The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-04-08
THE
LAST
CARTRIDGE
By WILLIAM c. BEYMER
la IL short story Pub. 90

Y AlACt man WIZ OhAAb a f7AAeaSAA
beside the Santa Fe siding at
that spot of desert where the
suns rays seemed to focus, and
which was later to become the cow
town of Coro, found, after two weeks
residence, that his claim could never
be that of oldest inhabitant. In an
idle moment Of curiosity he rode up a
family marked trail, which wandered
aimiessly along the side of small
canyon into the low foothills three or
four miles from his shack, and there
he received the surprise of his life.
Rounding a sudden turn, he rode at
one step out of the sterility of the
sage and sand and blistering rock, into
a basin-shaped valley not a stones
throw in diameter A very old, wealth
er-beaten corral and shack, white
washed and, wonder of wonders, COW
cred by morning glory vines; bub-
bling spring fringed by lush grass and
carefully girdled by barbed-wire
fence against which leaned tall,
slender, brOwn-haired girl who stared
at him in siIence-all these he saw at
one sweeping, comprehensive glance.
The door of the shack opened and a
shaggy old man stepped. blinking, into
the glare of sunlight. He carried a
Winchester over his arm. The girl,
without speaking, crossed lithely the
intervening space and stood beside
him. There was such an air of hos
tility about the two that the nearly
Oldest inhabitant was rendered speech
less.
Welt" rumbled the old man.
Afternoon, neighbor," practically
said the man from the siding There
was pause 81 got a shanty, yon-
der, by the sidin'-I jes' rode over
l didn't know anyone was livin' here,
the man from the siding made an I'M
comfortable job explaining. The girl
said never word.
EFF we got shack by the
sidin / reckon v CANT be in need
o. nothin',n the old man spoke slowly.
"Mebbe y'd better get often my land
and ride back where " come from"
Had he been less taken abaek, the
man who had 'jes rode over would
have resented the others attitude but,
in a daze, he put on his sombrero,
turned his horse, and loped down the
trail-and out of this story.
The town of Coro sprang up as COW
towns will. When five shacks faced
the siding, saloon came, and there
followed all the adjuncts and appur-
fenaRoes of a haphazardly built
cattle depot Men there were who
lived In Nhe shacks, caroused and
fought; but there were no women );
hence the burning interest for the gal
up the canyon" Twice month or
Connaugh rode into kown for supplies
and. as morosely, rode out again New
arrivals appeared. When two men
had been shot at and narrowly missed,
it was not considered healthy to
snoop around the morning glories."
A notable exception was young Billy
Deane, but lately from the BRACES. He
said little, but listened; and after the
manner of silent men it was his to
win. AS to the incident of their meet
ing and the ripening of the ;scquaint-
ance into love, no one ever knew. A
upon the two, riding blithely along in
the early twilight and, unseen himself,
had slipped away. His news spread
like wild fire. When the unsuspecting
lover showed up an hour later he was
greeted by a sudden roar of congratu-
lations and queries. For a second he
stood aghast, then deftly whipped out
a long barreled Colt, and, lolling back,
Adrawled: "Ef any gent wants to dis
clss my pus'nal business"
There was an instants silence.
Smith, the spokesman, saved the stu
atioIA He made a broad. inclusive
gesture and the roomful, as one man,
stepped TO the bar. When cigars were
passed, each man bowed solemnly to
the flushed youngster, then turning,
faced the foothills. SO delicate com
pliment could not be resented by the
most fastidious
The progress of the courtship could
only be speculated upon. until one Sun
day, about month later The after
noon was sitting. oppressive; the doz-
en- men who hunched in the chairs tilt
ed against the wall, were listless and
inert Outside, there was not breath
of air, but in the south gray, wind-rib-
boned clouds stole up over the horizon
and seemed linked to earth by pallid
haze which grew in height as it drew
swiftly nearer.
Deane entered and noiselessIy
crossed the room. When he reached
the bar he turned and faced the row
against the wall
There's a preacher chap in from
the Fort" he said Then all in one
breath. hes goin' tohold meeting
in CarIey's place, an after the meetin
I'm goin to be married. She's read
about these here big church weddins
an she says she allus wanted one o.
them kind. and this is s near $ we
kin come to it. You boys is invited"
Then, as his words were slowly COM
r.rxv, ~ 4i4faI al, OF ,.s