The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-25
A Clever
RuSe
IL Was Heads 4 Win,
Tails You Lose
BY WARREN MILLER

coming over her fathers broad acres
on horse whose lope was very like
rocking chair. She was riding astrad-
die with divided skirts. No other wom-
an on the ranches thereabout would
ride in any other costume. Barker was
riding beside her, and the two made a
very handsome pair. The brim of his
sombrero was fattened against his
forehead by the wind, a lariat hung
at his saddlebow, and his splendid fig
ure was revealed by his costume-viz,
flannel shirt and trousers, with boots
to his knee.
Daisy had gone out from the east
with her father, who became a sheep
raiser. and she had become fascinated
with ranch life. Unfortunately she had
conceived romantic idea of the genus
cowboy, and, Barker being physically
perfect type, she had persuaded her.
self, or, rather, he had persuaded her,
that he was just the man for her. l
say unfortunately" because he was
not an educated man and in every way
beneath her. There were other fea-
lures about him to render him unde-
sirable which will appear presently.
The couple passed me, all of us sa-
luting, though they were unknown to
me. and | rode ON to the ranch house,
where | had business with John Nolan
with reference to a large purchase of
wool While dickering with him on
his veranda, up the roadway came the
couple | had met and alighted at the
foot of the steps. Throwing Stheir
bride reins over post, they walked
up on to the veranda. Then l learned
that Daisy was Nolan's daughter.
As the pair passed into the house |
noticed a cloud fit over the face of the
girls father. | knew by Barker's
bearing toward her that he was in love
with her, and l judged that his atten-
re said nothing to me then, and we
went on with our dickering, When |
arose to 20 he said:
There's no place about here In
which you will be comfortable except
my house Send for your traps"
| accepted the invitation, especially
as was pleased at be : under the
same roof with Miss Daisy. | knew
she had lover, but my attraction for
her did not then go so far as to intend
to come between them. | merely liked
the idea of being near her during my
stay.
But | stayed good while, and 1t
was not very long before she and
each made discovery | discovered
that l wanted her, and she discovered
that she didn't want Barker Mean
while found out something else-that
he had become frightfully jealous OF
me and If | took her away from him
he would probably kill me. At first
he and / spoke to each other when we
met either on the ranch or elsewhere
Then he only noticed me at the Nolan
house.
thought II best after awhile to re
move to the $50 called hotel, "A mile
from Nolan's. If anything happened
between Barker and myself preferred
that 1t should not happen under No
lan's roof SO one day removed my
luggage to my new quarters.
One morning was sitting on the
porch OF the hotel smoking brier
barroom, where he had been drinking
and took II seat about thirty feet from
me. didn't know he was there till
turning my head | saw him out OF the
corner of my eye sighting his revolver
at me-
Naturally | started.
Hold on there" said Barker you
pipe makes fine target. We don't al
low people to smoke such expensive
: pipes out here"
: The words were scarcely out of hi
mouth when | felt II faint tick on tn
bowl of the pipe heard the crack of
gun and knew that n bullet had passe,
through the pipe
Hold up! he growled as | wa
about to rise. "Your pipe won't dra,
with Il hole In 1t, but it's stlll might
good target"
snatched n look at him. He wa
evidently under the influence of liquor
felt sure that II ! didn't let him shoe
at my pipe he would shoot at me an
nerved myself to stand another sho
Indeed, this was all could do, for
was unarmed, But cold chill ra
down my back and q cold sweat stoo
out all over me. Nevertheless l pr
mp pretty good front. sat wit
comparative composure, OCCASIONAL
letting a faint cloud Of tobacco smok
escape from between my lips, but N,
daring to move hairbreadth for fes
OF interfering with the mans aim.
Several persons from inside the hote
having heard a shot, came out to di
cover who had been killed. They a
rived lust In time to see the secon
shot and the top OF the bowl of m
pipe cut off. They at once took in Il
situation, and seeing me coolly puf
Ing, not knowing my internal cond
tion, they cried out Good pluck. strai
gerw STEADY nerve" "He amt 1
tenderfootw and such like compl
mcnts
Presently third shot shattered whi
WINS ipft of thn howl Of my DiDa au