Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-09-13
The Sheriff of
Wistley
BY HUBERT RAY


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
Are you feeling better, darling hus-
band?"
Buchanan opened his eyes to the
swimming light. He did not know
where he was. He was lying on a
rough couch in log shack. His head
was bandaged, and beside him kneeled
q woman, to the best Of his knowledge,
he had never seen In his life before.
She was pretty, blonde, with blue
eyes filed with anxiety. Beside her,
finger In mouth, stood little girl, OBJ
viously her child, also looking at him
anxiously.
"Where am IT. demanded buchanan,
trying to Sit up.
"Hush, dear! The doctor said you
were not to be disturbed. It's all right.
The posse shot Black Jack"
"Black Jack?" Buchanan had never
heard Of such an individual in his life.
"And all the towns talking Of your
courage in facing him. They say you're
the best sheriff Wistley ever had. And
you were only stunned by the bullet.
The doctor says you'll be we'll In
week or two"
Buchanan, shaking his head like a
man who cannot understand, lay back
on his pillow The woman kissed him.
kiss Daddy, Myrtle" she said, and
the child pressed her lips to his. They
left him.
1t might have been an hour later
that the doctor entered. He was
stout, hearty, middle-aged man Of the
professional type.
"Well, how are we today, Mr..
WoodsS" he inquired. Feeling up
pish? You had narrow escape, but
you'll be all right in few days. And
you certainly did good work for Wist-
ley. We won't forget how you went on
ahead of the posse and put bullet
into Black Jack"
Doctor" said Buchanan, do I look
and speak like a saue man"
"Sure you do, Woods"
''Then will you listen patiently to
what have to tell your"
Lie uOCJOx uOuACut dAu OANAuAdh
went on.
my name is Harry Buchanan. My
father is banker in Boston. Six
months ago he sent me out West to see
II l could make good. was rotter
at Harvard. and guess deserved all
the old man said about me.
II went to Utah, and took up cattle
raising. We had some trouble with
the sheep-men. One Of them shot up
one Of our herders We formed posse
to get him. l went with the posse.
There was some firing. That's the last
thing l remember But the mans name
wasn't Black Jack-it was Timothy
Lee"
go on" said the doctor quietly.
"And the woman who calls herself
my wife,. and the child-Tve never
seen them in my life" said Buchanan
with a groan.
"And what year is this?" asked the
doctor.
ut should be 1919"
"It's 1922" the other answered
"And now I'll explain. In dressing
your wound came upon evidences Of
an old fracture It is evident that
you were shot by this Timothy Lee
When you recovered you had lost your
identity. You had become the man we
know as James Woods. the bravest
sheriff Wistley ever had. You have
a small ranch here. You married
settlers daughter. You have one child.
and you were devoted to your wife and
little girl. The bullet from Black
Jacks rife stunned you; you awoke
your former SELF"
"My God!" groaned Buchanan.
"And you have now to choose which
man you will become-for the rest Of
your life"
"Have I the choice?"
"I think so The bullet from Black
Jacks rifle depressed part Of the
skull. I expected some confusion when
you recovered consciousness, but not
this. A trephining operation is neces-
sary. 1t will probably restore you to
the world as James Woods. If you de-
cline it-well, you will he your former
self forever"
For FIVE minutes Buchanan thought.
He saw himself in the East. waster,
a prodigal, despised and condemned by
all. but-a member Of the Buchanan
family There was ease luxury, the
society of educated men. all that his
soul craved.
And he saw the look in his wife's
eyes as she kneeled beside him. No
human being had ever looked at him
like that before.
"I've chosen. DOCTOR" he said. "Oper-
ate!"
1--WE come prepared to-" the doctor
answered.
The wife kneeled by the bedside.
The man opened his eyes to the SWIM
ming light. They fell on his wife's
face.
did we get Black Jack?" he NUT
tered feebly.