The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-12-11

stand just where you are. am not
sure whether you know me or not:
but / know you, Ned Cowan-I know
what you did at Hot Springs, and how
you took me along so as to make OH
ers believe was guilty"
"shucks, lad: twas no more than
fair fight"
1T was cold-blooded murder, Cow
AM" exclaimed Indignantly, "the cul-
mination OF a feud."
Huh who told yer that?"
stepped aside, but still held him
under the pluzzle OF my revolver. The
change In posture brought the man
face to face with Noreen; saw him
lean forward and gaze at her; then
recoil. as though he viewed ghost.
She never moved. never spoke.
Good Lord" he muttered. els that
Harwood's girl? Why. Anses out
huntin' after her now
He stopped. cursing fercely to him.
self His eyes shifted their gaze from
the face OF the girl to mine. They
were narrow cat eyes, cruel and cum
ming.
Il reckon | amt seen oil Harwood's
gal afore in maybe five year" he said
slowly, but she has sure growed up
hne. Anse took after marrying her
furst jist ter spite HARDWOOD but since
he seed her while back he's sorter
took a notion he wants her hisself
/ reckon ! don't blame him Thets
| why he wouldn't wait, but set out ter
\ night. No, | don't reckon, young fell
Ter, it's no particular risk. Yer a sojer
4 an don't jest understand how we fight
| out yere in the mountings. We Jest
strike quick. an then git away. 'Tain't
so much OF trick Anse Is APPLYING
at over at Lewisburg. Sure thar's five
hundred Yanks thar; an II thar wus
i've thousand II wouldn't make no
great difference the way the guard is
sot. The Who'll blame caboodle is
camped In the courthouse yard. an
the only picket is at the main ford o.
the Green Briar. Yer never saw no
body, did yer. gittin' out yere?"
mo" admitted. realizing his init
mate knowledge. The camp is poorly
protected"
Il reckon It is, and Anse knows
that just as we'll as you do. An he
knows the gal we're had a room at ther
hotel Thar is where he went, amin
fer ter raid the shebang just before
daylight" He laughed again mirth
lessly. by God, but Anse will be
some mad when he finds out whut has
| happened. | reckon he'll bout cut yer
heart out"
"He will have TO get me first"
"Oh. don't yer ever worry none
bout tibet. young fellar. Anse viii
sure git yer; he knows every bride
path cross these mountings. an ]
wouldn't give a continental damn
fer no chance you've got fer ter git
away. He's tiger cat on a trail
Anse is--an' besides the blame fool
wants the gal. lie amt no Cowan II
he let's you beat him outer her"
He glanced quickly across my shout
i der toward the door. Perhaps she
moved; perhaps II was all magma
tion, but thought heard a noise, and
wheeled partly around, my eyes foI
an instant deserving old Cowan's face
IL was his one chance. and he took II
/ sensed the spring, even as Noreen'f
cry OF warning broke the silence. but
not in time TO escape the grip OF the
old mans iron fingers. His body
crashed against me with such force
that staggered and fell; one hand
closed like wise on my throat, the
other gripped the stock OF my re
| volver, crushing my fingers lifeless. J
struck the edge OF the table. strug
Cling vainly TO keep my feet. II went
over with a crash. bearing us both
along old Ned atop. clutching fiercely
TO keep his hold, his eyes blazing
madly down into mine AS we struck
| wrenched my hand free and pulled
the trigger. The shot seemed TO blaze
across my own breast. burning like
fire. and, the next instant, the mans
knee crushed my wrist TO the floor
and the revolver fell from my be
benumbed fingers.
I seem to recall little OF what fol
lowed: only confused recollection OF
desperate struggling amid the legs OF
the overturned table; OF oaths, blows
OF eyes glarlng reyengefully into mine
seemed to lose all knowledge, all
consciousness. under the merciless
throttling OF those hard fingers. Then
suddenly they RELAXED caught .
quick. reviving breath. another. Every
nerve in me throbbed; ! could SET
again, hear, feel. That was Noreen's
face looked into-ay, and the girl
was actually dragging the fellow on
mel | took another breath, ionx
one. moving 20 that the inert body
rolled over on Its side; then rose up
supporting myself on one arm, and
stared about, sobblng In the first Fl
fort 10 gain control.
"Noreenw the name choked in my
throat
Yes; it's all right now---Cowan In