OF her handsome husband.
| She nuttered about him I'm n tremor or
anxiety lest ne be wounded, carcss-
ing him here aud there with solicitous
pats Till he felt his shamed and happy
spirit would surely burst from It's mis-
shapen prison.
You've made a good thing tonight"
said Turney. clapping him heartily on
his massive back You get the five
thousand all right We were going
10 Mexico City on that for bridal
trip when rounded up the gang, but
III see you get every cent OF H. old
man. II 1t wasn't for you I'd have
been a heap farther south than that
by now"
The open camaraderie and good fei.
lowship that rang In the mans voice
affected Shorty strangely, accustomed
as he was 20 the yelled contempt or
open compassion Of his fellows Here
was one who recognized him as a man.
an equal.
He spread his lips but the big voice
squeaked dismaly; then. initiating
deeply, he spoke SO that the prisoners
! pbnfnpd fu fha porrqt outside heard