The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-02-11

Otqhu hiIi up tuSIc pOySy against LII
rail. Stop your bowling, or I'll smasl
you one in the face. Where did you
find the fool, Jack?"
| Locked in closet yonder; look
like 1t might be the girls room. Thu
darn fool is too skeered ter talk yet"
well, I'll make him, er else thar'l
| be a dead preacher in bout a minute
| / reckon as how I'll do as much skeer
| ing az anyone. Now, Nichols, We SCI
tibet! Whut the devil wus yer doini
In tibet closet?"
"They-they done put me thar
Anse."
go on. Who wus yere beside thu
girl when yer cum?"
"A Yankee leftenant, a cavalrymar
I reckon from Their yellow stripes OF
his legs"
"a Yank! Did yer hear the fellar's
name"
Damn If I'm sure; he's right good
sized man, an not bad lookin'. Pears
to me, now think of it, she called him
Raymond"
There was a gasping sound as
though Anse's hand had closed again
heavily on the fellows throat.
Raymond! l reckon yer lynn ter
me, parson. Yer heard tell O. tibet fell
Ter over in camp, an Their name stuck
'Twont be healthy fer yer ter play no
game yere."
Il amt, Anse. Quit a chokin' me.
never heard tell o. no Yank named
Raymond afore. Be thar one round
yere?"
Wall, thar was. but I don't reckon
thar is now," doubtfully. Last
heerd tell O. him he wus over in Fay
cite ridin' like he'll fer Charleston.
Monies band picked him up, an he
didn't find this kentry none too healthy
fer his line O. business, which was re-
cruitin'-whut's that, Kelly?"
Better let Their preacher tell his
story, Anse. We're losin' lot o. time;
| reckon thar must bin some kind o.
male critter yere; faint likely Their
girl locked him up alone, an it don't
make no odds whut the Yanks name
was, nohow."
go on, Nichols; whut happened?
Tell us the whole of it, but make it
short"
The preacher drew in a long breath.
evidently relieved to have the pressure
of Anse's murderous fingers removed
from his throat He sputtered bit as
he began to tell his story and there
were muffled words we could not dis
tinguish Occasionally someone of his
auditors interrupted with an oath, or
exclamation. He spoke faster as he
proceeded, as though feeling less fear,
and eager to have the task over. Final
ly Cowan interjected brief question.
you damn coward! Did you tell?"
Honest, Anse, l don't jest know;
but reckon / did spit it most out, fer
he'd a killed me if l hadn't"
do you mean to say you told them
l was comm yere tonight, an goin' fer
ter make the girl marry me-you
whinin' cur?"
How could l help it, Anse? reckon
If tibet Teller he'd pistol ct your head
a recruitin' officer, but he amt no
sorter man ter fool with onct he gifts
mad"
well, I'd sure like fer ter know who
he is. He can't be tber Teller what got
away from Monte, fer he lit out fer
Charleston. How did this yere Teller
git yere-on horseback"
Il didn't git sight o. no boss; thar
xus only one four-legged critter in
her barn, an reckon as how the girl |
must hev' rode thet."
Say, Anse," broke in the voice of |
Kelly, "I'll bet this Yank is the one
het wus with Fox, an got away. He'd
led time 'nough fer ter git this fer on
ut"
But what does he call hisself Ray
nond fer?"
Damn if l know-maybe he jest
leerd tell of the other Teller, an
bought as how he'd git long easier
nder tibet name"
well, reckon it won't make much
Inference whit the cuss' name is if
yer l git my hands on him." growled
nse savagely. go on, Nichols What
ecame of them?"
Skipped out, reckon. never seen
uthing more ov EN-"
Anse must have completely lost his
,mper, for there was the sound of
low, and the noise of falling body,
'et shutting as the others drew back.
hen moment of silence.
"Pick the oil fool up" said voice.
Throw him back into the room thar
aybe he'll hev sum sense when he
axes up. Kelly, take Jim with yer, ,
l. see if tibet boss is in Their stable =,
1t. II them two left on fut they
MT gone fur in this storm. Enyhow
ar's one thing sure-they amt a
din up we're. Cum on, boys. let's ;
Ike a mother look round down be- +.
W."
We heard their feet on the stairs,
ID the light, which had streamed up
rough the crack in the scuttle, faded
way, leaving US in utter darkness
CHAPTER x. :