Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-12-08
"Then I'll Come Back to You"
AUTHOR OF ONCE TO EVERY MAR"

that night before he made any move 10
enter.
There was no movement 60 mark his en-
trance when he finally pressed tie latch
and swung the door open, not so mach as
a single glance 10 Indicate that his pre-
encc was noted. Under the yellow light OF
flickerlng oil lamps tie ewes Of all those
scores Of gaudv ~hirted figures l%punging
against the walls were fixed eagerly upun
the face of him who held the middle Of
\ their Stage-him who talked from where he
half lay. propped on one elbow, in his
bunk at the end OF the room. Harrigan,
red shirted, red headed, was louncing at
ease, waiting for the last gurgle of appre-
citation to subside before he gave them the
close of the story, the last titbit. the SAVIOR
of which already had set him noiSily to
licking his lips. And in the door way Steve
rigid Of q sudden, sensed what that climax
was to be.
'lIer ramsay inside"-the droningly
indistinguishable words were very plain
now-"her fi-an-say inside. consoomed
with pride and anticipation, tellin' all who
ish VIII W Ilt ll1l II ndd lAVAllA~tb
TO he his FOREVER more. And her at that
same minite outside with him, and both nv
thim''-
IIarrigan did not hurry il in the telling.
And If his portrayal of Archibald Wicker
sham was Enthusiastically deliberate. neither
did he fail for want of sufficient detail
10 make the other picture clear. Wiley he
gave them the complete imagery of his
vile brain.
A shout went up, a louder, hoarser ont
cry Of applause which rocked the room.
And then that rigid figure in the doorway
had started forward. Between those
lanes of suddenly silent men Steve passed
in silence. to stand before him who had
achieved his climax a breath before. And
at his coming Harrigan slid from the bunk.
started to reach aithin the blanket pack
nj the head Of what had been his bed and
then thought better Of such impulse. Bra
vado intermingled with his blank surprise
he came haltingly to his feet. The voices
Of few men nave been as unhurriedly
deadly n was that of him who faced Har-
rigan that night.
THAT was wise, Harrigan." Steve told
him slowly-far too gently. THAT was
wise to let your knife lie safely within
your pack, for if you'd touched il Id have
killed You. az ! ought TO kill Won now. But
you're drunk. Harrigan. You were drunk
q minute ago when Won lied your lie. You
are sober now. You're sober enough to
start again and tell me You're a liar
IIarrigan would have spoken. sparring
for tire. when Steve's hand leaped and
made of the Joking effort only a rattle IN
his throat. Beneath the stiff red stub
BILE the flesh was livid where those fin
gers had been when he was able to draw
breath again.
Twas only 4 bit az q joke he ga~ped
md culped and swallowed hard. "'Twas
only a bit az a joke | was tcllin' the boys
abor. seem You an
Stoves voice bit in and cut him short.
"Yonr turkeys ready llarrigan" lie
pointed AT the pack toward which the 9th
er had CROPPED and then thought better ~
the impulse. you were going II your
" accord | see. Well. I'm telling you
to 20 now, The doors open. 7 left 1t 80
for Won when ! came in. And I'm telling
YOU. too. before YOU leave that YOU will
do well not TO rome hack. There's not
room for both of US on this river any more,
IIarriganrf
The riverman's ewes shifted. Furtivcly
they fitted from face 10 face in those rows
of faces M the walls. Bnt whatever hc
thought or honcd ID find-flccting flash of