University of South Carolina Libraries
m l m. grist's sons, Pobii.h.r., } % 4amilS S??s|HW 4or th<! |ro?o(to? o)f th< goWifft, ^oqial, ^.grieulturat and ffoaimtviat Jnttrcsls o)f fh< geoj)!<. { '""^"o'v.'r.vJc^T" ESTABLI8HKD I855. YORKV1LLE, 8. C., FRIDAY, AUC4UST !?'?, 191-3. isTO. 66. THE TRL > BAR GUN By CHARLES A1 A Coming out of a little gully near the river, Miss Hubbard saw the sun swimming Just above the peaks of * some distant mountains. She halted her ;?ony suddenly, patting its flank lightly, her eyes Ailing with a slight concern. "It will be sundown in an hour, Ginger," she said aloud, speaking to the little animal who slanted his ears back as though aware that this observation had been directed at him, "and we must be fully ten miles from the Lazy I*" She looked around regretfully, reluctant to leave the river trail on which she had lingered for the greater part of the afternoon. "But we must be traveling," she continued, gathering up the reins with sudden decision. "Dad^ dy will be worried." She spoke sharply to the pony and he responded with a rush that took them both to the crest of the slope at the head of the gully and out upon a 1 i.nfoofiiroil nlnin aeaa, nai e*pa??c v> uu>w>?vU * Still reluctant to desert the river, ^ with its painted buttes, its weird, giant rocks and spires, its vegetation, its ^ tinkling waters, for the dead hot sand of the plains, Miss Hubbard held, her pony to the trial that led along the . x fringe of trees above the bed of the ^ stream. The trail over the plains was shorter by several miles, for the river swung around in the shape of a giant horseshoe toward the cluster of buildings belonging to the Lazy L ranch. But Miss Hubbard preferred to ride near the fringe of trees, where the matted mesquite rustled under the whipping tread of her pony's hoofs, and the shade made travel more comfortable. ^ She had been riding half an hour when she felt Ginger's left shoulder suddenly sink. -He came to one knee, pitching forward with his muzzle deep into the grass, and she slipped out of _ the saddle and came around to his head, her eyes wide with a sudden fear. Ginger struggled and snorted, tugging desperately at his left foreleg, which presently came out of a prairiedog hole, twisted into a horribly queer shape. Miss Hubbard's face went white. * "Oh!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands over her eyes with a shudder of pity. And then again, in tones that were eloquent with pity: "O Ginger!" Still resting his weight upon one 4 knee, the pony turned his head and looked at her, with an appeal in his eyes that brought a sudden moisture into her own. He struggled again to rise, failed, and then sank prone on the grass, with a groan so nearly human in its despair that Miss Hubbard V again covered her face with her hands and sobbed aloud. Five minutes later as she kneeled In the grass, patting and smoothing Ginger's sleek neck, a pony loped around a sharp bend In the trail and came sud' denly to a halt near her. Then a tall man swung down from the saddle and udvanced with swift strides. In the swift, fleeting glimpse that she had got of him from the Instant she had first seen him until he was standing over her, she had not succeeded In getting an impression of his appearance. She ? knew only that he was big, muscular, and active, and that he had come at a time when she had been very near yielding to the flood of emotion that had threatened her since Ginger's fall. When she looked up at the man he was ^ standing near her, his arms crossed over his chest, one hand caressing his chin. He even smiled slightly as his gaze met hers. "Well," he said, drawling a little, so little that she was sure it was unaf_ fected. "It ain't so much of a picnic, Is it?" "P-plc-nic?" she returned, her lips qulveringly suspiciously, even in her sudden slight resentment over what she considered was unwarranted levity on his part. "Of course it isn't a picnic. Why," she continued, her eyes flashing at him through the moisture in them, "can't you see that Ginger's leg is b-broken?" "Weil" he said, looklne down at her - quizzically, but speaking more gravely, % "I expect It Is. An' that certainly ain't no picnic. But it ain't half so bad as it might have been." "I don't see how it could be-be any worse,' she said, not looking at him A. because she was trying hard to control her voice to keep the tears out of it. "I expect it could be a whole lot worse," he returned, moving toward the pony. "You might have got your neck broke when he tumbled. That would sure have made me feel pretty bad?to run across a woman with her neck broke. "I don't think you would have been <* excited?even over that!" she declared, experiencing a sensation of irritation over the serene calm that radiated from him. But he was down in the grass beside Ginger, and he ignored her sarcasm. "So his name's 'Ginger'?" he said. as he patted the animal's neck and ran a light hand down the injured foreleg. "That's a nice name for a horse. I expect you think a heap of him?" \ He had suddenly turned to her, and she saw his eyes, blue and steady, looking into hers With a grave expression: His voice, followed, also grave. + "Of course you like him," he said, "or you wouldn't be cryin'." He placed both hands on hie hips and regarded her with nafrowing eyes. "You live anywheres around here?" he question4 <" \ The movements 'pf his hands had brought her gaze to hfa hips, where she saw the butts of two heavy pistols, \ \ \NGULAR FIGHTER LDEN SELTZER. with the bottoms of their holsters