The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-11-04
The Right Side
BY EVELYN LEE
90oooooooooo
lCopyright. 1879. Western NeMsPAper Union


1t was two years since Myrtle Nor
ris had last met Ross Warren, and 1t
! was with something more than ordi-
! nary curiosity that she greeted him
on the public street.
'They told me he had grown into a
regular fire eater" babbled Myrtle to
her mother and sisters. II observed
no trace of it. He is as dignified and
gentle. and far more handsome than
ever"
Half the people Of Wycherly shared
the impression as to this "ire-eating"
feature. When Warren went West
a remote section, the local newspaper
had kept tab on the various develop
ments in his new experience. 1t was
natural that these should be colored
extravagantly, and there were many
descriptions of instances where War
rem had taken part in battles with
rustlers and bad men generally. Ac-
cording to popular rumor he had be-
come species Of fistic champion and
a ready shot. He had returned to
Wycherly, his departure much de-
plored, and his record approved by
his recent rough-and-ready but appre-
ciative fellow citizens of the wild and
woolly ranch lands. It would have
seemed quite natural, therefore, if
Warren had appeared in town on
madly cavorting mustang, arrayed In
buckskin. long-haired. gun-belted, and
shooting up the place as a matter OF
regular usage. On the contrary. i'm
maculately attired. self-possessed, re-
luctant to boast or even to allude to
his frontier experience. Warren APP
peared to wish to be regarded as a
simple, commonplace individual.
Hes a distinct disappointment,V
observed Bert Allen, an old-time boy
rival Of Warren when both were en-
ulative to hold first place in the es-
timation of pretty Myrtle. sour
crowd expected he would bring some
fun and excitement along with him,
such as challenging Big Pete, cham
pion lightweight, Of the athletic club.
or cleaning out Dan Carson and his
gang down at the flats" !
1--WE fight out West because we have
to do it to maintain our rights" War:
rem remarked one day. "Those who
do 1t from malice or natural perversity
generally die soon."
''He's afraid, that's what's the trou-
BILE" sneered Bert Allen. Wants to
pose as cowboy ladies' man. When
he isn't hanging around with Ned
Norris, he is waiting a chance to meet
his sister. I would like to see his
mettle tried. Maybe he wouldn't seem
so heroic a character after getting
maued by common mechanic like
Dan Carson"
Bert Allen had got the fighting idea
in his mind and could not getEit out Of
It. He was an arrant craven himself.
and proceeded to plot and maneuver
secretly. Carson was a bully but all
the same was endowed with great
physical strength and some pugllistic
science. When fired up with liquor he
was ready for almost anything reck
less and desperate. Bert tainted him
with the loss Of local prestige as
"cock of the walk" since Warren had
returned. slipped him ten-dollar bill
and limited that he expected to get
that much moneys worth out of see
ing the cowboy hero put out Of COM
mission, once for all.
The bully proceeded to put himself
in the way Of Warren, and boosted
publicly his motive. Warren paid no
more attention to him than if he was
a troublesome fly. Then the specious
Bert suggested: make an excuse to
roll him about his Norris friends"
and the next day as Warren and Ned
Norris came down the street Dan
lurched against the latter.
"Who you shoving"' he growled, and
dealt the lad a brutal blow that sent
him spinning to the sidewalk.
The fire that instantly famed in
Ross Warren's eye might have warned
the r,lf1ian, but he was fred up with
drink and took momentary inaction
on the part Of Warren as hesitating
cowardce. Then Warren acted. Out
shot his fist. It was like mallet
telling an OK. Dan Carson went fiat
with thud. Warren turned to assist
the bruised and bleeding Ned to his
feet.
"Look out" shouted man across
the street in alarming accents.
Dan Carson had staggered to his
feet and had drawn a weapon. War
rem sprang in front Of Ned. There
was sharp report: he, felt singing
sensation in his arm. but he had saved
the lads life. Dan Carson was taken
in charge by an officer, and Warren
hurried to the nearest physician.
The company Of faithful Ned Nor
ris at his hotel while Warren was re-
covering from his wound, grateful, al
most tender messages from Myrtle,
flowers, fruu-Ross Warren knew
that he had the best friends in the
world ...a