The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-29
" Why didn't you tell me beforeT
az didn't think of telling YOU


mounted and was about TO ride away
when Susie came up pantin'. She put
her arms about Hates neck and said
Kate, dear. take him in time to save
him-for my sake and I'll love You
forever
Not wishin' to lose time. broke
away from her. | seen blood on her
lips. and | knowed the excitement or
the runnin To the barn or both had
brought on a hemorrhage.
Don't kill Kate. heard Susie say
and that was the last. for then was
out o. hearin.
II leaned down on the mares neck
and pattcd her and said. Yer dom
this for Susie and | know you'll Co
yer best.
II reckon she understood. for Size j,St
got down to steady gait that she
could keep all day and reel off the
miles while she was a-doin' it,
knowed Waleott's life depended on my
gittin' there as soon as Stiggs, fer
didn't reckon Stiggs would give his en-
envy any advantage. His way was TO
ride up behind a man. make show
o giyin' him chanel by calm out to
him and shoot him before he could
turn.
"Stiggs had got good start o. me
and he never rode a poor horse But
he didn't know any one was after him
Nevertheless 1t would be nip and tuck
with me TO overhaul him. Kate kcp:
her steady gait till we got within about
five mics o. the Walcott ranch. when
across the grain ground | saw Stigg>
ridin' along al good pace. Then
said to my mare:
Nov or never. Kate Remember
what Susie said to you
She knowed what was a-sayin'.
and she got over the ground like a
greyhound. We was within mile O.
the ranch when. strikin a soft bit o
ground. the mare stumbled and fell.
shootin' me over her head. | tried to
pull her up, but 1t was no use. Her
left foreleg was broke.
Il used my own legs the rest o. the
way. ! neared the ranch In time to
see Stiggs lettin' down the bars to
go in. AS bad luck would have it,
there was Walcott standin' with his
back to Jim, watchin' a man who was
putin horse through his PAGES. l
seen Stiggs remount and ride up to-
ward the man in the yard, DRAWN his
revolver at the same time.
Before startin, thinkin' there might
be occasion for long range shot.
I'd hooked a Winchester to my sad
die and brought 1t from where Kate
fell Stiggs must a been 1000 to
1900 yards away, but knew Wal
colts life depended on my bringin' his
enemy down at that distance. l took
good aim. fired. and Stiggs tumbled
off'n his horse"
The narrator paused to light pipe.
II suppose" | said, this Is the kill
ing you referred to that has always
troubled you. You excused the man
because he acted from love"
ME troubled about KILN Jim Stiggs!
Not much. It's another KILN that
bothers me. As soon as | seen Stiggs
drop | went back to Kate. She had
saved the man Susie loved. and Susie
had told me not to kill her. But there
was Kate lynn on her side with bro
ken leg. There's but one thing to do
with a horse in that condition-shoot
him. Kate when she saw me comm
whinnied. and when | reached her
there was a mighty sad look i'm her
eyes. She was an intelligent animal
and knowed that 1t was all up with
her
Il TUX my revolver from Its case.
Kate glanced at 1t and at me. II ever
a horse said In plain language Don't
kill Kate that horse said 1t. Or was
1t because | was seem the little girl
standin' there with the drop of blood
on her lip-the death MARYLAND heard
her say 1t ag'in?
Il scarcely think I'm the kind o
man to be chicken hearted. Least
Always | wouldn't mind cuttin' deer's
throat after shootin' it when Ii looks
appealin'-like outer its soft eyes, but
showed the white feather at shootin'
Kate And | never could tell whether
II was most because loved Kate or
whether was conscience struck at
havin' To go back on the little gal that
toie me not TO kill her | walked away
fer few rods. then turned and come
back. When did that l could "a
bowed her head off. | put the muzzle
o. my revolver To her brain, pulled the
trigger and fired. All the while she
was lookin' at me as much as to say
Much obleeged.
Il walked four miles to house, Dor.
ryed a spade. went back and buried
Kate. Then walked all the way
back to the Courtney ranch. | wasn't
In hurry to git there neither. Least.
Always wouldn't "a been If 1t wasn't
to tell Susie that the man she loved
had been saved. Seemed as IL I'd only
done half what she wanted me TO do