suggestively tied down. She shuddered involuntarily, her cheeks paling with a sudden dread. Three months before' a man had come to the Lazy L wearing two guns. He had taken his place among the men of the outfit, apparently engaged as an ordinary puncher. But two months later a nester named Harvey Toban had been shot to death, and before an investigation could be started the man had mysteriously disappeared. After his disappearance a vague rumor had reached her to the effect that the man had been a gun-fighter, and that the Lazy L Company had sent him to the ranch purposely to kill the nester. Her father had been reticent regarding the Incident?had even gruffly told her to mind her own business when she had attempted to question him. Apparently the incident had been forgotten. But she still remembered and she cringed away from the stranger a little while with furtive glances she made a rapid searching inspection of him. He was nearly thirty, she decided, noting the level brows and the serene, steady eyes that glinted with a slight humor as she made her rapid analysis. And good-looking. Her cheeks reddened a little as this fact was recorded. Apparently he was not disturbed over her searching glances. He smiled. "You live anywheres around here?" he repeated. "My father is manager of the Lazy L," she returned. "How far do you reckon the Lazy L is from here?" he questioned. "Six or seven miles," she returned, her gaze going again to the injured pony. He went over to where his own pony was grazing, catching the bridle rein and leading the animal close to her before replying. "That's be a right long walk?for a lady," he said then. "You hop onto my horse an' get along. I'll be comin' later." She objected, but he persisted, smil; ing. "You hadn't ought to refuse a neighbor," he said finally. "You say your father is runnin' the Lazy L. I've heard that the Lazy L is right close to the Triangular Bar?where I'm goin' to hang out hereafter." She gave an exclamation of surprise and relief. Then he was not a gun-fighter after all. She could not oonceal the satisfaction that shone in her eyes. "Are you going to work over at the Triangular Bar?" she asked. He laughed, surveying her with pleased eyes. "I expect I'll work over there," he returned. "You see, I'm the new owner of the Triangular Bar. I've got a little ranch down in Texas, but since my brother died I've got to take care of the Triangular Bar too. I expect takln' care of the two might be called work." The constraint that had marked her manner toward him suddenly melted Into genuine pleasure. She extended a hand, smiling frankly. "Then you are Dave Toban!" she said. "I met your brother many times before?before he was shot. I am glad to be the first to welcome you here." For a moment her honH lav. In hln and thpn aha drew it away and allowed It to fall to her side, suddenly aware of a hard glint that had come into his eyes. "I reckon you didn't hear who It was shot him?" he questioned, with a pronounced drawl. "Nobody knows," she returned. "A man came here and joined the outfit. He worked here two months. Then he disappeared and word came to us that Harvey Toban had been shot. We haven't heard of the man since." He smiled dryly. "Well," he said evenly, still drawling. "I reckon Harvey ought to have took care of himself." With these words he seemed to have dismissed the subject from his mind. He smiled, pulling his pony closer to her. "You'll take my horse now," he said, "knowln* that we're goln' to be neighbors." He placed one hand on his knee, the palm upward, as an invitation to her. She quickly placed one foot in It and was swung lightly to the saddle. From the pony's back she smiled gratefully down at him, her gaze lingering just an instant longer than was necessary. Then she urged the pony forward, leaving him standing beside Ginger, who raised his head and whinnied despairingly as she departed. Five minutes later, when she was well on her way over the plains toward the ranch-house, she heard a dull report?and then another. She shuddered and covered her face with her hands. Another five minutes passed and then, reaching the crest of a rise, she looked back. The new Triangular Bar owner was coming toward her with long, swinging strides, bearing her saddle on his shoulder. II Dusk had fallen when the man who had called himself Dave Toban reached the ranch-house, and after depositing Miss Hubbard's saddle on the porch, turned and walked to the door of the manager's office, halting when he stood on the threshold. Miss Hubbard had arrived something over an hour before, had turned the stranger's pony into the horse corral, told her father of her adventure, and Informed him of the coming of the stranger. Then, going into the ranchhouse. she had flitted back and forth from the kitchen to the window In front of the house, from which she watched the approach of the stranger. Now, as the latter stood in the door of the office, she covertly watched him through a crevice In the door that led from the kitchen to the office. Hubbard had lighted the kerosene lamp, and Its flickering rays showed him the tall stranger on the threshold; showed him the man's strongly lined face, his steady eyes, the level brows, the impassive expression, the lithe, muscular figure, and the two guns with their holsters tied forbiddingly down. Htibbard knew this kind of man. That other one, which Devlin, the owner of the Lazy L, had sent to put Toban out of the way, had been this kind of man. He gazed at the stranger for a full minute, his