The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-24
| The lOWRIE PASS HUD
BY ELLEN MARIE CLIFFORD

81 am coming to your house to lick
you. Thursday night. June H." wrote
Budd Nevers to his rival ana enc
N.Y." Wharton Lind.
Here was the situation: At Lowrie
Pass the better class OF the rancn
community had centered. Two miles
down the river the settlement called
Paynters had been slow to meet the
advance guard Of civilization. When
Young Wharton Lind had come to an
ery words with Budd, the Wharton
family, discerning trouble, had moved
over to Lowrie.
II was the sister Of Wharton Lima
who received the warning challenge
She opened it and read it. and her
proud handsome face flashed and her
eyes took somber determined look
to their depths.
Wharton had been away at college
up to a year previous. He was brave
as a lion, but he had not acquired the
sturdy strength that comes with out
door ranch life On the contrary,
Helena had gained the bronze, the
hardened muscles, the health-glowing
face of a true northwestern prairie
girl. She was the admiration OF her
own sex and the cherished model OF
her numerous gentleman friends
There went back to Budd a terse
single line: wharton Lind is ready
for you"
Budd swa ggered around his friends
down at Paynters all the morning OF
the day set for the combat. He went
over to Lowrie about dusk, took
drink or two and rode up to the LIND
home on his mettled broncho boldly
and full of confidence.
II was a moonless night and the
house was wrapped in darkness, ex-
cept where broad stream OF radi-
ance reflected across the grass from
a lamp in the untenanted sitting room
He made out a figure leaning against
one of the posts clad in buckskin garb
and wearing the shadowing sombrero
of the district.
"rm Budd Pavnter," announced the
visitor brusquely. Ready for bust
ness?"
In reply his waiting adversary nod
ded and led the way to clear level
spot fifty feet away. Then began the
battle.
Budd sailed in" over-confdent In
his opinion of his superiority over a
tenderfoot. Then he set on guard.
There had come half dozen quick
blows that dazed him. AS his op-
ponent grappled. he felt himself lift.
ed featherlike and flung ten feet
away. landing with a shock.
you've won," he acknowledged
and then with true frontier chivalry
advanced with outstretched hand.
Budd changed the anticipated griI
to a clasp. His recent opponent had
suddenly staggered and had he moi
reached out would have fallen to thu
ground. Budd half lifted, half dragged
his inanimate burden towards thu
house.
"Hey, there!" he hailed as he CAM
within the radius of the light, "younl
Lind has overdone himself, though h
whipped me, mind you, and fair AM
square. Thunder!"
For the first moment Budd Paynte
saw the face of his opponent. Tn
hat had fallen off, the light streame'
directly across Helena.
Across one cheek was an abrasion
Her lower lip was slightly cut an
bleeding.
II hit you!" gasped Budd-"
woman! did that Say, I could CT
over it! Lady, shall never forgiv
myself"
Aye. he could indeed have weI
over his rough handiwork, he coul
have kissed those trembling lips. A
Helena reused up in her usual stron
womanly way, she directed one bris
singing rebuke.
It was to upbraid him for his idl
useless ways. Because her brothe
was i'll, because he would have mi
the challenge even at that disadva
tage, she had assumed his part, 81
told Budd. and he hung his head
shame. Then he went from her pre-
ence, for the first time In his Ii
with lowered head and awakent
conscience.
Then strange things began to ha
pen. At Paynters the old chums
Budd began to marvel at a sudd'
, somber change that had come ov
him.
A month later, two days before Il
announced wedding of Wharton Lin
| there appeared at the Lind home Il
subject of considerable thought al
interest to Helena-the new Blu
I Paynter.
, 1--WE come from the boys doy
, home, Miss Lind" announced Blu
shyly, but very polite, though emb'
!. raised. They've authorized me to
I the usual thing when "a friend II
q Miss Willis steps off," and he p
n duced a neat case containing a hal
q some bracelet.
@ why, this Is truly charming"
clared Helena, and she invited I
caller in. Then when he went aw
she accompanied him to the road.
There Budd halted, fumbling
hat seriously. He stole a glance
:. her proud handsome face.
= Miss Lind" he blurted out, 'Tn
= better man than I was when I a
met you"
"You deserve credit" said Hele
;" and she flushed trifle.
"You can make me still better"
n. ..-s .Ir, NJ