Gunnison news-champion., 1920-04-02
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II was . rough district evea evse -
rough men OF rude. uncultured waya
Outside q the few towns where Law
and order ruled. primitive outlawry
and physical force were the cootroll.
Ing sIesnentA Thus. when Hal wyck-
on. the leader Of q lawiess horde Of
inconshiners and raiders, cast his eye
upon Nellie virtiin. the daughter Of
the school superintendent ct Macon.
only the genuine fervor Of his love
for her prevented his collecting . Re-
rsnue Of his favored comrades. carry
Ii.E her OH boldly. forr'ng some timer.
ant preacher 70 perform the marriage
ceremony and defying her friends 10
get her hack.
He lived here. there. everywhere.
with his lawlcss confreres: had q
sister. Althea. for whom he showed
real devotion, had placed her with an
old maid aunt over at the other end
Of the county, far away from his own
environment Nellie. visiting the lit
tie settlement where Althea lived. had
incidentally met wycko6. Later he
had seized all kinds Of pretenses to
appear In Macon and see Nellie. Then
he had watched her home. making sure
that she was alone in the house and
had almost alarmed her By appearing
at its porch one lovely September
evening.
II want to tell you 4 story" he said
bluntly. when timorously but with
courtesy she had invited him to be
seated. and wyckoR related the In
cidents Of the rough life he had led
since the death Of his parents, both
shot down BY revenue efiicers whilst
defending an Illicit still In the noun.
ta'ns. He made no secret Of follow
ing In their footsteps. But now
"And I want to tell you that love
you." was his final addendum to the
recital. II nm ready to make any
sacrifice to win your. esteem. will
abandon my present way Of living. I
will go to work to earn nm honest liv-
ing. will establish . pleasant home
with my sister, Althea. will be 4
true nnd faithful husband. Give ~
two Of 10 . chance TO become peace
able, respectable people. instead Of the
stunned outcasts that We are"
II am sorry" spoke Nellie In Q gen
Ne. subdued way. 'but ! am engaged
70 marry Wade Burton next month"
The tiger in the man sprang to the
surface In Q fash. He was ON his
feet In an Instant. qulvering all over.
LET him beware. II he crosses my
path I" he ground out n have warned
you. You shnll be mine. Just to gain
you I will plunge the whole district In
6lOOdshed and ruinw
'Waiti waltz I have something to
tell you.s began Nellie quaveringly.
but the man was gene. For two days
and nights he wandered In the widest
depths Of the mountain timber. When
he returned to his comrades he was
morose and captious and kept aaame
his mad emotions with the constant
use Of liquor.
Gradually his confrsrcs became
aware of the wretchedness that was
wearing down their leader. Nutterings
against Wade Burton, who was q
lawyer. who had prosecuted several
Of the band. intensified the insane
Jealousy Of Wyckof. There came q
climax. One evening with six chosen
men he rode over to Macon. stationed
his men In ambush near the yirdin
home and stole towards It few min
utes later. An agreed on signal, .
low, peculiar whistle, reached the men
In covert. It advised them that Wade
Burton was ON the premises and to
be ready to greet him when he came
down the woodland path.
wyckofr had made out Burton and
Nellie In the garden Of the little Vir-
din home. They were converting earn
estly, seated on Q bench beside Q
shadowing Towering bush.
"You are sure Althea u safe. You
do not doubt that she will evade the
man who would have dragged her Into
misery and sorr0wf"
II not only convinced her that the
man was already married, but set
the officers Of the law on his track
for an old crime and he has left thu
country. It was q narrow escape fol
the trustful girl ignorant Of the worlds
wavs."
'Her brother should know Of this,
wede." spoke Nellie.
Yes, he should guard Althea close.
y. She u . bright. pretty girl. and
this experience win be q warning to
hei. A. to Wyckoff. however, ]
scarcely dare venture to approach
him. He Il like q rampant lion these
latter days"
| 'He must feel grateful to you for
all that you have done in behalf Of his
sister," said Nellie. "What was that r
Il was q groan. and II issued from
the lips Of Hal Wyckoff a. he stag
geied from his covert. The revelation
o8 the moment stunned him. This
man, Wade Burton, rishtful beloved