narrowed eyes taking in all the details of his appearance. Then he drew a deep breath and leaned a little forward in his chair. "Well," he said slowly, "I didn't expect you so soon." The stranger's eyes glittered. "Mebbe not," he said, drawling his words. "But I'm here." Hubbard's eyes glinted with reluctant admiration. "You sure are," he returned "Rut vou're here a month too soon. Dave Toban ain't due to arrive until then. Devlin tell you anything?" "No." The stranger drew out a leather tobacco pouch and some rice paper, and carefully began rolling a cigarette. He took a long time at this, and Hubbard watched him, following his slow and sure movements with fascinated gaze.' Finally the cigarette was made and the stranger placed It carelessly between his lips, lighted it and puffed slowly. Pinching out the blazing match he looked suddenly at Hubbard. "Well?" he Interrogated, "you say In' anything?" Hubbard started. "Why, yes," he rturned. "I reckon if Devlin didn't tell you anything it's up to me to do it. Do you know who you're goln' to be when you get over to the Triangular Bar?" The stranger smiled with straight lips. "Yes," he said, "I sure do. I'm goln* to be Dave Toban." Hubbard straightened. "Hell!" he exploded. "I thought you told me that Devlin hadn't told you anything? You startin' this here game by lyin'? first crack?" The stranger's lips curled with a feline smile. "If I was you," he said slowly, "I wouldn't get reckless with my talk. Mebbe I know what I'm doin'. But if I don't I ain't tellln' anything that Devlin told me. I'm here to listen to what you've got to say." Hubbard colored a little. "That's the way Devlin- does business," he sneered. "Sends a gun-man over here an' don't tell him a damned thing only the name he's goln' to wear. But I reckon If you know that your name's goln' to be Dave Toban, you know that you're to go over to the Triangular Bar an' take charge. He suddenly laughed. "Of course you know that, too," he continued. "For Devlin told me he'd make out the papers for you, provln' that you're Dave Toban. You got 'em?" "Sure," returned the stranger. He tapped his chest. "They're right here ?all regular an* straight." Again he smiled felinely. "I even know Dave Toban's brother. It was Harvey. Devlin is surely flgurin' on doln' a complete Job. But he didn't tell me what I was goln' to do?once I got here. I reckon he figured that you'd want a hand In it." Hubbard shifted uneasily. "I ain't carln' a heap about takin' a hand in It," he said. "But when a man's runnin' a ranch for the Lazy L company he's got to do a lot of things that he don't like. I'm tellln' you that when you go over to the Triangular Bar I you're goin' to play a lone hand. I ain't I helpin' you a damn bit to put Dave Toban out of the way?no more'n I helped Bill Daggert to put Harvey Toban out of business." Hubbard leaned forward tensely. "I'd give a man a thousand dollars to poke a hole through his durned hide!" he declared. The stranger tossed the butt of his cigarette away. "Daggert workin' for the Lazy L company when he put Harvey out of business?" he questioned, blowing a last whiff of smoke to the ceiling. "Yes." The stranger smiled grimly. "Then likely he's still in this country," he said. "After I get through with this business with Dave Toban I'll try to see if I can collect your thousand." He now drew a chair over and dropped into it. "You're tellln' me the rest about this deal," he said. "I know that I'm to be Dave Toban an* that I've got the papers in my pocket to prove it. But that lets me out. How's the game goin' from now on?" "There ain't much to it from now on," declared Hubbard, gravely and earnestly. "All you've got to do is to go over to the Triangular Bar, say you're Dave Toban, show your papers to Harvey Toban's range boss to prove it, an' take things easy till Dave Toban comes. Then put him out of business ?if you can. I've heard that he ain't no slouch with a gun himself. But he ain't due for a month; Devlin told me that it'd take that long to get straightened out down in Texas, where he's got a ranch. That's about all. The Lazy L company's got an idea that it wants the Triangular Bar ranch, an' I reckon it's going' to have it, if it has to put the whole Toban family out of business. But you're playin' a lone hanfi. I ain't in on the deal. Likely you'll have a good excuse for shootin' Dave Toban. He'll be some riled when he comes an' finds out that you've been passin' yourself off as him." "Correct," smiled the stranger. "I'm bunkin' here tonight. Tomorrow I'{n hittin' the breeze to the Triangular Bar, to prove that I'm Dave Toban." He rose and walked to the. door. "I reckon that you don't mind tellln' me what you've got ag'in Bill Daggert?" he questioned. Hubbard snarled. "My daughter come In from the range one day, cryln'. Told me that Bill Daggert had insulted her. On his last day, too, didn't see him again. If I ever do " The stranger's eyes glittered. "He done that, did he?" he interrupted coldly. He smiled with straight Hps. "In that case I ain't takin' that thousand for killin' him," he said. Hubbard started. "Why," he began, "you're takln' a heap of interest in?" But his last word the stranger did not hear, for he had stepped out of the doorway and was striding through the dusk toward the bunk-house. Ill For two days Miss Hubbard was filled with a riotous rage against the stranger, and prayed that he might come again so that she could tell him what she thought of gun-fighters In general and of himself in particular. On the third day