The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-08-29
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
1AILY SHORT STORY
83oWN FLAW WAYS
copyright, 1919, By the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicste.)
sy WILL T, AMES,
BY WILL T. AMEs.

ri You're needed down Falvy
: way. They been trying to get
you on the phone but the dummed
lines busted or something. Come
down and I'll tell you about it,
All right; be there in minute.
And the head OF the Deputy Sheriff
Cal Nestor disappeared from the
rnoonlit upstairs window. Three min
utes later he opened the side door.
"Come in, Bart" said the sheriff.
Whats broke loose at Falvy?''
"oh, that half-baked Dubreece boy.
the second Oldest Of the tribe. you
know-works in the pulp board mill
when he works at all"
81 know him." cut in Nestor.
well, he's suffering from mir
trre of hard cider and Wild Bill nick
Ell novels and he's got an ingrown
notion that it's up to him to be bad
man like he's been reading about He
had some sort of jangle with an
iroffensive little cuss from Peter
boro-something about taking his lob
away from him and this afternoon
he brought the Peterboro fellow a
swipe with light crowbar that al
mighty near done his business fol
gether regular darned arsenal he
owns-a thirty-thirty rifle and re-
peater shotgun and revolver and a
job lot of shells and set out for the
woods. Stopped some kids and told
'em to go serve notice On the world
for him that he was right dangerous
and not to be took alive.
Then he slid into the thickets up
back of where he lives-and the
whole town has been out after him
ever since six O'Clock. There amt any
head to the chase, though, and the
Two constables over to Falyy, II you
lsk me, is scared of the cuss. I was
driving through from West Liberty
Ind stopped to see the doings. The
constables asked me to roust you out
when l go back and tell you they
want you to go down to Falvy and
take charge. My mare got stone
In her shoe, and it took me more than
Two hours to get here"
Anybody caught sight of Dubreece
since he took to the woods?" inquired
the sheriff.
"Three or four. But nobody with
backbone enough to get him. That
shooting gallery outfit Of his seems
to be great antidote for Falvy valor.
Far as that goes got peek at him
myself as came up through the edge
OF the woods this side OF Falvy and
somehow l didn't seem to take any
very keen interest in getting into an
argument with him. l came right
along without stopping. Well, got toI
be moseying along Going down
there?"
"of course. I'll get there by one
o'clock. They're all up for the night,
SUPPOSED"
Sure thing. Falvy hasn't had so
much excitement since the minister's
little boy swallowed his mothers we'd
ding ring Well, so-long."
Good night, Bart"
Sheriff Nestor's thoughts were not
on young Dubreece and his nelo-
dramatic foolishness as he drove his
little car over the moonlit roads to-
Falvy. Nothing but the line Of duty
could have dragged him to Falvy on
this particular time-and yet in no
other direction did his inclinations
so powerfully draw him. For Mary
Nestor was in Falvy, in her capacity
Of trained nurse, taking care OF old
man Falvy, the mill owner. She had
left her husband, the sheriff week
ago.
1t was case OF the conflict OF
strong personalities, together with a
mistaken viewpoint on the part OF
the man for the rights and liberties
Of the woman. It had been brewing
for. months.
The final clash came over slight
lmmaterial thing-and Mary had gone
out, whlte-faced but courageous and
Ill apparent calmness to earn her own
living. After week Cal Nestor would
have given his right hand to have her
back again. In his stiff -necked pride
be would have given the left one
rather than let her know 1t. But to-
night he wondered whether, in Falvy,
he might not see her.
Nestor found the mill hamlet Of
Falyy wide awake and all its able
bodied males afleld, handwriting. The
< sheriff, taking command deployed his
forces for drive, fan-wise, through
Me half mile of thicket in which Du-
breeze presumably was hiding-leav-
Ing unguarded all rear approach to-
bis home.
BY this time he'll be hungry and
losing some of his spunk and want
lome Of that stone fence cider; We'll
let him sneak home and then get
aim" Nestor told Phillips, the con-
stebie.
ven SO. At $3.50 in the morning
same running one OF the youths set
10 watch the Dubreece house. "He
lust snook in over the pasture fence,
llleriff," reported the excited lad.
.AlI right; I'll go have talk with
ssm.r
ny heckeyl Sheriff, you'd better
se careful, Hes a darned bad egg"
lasised Philip. But Nestor laughed.
Ri the broad light OF the summer
slssaine Sheriff Nestor Unmatched the
lcksty pHbreece gate in a most cas-.
skl way and started up the dirt path
10 The side door. He had taken not
mere than four steps when the door
lev epsn ard young Drbrcece, white
hektsg, wtid-eyed, victim Of very
,anle o. desperation stood on the sill
nth @ shotgun at the ready"
BY eeshsnniGhty, Cal Nestor, don't
Fhu asst step foot nearer or I'll
feEd you - he'll a.ltittn'!" he squeak
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