The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-08-03

would reform at once if she would
marry him and Bert I'm going to
do it too" she said decidedly. Then
she raved about his good looks, his
breeding, his dancing and that she
was such a lucky girl to win him from
all the other girls in the Valley. 1t
was hopeless so Bert did not reply.
OF course we all went to the we'd
ding at Bakers Grove Church. Maize
looked simply beautiful in her white
silk gown and Howard mighty good
looking in his dress suit. There were
a lot of fixings such as ribbons in the
aisles, flowers, little girls with baskets
of flowers and such doings. Howard's
a lot Of boy friends of the groom. 1t
was a big lark for them. They had a
special Pullman which side tracked at
Logan's Crossing. They grinned,
snickered and poked fun at.us fellows
and the women smiled at the dresses
of our women folks. Howard and
Maize went back. with the crowd on
the Pullman. About a month later
they came back to Larson's Ranch.
We fellows were not told anything but
a rider over at Sherman's had been
to Kansas City with a load of sheep
and he said the papers had some
thing about some mix-up Howard was
in because he had married Maize and
some society girl was going to sue
him for something or other because
he had thrown her down so I guess
the old man packed them off to the
ranch again. The first time Bert saw
Maize after she got back he noted
how her face was drawn and she
seemed very thin too. She greeted
him with a wan sort of smile ana
her eyes were awfully tired looking.
All kinds. of boxes used to come by
express to Howard and we fellows
guessed it was liquor from Kansas
City for him.
There was some kind of muss up
at Larson's, we never did get the
straight of this but Howard and Maize
moved out and started housekeeping
in the bungalow Mr.. Simpson had
built near Larson's and never used
much. We heard over in Crescent
that old man Russell had bought it
for Howard.
Doc Brinker was over in Crescent
one afternoon. Hef met Howard in
Reilly's place. Doc was there look
ing after one of the Reilly kids who
had the humps. Howard insisted that
Doc drink with him and as Doc never
touches liquor a row started and
Howard pulled gun and Doc
smashed him flat with his fist. How
ard wanted to kill Doc but Reilly got
Howard in the back room and the
thing quoted down. So in April
when Mrs. Mendenhal!, the house.
keeper at Larson's telephoned hur-
ridly for Doc to come over to the
Russell bungalow he would not 60.
In despair Mrs. Mendenhall phoned
to Ma Jerry and she sent Spats O'Day
after Bert who was riding the herd
down by Cedar Creek and he rode
over to Russells to see what was
wrong. It seems that Howard had
come home beastly drunk and Maize
demonstrated with him and he had
beaten her som ething fierce and she
expecting a. little one too. Mrs. Men,
denhall heard her scream way up at
Larson's place. The worst part was
that Howard told Maize that he was
sick of her anyway and was going to
bring over a. girl from Crescent City
to live with him, one of the dissolute
dancing girls from Reilly's Place.
Eston Price a rider for Larson had
sneaked up on the porch and heard
the whole thing as Maize and Mrs.
Mendenhall told the Doctor. Eston
slipped over to the bunk house and
told his pals. Squints Marvin rode
over to Bar. G. and told the boys
what Eston had heard.
When Bert got back to Bar. G. he
nearly got in bad with the bunch at
the bunk house by refusing to con-
firm the news. He felt it was the
duty Of a. doctor to keep silence.
At midnight Bert, Pickme James
and Mr.. Jerry held a whispered con-
sultation in Ma Jerry's kitchen. The
next morning while Bert was at the
bungalow Howard still Keeling drunk
and vowing in coarse language that
he was going to get the woman at
Crescent City mounted his pony and
galloped over the road to town.
Bert bent low over the little wife
and told her what. had passed at the
secret meeting in Ma Jerry's kitchen
the night before. Maize sat up wide
eyed, her bosom having, and the bat
tered face beautiful in the set lines of
purity and determine ton. She was
of the Hills and knew the code Of
woman's honor. She agreed to go
with Bert and Mr.. Larson.
It was high noon when the beat Of
horses hoofs sounded in the echoes Of
CAROLS Cut. A man and woman
riding side by side. They were both
drunk and sang and shouted ribald
songs. She leaned over from her
horse and rested her head on his
shoulder. He fondled her and they
laughed boisteriously asI they passed
under the big oak tree overhanging
the roadway. The man, who was
Howard Russell reached over and
grabbed the woman and yelled. you
are peach, to hell with the wife,
you are the kind I want"
A shot rang out from the bluff
above. Howard jerked in the saddle,
his pony reared, he rolled off to the
ground, a red stream flowing down