The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-05-02

not. I'm pretty drunk, but Pm-all
right otherwise. Just wait-a min
ute"
She stood quivering and blazing
with wrath, and watched this savage
fight his drunkenness. Madeline saw
the dark, damp hair lift from his
brows as he held it up to the cool
wind.
The cowboy turned and began to
talk.
You see-T was pretty drunk" he
labored. There was a festa-and a
wedding. l do fool things when I'm
drunk. l made a fool bet I'd marry
the first girl who came to town.
II you hadn't worn that veil-the fell
lows were joshlng me-and Ed Lin
ton was getting married-and every
body always wants TO gamble.
l must have been pretty drunk"
Explanations are not necessary"
she interrupted. 81 am very tired
distressed. The hour is late. Have
you the slightest idea what it means
to be a gentleman
His bronzed face burned a flaming
crimson.
rs my brother herein town to-
night?" Madeline went on.
NO. He's at his ranch"
But l wired him."
Like as not the message is over
in his box at the p. O. He'll be in
town tomorrow. He's shipping cattle
for Stillwell."
Meanwhile I must 90 to a hotel.
VIII you please"
If he heard her last words he
showed no evidence of it. A noise
outside had attracted his attention.
Madeline listened. Low voices of men,
the softer liquid tones of a woman,
drifted in through the open door.
They spoke in Spanish, and the
voices grew louder. Then the woman's
voice, hurried and broken, rising
higher, was eloquent Of vain appeal.
The cowboys demeanor startled
Madeline into anticipation of some
thing dreadful. She was not deceived.
From outside cane the sound of a
cNdlAAC-d LluiAA0u SHUT d SlOdn liz
thud of a falling body, a woman's
low Cry, and footsteps padding away
In rapid retreat.
Madeline Hammond leaned weakly
back in her seat, cold and sick. and
for a moment her ears thrObbed to
the tramp of the dancers across the
way and the rhythm Of the cheap
music. Then into the open d~oor-place
flashed a girls tragic face. lighted by
dark eyes and framed by dusky hair.
The girl reached a slim brown hand
round the side of the door and held
on as if to support herself.
"SenOr-Genei !" she exclaimed and
breathless glad recognition made a
sudden break in her terror.
Bonita :" The cowboy leaped to
her. Girl! Are you hurt?'
NO, senor."
He took hold of her. 81 heard
somebody got shot. Was it Danny?"
mo. senor.h
Did Danny do the shooting? Tell
me, girl"
mo, senior"
I'm sure glad. l thought Danny
was mixed up in that. He had Still
wells money for the boys-I was
afraid. Say, Bonita, but you'll
get in trouble. Who was with you?
What did you do?"
"Senor Gene-they Don Carlos
vaqueros-they quarrel yer me. l
only dance a leetle, smile a leetle,
and they quarrel. I beg they be good
watch out for Sheriff Have q.
and now Sheriff Have put me in Jail.
I so frighten; he try make leetle love
to Bonita once, and now he hate me
like he hate Senior Gene"
pat Have won't put You In jail.
Take my horse and hit the Peloneillo
trail. Bonita, promise to stay away
from Ell Cajon.'
Isl. Senor.H
He led her outside. Madeline heard
the horse snort and champ his bit.
The cowboy spoke low; only a few
words we're NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. .
wait out of town .
mountain trail now
ride ="
A moments silence ensued, and was
broken by a pounding of hoofs. a pat
terine Of gravel. Then Madeline saw
a big. dark horse u into the wide
space. She caught a glimpse of wind
swept scarf and hair, a little form
low down in the saddle. The horse
was outlined in black against the line
of dim lights. There was something
Wild and splendid In his flight.
Directly the cowboy appeared again
In the doorway.
Miss Hammond. I reckon we want
to rustic out of here. Been bad goings-
on. And there's a train due"
She hurried into the open air, not
daring to look back or to either side.
Her guide strobe swiftly. She had
almost TO run TO keep up with him.
Suddenly aware that she had been
led beyond the line of houses, she
spoke:
"Where are you taking me?"
ITO Florence Kingsley he replied.
"Who is she?"
81 reckon she's your brothers best
friend out here
Madeline kept pace with the cow
boy for a few moments longer, and
then she stopped. 1t was as much
from necessity TO catch her breath