her rage had been succeeded by an ironic coolness, in the midst of which she decided that an outward show of anger would have little effect upon him. Therefore she decided to adopt toward him a certain aloofness, which would convince him that he had made a mistake in attempting to deceive her by impersonating Dave Toban. The fourth day was spent In manufacturing crushing invective, which she had decided to apply lavishly to him. But he did not come. In the afternoon of the fifth day her anger had burned itself out, and she sat in a rocking: chair on tnewiae porch, thinking of him and wondering what she really would say to him. And he came. She noted instantly that he had forsaken his pony. He now rode a big, rangy black horse. Her lips curled scornfully, and she made a pretense of being busy with some sewing that she had brought out with her, ignoring him entirely?after the first glance. Already, she decided, he was putting on airs, as witness the change from the pony to the black horse. It would not haVe been so bad if he really was Dave Toban. But to masquerade thus! She plied her needle faster and nibbled her lips nervously, awaiting his first word. It came shortly. "Ma'am," he said quietly, "I have brought you another pony." She had determined not to look at him at all, but was surprised into a swift glance. Her gaze rested upon a pony that he had been leading, which might have been Ginger himself, so nearly did he match the dead pony in size and appearance. For the second time she was surprised, this time into dropping her sewing with an exclamation. "Why, it can't be?" she began. But his laugh Interrupted her. "No," he said, his eyes flashing whimsically, "it ain't Ginger. But it's a right good pony. I'd have been over here sooner, but I've spent three days gentlin' him so's you could ride him. An' now I'm makin' you a present of him." She sat with hands folded in her lap, forcing her eyes to steadiness as they met his. "How do you know that you have a right to give this pony to anyone?" she asked evenly. A flush slowly mounted above the blue scarf at his throat, creating an odd contrast. "Why," he said, plainly embarrassed, "I reckon you'd have to take my word for that." Now had come the time when she could speak the scathing word that had been in her mind for four days, and she leaned slightly back, watching his face closely. "I don't think that I should care to take a gun-flghter's word for anything," she said. For an instant it seemed the shot had told, for the red In his face deepened. But all traces of embarrassment disappeared Instantly, and his lips curled into an amused smile. "So it was you who was behind the door that night?" he said, his smile broadening. "I thought the door acted pretty strange?took to movln' sudden, when It had no call to. The smile now died out of his face. "An' so it was you?" he repeated. She nodded, her face reddening guiltily. "An' you heard what was said between your father an' me?" "Of course. And I am glad that I did." He shifted uneasily. "Well, I'm right sorry," he said in a low voice. '1 wouldn't have had you hear that for a good bit." "No," she returned, pinning him with a cold glance. "You would much rather that I were deceived. But I am not." "I reckon a man would have to start pretty early to deceive you," he said admiringly. "I detest flattery," she returned icily. He laughed with an unaccountable humor. "An' I reckon you don't like a gunman a heap either," he said. "You are very keen," she returned Ironically. "Well," he said, throwing one leg over the pommel of his saddle and flecking the dust off his boot-top with a forefinger, "I ain't exactly a boxhead, if that's what you mean. I've got sense enough to see that you ain't exactly pleased with what you've found out. I can't say that I'm blamin' you much. No woman with any respect for herself would take a shine to a gunman. Generally they're a bad set. I ain't claimin' to be no Sunday school scholar. But mebbe I ain't so bad as you think." Her lips curved scornfully. "You are presuming a great deal," she said, "in thinking that I would take a 'shine' to you, whether you were a gun-fighter onot.. I really think that I despise you." He laughed. "I don't think that you JU(a mroa Ut*apiBt* II1C, lie UCtlttl CU, mo VJ VW Hashing with amusement and conviction. "I can see pretty plain, an' I saw that when you thought I was Dave Toban you began to like me more'n a little. But me turnin' out to be a gunman spoiled that." "How very conceited you are!" she sneered.' He laughed again, his eyes glinting with some subtle emotion. But he spoke earnestly. "I don't think I am conceited," he returned. "It's just that I know that I know a thing when I see it. I'm more than a lot sorry that things have turned out like they have, for I like you a heap. I never liked no other girl. An' I was figuring that when this deal was over I'd tell you about it. But I reckon we've got to shuffle the cards again." He removed his leg from the pommel of the saddle and urged his horse nearer her. "An' so you ain't even goln' to take the pony that I've brought over to you?" he Insinuated. "After I've gone to the bother of gentlln' him." "No!" she returned shortly. He smiled, his lips straightening: a little. "I reckon you wouldn't want to see Dave Toban shot?" he said. "No!" she admitted, shortly and earnestly. He leaned forward a little, looking at her with cold, grave eyes. "I sure had a time breakln' this pony," he said, "so he'd have sense enough to take good care of you when you was