Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-02-11

had the oil man kick me outa my
job as foreman of the ranch. 1 told
him an you both I'd git even. But
/ don't aim to rub it in. I'm gonna
give. you a chance to be Mrs. Doble.
An when you marry me you get a
man for a husband"
III never marry you, Neverl I'd
rather be dead in my gravel" she
broke out passionately.
please yorese'f, sweetheart" he
jeered. You'll be keepin' house
for Dug Doble. I'm not insistin' on
weddin' bells none. Take 'em or
leave EN-"
While he lounged s~ullenly on the
chopping-block, shoulders and head
sunken. a sound brought him to
alert attention. A horseman was
g%alloping down the slope on the
other side of the valley.
Doble eased his guns to make sure
of them. Intently he watched the
approaching figure. He recognized
the horse, Chiquito, and then. with
an oath, the rider. His eyes cleaned
with evil joy. At last. At last he
counts. One of them would be car
ried but of. the valley feet first.
Sanders leaped to the ground at
the same instant that he pulled
Chiquito up. The horse was between
him and his enemy.
The eyes of the men crossed in a
long. level look.
where's Joyce Crawford ?" asked
Dave.
That yorc business?" Doble add
ed to his retort the insult unmen
tionab,e.
I'm maxim it mine. What have
you done with her?
A swish of skirts, a soft patter of
feet, and Joyce was beside her
friend, clinging to him. weeping in
his arms.
Doble moved round in a wide cir
cumference. When shooting began
lie did no want his foe to have the
protection of the horses body.
go back to the house, Joyce
said Dave evenly. II want to talk
with this man alone"
The girl chung the tighter to him.
No, Dave, no! It's been . aw-
full"
The outlaw drew his long-barreled
~siX-shooter, still circling the group.
He could not fire without running a
risk of hitting Joyce.
"Iidin' belinda woman. are
you?" he tainted.
At any moment he might fire.
Dave caught the wrists of the girl,
dragged them down from his neck.
and flung her roughly from him to
the ground.
Round the corner of the house a
man had come. He spoke quickly.
Il yore gun this way, Dug"
1t vas Shorty. His revolver
flashed at the same instant. Doble
staggered, steadied himself, and
fired.
The forty-fives roared. yellow
flames and smoke spurted. .
Out OF the battle Shorty and
Sanders came erect and uninjured.
revolver smoking a FOO or two
from the twitching, outstretched
hand.
The outlaw was dead before
Shorty turned him over. A bullet
had passed through the heart. An
other had struck him on the temple,
a third in the chest.
I'VE got him good" said Shorty.
1T was comm to him. l reckon you
don't know that he fired the chapar-
raj on purpose. Wanted to wipe out
the Jackpot, 1 s'pose. Yes, Dug sure
had it comm to him."
Yes" said Sanders.
He walked across to the corral
fence, where Joyce sat hTddled
against the lower bars.
She lifted her head and looked at
him from wan eyes III Of which
the life had been stricken. They
stared at him in dumb, amazed
questioning.
Dave lifted her from the ground.
Il . . / thought you . . were
dead" she whispered.
mot even powder-burnt."
rs he P'
Eyes. He'll never trouble any of
us again"
She shuddered in his arms.
Dave ached for her in every for
tured nerve. He did not know. and
it was not his place to ask, what
price she had had to pay.
reseltly she told him, not in
words, without knowing what he
was suffering for her. A ghost of a
smile touched her eyes.
IT knew you would come. It's
all right now"
His heart leaped. Eyes. it's all
right, Joyce"
Fl never touched me-"
She d~isengaged herself from his
arms and looked at him, wan, hag-
gard. unshaven, eyes sunken. a tat
tered wretch SCARED with burns.
What have you done to your
self?" h asked. astonished at his
appearance. .
Souvenirs of the fire." he told
her. They'll wash and wear off.
Don't suppose l look exactly pretty"
ua had nayar IooIroJ CO hapJconoa