Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-01-17

Oky, taues, He leereu, his voice
sounding harsh and strident In the
dead silence of the room, you and
the youngsters nee'n' t git panickys /
amt go'n' t hurt you none. list
sanford In t git look at Jay I've
hear'n tell shoots up K'ntuckians"
The reference was too plain to be
misunderstood. Not man there but
had heard OF the shoot-up in the post
office the evening before. Every eye
turned toward Jack warhope, stand
ing step or two In front Of the
shrinking circle--for the others had
drawn back and ne had not.
The eyes of the desperate followed
the eyes OF the crowd Slouching
across the floor till the two stood face
to face, he stiffened and glared with
dull savagery
Texie just back OF the preacher at
the punch bowl. leaned across the
table and almost stopped breathing.
I'm K'ntuckian."
Il low they was right sorry when
y'u left"
The reply stung the drunk man to
madness. With unexpected vicious
ness he lunged and struck with the
knife.
The woodsman sprang back. warded
the blow with ready quickness, and
whipped vicious jab to the chin that
pitched the intruder backward to the
floor. But the blow, quick as 1t was,
had come the flick OF an instant too
late, the knife had found his flesh,
grazed the left side OF his neck ripped
through collar and tie and gashed his
shoulder halfway to the armpit.
Right there the Flatwoods showed
Its teeth. Fifty pistols leaped into
view. AL Counterman, far back In tho
crowd, snatched q long barreled six-
gun from somewhere under his blouse
and his lanky body .stiffened to bal
ance, a light in his one eye no man
there ever seen before. Uncle Mex.
with yigor that set at defiance his
weight Of years. hurled younger men
aside and sprang into the cleared
circle.
But with so many women and chill
dren present pistols were out OF the
question. The desperado doubtless
counted on this very fact. Stung TO
madness by the blow, he leaped up
and lunged again with the knife.
This time he ran square into the
preacher. With readiness and cour-
age hardly looked for In one Of his
cloth, he had stepped in front OF Jack
Warhope, his tall figure erect and su-
perbly dominant.
Fifty fiatwoodsmen half cr0uched
and straining forward, stood staring.
The eyes Of the dark-faced man
stretched so wide that they appeared
to bulge from their sockets. He lifted
dirty hand. brushed II across the
wiry stubbe Of his face and. like
man half dazed, slowly shut the clasp
knife and put II back In his pocket
Fifty fiatwoodsmen relaxed, straight
ened; fifty pistols went back into
hiding.
The preacher slowly raised an arm
and pointed toward the open door.
The desperado's eyes dropped; he
rubbed his lips together ais IL to loosen
them; turned and stalked from the
room.
"Mebbe we ortn't T. let I'm gIt
/ away nuttered voice.
Jaw leave i'm co. grunted Uncle
Nick, a. curiously puzzled expression
on his face. as he gazed at the open
door through which the renegade had
gone. Hes licked--an' e amt wo'th
hangin'"
The old man turned away, still with
| the puzzled expression on his face.
mouoned Jack to a. chair at the side
OF the room and began examining his
| hurt.
A that moment Texie slipped
through the crowd. some white strips
OF torn tablecIoth in her hand. ana
approached the woodsman. smile
twisted bis lips and the girl, dipping
one OF the strips In the cold water
| Aunt Liza brought, began to wash the
blood from the gashed shoulder and
make II ready to be bandaged.
Inc preacher looked on q moment.
turned away and went back among
tee women who were gathering again
about the punch bowl. The elaborate
frock coat and stiff neck stock had
again asserted themselves. The stoop
had come back to his shoulders: tho
flare had left his eyes.
The girl, with fingers trembling
glanced through the open door into
the square Of darkness that had swaI.
lowed up the desperate; bent low
over the bandages, and brought her
face close to the woodsman's ear
"Jark-e-he looked like--like-Kep
would a. looked"
The woodsman started; looked into
the square of darkness; and then into
the girls face.
mo, no" he whispered. even IL
he was alive, he wouldn't a. come
down that-low-!"
(To BE CONTINUED