rldln' him. An* I hate to lug him back to the Triangular Bar for some fool puncher to spoil. If I thought you'd take him an' ride him I'd promise not to shoot Dave Toban." For an Instant she sat regarding him with surprise. Then her eyes flashed. She could not compromise herself by accepting the pony under these terms, and by accepting she would save Toban's life. She loked gravely at him. "How do I know that you would keep that promise?" she asked. '1 wouldn't look at a man who would deliberately shoot another." He answered her look with one equally grave. "We'll make It worth somethin' for me to keep It," he returned. "If I don't shoot Dave Toban, will you agree to treat me like I wasn't a gun-man?" She looked sharply at him. "I think I * AU.i ? IA 1 can agree uj inai, uuc saiu. He smiled and spurred his horse closer, reaching out a hand so that she might clasp the pony's bridle rein. 'That's square of you, ma'am," he said. "I'll see you again some day. Solong." He bowed to her, smiled, and spurred his horse away from the porch loping rapidly out on the plains toward the Triangular Bar. For five minutes she sat on the porch holding the rein he had given her. Then a sudden pang shot through her. He had promised that he would not shoot Dave Toban. But there were other ways of killing a man. IV Upon the morning of a day a month later, a man rode up to the gate of the Lazy L corral fence, dismounted from his pony, and strode to the door of Hubbard's office. The manager had been occupied with some accounts, and he had not seen the newcomer ride up. But at the noise of his entrance Hubbard raised his head. His lips straightened a little, and his face whitened. "Bill Daggert!" he said hoarsely. He raised himself half out of his chair, and one hand dropped suddenly to his holster. The newcomer moved slightly, and a heavy six-shooter gleamed In one hand. He smiiod evenly. "Your eyes ain't half bad, Hubbard," he said. "But you ain't Improved none sllngln' your gun out" He now sneered. "You got anything to arger with me, or was you Just surprised Into makln' that fool move for your gun?" Hubbard sagged back Into his chair. At sight of Daggert his thoughts had gone Instantly to his daughter, and to a recollection of the Insult Daggert had offered her. And on the Impulse of the moment, he had Intended using his gun. But now, looking Into the muzzle of Daggert's six-shooter, he V?ot ho hoH nn was CUHipeucu iu auuiu w.o. ..v . ? chance. So he smiled weakly. "Why, I was sure some surprised, seeln' you turn up sudden that a-way." Daggert smiled. "I'd call that sufficient," he said. But Instead of returning the weapon to Its holster he tucked It lightly between his shirt and the waistband of his trousers, In front. And his eyes showed that he was not exactly convinced that Hubbard's Intentions were peaceable. But he carelessly drew a chair over near the door and dropped Into It, his thin lips wreathing Into a drooping smile. He leaned back, folding his arms over his chest, his attitude one of unstudied ease. "Anything doln'?" he asked. "I wouldn't say that things is hummln'," returned Hubbard coldly. "No-o?" drawled Daggert, his Hps twitching. "No!" flared Hubbard. "Any strangers around?" Hubbard's eyes glittered vengefully. "There ain't any strangers around," he said, smiling grimly. "But there's goln' to be. I hear that Harve Toban's brother Is due to strike this country pretty soon. I reckon he'd be some tickled to get a chance to talk some to you." Daggert laughed harshly, "Mebbe he would," he sneered, freeing one arm and pulling at his chin with his fingers. "An* mebbe you'd like to tell him that It was me who put his brother out of business?" There was a threat In his voice, and he leaned still further back In his chair, his eyes chilling. Hubbard drew a deep breath. He sensed the danger of this Interview with the former Lazy L gun-man. But he answered quietly. "I ain't tellln' Dave Toban anything," he said. "But If he's comln' to this country, he'll find out soorv enough that It was you who shot his brother. Daggert grinned. "An' so Dave Toban's comln'?" he sneered. "Only he ain't got here yet." He grinned again, sardonically. "I've heard tell that he's here already; that he's been over In Dry Bottom, lookln' for me." Hubbard smiled. "Mebbe he Is," he reiuiiieu, ma vuitc uwiajiuD tion. "But if he Is he's keepin pretty quiet. He ain't been around here." Daggert snarled. "You're a liar!" he snapped, his eyes cold and alert. "He's been around here an' you've told him about me puttin' his brother out of business. He's been over to Dry Bottom gassin' about me. An' there wasn't anyone knowed about me shootin' his brother but you an' Devlin. An Devlin ain't givin' things like that away." Hubbard leaned forward in his chair his eyes (lashing with a sudden suspicion. "Daggert," he questioned slowly, "are you still workln' for the Lazy L company?" Daggert nodded. "An' Devlin sent you over here to kill Dave Toban?" "I reckon you can guess some," sneered Daggert. Hubbard drew a full breath. His lips slowly whitened, and he sat rigid. "The Lazy L company ain't got no two gunmen workin' for it right now?" he questioned. "I reckon not," returned Daggert. "In that case," said Hubbard, a grim smile reaching his face, "you've been hearin' things pretty near correct. I expect Dave Toban's here." He laughed I sitting erect and looking at Daggert with mocking eyes. 