Licking Valley courier., 1921-02-24

back and forth in his mad rage. I'm
goin' ter marry that girl, If she'll have
me. an there amt nobody g0n' to
slam the looks O. my wife, either. You
get that, you coyote? What do yer
think Of 1t nOw-hey? Spit II out ;
what do you think Of her now?"
Kelly had to spit 1t out; 1t was all
he could do with those fingers grip
ping him.
"l.el gO--d--n it--let gOl HI!
She's-she's the hnndsOmest woman ]
ever saw; you--yOu let go o me !"
Shelby flung him to one side In utter
disgust, hurling All oath after him .,
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.
"ro HI with all Of you" he de
clared. Get out OF the way there !"
They fell back To give him safe pas
sage and he strobe straight on pas
the dance hall and turned down thu
dark path leading back to Calklns
shnck He had but one thought now
one purpose; he had burned hl'
bridges behind him. After what h,
had said and done only single cOurs,
remained. Without pause or n re-
| gret he went straight to the door an,
raped. II was no tfmld touch of tn,
knuckles this time; he was still to-
angry To either hesitate or doubt. An'
| there was no sign Of embarrassment
In word or act when the door opene,
and she stood there looking at hin
In wonderment.
"rve come back to say another wor,
to YOU" he announced simply az,
like to come in"
Something has happenedf"
at has; rye just had to lick tw
pups who got too gay 'bout YOU The
said some things an' said som
things. Now I'm aimin' to make goo,
You said you'd marry me awhile ago
does that holdT
She was leaning against the tabl
staring nj him; her face seemed I
20 white and her hands toyed nervous
ly with knife she had picked up.
"YOu-you had trouble with tw
men. over me?" she asked. her voiC
trembling slightly. "What menY"
"'Red' Kelly and gazaho name
Cowan; they was both here"
"oh; they were ungry at you fC
that2"
"Sure; not because you didn't tab
no notice Of them; then they got drum
an undertook to ride me; said II va
a put.up job between us ter get ava
with that money"
"What money!"
"rhe twenty-five hundred you W.
goln' to get. The preacher told va
about that, didn't he?"
She shook her head, evidently b
wildered.
"where was ! going to get all tn
money!
"Why. Mccarthy was putin II NJ
he and some other bucks. so as to gl'
/ you q start after you was married."
She drew deep breath, lookil
straight into his eyes.
"Y0u mean those men came here 4
thatH" Indignantly. "rhey were wi
Ing to marry me so as to get III
money! Good God was to he soil
Is that actually truef Nobody ev
hinted such shameful thing to M
"Well, | reckon they didn't mean
harm by that" he tried to explal
"You don't just see II right They Q
! ured that Old Calkns had died q
left you without a cent, sOrter helple
out here an that the town owed y,
decent chance ter git married a
settle down. That's what the mon
was given for,'
"But those fellows all knew II. Tn
was whui made them AgreeT
n reckon maybe Il was mostly,
least"
She twisted her hands together.
hot, red flush coming into each .chee
''Well, I'm glad to know that. No
what was Il those two men said, Il
men you had the trouble wilhT
"Well, you see, Cowan was drur
an. naturally all worked up. aes-