Glacier County chief., 1939-04-28

down until I can shoot you through
the base drum with it."
Jody thought OF. Nick and looked
frantically about for him. There he
was. standing in the circle of watchers,
helplessly wringing his hands
"Hah," the burly man said.
| Jody looked wildly toward the door,
wondering if she could make it.
And there, standing just inside it
was Dan. looking terribly thin and
brittle in his overcoat.
Jody's mouth was open to call to
him when she saw him turn and go
back into the bar. Was he DESERVING
her now? He was not: He spoke to the
bartender, who put a bottle of beer
on the bar-top and a glass stein along
side it. Dan picked up the stein. raped
it smartly on the bar and half of it
He picked up the bottle by its neck.
wheeled and headed for her.
Sunshine" the burly man said to
Bill with a deceptive mildness. You
stuck your head out once too often.
Dan stood there the broken stein
in his left hand. the beer bottle in his
right.
lone minute. boys" Dan said even
ly, He looked down at Jody. Put your
t coat on and follow me"
Dill SOlCe Was lIllCh Will WIdll DIS
he said. Maybe you'd like some Of"
Dan took step toward him. his left
cooked in his ribs, the broken stein
lying wickedly across his knuckles.
Bill McComber sat down.
"All right" Dan said. "All I want
to do is get out of here. So get out
of of in my way before I carve you out
He advanced on the burly man who
fell back. So did the others. Jody held
his sleeve
When they were halfway across the
floor, a table crashed over. and that
was the opening gun. A woman
Dan held the door open. showed Jody
out. and then pulled the door shut be-
hind him.
In the quiet OF the night it sounded
as if the building were gathering to
explode Dan took Jody by the arm and
said roughly. Come on"
The engine of Dams coupe was still
running. the door still open the way
he had left it on the run. Meeklv. Jody
climbed in and watched Dan swing it
around on two wheels and head back
for town. He was boiling mad. Jody
saw, and she was going to cry and she
hoped it would be after he said what
he was sure to say.
Just what do you think would have
happened to you if Chink Johnson
hadn't called me from down the road?"
Dan asked presently His voice was low,
quivering barely controlled.
II don't know" Jody answered
meekly.
Dan grunted. You little idiot"
Jody waited. but nothing more came
mile further on. two motorcycle cops,
sirens screaming. met and passed them
in wild wall
There. you've got it." Dan said
broodishly. wouldn't that look nice
in the papers? The woman I'm going
to marry held as a witness in road
house brawl.
The impulse to cry vanished in Jody.
She moved over closer to Dan and
put her hand in his big pocket. watch
ing the road. 1t was the way it used to
be. almost as if those words in the
coffee shop ha6 never been spoken.
And that reminded her of something.
You weren't scared, honey" Jody
said quietly, peacefully. Il take every
thing back so far I hope it chokes me
But you weren't scared"
Dan groaned: "Jody, quit It! I was
scared stiff. If that tough little guy
ed" He Slowed the car down and
looked earnestly at her. Honey. al
most everybody's afraid of something
Bill McComber is afraid he isn't the
big bucko man in the adventure stories.
so he's afraid not to fight. That tough
little guy is afraid he can't lick a man
who wears white shirt. He's afraid not
to fight, too.
There aren't any heroes. Jody. There
are just men like me. We're sometimes
towards and wrong-guessers: but We
all mean right" He laughed shortly
The only difference between Bill Nc
Comber and me is that I need glasses
for my eyes and he needs them for his
brain"
Jody thought this over long mo-
ment, and then she said. Just the
same. you came in there after me-
Sure did"
"Why?"
Because I love you more than do
myself, guess"
,, JSdy sighed: II guess im d have to live I've
this, DAN"
why don't We start nowP" Dan
asked.
"Now?"