Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1920-11-12


"You measly hound Coin to marry
her Tor money am II Maybe you'd
like to say that agin, d-n you!
That's bout the size O your soul
Cowan. Take that You wheIpl You
won't be so d-n beautiful yourself
when I get through. There now! Per
haps youW lay quiet awhile"
He got to his feet and glared about
into the ring Of interested faces de-
family.
amy more of yer want to say what
he did," he demanded. "Here, you,
Kelly; you laughed when that dirty
pup said she was homely as a hedge
fencel Come here, you red-headed
terrier" and he gripped him by the
throat shaking the fellow helplessly
back and forth in his mad rage. I'm
goin' ter marry that girl, if she'll have
me, an there amt nobody goin' to
slam the looks o my wife, either. You
get that, you coyote? What do yer
think of 1t now-hey? Spit it out;
what do you think Of her now"
Kelly had to spit It out; it was all
he could do with those fingers grip
ping him.
let go-d-n it-let go! H-ll
She's-she's the handsomest woman |
ever saw; you-you let 60 o me?
Shelby flung him to one side in utter
disgust hurting an oath after him as
he reeled dizzily into the protection
of the crowd. He cast his eyes once
in contempt about the circle, seeking
some other antagonist and finding
none
ITO HI with all Of you" he de-
clared. "Get out Of the way there"
They fell back to give him safe pas
sage and he strobe straight on past
the dance hall and turned down the
dark path leading back to Calkins
shack. He had but one thought now,
one purpose; he had burned his
bridges behind him. After what he
had said and done only a single course
remained. without a pause or a re-
greet he went straight to the door and
raped. 1t was no rimid touch of the
knuckles this time he was still too
angry to either hesitate or doubt. And
there was no sign of embarrassment
in word or act when the door opened
and she stood there looking at him
in wondement,
I've come back to say another word
to you" he announced simply. I'D
like to come in
Something has happened"
ut has; I've just had to lick two
pups who got too gay bout you They
said some things an I said some
things. Now I'm amin to make good
You said you'd marry me awhile ago;
does that hold?'
She was leaning against the table,
staring at him; her face seemed to
go white and her hands toyed nervous
ly with a knife she had picked up.
"You-you had trouble with two
men, over me?" she asked, her voice
trembling slightly. "What menY
"Red' Kelly and a gazabo named
Cowan; they was both here"
"Oh; they were angry at you for
that?'
"Sure; not because you didn't take
no notice Of them; then they got drunk
an undertook to ride me; said it was
a put-up job between us ter get away
with that money"
"What money!"
1.-THE twenty-five hundred you was
goln' to get The preacher told you
about that, didn't he?"
She shook her head, evidently be-
wildered.
"Where was I going to get all that
money!
"Why, Mccarthy was putin it up;
he and some other bucks, so as to give
you a start after you was married"
She drew a deep breath, looking
straight into his eyes.
"You mean those men came here for
that?" Indignantly. "They were will
ing to marry me so as to get that
money? Good God I was to be SOLE