Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-09-13
A Romance

Suddenly Madeline was transfxed b.
q terrible sound. Her startled gianc,
shifted from the anxious group rount
Stewart to see that Monty Price hat
leaped OF the porch. He croucheC
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, q
horrible warning cry. He was CULVER
ing. vibrating. His eyes,, black and
hot, were fastened with most piercing
intentness upon Have and sneed.
"Git back, BIZ, git back !" be roared
"Git 'em back |"
With one lunge Stiilweil showed
Stewart and Nick and the other cow-
boys upon the porch. Then he crowded
Madeline and Alfred and Florence to
the wall, tried TO force them farther.
His motions were rapid and stern. But
failing to get them through door and
windows. he planted his wide person
between the women and danger. Made
line grasped his arm. held on, and
peered f~earfully from behind his broad
shoulder.
you, Hawei You. Sneed !" called
Monty, In that same wild voice. Don't
you move a finger err an eyelash I"
@Madeifnes faculties nerved to keen,
thrilling divination. She grasped the
relation between Monty's terrible cry
and the strange hunched posture he
had assumed.
"Nels. git In this !" yelled Monty /;
and all the time he never shifted his
intent gaze as much as a hair's-breadth
from Have and his deputy. "Nels,
chase away them two fellers hangin'
back there. Chase 'em. quick I"
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.
snow. Nels, cut the CURL loose" or
dered Monty.
Neis ran forward. jerked the halter
out of Sneed's hand. and pulled Bon
ita's horse In close to the porch. AS
he slit the rope which bound her she
fell Into bis arms.
Have, git down !" went on Monty.
Face front an stiff t.
The sheriff swung his leg. and, never
moving his hands. with his face now a
deathly, sickening white, he slid 10
the ground.
"Line up there beside your guerrilla
pafd. Therei You two make a d-n
fine pictoor, a d--n fine team of
pIzened coyote an a cross between
wild mule an a Greaser. Now listen I"
Monty made a long pause, In which
his breathing was plainly audible.
Madeline's eyes were riveted upon
Monty. Her mind, swift as lightning.
had gathered the subtleties 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. II 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 II 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
web.
"Hawe, II you an your dirty pard
hev loved the sound OF human voice,
then listen an listen hard" said
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 your Cause why7
You roll In here like a mad steer an
fash yer badge an talk mean. then
almost blum away with II. You heerd
all about Miss Hammond's cowboy
outfit stoppin' drinkin' an cussin' an
guns. They've took on re-
Iigion an decent liyIn', 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
a lot of sunshine an happi-
hess an new idees into the tough lives
# cowboys. / reckon it's beyond you
70 know what she come to mean to
Wal. III tell you. They-all went
out of their heads. They-all got
soft an Easy an sweet-tempered.
They got so they couldn't kill a coy
,te. q crippled calf In a mud-hole.
Even mean ole. WORKOUT, hobble-
egged, burned-up cowman like mel
Do you git theft An you, Mister
Have, you come along. not satisfied
With ropin' an beatin'. an Cav knows (,
else, of tibet friendless little
you come along an face the
sdy we fellers honor an love an rev I
'rence. an you-you- HIS hrei" I
With whistling breath. foaming at I
he mouth. Monty Price crouched
over. hands at his hips. and he edged /,
nch by inch farther out from the 1
,orch. closer to Have n Sneed.
Madeline saw them only In the I
.1urred fringe 0f her eIght Thew - !