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

a hitter kind Of Teller. You under.
stand how 1t u.s."
At Weighborne's signal, his attor.
ney halted and the men of the body
guard drew rein, keeping their places
about him.
We walked out to the middle Of the
road, and while we talked to the raw
boned, life-battered man in the center
of the hollow square, his attendants
shouted greetings to the loungers on
the porch of the store. These greet.
ings partook of the nature of pleas.
antries, and the only note of frank
hostility came from the Threats of
the hounds. They bristled and growled
with an instinct which was softened
by no artificial code of hypocrisy.
Still, 80 long as the halt lasted, the
two parties kept their eyes alertly
fixed on each other. It needed little
penetration to discover that the gen.
iality was shallow and temporary. like
that between the outposts of hostile
armies lying close-camped across an
interval soon to be closed in battle.
"You made a very unfortunate mis-
take in stopping here" said Marcus
to Weighborne in a low voice. He
nodded to two mo~untaineers who rode
on the far side Of the calvacade. They
slipped from their saddles and allowed
us to mount in their stead, while they
walked alongside carrying u bags.
AS we started forward, Weighborne
answered.
II didn't halt at Garvin's place for
choice. The wagon could go no furth.
Ell. I don't suppose there was any act
ual danger. and. after all. I wanted to
see how he would talk"
Marcus nodded and drew his mouth
tighter.
1T turns out all right" he said. but
don't do It again." ""~' = '''
After a moments silence he burst
out bitterly:
mo danger! My God, man. do you
suppose l ride like this--surrounded
by armed men-because 1t pleases my
pride?" He swept his talonlike hand
around him in a circle. Look at
them! Do you reckon I do that for
pomp and display? Do you suppose
any man likes to say good-by to his
children when he leaves home, with
the thought in his mind that it may
be a last good-by?"
"Is it as bad as that?" I questioned,
with the strangers incredulity.
He turned his hunted eyes on me
"Worse," he said briefly. II dare not
go unguarded from my house to my
barn, sir. Keithley used to carry his
two-year old child into court in his
arms. Even they would not shoot a
baby. One day he went without the
child. That day he died"
l looked at the face which was
turned toward me. It was a face from
which had been whipped the knowl-
edge of how to smile.
We rode for a half mile in silence
with only the cuppy thud of hoofs on
the soft earth, the creaking of stirrup.
leather, and the clink of offerings.
"Why," l asked at last, don't you
leave such a country and establish
yourself where you can have securi.
ty?"
His angular chin came up with a
jerk. His eyes flashed.
go away" he repeated. "Do you
think a man wants to be driven from
the country where he and his parents
and his children were born? Besides,
sir, my mother belongs to the old or
der. I was the first to be educated,
She still smokes her pipe in the chin
ney corner. She is of the mountains.
She must stay there"
He paused, then his words began
again dispassionately, and gathered.
as he talked, the fiery resonance of
the instructive orator.
"If the men who love law leave law
less countries, who, in Gods name, is
to do the work?
"These men have made a mockery
of the law. It is my desire to punish
them with the law. It is my purpose
to do so, unless they kill me first. Why
am I representing your company? For
the fee? No, sir! Good knows I need
the fee, but I shall also have a bigger
compensation. When the new order
comes l shall see Garvin's power
crumple. I shall send him to the gal
lows or to the penitentiary. That will
be my reward"
His voice was again passionate.
1.-THE filthy assassin realizes my mo-
tive, and he sees in you my allies.
Watch him, and safeguard your steps.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Fatal Ambuscade.
When we reached the attorneys
house, the realty of feud conditions
gained confederation from a hundred
small details.