Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1914-11-12
Glass VS.. Bullets.

The sheriff hdd Known all along l1dI
the half-breed girl was tricking him.
But "Big Tom" Bagley had meant to be
tricked. He wanted to set eyes upon
"Kid" Long. not to follow dubious trail
that might lead nowhere. And he had
been certain that, at some time or other,
the "Kid" would show up at Naida'S
shack.
MAZDA lived alone, save for The old
crone who was said to be her mother
and looked like her great-grardmother,
twelve miles out in the Painted Desert.
1t is the cruelest of all deserts. II breeds
scorpions and gilas and venomouS things,
and those who take to it, whether per-
force or from natural affinity, share the
same nature.
Half Spanish, half Indian, MAZDA, at
seventeen, was fit mate for the "Kid,"
tie most bloodthirsty, and at the same
time cowardIy, OF the bad men of Par
thenon county. The list OF deaths which
he had checked off in notches on the
barrel OF his Winchester had all Teen OF
inoffensive men, and nearly all had been
killed unarmed or unaWareS. "Big Tom"
Bagley had laughed when he was warned
OF the outlaws reputation. James PEN
ney, the sheep owner a man universally
esteemed for his quiet, law abiding ma
ture, had been shot in tha back by "Kid"
Long, on account OF some grudge the
outlaw bore. and Bagley had just taken
down his rifle, saddled his mare and rid
den out TO Naida's cabin.
AT first the Indian girl tried an affecta-
ton OF ignorance, then caiolery, then
threats. None of these moved big
Tom" 81 reckon if your man amt here
he'll be along soon," he said, and took
up his quarters in the cabin.
MAZDA began to be in deadly fear OF the
big, quiet man who treated her with such
Difference. She planned to ride out to
the "Kid" and give him warning. The
"Kid" was lying up among the hills
fearing posse, and il was cold there
He longed for the comfort OF the cabin.
But if he had known that only "Big
Tom" was there he would not have hes
itated for moment. The coyote is al
ways match for the lion in guile.
As soon as MAZDA, at dawn, had leaped
upon the back Of her mustang she saw
Bagey standing in the doorway.
"Going riding, Miss Nadia ?" drawled
the sheriff. 81 reckon III 60 along with
you, TO see you don't come to no harm."
For answer MAZDA dug her heels into
the pony's flanks, and the desert bred
steed was away like the wind. But, half
an hour later, when it pulled up, breath
less, with heaving TANKS, the sheriff was
at Naida's side, and his mare, though
blown, was still unwinded.
BEST be getting home for breakfast.
hadn't we ?" he asked, with a touch OF
humor in his gruif voice.
Nadia rode back five PAGES in front of
him. She knew that she was beaten.
Not altogether, though. Sheriff Bag
ley had the instinct Of cat when the
mouse was out. The next morning at,
five that instinct made him crawl from
his mattress in the little room above the
kitchen, which he had occupied unaSked.
He saw streak OF sunlight dan cing upon
rock about two miles distant There
would have been nothing strange about
that, only The sunlight was round.
Backward and forward it jumped, and
the sheriff stood grimly watching it.
Then, looking downward, he saw the
edge OF Naida's skirt in the doorway.
The sheriff went back TO bed, turned
over, and had short sleep. Then he
got up and went downstairs in leiSureIy
manner. Neither the girl nor the old
crone was TO be seen.
The sheriff hunted about until he found
the minor-a small, round one, which the
"Kid" had probably brought her from one
OF his jaunts in town. The sheriff slipped
it up his big sleeve, took his Winchester,
and lay down under tree, facing in the
direction Of the distant hills. His rifle he
snuggled up against his side, keeping his
finger conveniently near the trigger.
Since il was hot, the sheriff enjoyed
brief siesta.
Half an hour later, lazily opening one
eye, he perceived figure creeping cau-
tously through the boulders OF the dry
gulch about three hundred YARDS distant
In IFS hand was rifle The sheriff edged
little, so that the tree covered him.
Bang The "Kid's" first shot came un-
commonly near. The "Kid" thought the
sheriff asleep, but he thought that he
could put bullet through him at that
distance, so that it was unnecessary to
take any chances.
The sheriff did not reply, because it is
difficult TO hit an inch Of eyebrow at three
hundred yards. He pulled the mirror out
OF his sleeve and dandled Tin his fingers.
The second shot went wild.
The sheriff rose quietly TO his feet, and
he did not seem TO be D rticularly inter
ested in the man in the arroyo for he
strolled toward him in quite a casual man.
ner. He still held the mirror in his fin
gers, and he advanced so steadily, and
apparently disinterested and quiet in his
mind, that the reflection played always
upon that inch OF eyebrow and the left
eye underneath it. And, try hard as he
might, the "Kid" could never get his eye
clear OF that circle Of light, unless he
ducked behind the stone. And whenever
he did so he always looked up to see the
sheriff good deal nearer. Yet the sheriff
was strolling toward him at the same even