The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-08-29
BY Randall Parrish
CopVrish, by A. c. MeClurs & Co.

| MS knee.
"The HI you say! Who do you
think am. anyhow? Some kid afraid
of a woman? Say, listen. that's no
way for a wife to welcome her hus-
band. l got right here, and you bet
I'm going to stay. Got an Idea you
can bluff me, reckon. Well, l amt
that kind, an you might as we'll learn
1t now as later. This is our wedding
night. Here's where I ought to be,
ain't 1t? Say, why don't you say some
thing? What you going to do?"
Il am going to kill you, Bob Mea-
ger" she said coldly, unless you leave
this ROOM"
XIII mel Why, you blame little
fool. / could crush the life out O. you
with one hand-see, just like that.
And by Cd. got the right II you
get too gay. I'm your husband, amt
/? That's what the law says, and I'm
going to be your husband, you can bet
your life on that Think you'll scare
me, do your" he burst Into an ugly
laugh. mot this time, you won't" He
turned and closed the door; then
crossed the room toward her, Keeling
drunkenly, yet quite able to retain
his feet. The starlight rendered his
features visible. Her motionless 81
lence caused him to pause.
pretty d-n still, amt your" he ex-
claimed, peering at her suspiciousIy;
why don't you talk? When 1 speak
to a woman 1 want her to say some
thing"
There is nothing more for me to
say"
"Only that you're going to kill me
If I touch you, hey1 All right, then;
here's your chance"
He took two steps toward her, his
hands reaching out eagerly, his face
thrust forward Then he stopped sud
denly, with startled eyes staring into
the leveled muzzle of the "A, his lips
giving suppressed utterance to a swift
ejaculation.
"Tll be d-dw
put your hands up, Bob Meager!"
the words were icy cold up, I say!
Don't fool with me now. Turn around
and go out that door. I am not play
ing this means your life or mine. Cot"
He cringed back, cowardly, yet with
drunken cunning. Desperate as she
was there was hesitation in the girls
action Dimly he grasped the truth
that she shrank from the necessity of
shooting; that she would actually pull
the trigger only as a last resort. He
took the chance.
Sure" he muttered, you got the
drop and 1 cave. So long, honey"
He half turned away, Keeling drunk
emily, then suddenly, Unexpectedly,
flung his body directly at her, crush
ing her back against the wall, both
falling together, the weapon undis- |
charged beneath her body. I, sur
prising as the assault was. she had yet |
escaped the grip of his hands, and was
on her knees again before he could |
move. The revolver was her only |
weapon, but in the fall she had lost |
grip of the stock 1t lay there glitter
ing in the starlight, and, desperate, |
maddened by the danger, obeying the |
first wild instinct of the instant, she
snatched 1t up by the barrel and
struck with all her force at the mans
head. The fellow gave utterance to
no moan, his limbs twitched, and then
he lay motionless, his face against the
floor.
Deborah slowly lifted her body,
back from the darkly out
lined form, beginning to comprehend
with horror what she had done. She
still held tight to the weapon with
which she had dealt the blow, although
realizing that she no longer required
Its protection. The silence was terri
Tying; her nerves tingled painfully,
she found difficulty in breathing. Was
the man dead? Had she actually killed
him with that one hasty blow? She
could scarcely realize the possibility,
and yet she had struck with all her
'orce, driven to it by terror uncontrol-
able She shrank now from even
ouching him; nurse as she was, hay
ng witnessed death in every form Of
lorror, and ministered to wounds OF
very degree, she would not place hand
IN this man, whether he lived or died.
lie represented to her mind all that
vas base and evil she was glad she
lad struck him down.
But what now? This question over
hadowed all else. The thing she had
een imagining for so long had at last
ONE to pass. He had come to her,
ONE claiming her with insult and out
age, and she had actually dealt the
low of which she had dreamed. Her
ourage had not failed her, and he was
ying there now In the darkness at her
eet, sorely wounded. perhaps dead.
[ was her act; she had done it-what I
ow? She had never faced this stu I
ton before, the aftermath. Whether
feager was dead or alive, she must I
ct away. Better to face any danger (
( the great desert than remain where {
he was, with not a friend to counsel 6
r protect her, not a white man to {
HON she could appeal.
The girl thrust the revolver back
ito its holster at her waist, and
lanced out through the window into