The Raymer enterprise., 1923-09-06
"A Romance
By Zane Grey
Copyright By Harper and Brothers

Suddenly Madeline was transfixed by
terrible sound. Her startled glance
shifted from the anxious group round
Stewart to see that Monty Price had
leaped of the porch. He crouched
down with his hands below his hips,
where the big guns swung. From his
distorted lips issued that sound which
was combined roar and below and In.
dian war.whoop, and. more than all. a
horrible warning cry. He was quiver.
Ing, vibrating. His eyes, black and
hot. were fastened with most piercing
lntentness upon Have and Sneed.
"Git back, Bill. git back" he roared
'Glt 'em back!"
With one lunge Stillwell shovet!
Stewart and Nick and the other cow
boys upon the porch. Then he crowded
Madeline and Alfred and Florence Ia
the wall. tried to force them farther
His motions were rapid and stern. But
falling to get them through door and
windows. he planted his wide person
between the women and danger Made
line rasped his arm, held on, and
peered fearfully from behind his broad
shoulder.
you, Have! You. Sneed." called
Monty, In that same wild voice. Don't
you move finger er an eyelash
Madellne's faculties neryed to keen.
thrilling divinatlon. She grasped the
relation between Monty's terrible cry
and the strange hunched posture he
had assumed.
"Nels, git In thls,' yelled Monty /;
and all the time he never shifted bis
intent gaze as much as a hair's-breadth
from Have and his deputy. "Nels,
chase away them two fellers hangln'
back there Chase 'em. qulck!"
These men, the two deputies who had
remained In the background with the
pack horses did not wait for Nels.
They spurred their mounts, wheeled.
and galloped away.
wow. Nels. cut the gurl loose" or
dered Monty.
Nels ran forward, jerked the halter
out Of Sneed's hand. and pulled Bon.
lta's horse In close TO the porch. As
he slit the rope which bound her she
fell Into his arms.
"Hawe, git down." went on Monty
"Face front an stlff."
The sheriff swung his leg, and, never
moving his hands, with his face now
deathly. sickening white, he slid to
the ground.
Line up there beside your guerrilla
pard. There! You two make a d-n
fine plctoor, a d-n fine team of
pizened coyote an cross between
wild mule an Greaser Now listen |"
Monty made long pause, In which
his breathing was plainly audible.
Madellne's eyes were riveted upon
Monty. Her mind, swift as lightning.
had gathered the subtletles In action
and word succeeding his domination
Of the men. Violence. terrible violence,
the thing she had felt, the thing she
had feared, the thing she had sought
to eliminate from among her cow
boys. was, after many months, about
to be enacted before her eyes. 1t had
come at last. She had softened Still
well, she had Influenced Nels. she had
changed Stewart; but this little black
faced. terrible Monty Price now rose,
as 1t were. out Of his past wild years,
and no power on earth or in heaven
could stay his hand. With eyes slow
ly hazing red. she watched him; she
listened with drumming ears; she
waited. slowly sagging against Still
well.
Have II you an your dirty pard
hev loved the sound OF human voice.
then listen an listen hard" said
Monty. Fer I've been goin' contrary
to my ole style jest to hev a talk.
with you. You all but got away on
your nerve, didn't you? Cause why7
You roll In here like a mad steer an
flash yer badge an talk mean, then
almost bluff away with 1t. You heerd
all about Miss Hammond's cowboy
outfit stoppin' drinkin' an cussin' an
packln' guns. They've took on re-
ligion an decent llvin'. an sure they'll
be easy to hobbie an drive to jail.
Have, listen. There was a good an
noble an be-ootiful woman come out
Of the East somewheres, an she
brought lot Of sunshine an happi.
ness an new idees into the tough lives
OF cowboys. l reckon It's beyond you
to know what she come to mean to
them. Wal. I'll tell you. They.all went
clean out Of their heads. They.all got
soft an easy an sweet-tempered.
They got so they couldn't kill a coy
ote. crippled calf In a mud-hole.
Even mean ole. worn-out, hobhle-
legged. burned-up cowman like me!
Do you git theft An you, Mister
Have, you come along, not satisfied
with ropln' an beatin', an Cav knows
what else. Of thet friendless little
Bonita; you come along an face the
lady we fellers honor an love an rev.
erence. an you-you- HIS fre!"
With whistlIng breath, foaming at
the mouth, Monty Price crouched
lower, hands at his hips, and he edged
inch by Inch farther out from the
porch, closer to Have and Sneed.
Madeline saw them only in the