The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-02-13
"'NOw Or never, Kate. Remember

what Susie said to you
"She knowed what was a-sayin'.
and she got over the ground like
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 it 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 1t,
there was Walcott standin' with hts
back to Jim. watchin' a man who was
putin horse through his PAGES. /
seen Stiggs remount and ride up to-
ward the man in the yard, drawin' his
revolver at the same time. n
Before startin, thinkin' there might
be occasion for long range shot,
I'd hooked Winchester to my sad.
die and brought it from where Kate
fell. Stiggs must "a been 1,2O0 to
1900 yards away, but I knew Wal
colts life depended on my bringin' his
enemy down at that distance. / took
good aim. fred. and Stiggs tumbled
off'n his horse.
The narrator paused to light pipe.
II suppose" said, 'tIiis IS the xiii.
ing you referred to that has always
troubled you You excused the man
because he acted from love-"
me troubled about KILN Jim Stiggsl
Not much. It's another killin' 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 horse in that condition--shoot
him. Kate when she saw me comm
whinnied, and when | reached her
there was mighty sad look in 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 it 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 it ag'in?
II scarcely think I'm the kind O
man to be chicken hearted. Least
|, aways wouldn't mind cuttin' deer's
throat after shootin' it when it looks
appealin like outer its soft eyes, but
showed the white feather at shootin'
Kate. And l never could tell whether
it was most because loved Kate or
whether was conscience struck at
havin to go back on the little gal that
tole me not to kin her. | walked away
fer few rods, then turned and come
back. When | did that could a.
bowed her head Off put the muzzle
o. my revolver to her brain. pulled the
trigger and fred All the while she
was Iookin at me as much as to say
Much obleeged'
Il walked four miles to house. Dor
ryed 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 If I'd only
done half what she wanted me to do
l had stopped Stiggs from dom any
damage, but had killed Kate.
'sWaal, when / got to the ranch /
seen sumpin had happened Every
body was lookin' sollum. They tole
me Susie had been hayin hemorrhages.
They tole me. too, that she was wait
In fer me to come back and was to
60 right up to her as soon as come.
When went into the room where she
was she was gaspin'. | knowed it
was all over with her. She asked
with her eyes If I'd got there in time.
l said right off. It's all right She
looked happy fer minute. then man
aged to say:
"sKate?'
"Then told the allfiredest lie ever
tole In my life:
"'Shes all right too
"Susie died soon after that.
"The KILN o. Kate is the only one
O my killin's that wears on me- But
don't know exactly what the reason
Is, whether it's because O Kate or be-
cause o. Susie .