The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-05-08


get ready to start. I'll have the horse
here in no time"
You're id cold-blooded," growled
Barry, pettishly.
"Yep." agreed the other but I'm
kind-hearted."
He went out, slamming the door be-
hind him. Twenty minutes later, Barry
emerged from the "shanty" and mount
ed his sleek, restless thoroughbred
Having recovered, for purposes Of de-
ception, his lordly, cock-o'the-walk at
titude toward the world, he rode off
1auntily in the direction of the town,
according Trentman the acant cour-
tesy of careless wave Of the hand at
parting. He had counted his money,
examined the borrowed pistols, and at
the last moment had hurriedly dashed
on brief letter to Kenneth Gwynne,
to be posted the following day by the
avid though obliging Mr.. Trentman.
Stifing his rancor and coercing his
vanity at the same time, he cantered
boldly past the tavern, bitterly aware
Of the protracted look Of amazement
that interrupted the conversation of
Of the place as at least score Of eyes
fell upon his battered visage. Pride
and rage got the better of him. He
whirled Fancy about with savage
jerk and rode back to the group.
'"Take good look, gentlemen" he
snapped out, his eyes cleaning for all
the world like two thin little slivers Of
red-hot iron. "The coward who hit
me before 1 had chance to defend
myself has Just denied me the salts
faction of a duel sent him a chal-
lenge to fight 1t out with pistols day
after tomorrow morning. He is afraid
to meet me. The challenge still
stands. If you should see Mr..
Gwynne, gentlemen, between now and
Friday morning, do me the favor to
say that will be the happiest man, on
earth II he can muster up sufficient
courage to change his mind. Good
day, gentlemen"
With this vainglorious though VI
carious challenge to an absent enemy,
he touched the gad to Fancy's flank
and rode away, his head erect, his
back as stiff as a ramrod, leaving be-
tonishment did not give way to levity
until he was nearing the corner of the
square. He cursed softly under his
breath at the sound of the first guf-
faw; he subdued with difficulty wild
| reckless impulse to turn in the saddle
and send shot or two at them. But
this was no time for folly, no time to
lose his head.
| Out of the corner of his eye he took
in the Jail and the group of citizens
on the courthouse steps. Something
seemed to tell him that these men
were saying. There he goes-stoI
him He's getting away!" They were
looking at him; Of that he was subtly
conscious, although he managed tc
keep his eyes set straight ahead. Only
the most determined effort of the will
kept him from suddenly putting spur
to the mare. Afterwards he compli.
mented himself on his remarkable
self-control. and laughed as he likened
his present alarm to that of boy
passing n graveyard at night. Never
theless, he was now filed with an
acute, very real sense Of anxiety and
apprehension; every nerve was or
edge.
1t was all very well for Jack Trent
man to say that this was the safest
most sensible way to 60 about 1t, but
had Jack ever been through it him
self? At any moment Martin Hawh
might catch a glimpse of him through
the barred window of the jail and lei
out shout of warning; at any mo-
ment the sheriff himself might dash
out Of the courthouse with a warrant
In his hand-and then what2 He had
a chill, uneasy feeling that they would
be piling out after him before he could
reach the cover of the friendly thick
cts at the lower end of the street.
A pressing weight seemed to slide
Off his shoulders and neck as Fancy
swung smartly around the bend into
the narrow wagon-road that stretched
Its aimless way through the scrubby
bottom-lands and over the ridge to the
open sweep of the plains beyond
Presently he urged the mare to q
rhythmic lope. and all the while his
ears were alert for the thud of gal
Looping horses behind. 1t was not until
he reached the tableland to the south
that he drove the rowels into the
flanks of the swift four-year-old and
leaned forward in the saddle to meet
the rush of the wind. Full well he
knew that given the start of an hour
no horse in the county could catch his
darling Fancy!
] And so 1t was that Barry Lapelle
| rode out of the town of Lafayette
never to return again.
1