Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-06-28
AClever
RuSe
1t Was Heads I Win,
Tails You Lose
By WARREN MILLER


coming over her fathers broad acres
on q horse whose lope was very like a
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, 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 a romantic idea Of the genus
cowboy, and, Barker being physically
a 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-
lut1ng, though they were unknown to
me, and 1 rode on to the ranch house,
where 1 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 alignted at the
bride reins over post, they walked
up on to the veranda. Then I 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. l knew by Barker's
bearing toward her that he was In love
with her, and judged that his atten-
tions were not relished by Nolan. But
he said nothing to me then. and we
went on with our dickering. When
arose to go he said
There's no place about here in
which you will be comfortable except
my house. Send for your traps"
I accepted the invitation, especially
as 1 was pleased at being under the
same roof with Miss Daisy. 1 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 1 stayed a good while, and 1t
was not very long before she and I
each made discovery. l discovered
that wanted her, and she discovered
that she didn't want Barker. Mean
while l found out something else-that
he had become frightfully Jealous Of
me and If I 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.
I thought it best after awhile to re-
move to the $50 calied) hotel, a mile
from Nolan's. # anything happened
between Barker and myself preferred
that it should not happen under No
lan's roof. So one day I removed my
luggage to my new quarters.
One morning I was sitting on the
porch Of the hotel smoking a 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 1 started
Hold ON there" said Barker. "Your
pipe makes a fine target. We don't al
low people to smoke such expensive
pipes out here"
The words were scarcely out of his
mouth when 1 felt faint tick on the
bowl of the pipe, heard the crack Of q
gun and knew that bullet had passed
through the pipe.
Hold upw he growled as I was
about to rise. "Your pipe won't draw
with hole in it. but it's stu mighty
good target"
I snatched look at him. He was
evidently under the influence of liquor.
felt sure that If didn't let him shoot
at my pipe he would shoot at me and
nerved myself to stand another shot.
Indeed, this was all could do for /
was unarmed. But a cold chill ran
down my back and a cold sweat stood
out all over me. Nevertheless put
up pretty good front. l 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 at 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 nc