Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-17
The Daily Story
Greeting Gun Handler-By Vingie e. Roe.
Copyrighted 1914 by Associated Literary Bureau

them with his hands tied and a rooe
about bis neck. Its huge knot stood
out prominently under his left ear. He
was a bad type, heavy featured. bold
eyed man, whose record OF evil was
stamped upon his face.
One of the others was casting tbe
loose end for a high limb as the new.
corners stopped abreast.
With a disdafnful disregard for in.
reference this bunch of avengers
worked in silence. not even protesting
against the stopping Of the stage
Not so the two officers against tha
! tree.
hoarsely. get out OF there. you men.
| and stop this outraged This man is our
prisoner-suspected horse thief from
Sleepy Fork-and we were taking him
to Circle to the federal Jail when these
men took him from us by force. Get
out and do somethingP'
All left the stage except the travel
ing man, who crouched back in one
corner. and later when the party re-
turned he was found in a faint An
the bully got out he tried TO edge
around so as to get behind some OF the
others as much as possible.
The big black guns in the holsters OF
the bully attracted the eyes Of the
sheriff.
ST deputize your he yelled. "Cut
these ropes and give me a gun! Stop
themw
"Why-why"- said the bully. "why
this hain't"-
At this moment the rope sailed over
the high limb, fell, swung. was caught
by a dozen eager hands and snatched
taut in an instant
The eight masked men stepped back
all together. took good grip. their
hands reaching high along the rope.
and. lifting one foot each for purchase
and start. heaved hard away.
The rancher was old in the ways OF
the wilderness. and he stood silept. be-
ing unarmed, only his dilating. kindly
eyes showing his horror. The bully
was agape with his hands up. trans
fixed In the presence of death.
Only the slim. handsome woman be-
hind them was keenly alive, 1t seemed.
AS that tragic line sway ed faulty back
ward and down her tw' white hands,
from which she had stripped the
gloves. reached forward. The sensl-
tive fingers closed caressingly around
the gun butts at the hully's hips, there
was a fash of gun metal, spring Of
the slim blue clad figure to one side.
and the next instant the hills awoke
to thunder as tie horse thief rose,
in the air.
The first shot, a perceptible second
apart, was for the spokesman who Gov
cred the two men and the driver on
the box, and it sent his gun hurting
against the rocks of the roadside.
Then, in such swift succession as to
seem a roaring volley, the black guns
spoke together, and one by one. Ike
leaves falling in a wind, every second
hand dropped, red and shattered, from
the rope above their heads.
The miserable thing at the ropes
end fell to the earth In heap.
Yells, screams, curses rose in fan
tastic clamor as five men flung useless
arms in panic. The others, their grip
20 low as to be shielded by their COM
-ades' bodies. sprang away.
Don't move" said clear voice cut
ingly. 81 have few shots left"
She nodded to the rancher
Loosen that rope on that mans
lcCh- 4udukS. 4NOm InS OLhGGiS.
NOW" said the woman at last, you
nay go-au of you. And don't look
Jack"
Without protest the masked line
trung out. a grotesque procession. and
disappeared down the white road. its
rogress marked by trailing sprinkles +.
n the dust.
Then speech broke out among those
.ft, and the officers and the old driver
7ere for almost groveling before her.
what nerve! Where do you come
romT
But the woman only smiled and
7ould answer nothing.
She handed the black guns to the
I'm man with a smile.
THE west hain't what it was" she
lid. Its ben spilled by these john
y Easternsr'
But the bully had no word. He sim
y climbed up on the boot Beside the
river.
At shutdown the stage numbered into
lie forgotten town among the noun
ins. The woman looked wistfulIy
'ound with the light OF dim remem-
,red things in her eyes.
As they alighted at the tumbledown
Jack that had once been Meadow
ines hotel the rancher took of his
It as he helped her out. Il may be
lttin' in on what you don't want TO
TX about" he said. but I've seen
& Bill Daily shoot the buttons of
a mans vest, an he had draw
,e no ones in the world-a sort OF
p an flourish. You throwed bis
aw."
His bright, kindly eyes held an IN
oxen question.
rhe woman smiled. ii
Why shouldn't ]? ?" she said calmly
m his daughter. He taught me how
shoot before he died ten years ago..