The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-08-18
dark-faced, cool. quiet, with something
.onnin0us ahonf him


omin0us about him.
"Hawe. I'll submit to arrest without
any fuss" he said, slowly, T."if you'll
take the ropes of that girl"
"Nope," replied the sheriff. "She
got away from me onct. She's hawg-
tied now. an she'll stay hawg-tied-"
Madeline thought she saw Stewart
give slight start. But an unaccount-
able dimness came over ner eyes, at
brief intervals obscuring her keen
sight.
All right, let's hurry out Of here"
said Stewart. you've made annoy
ance enough. Ride down to the cor
raj with me. I'll get my horse and 60
with you"
Hold on!" yelled Have, as Stewart
turned away. mot 80 fast. Who's
dom this? You'll ride one of my
pack-horses, an you'll go in irons"
"You want to handcuff me?" queried
Stewart, with sudden swift start of
passion.
want to? Haw, haw! Nope, Stew
art, tibet jest my way with hoss-
thieves, raiders Greasers, murderers,
an SIGH. See hyar. you Sneed, git off
an put the irons ON this man."
The guerrilla called Sneed slid Off
his horse and began to tumble in his
saddle-bags.
Stillwen was gazing at Stewart in
kind Of imploring amaze.
Gene, you amt goin' to stand fer
them handcuffs?" he pleaded.
EYES," replied the cowboy. bill,
old friend, I'm an outsider here.
There's no call for Miss Hammond and
and her brother and Florence to be
worried further about me- Their
happy day has already been spoiled
on my account. I want to get out
quick"
oval, you might be too d-n consid-
crate of Miss Hammond's sensitive
feelin's." There was now no trace of
the courteous, kindly old rancher. He
looked harder than stone How about
my feelin's? I want to know If you're
goin' to let this sneakin' coyote, this
last gasp of the old rum-guzzlin'
frontier sheriffs, put you in irons an
hawg-tie you an drive you off to jailT
EYES," replied Stewart steadily.
"Wal, by Gawd! You, Gene Stew
art! What's come over you? Why,
man, 60 in the house, an I'll tend to
this Teller. Then tomorrow you can
ride in an give yourself up like a
gentleman"
mo. I'll go. Thanks, Bill, for the
way you and the boys would stick to
me. Hurry, Have, before my mind
changes" -
His voice broke at last, betraying
the wonderful control he had kept over
his passions. AS he ceased speaking he
seemed suddenly to become spiritless.
He dropped his head.
When the man Sneed came forward,
jingling the iron letters, Madeline's
blood turned to fire. She would have
forgiven Stewart then for lapsing into
the kind Of cowboy it had been her
blind and sickly sentiment to abhor.
This was a mans West-a mans game.
At that moment, with her blood hot and
racing, she would have gloried in the
violence which she had so deplOred:
she would have welcomed the action
that had characterized Stewards treat
ment Of Don Carlos; she had in her
the sudden dawning temper Of wom-
an who had been assimilating the life
and nature around her and who would
not have turned her eyes away from
a harsh and bloody deed.
But Stewart held forth his hands to
be manacled. Then Madeline heard
her own voice burst out in a ringing,
imperious "Wait!"
Sneed dropped the manacles. Stew
arts face took on chalky whiteness.
Have, in a slow, stupid embarrass-
ment beyond his control, removed his
sombrero in respect that seemed
wrenched from him.
"Mr. Have, I can prove to you that
Stewart was not concerned in any way
whatever with the crime for which you
want to arrest him."
The sherifrs stare underwent blink
ing change He coughed, stammered,
and tried to speak. Manifestly, he had
been thrown completely off his bal
ance Astonishment slowly merged
into discontinue.
1T was absolutely impossible for
Stewart to have been connected with
that assault" went on Madeline, swift
ly, "for he was with me in the waiting
room Of the station at the moment the
assault was made outside. The door
was open. heard the voices Of quar-
reling men. The language was
Spanish. I heard woman's voice
mingling with the others. 1t, too, was
Spanish, and I could not understand.
But the tone was beseeching. Then ]
heard footsteps on the gravel. Just
outside the door then there were
hoarse, furious voices, scuf1e, muf-
fed shot, a woman's cry, the thud Of a
falling body, and rapid footsteps of
man running away. Next, the girl
Bonita staggered into the door. She
was white, trembling, terror-stricken.
She recognized Stewart, appealed to
him. Stewart supported her and en-
deavored to calm her. He asked her
II Danny Mains had been shot, or If
he had done the shooting. The girl
said no. She told Stewart that she had
danced a little, fiirted little with
vaqueros, and they had quarreled over
her. Then Stewart took her outside
-,.x "a. ,,oo,. hi, horoo soxr, &bo