The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-02-18
I-Continued

Lay IIlS QlQ not an
nounce his presence. He had ducked
just in time to keep from being
seen.
A crook-nosed man with rusty
hair stood beside some sacks filed
with potatoes.
"Who in Mexico are you, Sorrel-
top?" demanded Pender. "Where's
that bald-headed galoot Sanger?"
He did not wait for an answer. In
his hands was a rifle drawn from
its place beside the saddle. Rails
ing it, he drummed holes in the tin
ware suspended from the wall. A
forty-four had jumped to the hand
of the man beside the potatoes,
but though the weapon covered the
drunken fool it was not fired.
The frightened horse went into the
air, and as it came down damned
the riders leg against the counter.
The animal whirled, flung Fender
from the saddle, and dashed wildly
out of the store. Scrambling to his
feet, the drink-crazed man snatched
up the rifle and followed his mount.
He took a shot at the gelding as it
went racing up the street in a cloud
of dust. Apparently he had forgot
ten what he had come to get, for he
limped across to the cow-ponies in
front of the Golden Nugget, selected
one, mounted, and rode away with
q wild yell.
Sanger showed cautiously the top
of his bald head above the counter.
Fireworks over" drawled the
crook-nosed man, and his weapon
vanished from sight. He gave the
girl a hand to help her up from
where he had flung her. "You were
sure right, Mr.. Sanger. You know
yore town. It livened up like you
promised"
Ruth Chiswick stood beside him,
breathing a little faster than usual,
her cheeks still pale. The man
with whom she was clipping came
round the corner of the counter. He
was carrying a revolver.
II would sure have got that bird
if I hadn't seer he didn't mean bust
ness" Lou Howard boosted.
Ruth looked at him, scorn in her
eyes. The scorn was less for him
than for herself. For hours she
had been discovering that the man
she had chosen was vain, shallow,
and a boaster. Now she knew too
that he lacked courage, the n es-
sential virtue on the frontier for
men both good and bad.
SsXNofol;o4 h;~o <hro,,cb Lro%-
hole maybe" the stranger suggest
ed lazily, a hint of derision in his
murmured comment.
Lou turned to Ruth. Lets get
out of here" he said sulkily. Sang
er is going to send Spicer down to
Ma Presnall's."
The crook-nosed man remem-
bered having seen a sign on the
street mentioning that Al Spicer was
a justice of the peace.
In a low voice Ruth said, "I'd
like to speak with you alone, Lou"
Sure" he replied. ION the way
down to the hotel"
mo. At the back of the store"
Her voice was almost a whisper.
He followed her reluctantly to-
ward the small boxed-in office.
The girl talked, fast and low. She
seemed to be both urging and plead
ing.
An angry oath ripped into her
words. Have you gone crazy?"
Howard demanded, raising his
voice. Think you can make a fool
of me?"
She spoke again, trying to calm
him.
He would not listen. "You can't
do this crazy thing. You've compro-
missed yoreself. Don't you see it,
you little idiot? Folks will talk about
you. They'll say"
Ruth began to lose patience.
"Never mind what they'll say. I've
made up my mind. I'm going
home"
"You got no right to treat me
that way. I'm not going to stand
for it."
I'm sorry, but be sensible, Lou.
Be glad I've found out in time"
He flung a name at her. She
looked at him for a moment stead
lily, then turned and walked up the
store.
my name is Ruth Chiswick," she
told the man with the rusty hair.
I'm much obliged to you for look
ing after me-"
Nothing at all, Miss. I'm a stran-
ger here-name, jeff Gray"
Lou Howard joined them and
broke in CURLY, speaking to Ruth.
Lets get out where we can be
alone and talk this over"
The name he had called her still
rang holly in her heart.
"I've nothing more to say to you,
sir" she said, and again there was