The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-06-01
ACleverr
.RuSe
1t Was Heads I Win,
Tails You Lose
By WARREN MILLER

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 dattened against his
forehead by the wind, 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. !
| 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 shouse,
where | had business with John Nolan
with reference to 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 their
bride reins over post, they walked
up on to the veranda Then | learned
that Daisy was Nolans 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 judged that his atten-
lions were not relished by Nolan. But
he said nothing to me then and we
went on with our dickering When ]
arose to so he said:
There's no place about here In
which you will be comfortable except
my house. Send for your traps
l accepted the invitation, especially
as ! was pleased at being under the
same roof with Miss Daisy. | knew
she had a lover, but my attraction for
her did net then SO so far as to intend
to come between them. merely liked
the idea Of being near her during my
stay.
But l stayed good while. and 1t
was not very long before she and I
each made a 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 1t best after awhile to re.
move to the ESQ calledD hotel. a mile
from Nolan's. If anything happened
between Barker and myself preferred
that it should not happen under No
lan's roof. So one day removed my
luggage to my new quarters.
One morning l was sitting on the
porch of the hotel smoking brier-
wood pipe. Barker came out OF the
barroom, where he had been drinking,
and took seat about thirty feet from
me- l 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 l started.
"HOld on there" said Barker. Your
pipe makes fine target. We don't al
low people to smoke such expensive
pipes out here"
The words were scarcely out of his
mouth when / felt faint tick on the
bowl of the pipe, heard the crack Of
gun and knew that bullet had passed
through the pipe.
"Hold up!" he growled as / was
about to rise. "Your pipe won't draw
with hole in it. but it's still mighty
good target"
snatched a look at him. He was
evidently under the influence of liquor
felt sure that IL didn't let him shoot
at my pipe he would shoot at me and
nerved myself to stand another shot
Indeed, this was all I could do for
was unarmed. But a cold chill ran
down my back and cold sweat stood
out all over me. Nevertheless l put
up a pretty good front sat with
comparative composure, occasionally
letting faint cloud of tobacco smoke
escape from between my lips, but not
daring to move a hairbreadth for fear
Of interfering with the mans aim.
Several persons from inside the hotel,
having heard shot. came out to dis
cover who had been killed. They ar
rived Just in time to see the second
shot and the top Of the bowl Of my
pipe cut off, They Mt once took in the
situation. and, seeing me coolly puff
ing, not knowing my internal condi-
ton, they cried,out. Good pluck. stran-
ger!" STEADY nerve!'' "He amt no
tenderfootr' and such like compli-
ments. tf ~ a
Presently third shot shattered what
was left of the. bowl of my pipe. and
only the stem remained in my mouth
Whether my nerve made Barker half
ashamed Of himself or that he. was