'I reckon that's a Joke," he said. "A man come here one night about a month ago an' I took him for a Lazy L gunman. But I reckon it was Dave Toban.?An' I told him?" Daggert snarled. "You told him that it was me who killed his brother!" he snapped. "An' that ain't no joke!" His hand fell swiftly to the pistol at his waist. "You damned?!" he began. The door leading to the ranch house had opened suddenly and Miss Hubbard stood In the opening, a heavy sixshooter gleaming somberly in her right hand, it's muzzle menacing Daggert. The latter's hand dropped away from his pistol. Both men were silent while Miss Hubbard spoke. "Bill Daggert," she said slowly, "I have been listening. Y^>u may be clev-| er enough with a gun to shoot Dave Toban?but I doubt it But you are not going to shoot anyone here. Daddy is running the Lazy L, and I am running things right now. You've got Just ten seconds to get out of this office and away from the Lazy L. I don't care which way you go. But I imagine that if you run into Dave Toban you'll never go back to Climaron to collect your money for killing him." She poised the weapon suggestively. "You can go now," she said. Daggert rose to his feet, sneering. "Why," he said, "I reckon that I'll be goin.' An' I'm certain that Toban's been here. He's the kind that fool girls take a shine to." Miss Hubbard's lips closed grimly, and the six-shooter grew steadier in her hand. But Daggert had stepped to the doorway. His Jeering laugh reached Miss Hubbard and her father in the office. Five minutes later Miss Hubbard stood at the south window, watching with troubled eyes the dust cloud made by Daggert's pony as It disappeared into the thirty miles of plain that lay between the Lazy L and the Triangular Bar. The following morning Daye Toban dropped from his pony just outside the Lazy L ranch house, and strode quickly to the office door. Miss Hubbard and her father were within. Toban halted just outside and peered In at them, his face wreathed in a broad grin. Miss Hubbard started forward, her face paling. "Why?why?"she began. "Did you see?" Toban's grin grew. "A man came over to the Triangular Bar yesterday," he said. He hesitated, and Miss Hubbard stiffened. "Well?" she Inquired. He looked gravely at her. "I expect you think I'm goln' to say that I shot him, ma'am," he returned, a sudden hard glint coming into his eyes. "But I didn't I couldn't do that after you tellin' me that you wouldn't look at a man who would shoot another plum cold. But I don't mind tellin' you that I had to do a heap of thlnkin' about you while I was talk^ln' to him." A flash of genuine pleasure lighted Miss Hubbard's eyes. She clasped her hands tightly, her face suddenly beaming. "Oh!" she said earnestly. "How can I ever thank you enough?" "Why," he said, advancing and leaning his weight against the door jamb, "I reckon that's plum easy." He looked fairly at her. The serene calm had gone from his eyes; In them now blazed admiration and anticipation. "I've come over to free if you won't go ridin' with me, ma'am," he said earnestly. "That'd be one way of thankin' me. You see," h? pleaded .aware of the sudden flush that had come into her face, "I let Daggert off for your sake. He was a plum sneak, an' he shot?well," he smiled. "There ain't any use of talkln' about him any more. But mebbe you won't have any objections to goln' ridin' with me when I tell you who I am." Miss Hubbard smiled. "I think I know who you are," she returned in a low voice: "And I imagine I know how hard it must have been for you to sacrifice your revenge." Her eyes now drooped away from his. "But I must tell you this," she continued, her fflpp anflfiinprl with hlimhpn "T nm very glad that you didn't shoot Dave Toban." He started. Then he grinned with embarrassment. "So you've found out?" he said. "I was thlnkln' to surprise you. But I'm glad any way, that I didn't shoot Toban," he added. "I've always thought that Dave Toban was a pretty good sort of man. An' It would have been a shame for me to shoot him, just when he was getting to know a certain girl pretty well." The First American Heroine.?And the first woman who fought for American liberty was Gunner Corbin's widow, at the capture of Mount Washington, by the Scotch and Ilesslans. In the midst of the fight Gunner Corbln, struck by a ball, fell dead at his wife's feet as she was aiding him in his duties. It was not ail uncommon occurrence for Irish women (as a Limerick) to share the dangers of the bivouacks, as Instance the deeds of that other heroine, Molly Pitcher. Instantly, without a word, she stepped Into his place and worked the gun with redoubled skill and vigor, fighting bravely until she sank to the earth, pierced by three grapeshot! Though terribly wounded, she finally recovered, but was disabled for life. A soldier's half pay and the value of a soldier's suit of clothes annually voted her by the Continental congress (but soon discontinued) were all the reward that the first woman who fought for American liberty ever received for such heroic love, courage and suffering.? Magazine of American History. Willing to Think of It.?Pat was a bashful lover and Biddy was coy, but not too coy. "Biddy," Pat began timidly, " did yer iver think of marryin'?" "Sure now, th' subject has never interred me thought," demurely replied Biddy. "It's sorry PI am," said Pat, turning away. "Wan minute, Pat!" called Biddy softly. "You've set me a-thlnkin'."