Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-28

~ .oiorious for his skin 'cun guns,
81 has controlled the vdtep tor
an .n,, Buok Courtrcy seeks 70 oust
t"'' "He's riding tote,' Amna re-
.n"yt,. and the girl replies, rss
I ba III Rey is mightp;p De1eo.cay
n, Rev appears carrying an .o'mos.
If,ic,s rider. Jim had 0oen snes
fyom behind. He gives iharon ner
| lat lesson IN shooting aug hahas 70
bSr his belt Of pistols Shc sochs 70
Ieayn the name. OF rs % mnroe,u, W.
eowS e, n,ov cards. Lola, Coartreps
otnc,tI oIa.t ;pptatvation, toatches tho game. !
u'J' J a man on roised dais tunes
fiddle. ro>,r,~,,rs Il
TWO moro women came in M from ,',,'. some,
j y,ere at the back, big blooming
-,., hy tho name Of Sadie. and a small
ga ga hsad. tragically faded, with soft
,S.,,,o eyes that should never have
,"aved upon Billiards. Two men rose
~ ,oo,, them as the tune. an old-fash-
snu slas ua,,z, began to ripple under the
one ., tho fiddler, who was born
n,nsIoian, and the four s"uns "omn
h.,ueen the tables and the par' the
co,den Cloud was in full swing running
s.oo for tho night, though the SOFT twi-
nrh, was scarcely faded from the oeautl-
a., country without.
sl,,--step, slip--step--went tno oane-
a., 20 the accompaniment OF rat
Cling spurs. These men were h.he
u' ,o,ive, able to dance with amazing
NV ~ tn chaps and the full aecouter-
- ,hs rider They even wore their
broad-brimmed hats. ,
why should they not since meme oo-
jected? .,,,, red.facsd
-, -, ,is har and watched the busy
room with pleased eyes .ro,
w. ,,d not hear a voice which called
" ,ooa once or twice, among the
iunble OF sounds. Presently an ouu
e,,,re came round the END ct the pai
,ron, a door that opened there INTO 'he
r,vs,srious back regions CT the piaee anu
.lboyed In to face him'
This WAS a little old man. weaheheo
.,d bebt his unliempt head thrus'
Coward from hunched shoulders. H'
.,.so.d two grain sacks behind him
..a No ,yas so grotesquely bow-legget
tba, the FIRST sight of him always pro
,oled laughter. This was old Pete I'M
.rou.packer, bound on his nightly tril
n the hills. Outside his burros waited
their pacli-saddles empty.
BY dawn they would come down from
the worlds rim, the grain sacks bulgln
with hard-packed snow for the cooling
OF billiards. liquor. ,o.s T.,
EMPLOYER. here tits time Z start ar
there amt damned bit o grub put u
fer me! Ef ye don't mako that pig
tailed Chink pay tention Z my wants
And he emphasized his vehement pro
test by whlrling the bags over his hea
and failing them upon the foor.
roar OF laughter greeted him. whic
brought dim tears Of indignation to nj
;'Yc don't care damn" he whin
pered in impotent rage. "Jes' AUS
ifs me Ef twas yer oil Chink now
il twas him. tn or he,pigtaii; ye'd-.-
Hold on PETE SAID Saad HGllafS on tSe Ssat rrt
tesaue shoulder, you go tell Wan Lc
that IL he don't put up tn best unc
In camp for you. an muy ,pronto
that. I'll come in an skin him aliH'
But Bullard was never to finish ths
sentence. ~
There was a sound of running horse
stopping square at the rack wltnou
the rattle Of chains. the creak
saddles.
Booted feet struck the boards of y
porch, and almost upon the instant II
great iron door Of the Golden Clou
swung inward.
the players laid down their cards, Il
noise Of the room ceased with the SUI
denness that characterized the tin
and place, for Lost Valley was quic
upon the trigger. Tragedy often swel
In the opening stood Tharon Last, HI
blue eyes black and sparkling, n
tawny skin cream white, her lips tigh
set and pale. She wore n plain dai
dress that buttoned up the front. al
ct her hips there hung her father
famous guns Her two hands rested
their butts.
Behind her head against the sta
light there was the dim suggestion
For a moment she stood so
breathless silence, scanning the room.
Then her glance came to rest on u
face OF Buck Coqrtrey. -,
Men" she said clearly. I'VE burit
Jim Last today. Ell Rey brought hi
homo last night-flnished. You q
know he was a gunman-th' best
these parts, II was no gunman tn
killed him. in fair-an'-open. for he WI
shot in III back. It was skunk
coyote, son-of-th'-deyil. an I'm goi
10 kill him.
At the last word there was a lightnlr
movement at the bar as Courtrey's har
flashed at his hip. fash of fire,
deep beam above the door, for u
weazened form of the snow-packer HI
iieaped up against him in the SAL
Instant
Tho girl had not moved. Her han
Nlll rested on the guns in their holster
Now a grim smile curled her mout
out her eyes did not laugh.
I'm a-goin t kill him." sho sa
quietly, still In that clear voice, 'b
u do II accordin' to tn law jim La
!aid down TO me all my life-in CO
SMinty, I know--but III prove,
some day I'll draw-an' my fathe
Killer must beat me to It,"
without another word Tharon back
OUT on the porch, the door swung
AZ the pull of an unseen hand on t
iron strap by the hinge.
There was again the rattle a
Freak, the whirl OF hoofs and in
breathless stiffness that lasted for
teW seconds, there came TO the strain
ears In the Golden Cloud the clip-clap
s'nslefooter as the great El Rey
Then Buck Courtrey. flushed and U
smiling. sent his coldly narrowed es
over the crowded room. man by ms
laughter came, a triie cracked a
nSSrced' cards slapped on the tabl
cnalrs creahed as the players drew
again, the dancers swung into step
The fiddle took up its interrupted strs
only Lola, over by the door, looS
tor pregnant moment at Courtre
.see and shut her lips in a ha
n strAi6ht line.
4 ngure OF tho snow. hacker huaily .