The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-08-25


brief, whirling, wrestling struggle
Stewart appeared to be bestng the old
cattleman
"Help, boys, help!" yelled Stillwell.
II can't hold him. Hurry, or there's
goin' to be blood spilledI"
Nick Steele and several cowboys
leaped to Stillwell's assistance
"Gene! Why, Gene!" painted the old
cattleman. "Sure you're locoed-to act
this way. Cool down! Cool down /!
Why, boy, it's all right. Jest stand
still-give us a chance to talk to you.
It's only ole Bill, you know-your ole
pal who's tried to be a daddy to you.
He's only wantin' you to hev sense-to
be cool-to wait"
LET me go! Let me go!" cried
Stewart; and the poignancy of that cry
pierced Madeline's heart. LET me 60,
Bill, If you're my friend. I saved your
life once-over in the desert. You
swore you'd never forget. Boys, make
him let me go! Oh, don't care what
Hawe's said or done to me! It was
that about her! Are you all a lot Of
Greasers? How can you stand it?
On you for lot of towards There's
a limit, tell YOU" Then his voice
broke, fell to whisper. bill, dear
old Bill, let me go. I'll kill him! You
know I'll kill him!''
Scene, I know you'd kill him If you
he'd an even break" replied Stillwell,
soothingly. But, Gene, why, you amt
even packin' gun! An there's Pat
lookin' nasty, with his hand nervous
like. He seen you he'd no gun. He'd
jump at the chance to plug you now,
an then holler about opposition to the
law. Cool down. son; it'll all come
right"
Suddenly Madeline was transfixed by
a terrible sound. Her startled glance
shifted from the anxious group round
Stewart to see that Monty Price had
leaped off 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 CULVER
ing, vibrating. His eyes, black and
hot, were fastened with most piercing
intentness upon Have and Sneed.
"Git back, Bill, git back!" he roared.
"Git 'em back! :"
With one lunge Stillwell 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 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!"
Madeline's 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 hair's-breadth
from Have and his deputy. "Nels,
chase away them two fellers hangin'
back there. Chase 'em, quick -
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:
Nov, Nels, cut the CURL loose" Or
dered Monty.
Nels 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 his arms.
"Hawe, git down." went on Monty.
Face front an stiff"
The sheriff swung his leg, and, never
moving his hands, with his face now q
deathly, sickening white, he slid to
the ground.
Lime up there beside your guerrilla
pard. There! You two make a d-n
fine pictoor, On fine team Of
pizened coyote an a cross between q