Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-12-04
MAk|hG uf BILLY
Concerning a Battle OF the
Strong on a Field Of Glory
and Shame.
BY ViNGlE e. ROE.

He was an odd little scrap Vi hu'
manity.
In his hazy childhood, somewhere
on farm, he had been an enigma 70
those who knew him.
He was slight and small, and had
shock of soft, light hair that curled. IL
was that hair that gave him such an
air Of innocence-that and pair OF
eyes whose expression was one OF
wistful wonder.
Then, too, he had sensitive, whim-
sical mouth, and with this combination
he was destined to mislead certain OF
those who were over-trustful. While he
was little shaver he had sloughed
the environment Of the farm and taken
up his abode in the great city. 1t was
born In him, and those who had raised
him from the precarious start Of an
orphan asylum, realizing 1t sadly, for
Billy's eyes had won their love, let
him 90.
He never went back. and he never
heard from the old folks, except once
when he was twenty, and the papers
advertised for him, with the informa-
tion that the old mans will had left
him $500. Billy had read that, and his
baby-soft eyes had filled with impul-
sive tears. He wished for a moment
that he had stayed with them-they
who had not forgotten him in all these
years.
The impulse was only momentary,
hrt cnmnhnu, hA hnl taI 80
touch that money. 1t was something
outside of his life-clean, standing for
something that he remembered, long
way on. 1t was placed on interest in
the bank Of the little village, SO the
papers said, awaiting the sometime
coming of the owner.
So he went about his life.
He knew many tricks that we're
worth money to a certain type; his
education had come to him through
many and varied channels, and the
ways of the world were good to him.
He left Chicago and went West.
He had heard OF the wonderful op-
portunities of the frontier, and he de.
cided that there was the place for the
display OF his talents, varied and Sc
lect. He drifted happily into that
great region Of strenuous living and
quick results and kept his health, for
he lacked neither defensive ability nor
very quiet courage.
He had proved that before long, one
night at Granger City. He was sitting
at table alone. playing solitaire in
Black Pete's saloon, when a big man
In blue shirt and chaps strobe In.
He swung up to the bar and demanded
drinks for everybody, and everybody
In the house rose to him, except Billy,
who always wished afterward that he.
too, had risen, for out OF the very fact
OF his sitting still came that which
followed.
But Billy, though he knew lots.
didn't know the etiquette OF a frontier
town. So he went on with his game Of
solitaire-that Is. until a prolonged
and painful silence warned him to
look up.
The bully OF the three counties in.
vited him, as the scum OF the earth,
TO arise and partake. or be converted
Into sieve. Whereat Billy's yellow.
gray eyes flashed. and he made a quiet
remark.
He never knew how It happened.
only after the rattle OF shots he found
himself with his smoking gun in his
hand, and the spectators were crawl.
ing out to look at huddled heap by
the bar.
Billy calmly took out his knife and
made a little notch on the gun.butt.
II was good for effect. but he went out
with the biggest ache in his heart
that he had ever known.
Then he drifted to Granite, and Il
was there that he conceived his
scheme. II came TO him suddenly
but he was on the lookout for lnspira.
ton.
II had TO do with the United States
mail-stage which ratified into Gran
ite every day at five. or thereabouts
from up at Eagle Pass. Billy noticed
the strong box beneath the seat oi
the driver which was so carefully de
posted In the Granite Citizens bank
the box that came from the mining
town above.
Inside OF month Billy was full
fedged stage-driver from Gulch City
up among the mountains. to Dead
Horse, down the plains. duly bonded
to the government. and carrying golt
enough each trip TO tempt a saint.
About the middle OF the secont
month came the day when his dreami
were TO end-and begin-in earnest.
There was n good beginning. for II
the first place there we're no passen
gers on the down trip. Billy thanke,
fate for that. Then. as soon as h,
swung into White Cap cut out o
Guloh City, he reached down an,
hefted the box. His yellow eyes mai
rowed. for II was dead Heavy.
Down at point he knew about tn
good horse waited, and his life in th
West would soon be thing OF IN
past. Through the San Jaclnto valley
across the border OF Mexico, dow
through the republic 10 some city o
the coast where one might get shiI