? Harper's Bazar. >t'T The true end of a literary education is to make a man, and not an encyclopedia. ittiscetlaucous grading. THE NEWBERRY MEETING. Both Candidates Indulge in Personal Abuse. Atlanta. Journal. Newberry, S. C., Aug. 13.?The order of the campaign speaking here today in Newberry, the home of Governor Blease and the native county of Judge Jones, was perfect, but the debate between the two was never so bitter and personal. The families of each were brought into the discussion, and each declared I he would leave his family and their record to the Judgment of the people of the county. This, together with a controversy over the suppression of the "Grace nigger story," in an issue of the Lancaster News, a controversy out of which Judge Jones declared Governor Blease emerged convicted of telling a bald falsehood; the big ovation and wealth of flowers as tributes given Governor Blease by his home people, and the magnificent speech delivered by Judge Jones, said by a member of his cam palgn party to be by all odds his beat deliverance so far, about tells the story of the Newberry meeting. Governor Blease seemed to have the best of It on his hand primary of the crowd, which numbered about 2,000, though It was evident that the Jones men were present In no small numbers. They cheered and urged him on almost continuously throughout his speech. Blease Opens Attack. Governor Blease spoke first and opened the attack, which he said, was made In response to Judge Jones' attack on him at the meeting In Lancaster. Judge Jones' home. "Jones abused me at Lancaster," said the governor, In conducting his speech, "and I have done my best to hand It back to him here at Newberry in. full measure. "They have been telling all manner of things about me," he declared. "Who are they? They say that blind tigers of Newberry built the house of Eld Jones, brother of Ira B. Jones. They say that Sam Jones, another brother, got so deeply In debt that they closed up his store with a distress warrant. They say Judge Jones himself got rich on a township deal of railroad bonds in Lancaster. They say that he made a fortune out of Halle gold mines In Kershaw. "I am willing to put the record of the Blease family against the record of the Jones family, and let the honest people of the county be the judges." Jones Fires Volley. Replying, Judge Jones said: "I see that one of the banners out there has it, 'slander cannot hurt Blease In Newberry county.' I tell you that Blease's slander cannot hurt Jones in Newberry county. Yet the chief executive of your state has come before *UI? n..J(AnAA MA AMA Li no auuicn^C, YVIUL1I JVI1UWO Uiu CUIU 111/ people, and uy> that the blind tigers built the house of my brother Ed, and and then tries to slander my brother Sam by telling of his business failure. "My brother got no dishonest money by reason of that failure. Then he brings in Hugh Renwick, the step-son of my sister. Isn't that reaching mighty far to cover the Jones family? I leave it to the people of the county to say what the Blease family has to be proud of and what the Jones family has to be ashamed of." Governor Blease exhibited two copies of the Lancaster News of August 3, in one of which?the one to be sent through Lancaster county?he declared the "Grace nigger story" was published while in the other?the one to be distributed in the town of Lancaster,, he said that the story had been suppressed. Jonss's Son's Paper. He said that Charlie Jones, son of Judge Jones, was part owner of the paper, and sent the edition which contained the story to the country people of Lancaster, who, he thought, could stand it. Judge Jones secured the two copies of the paper from the governor, and holding them up before the audience showed that the one that contained the story was blank on one side, while the one that did not contain it was printed in full. "Whoever heard of a newspaper being sent out printed on only one side?" inquired the Judge. "This shows that the paper with the story was never sent out at all As a matter of fact, when the publishers found out the story was in type and being printed, they had it stopped and taken out The paper with the story was never distributed from the office. Copy 8tolsn. "This copy was stolen from the office and taken, no doubt to Governor Blease. This convicts the so-called governor of South Carolina of a lie, a clean out and out falsehood. Will you men of Newberry stand by and support a man who is a consummate falsifier, who would attempt to deceive you in this manner?" When Governor Blease closed his speech he received a tremendous round of applause and was almost buried in flowers. Two wreaths were hung around his neck by Miss Blanche Davidson, Miss OUie Smith and Miss Christie Youngblood, who brought them to the platform. His bouquets numbered thirteen. His Newberry friends will present him with a silver loving cup after his speech at Wlllowbrook park tonight, where he will address the men of the cotton mills. There were seven Blease banners in evidence today, expressing various laudatory sentiments about the governor. Beginning his speech, he asked where were the preachers, who two years ago, had written dirty, slanderous articles against him. "What are now their financial and physical conditions?" he asked. Dirty Set of Liars. "Who has conducted a dirty campaign? They not only hit me, but they haven't spared my family In going down in the mire. The Jones men claim a /^i 1-41 mWft., to be genuemen ana tnnsiuuis. a ucj are the dirtiest set of liars that ever graced a state. If this is the kind of campaign that is coming from Christians, then God help the churches of South Carolina. The governor said that Hugh Renwick, step-son of Judge Jones' sister, was telling that the governor sent