The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-03-11
~ hope so,' said Granados.

" Amen, said Milo vigorously.
Corey Bruce said nothing. He
was profoundly moved by the
action Noel hadtaken with such
promptness. He was not hypo-
critic enough to pretend pity
for his enemy which he did not
feel. But he was we'll enough
drilled in conventional morality
to be shocked, and even appalled,
at the thrill of satisfaction which
had shaken him. He was too
Anglo-Saxon to enjoy without re-
morse the luxury of vengeance as
could Granados and Milo Valdez.
Yet he knew that he would stand
in court opposite Jacinto Meyer
and give deliberately the evil
dence to convict the man. He
was assured that he would feel
no relenting. There was in him
an acrid Scotch strain that might
have lain in allegiance all his life,
had not long suffering and in
jury brought it to the surface.
He knew what he, would do. But
ne was soreiy dismayed to realize
that he wanted to do it. And
with that realization, his con-
science sprang up to forbid him
the pagan joy Of revenge under
the guise of justice.
The other men watched him,
while the course before them was
removed from the table and sue
ceeded by silver baskets Of fruit
and glasses so fragile that the
wine Pedro poured appeared to
float like copper bubble at each
place rather than to be up held
by crystal. Bruce's silence
amused Granados and Milo, who
fancied they understood it and
were in cordial sympathy with
his satisfaction. Noel, who really
understood his countryman, sat
in cool readiness to combat
Bruce's arguments should he
urge forbearance for his enemy.
Bruce offered no such argument.
His silence continued so long that
his companions turned from re-
gard Of him to glance at one an
other. Nilo's lips parted in a
smile, he leaned to aim some
raillery at his friend, when Bruce
finally spoke.
Marshal" he said in his
gentle, hesitant voice, his brown
eyes, sheltered behind the heavy
lenses, gazing across the room.
- Marshal, you always carry a
gun, I know. Will you slip it out
under cover of the table and hold
it on your knee for me to take?'
The explosion of the roses in
their silver bowl could hardly
thave been a greater astonlsh-
ment. Yet there was no cutlery or
disturbance. Milo Valdez S smile
left his lips, but he did not move.
Noel S face remained impassiye.
Granados laid down his cigar,
moving with admirable compo-
sure and lack of haste. When he
turned his eyes towards Bruce,
their meaning was signified with
out excitement.
Bruce turned that way with an
awkward gesture as il about to
speak, and his cuff swept his
glass from before him. The deli
cate crystal shattered at first
touch, splitting the wine across
the, damask. His right hand
grasping the edge of the table,
Bruce stopped to recover his fall
ing napkin, uttering an eAclanla-
ton of dismay.
The other men saw his LETT
hand emerge from beneath the
cloth grasping the napkin. Then,
with out rising, he wheeled about
in his chair and emptied the auto
matte towards the window be-
hlnd MN.
The patter of the shots was
broken midway by crashing fall,
outside. AS the other men sprang
up, Bruce tore the blazing nap-
kin. from about the revolver and
crushed out the flame upon the
floor.
"Corey?" Milo Valdez cried.
Bruce turned his sober face to
them all.
"The-the last time, = he STAN
mered alphabetically. I'll
talked to Meyer little too
long,
The servants who had sprung
to obey NoeI's command were
already beyond the window ut
tering gutteral CALCULATIONS.
Granados walked over and looked
Y dawn al the oroIIp