Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-10

woman is to be respected"
Madge, who could talk only by ne,
expression, showed plainly that he,
warning was n matter Of irnDorfanc.
and she was troubled that her cham
pion showed no disposition to heed {,
She tried to say something, but wbe.t.
or It was through an ernbarrs ssrnen,
that was new to her or her conscfo,s
ness of the uncouth manner Of exr,rees.
ing herself she gave # up and went
on her way. Tucker returned to wba,
he had been thinking about before tho
/ interruption, and the incident passed
out Of his mind.
But what Madge had to say TO Trsck
/ er was of too much moment 70 3.
omitted simply because she did not
| know how to talk TO q gentleman. One
| day when he was sitting in the LITTLE
/ cabin which served for an Office and a
lodging she appeared at the door.
"Y' didn't pay no 'tention to what
tole y t'other day. Eff v don't xou,ll
git shot in the back Don't 20 down
the road to the Jackpot mine without
loodn' about you"
who's to do the shootingr"
John"
1.-THE fellow slapped for strikin,
your"
Yes"
"Now, look here. my girl. Don't you
go about worrying for fear that miser.
able coward is going to bother me- He
hasn't the pluck of a mouse"
at don't require no pluck to shoot
man in the back"
well, since you seem to think the
matter is serious 1 promise you to be
on my guard"
But the promise was forgotten as
soon as made. a week passed and
nothing happened. Tucker was getting
near the end of his professional work
and expected to leave the camp in a
few days. One afternoon-it was the
day before his appointed leaving-he
started for the Jackpot mine, which
was his field of labor, for some arti-
cles he had left there and which he
wished to take away with him. As
he walked along his mind, now freed
from his duties, fell upon Madge and
her warning
unused, "the dangers that threaten him
in this world he'll never have time for
anything else. Only timid persons are
troubled by the threats of towards
If that fellow had had any disposition
to injure me he would have shown it
when cuffed him"
He was approaching turn in the
road. and at the moment he heard the
crack of some weapon very near and
directly ahead of him. He ran for
ward to see what it meant. but before
he reached the turn there came another
crack. He rounded some trees and
saw a woman lying in the road with
rife beside her. STOPPING over her. he
saw that she was Madge. Looking
about for the cause of her being there.
he caught a glimpse of John running
ike a deer through the wood.
For moment he hesitated between
the man and the girl; but, remember
ing that the former would keep and
the latter needed his attention, he rails
ed her. She was drawing the last
breaths of life, but she knew him.
There was a look in her face of one
who was dying in place of the man
who would have died had she not ac-
cepted the sacrifice.
Tucker held her while her life ebbed
and when it was over carried her in
among the trees and laid her down till
be could go for assistance.
Madge was removed to the camp.
All importuned Tucker as TO who had
killed her Tucker made no reply
He was satisfied that John had not
seen him and looked for the murderer
TO remain about the camp, expecting
that his deed would be a mystery.
Tucker did not intend that court or
even Judge Lynch should try John
Both were liable to err. He knew the
facts and would not err. This girl
had warned him and. finding that h.
would not heed the warning. had con
stituted herself his defender. John
lad been on the road to kill him
dadge had waylaid the would be muir
lerer. shots had been exchanged. ana
fadge had been the victim.
When Madge was laid away John
vas present in the camp. though lie
lid not attend the burial. When all
vas over Tucker. unseen by the oth-
RS, beckoned the murderer to follow
i'm and started away into wood
ohm paled. hesitated. then went after
tucker. When they had reached
lace where they would be neither
card nor seen Tucker turned and
aid:
IF you are armed throw away your
Teapon. | am unarmed."
John did as he was directed. i.
Now" added Tucker. Il am going
} avenge the girl you murdered and
18th my muscles. unaided 10y knife or
avolver"
Half an hour later Tucker went back
} the camp. told what he knew a9oHt
lie murder and said that Johns body
ould be found in the wood.
Several went and buried il. Tueks'
It for hcpe.