The St. Johns herald., 1921-05-19

ed sternly. q got some reputation as fghtin' man myself an l don't take everything peaceably. Now, listen to me, you drunken brute, and keep a civil tongue in your head. l have seen the girl, but we didn't talk none about marriage and, what's more, I wouldn't touch that money, not a cent of 1t, even if l was to marry her-she ain't that kind, her I ain't'
 "Gosh, you must think I'm sucker, Tom Shelby. What the h-l you got to git married on? I'll bet yer never seed two thousand before in all your life. Tell that to the marines-there ain't nobody goin' to marry her ex- cept for the cash"
 ''What do you meanT"
 'Why, she's homely as hedge fence. Red was just sayin' that if she'd picked him, he'd have jumped the re- servation, money or no money. Yer can't string mel"
 "You say she's hOmely?"
 'T sure do, an as damn mean as she looks, I reckon"
 Shelby's face was like flint and his right fist crashed square into Cowan's sneering lips. The fellow went top
 bling over and before he even knew
 what had happened the ranchman was
 upon him, holding him fiat to the
 earth and pommeling with both hands.
 It was soon over with, Shelby giving
 his opponent no chance to break away,
 interspersing his blows with a frank
 expression of feeling.
 "You measly houndI Coin to marry
 her for money, am I? Maybe you'd
 like to say that ag'in, d-n you
 That's bout the size O your soul,
 Cowan. Take that, you whelpI You
 won't be so d-n beautiful yourself
 when I get through. There nowI Per
 haps you'll lay quiet awhilep
 He got to his feet and glared about into the ring of interested faces de- , fantly.
 "Any more of yer want to say what
 he didY' he demanded. "Here, you, Kelly; you laughed when that dirty pup said she was hOmely as 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 nave me, an there aln't nobody goin' to slam the looks O my wife, either. You get that, you coyote? What do yer think of it now-hey? Spit 1t out what do you think of her nowT Kelly had to spit 1t out; it was all he could do with those fingers grip ping him.
 'Tet go-d-n it-let gol H-lI
 She's-she's the handsOmest woman ever saw; you-you let go O meP Shelby flung him to one side in utter disgust, hurling 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.
 'aro hl with all of you!" he de
 clared. "Get out of the way thereI" They fell back to give him safe pas I sage and he strode straight on past the dance hall and turned down the 1 dark path leading back to Calkins 1 shack. He had but one thought now 1 one purpose; he had burned hiS l bridges behind him. After what hC had said and done only single course remained. Without a pause or a re | gret he went straight to the door anC | rapped. It was no rimid touch of thu | knuckles this time; he was still toC 7 angry to either hesitate or doubt. AnC q there was no sign of embarrassment
 in word or act when the door opened
 and she stood there looking at hin
 in wonderment.
 i've come back to say another wort
 to you," he announced simply. 'PC
 like to come in."
 f. Something has happenedT d "It has; I've just had to lick tw' e pups who got too gay bout you. The! said some things an I said somC s, things. Now I'm aimin' to make good t, You said you'd marry me awhile ago l, does that hold?"
 y She was leaning against the table
 staring at him; her face seemed t e go white and her hands toyed nervous Il ly with a knife she had picked up. d "You-you had trouble with tw' n men, over meY' she asked, her vOict IT trembling slightly. "What men?" t. Red Kelly and a gazabo namet @ Cowan; they was both here." l. "Oh; they were angry at you fO n thatT
 e "Sure; not because you didn't talk h no notice of them then they got drunl t. an undertook to ride me; said it wa @ a put-up job between US ter get ava,
 with that money"
 g. "What money?"