The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-12-09

and laughed.
ooh. we hear a good deal Of talk
down below" he explained, about
the shot from the laurel, and all that
sort of thing"
Judge Garvin laughed heartily.
ooh, pshaw!" he exclaimed in high
good humor. There amt nothing In
all that. Them newspapers down be
lows jest obliged to have somethin'
to talk about. We're all neighbors up
here. We're simple sort of folks.
Sometimes we has our little argy.
ments, but" The lips still smiled
genially.
He paused, and his voice was like a
benediction as he went on. But l
hope we amt got in nc such serious
fix that we needs regulation from out
side. They do say that most of them
fellers that got killed needed KILN
pretty bad. I've lost two brothers.
but I Amt kickin'."
Weighborne saw that a withdrawal
from debate would be advisable, but
that this withdrawal must not seem
precipitate.
However, as a matter of argument"
he suggested, rs any man competent
to decide that his enemy needs kill
ing?"
The Judge went into his trousers
pocket and produced q twist Of tobac-
CO, into which he bit generously be.
fore replying.
"Well," he drawled, "your enemy's
the man that's goin' to decide whether
you need KILN. Why don't It work
both ways?"
Weighborne made nc reply. One
cannot argue with a set opinion. The
loungers were saying nothing but
their eyes dwelt admiringly on their
spokesman. At last Garvin smiling.
ly inquired.
you'd have to condemn rights Of
way, I reckon?"
"Only where we couldn't make in
dividual trades" answered my CON-
panion.
"That procedure amt apt to be pop
ular," reflected Judge Garvin.
"You gentlemen understand I amt
criticism" he assured US when we
made no reply. "1f condemnation suits
are brought in my cote I amt got no
personal interests to serve I'm just
namin' it to you, because you asked
about the peoples notions, that's all"
AT least" fenced Weighborne, you
yourself see the advantages of devel-
opment?"
1t was putting a question which was
almost a challenge to this leader of
the old, lawless order whose baronial
power we threatened. He answered 1t
with no flicker of visible interest in
his pleasant drawl.
"Well, as that, what little property
I've got would be benefited but, a. an
officer of the law, I reckon 1t wouldn't
hardly be proper for me to take Sides"
A moment later he Hospitality added
eff there's any courtesy I a show
you gentlemen, just call on me. Where
are you goin' to stop att"
l gazed on this lord of lies with COM
PEELED fascination.
"We are On our way to the Gallo
way Marcus place." explained my
companion in a casual voice.
There was no change of expression
on the face of the ~storekeeper, though
the name was one he venomously
hated. One or two Of the more W.
guarded loungers scowled in silence.
"How did you calclate to git thar"
asked Garvin. cts all Of two miles,
straight up an down."
Il suppose We shall have to walk"
said Weighborne.
"Td like to take you over thar" said
the Judge thoughtfully; Il sure would,
but the fact is, me and Cal Marcus
amt got much in common and-well,
you understand how it is"
We thanked him for his solicitude,
and at the same moment one of the
henchmen drew him aside and spoke
in a low voice. Garvin came back and
addressed us again.
"Curt Davis says Cal Marcus went
past here this mornin' goin' towards
town. It's an hour by sun, now-he'd
ought to be comm back this way be-
fore long,"
We had left our bags outside, and
I took up a position near the door
where l could watch the twisting ruts
of the drab road. We talked, as we
waited, of the outside word, and Gar
vim a%stonished me by his grasp on
general affairs.
At last Marcus arrived, and his COM
ing made a strange picture which
dwells still in my mind. The western
sky was all ash of rose, and the higher
clouds were dark masses edged with
gold. The hills were gray and frowr
ing ramparts, with bristling crests.
Against this setting, around the shout
der of the mountain, appeared a gro
tesque cortege.
A half score of rough men mounted