The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-14

that is this. Listen, all of you. I'll
kill that puppy as sure as God let's
me get at him. Wait and see if I
don't. You may pull US apart now,
but am not through with him.
Don't listen to him." Frank said to
the crowd. Hes mad and excited.
He doesn't mean that
ttMean it? You don't know me-
Howard cried. ''The world is not big
enough for US both. I'll settle him. 1
swear I will. I'll kill him like a dog.
Some ofAyou heard what he called me.
If you think I'll take it you are no
friends of mine"
At this moment Abner Daniel pushed
his way through the throng to How
ards side. Come up to your room
and get your clothes straight he said,
his face pale with excitement and sym.
pathy. We've got some important
work to do at the Office
1--WE got important work to do out
side Of the Office Howard TUNED, but
he allowed his old friend to lead him
by the arm up to his room, where he
left him.
At the door of the Office Abner found
Pole Baker waiting for him. Pole had
heard the news, and Abner had never
seen him look sd grave.
"Meddling folks have been totin tales
betwixt the two he remarked 'I got
onto several nasty squibs floating
about. Thar are men who had rather
keep bad blood stirred up than make
fortune in money, and good many are
Jealous of tHowards rise. This has
just begun, Uncle Alb; nothin' but gun
shots will satisfy them two. I can't
blame Howard, fer the boy simply was
q foT hot
nothin' kin check in a mess like this
Howard said too much before that
crowd just now" Abner answered eff
If he did happen to harm that skunk
he'd have a hard case in court to fight,
after the positive way he spoke before
SO many witnesses. What's to be done?
don't know, I'm sure. We can't put
the boy under restraint, fer he IS his
own iboss-free, white, an twenty one.
They say Craig used an awful word
to i'm; but the courts won't be inf1u-
enced by that If anything deliberate
is done, an eff they meet again it would
be after elaboration" 81
Half an hour after the fight Howard
visited Higgins, the gunsmith, and ask
ed if his revolver were fixed.
Eyes, it is ready, Howard, but
The old man hesitated- 1.-THE truth is,
L Z
it to you just now
"Give it to mep' Howard demanded
sharply. 'It's my property. and 1 will
have it. ~
Pardon me for being rough, Mr..
Higgins he said sharply, shut Craig
Is armed, and I've got to be also"
With the weapon In his pocket, How
ard left the shop and went down to the
Office. Abner, unable to work through
sheer worry, was waiting for him.
There is thing you mustn't for-
get'' Abner remarked, with the inten- |
ton Of taking his young friends mind
from the dangerous theme, "and that
is you have an engagement to call on
Mary this evening. heard you make
it, you know, and told her would
fetch, you back with me in my buggy
and make you take supper there. You
could spend the night at her house or
walk back to- town afterward, just as
you see ft.''
II viii walk back Howard answer.
ed. 81 like to get to work early. I
hadn't forgotten my engagement"
From passing farmer Tobias Trum-
bley had heard of the encounter. He
had brought the news home before
shutdown, fand Mary was quite upset,
though she endeavored to conceal her
emotions from the family.
After supper Abner and the others
left the young couple under the tree
In the moonlight. Nothing had been
said at the table on the all important
subject, and it looked as If Mary scarce
" dared to touch on it. However, as
he was rising to leave she veatured to
speak of it.
I'm awfully sorry and worried she
fa5f lca1a
your best friend, Howard, but for your
mother When she hears of this, as
she is sure to do, it will almost break
her heart. She heard about the dispute
you had with Craig not long ago, and
she, along with many of US, has been
dreading the outcome
Howard smiled in a forced sort of a
way He had taken Mary's hand and
he now stroked 1t sooth1ngly. 81 can't
talk to a girl about thing of this ma
ture,4 Mary" he said gently. you
womeh do not understand
I'VE understand a great deal more
than you give us credit for" Mary
gave him her eyes steadily. 1--WE un-
observation-disclosures of us who read, and
think do, at least-that what you call
defending your honor and the like is
simply a relic of ancient barbarism
There is no doubt about it. A badl
man, habitually insane from whisky
drinking, in his stupor insults a high
tempered moral man in his right senses
Now, one intellectually is full grown,
and the other is a child. Ancient bar
barism whispers to the sober man that
he must resent what the other-the
child--has said, SO he arms himself and
stands ready to shoot the child on
sight. But that is not all Howard, I
am sorry to speak so pointedly, but L
know that I am right, even if it hurts
your feelings. The whole thing is abb
solute selfshness at the bottom OF
it. You would not say word that
would pain your mother, but under this
mistaken idea OF what your rights are
You would torture her and others who