The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-07-18

pay TOT IL.
Bull, with q palsied smile and a
deep, %quavering note Of gratitude, put
up his shaky hand. "Say what. That's
all. I've been paid"
"You know you're a sot. Bull"
Bull nodded. 81 know It,"
"A disgrace to the Maker whose
mage you were made In"
Bull started, but seemed, on reflec-
ton, to consider this a point on which
he need not commit himself.
"Still, I believe there's a man in you
yet. Something, at any rate, you
couldn't completely kill with whisky.
Bull-what?"
Bull lifted his weak and watery
eyes. His whisky-seamed face bright
ened into the ghost of a smile. "What
I'm going to ask you to do" continued
De Spain. sis a mans job. You can
get into the gap without trouble. You
are the only man l can put my hand
on just o that can. l want you to
ride over this morning and hang out
around Duke Morgan's place till you
can get a chance to see Miss Nan"
At the mention of her name Bull
shook his head q moment in affirma-
tive approval. "She'S a queen! :" he
exclaimed with admiring but pungent
explosives. "A q~ueen!"
81 think so, Bull. But she is in
troublesome circumstances. You know,
Nan and L"
pull wink 6 in many uvoyS
"And her Uncle Duke Is making us
trouble, Bull. l want you to find her,
speak with her, and bring word to me
as to what the situation is. That
doesn't mean you're to get drunk over
therein fact, / don't thin.i anybody
over there would give you a drink"
Don't believe they would"
"And you are to ride back here with
what you can find out just as quick,
after you get into the clear, as a horse
will bring you"
Bull passed his hand over his mouth
with a show of resolution. 1t indi.
,ated that he was pulling himself to-
.ether. Within half ali houf Re was
on his way to the gap.
For De Spain hours never dragged
as did the hours between Bulls start
ing and the setting of the sun that
night without his return. And the sun
set behind Music mountain in a drift
of heavy clouds that brought rain. All
evening it fell steadily. AT eleven
o'clock De Spain had given up hope
Of seeing his emissary before morn
ing and was sitting alone before the
stove in the office when he heard the
sound of hoofs. In another momen
Bull Page stood at the door.
He was a sorry sight. Soaked to
the skin by the steady downpour /;
rain dripping internationally from his
frayed hat, his ragged beard and ia
tered coat; shaking with the cold as
If gripped by an ague, Bull, picking
his staggering steps to he fire, and
sinking in a heap into a chair, SYM
bolized the uttermost tribute of man
hood to the ravageS of whisky. He
was not drunk. He had not even been
drinking; but his vitality was gone.
He tried to speak. 1t was impoS-
sible. His tongue would not frame
words, nor his throat utter them. He
could only look helplessly at De
Spain as De Spain hastily made him
stand up on his shaking knees, threw
Il big blanket around him, sat him
down, kicked open the stove drafts,
and called to McAlpin for more whis-
lr RI, ctAnIy fhn u-rnnly Df ~ 0rnrrnh-
ing over the fire.
McAlpin, after considerable and re-
luctant search, produced a bottle, and
unwilling, for more reasons than one,
to trust it to Bulls uncertain posses
sion, brought a dipper. Bull held the
dipper while De Spain poured. Meal
pin, behind the stove, hoped first on
n foot and then on the other as De
Spain recklessly continued to pour.
When the liquor half filled the cup,
McAlpin put out unmistakable dis
tress signals, but Bull, watching the
the sight, held fast to the handle and
made no sign to stop. Bull" thun-
dered the barn boss with an emphatic
word. "That Is Elpaso's bottle. What
are you dreaming Of, man? Mr.. de
Spain, you'll kill him. Don't We see
he can't tell We to stop?"
Bull, with the last Pickering spark
Of vitality still left within him, looked
steadily up and winked at De Spain,
McAlpin, outraged, stamped out of
the room. Steadying the dipper in
both hands, Bull with an effort passed
n hand at the final moment prelimi-
narily over his mouth. and, raising
the bowl, emptied it. The poison cleo
trified him into utterance. 81 seen
her" he declared, holding his chin
well down and in, and speaking in q
pardonably proud throat.
"Good, Bull"
They've got things tied up for fair
over there" He spoke slowly and
b%rokenly. g" never got inside the
house till after supper. Toward night
l helped Pardaloe put up the stock.
He let me into the kitchen after my
coaxing for a cup Of coffee-he's an