The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1917-02-02

yeD had never eoae armed before
that night when fetch fell. Now he
was never unarmed. -
Don't. Jeb!" she screamed IN .
transport Of alarm. ~ she braced her
self and summoned strength to ssizs
the hand that held the weapon.
Jeb shook her roughly on and
wheeled again 10 lace the visitor with
the precaution Of sideWise leap. He
had expected that the other boy would
use that moment Of interference to
draw his own weapon, but the young
McBriar was standing in the same At
titude. holding his hat in one hand
while he treasured the girl.
Don't fret. Dawn; thar hain't moth
in ter worry about" he said: then.
facing the brother. he went on in .
voice of cold and almost scornful COM
posure:
"Thet hain't Their first time we've seed
me acrost the sights of gun. II II.
Jeb?"
What does ye mean?" The other
boys face went brick-red and he low
cred his muzzle with sense Of sudden
shame.
"Oh. I heered about how old Bob
McGreegor told 70 . passed. Of lies
about me. an how ye come acrost Their
ridge one day. ! reckon I kin guess
the rest"
well. what of hit!" Jeb stood with
Ills pistol now hanging at his side.
but in his eyes still glowed the fire Of
hatred.
"Jest this" young McBriar went on:
81 amt got no gun on me. amt even
got a jackknife. ! lowed that ye
mought be right smart incensed at
my comm hyar an come without no
weapon on purpose. Ell ye hain't
skeered Of me when I'm unarmed. I
reckon ys kin put your own gun back
in Their holster"
Jeb McNash slowly followed the
suggestion. and then Coming forward
until the two boys stood eye to eye.
he said In deliberate accents: Il reck-
on ye don't low I'm skeered Of ye."
II reckon not" Young Milt's tone
was almost cheerful. Il reckon ye air
Jest about as much skeered of me es
am Of you-an' that amt none"
what does ye want hyar?" persist
ed Jeb.
81 wants first to tell ye-an' I hain't
never lied ter no Teller yit-thet
don't know nothin' more about who
kilt Fletch than you does. II l did.
SO help me God Almighty. I'd tell ye.
I hain't tryin' ter shield no murder
ers."
There was ring Of sincerity in the
lads voice that carried weight even
into the bitter skepticism of Jeb's
heart-a skepticism which had refused
to believe that honor or truth dwelt
east Of the ridge.
Il reckon, eff that's true" sneered
the older boy. "thar's them in yore
house tibet does know"
At that insult It was Young Milt
whose face went first red and then
very white.
Tibet calls fer fight. Jeb.' he said
with forced calm. II can't harken ter
things like tibet. But first / wants ter
say this: come over hyar ter tell ye
tibet knowed how We felt, an tibet I
didn't see no reason why you an me
had ter quarrel. come over hyar ter
see Dawn. because promised I
wouldn't try ter see her whilst she
stayed down at the school-an' be-
caunO ] wants ter see her-an' lows
ter do hit Now will We lay aside yore
gun an 60 out thar in Their road whar
nit hain't on yore own ground, an let
me tell ye tibet ye lied when We slurred
my folks?"
The two boys stripped of their
ctiats in guaranty that neither had
hi .den a weapon. Then. while the girl,
wko was really no longer girl, turned
back into the firelit- cabin and threw
herself face downward on her feather
bed. they silently crossed the stile into
the road and Milt turned to repeat:
"Jeb. tibet war lie ye spoke. an
wants We ter fight me far, fist an
skull. an when We gifts through. eff We
feels like hit. we'll shake hands. You
an me amt got no cause ter quarrel"
And so the boy in each of them.
which was the manlier part Of each.
came to the surface. and into bitter
and long-fought battle of fists and
wrestling, in which both of them rolled
in the dust. and each of them obsti-
nately refused to say enough" they
submitted their long-fostered hostility
to one fierce debate. At last, as the
two lay painting and bloodied there in
the road. 1t was Jeb who rose and held
out his hand.
80 fur es the two Of us goes, Milt."
he said. unless Their war busts loose
ergin. reckon we kin be friendly"
Together they rose and recrossed
the stile and washed their grimed
faces. Dawn looked from one to the
other. and Jeb said: "Milt, set yore-
self a cheer. I reckon ye'd better stay
an night. It's most too fur ter ride
back" $3.50. =