Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-04-15


and I'm afraid Of him."
HE won't hurt you. will he?"
"No, but he may hurt you"
"Is that the only reason must keep
awayY'
Yes"
Then I'll come as usual"
One day Tom Swartout was playing
friendly game with some of his asso-
eiates in an adobe one story house
when Billy and Daisy rode by on
horseback.
There goes your girl. Tom" said
one Of the party. "Are you going to
give her up to that purity little feller
without a STRUGGLED"
Tom didn't need the taunt to egg
him on. He arose from his seat, went
10 the door and looked after Billy and
Daisy.
why don't you let her see you pull
his nose?" asked a cowboy. "That'll
show her the difference between a
man and boy"
Tom said nothing. but ground his
teeth.
go for him." said third.
Swartout strobe to his horse that
was picketed near by, united and
mounted him, then rode after the cou-
pie. He didn't know what he was
going to do. He was mad with jeal-
ousy and intended, or, rather, was i'm
PEELED by the devil within him, to
make display Of 1t. Unfortunately
he had a revolver at his belt and a
Winchester attached to hook on his
saddle. He had no idea of using Ell
ther of the weapons. Indeed, he for
got that he had them.
Now, 1t seems that Daisy knew
Toms haunts and had suggested to
Billy that they had better not ride by
the adobe house. But Billy said IL he
couldn't ride where he liked he had
better go back east. Daisy's anxiety
led her, when she passed the house. to
look in, and she saw Tom. At the
same moment he looked up and saw
her and Billy AS for Billy, he was
looking straight ahead.
When the two had gone something
over quarter Of mile from the house
where the game was going on Daisy
turned to look back and saw Tom COM
ing. She inferred that what she had
dreaded was about to happen. She
put the spurs to her horse. Billy look
ed back to see what had started her on
and saw Tom coming He also saw
several cowboys one by one leaving
the house. mounting and riding after
Tom. They wanted to see Som pull
the little tenderfoot's nose.
Everybody in that country carried
weapons except Billy. whose work nj
the station rendered 1t inconvenient for
him to do so. He was not armed now,
even with a knife. But Daisy. who
was something of sportswoman,
usually had rifle slung to her saddle.
Billy. seeing an enemy coming. nat
urally longed for weapon ard, find
ing Daisy's rifle handy. bent over and
unlocked 1t.
Swartout saw him do this. He didn't
see Daisy prevent him. She only
strongly advised putting the rifle back.
Tom was maddened more than ever at
seeing Billy about to use Dalsys rifle
with which to shoot him. He unhook-
ed his own rifle. Billy told Daisy she'd
better ride on; she might get hurt In
stead of doing so she tried to put her
self between the rivals.
Here is where Billy showed manly
instincts. while Tom showed brutal
ones. Billy refrained from firing al
Tom from the protection Of woman'S
skirts, but Tom fred at Billy as soon
us there was chance Of doing SC
without hitting Daisy. The bullet sang
between the two, who were not three
feet apart.
Billy was dlsgusted, but averse to
| taking his rivals life. lie could have
killed his enemy at a single shot but
rather than do so he permitted Daisy
to get in front of him and refrained
froEl firing.
"Come out from behind a woman,
you cowardw yelled Swartout, and
those behind him ieered.
Billy gave his horse the spur, the
animal jumped, and when he lit on his
feet Il bullet went from the muzzle OF
Bllly's rife straight for his enemy.
Tom fell from his horse. His friends
galloped up and dlsmounted beside
him. Daisy in frenzy rode on, and
Billy followed her.
1t was supposed that Tom Swartout
was mortally wounded. Billy knew
better. He had put the ball where 1t
would do the most damage without
killing his man. Tom recovered, but
the sympathy of the best people of the
community was with McElligott, and
his enemy was universally condemned.
Long before he was well enough to be
out Billy had gone up another round
in the ladder Of railroad man, and
the two did not meet again.
When 1t became known that the
little station agent had fought and
nearly killed Tom Swartout the people
Of that region were filed with aston
/ ishment.
n