M. B. Derrick to Oklahoma to get W. E. Perry on a requisition, wanted in Chester county on a charge of killing the son of Luther Boozer, and that the governor never meant that Perry should be returned. The governor exhibited an affidavit from Derrick to the effect that the man he saw in Oklahoma was not the man wanted, and he read a telegram from W. H. Newbold, of Chester, who asked the requisition, saying that Solicitor Henry, Luther Boozer, Sheriff Colvin and himself had all agreed on Derrick as the man to go after Perry. ' This," declared the governor, "proves that Hugh Renwick has been telling a lie, and it shows you the tactics of Jones's family." Hired Politicians. The governor also read a letter from an Edgefield man, who said that J. W. Thurmond, Judge Jones's campaign manager, had hired Henry M. Kearsey, formerly of Augusta, to work for Jones at $2.50 a day and expenses. "Sam Jones, Judge Jones's brother," said the governor, "has been saying that I am dishonest If he can show that I was ever put out for not paying my house rent I will give him $100, and that is more than he can say." The governor said he had been asked why he voted for Jones after Jones had voted against the se|?arate coach law. He said he had waited to answer this till he got to Newberry county, whose representative he was at the time. He declared that he voted for Jones because of the fact that Jones was from this county and his people lived here. "If Jones hadn't bowed down to the 'Spanish, Cuban nigger-loving Gonzales,"' said he, "Jones would not now be the ingrate enough, after all I have done for him, to be opposing me now for my second term." Drunken Poker Players. He said those Daughters of the Confederacy who said they were praying for Jonee's success had better be praying for their drunken, poker-playing husbands and sons who loafed around the Columbia clubs. He concluded by saying that for the rest of this year and for the next two he would make the Jones men sicker than he had ever said he would make them heretofore. Judge Jones seemed to be flred by the governor's reference to members of his family and to the incident of the Lancaster Newa Whatever it was, he warmed up his ablest effort of the campaign, and his audience accorded him the most enthusiastic response he has yet had. He declared that the governor was an anarchist and cited certain of his utterances to prove It "I want to ask," he said dramatically, "what lofty sentiment was expressed In Governor Blease's speech. What was it that you could take home and discuss with your family that was uplifting? It was all vituperation, all malice, all dirt" Charleston Not Afraid. Referring to Governor Blease's threat to put metropolitan police and an Injunction upon Charleston In case that city voted for Jonea, he said: '1 don't believe the men who have never shrunk from cyclone, pestilence, war or earthquake would be Intimidated by any puny threat of Cole Blease." Judge Jonea received good applause at the close of his speech and was presented with several bouquets. B. B. Evans was absent today and consequently the Lyon-Evans vitriol remained bottled. James Cansler, candidate for railroad commissioner, handed the lie today for the first time during the campaign. He passed it to Editor Ei H. Aull, of the Newberry Herald and Nejrs, for saying two years ago that If Cansler was elected the state would have a pensioner. Editor Aull was not present, though hi8?eon was. 80UTHERN COTTON MILLS. Capital 8toek Now Amounts to the 8um of $209,522,000. According to data compiled up to August 1 this year, there are In the southern states 7(8 different cotton mills, with a capitalisation of $209,622,000, representing 12,279,288 spindles and 268,086 looms. Whatever else may be said of the investments in these mills, they are probably in better shape than at any earlier period of the industry. Above all things, cotton manufacturing in the south Is not overcapitalised. On the contrary, the usual rule is that these mills operate with less than the most economical amount of working capital. But that defect is gradually correcting Itself, with the progress of consolidation and centralised location of the Industry. As proof of this concentrating drift, one has only to look at the following table of mills grouped by sta'e* The figures are from the 1912 edition of Clark's directory of southern cotton mills: Southern Cotton Mills, August 1, 1912: Capital. Mills. Stock. Spindles. Looms. Ala. .. 64 917,876.000 1,006,686 18,868 Ark. .. 2 216,000 14.768 164 Oa. ..141 &U26.000 2,101672 40,610 Ky. .. 8 1,666,000 96,964 1,292 La. .. 6 2,016,000 86,908 2,216 Miss. . 19 3,223,000 168,636 4,813 Mo. .. 3 860,000 42,080 966 N. C. .316 69,270,000 3,666,723 60,438 Okla. 1 160,000 6,712 S. C. ..167 72,838,000 4,397,980 107,711 Tenn. 21 4,170,000 276,839 4,486 Texas 19 2,491,000 116,676 2,836 Va. ... 12 9,974,000 419,644 11,466 Total 768 209,622.000 12,279,288 266,036 These figures do not include 472,000 spindles, which are reported as purchased by mills to be installed at an early date, the buildings for which have In most cases been erected. Features of the cotton mills in these states show that while North Carolina, where the small yarn mills abound, has nearly twice as many mills as South Carolina, where large mills operate for export, the latter state has almost 1,000,000 more spindles than its more northerly neigh bor. The bulk of the colored goods Is manufactured in North Carolina, and only a few of the same class of mills Is found In South Carolina. The avenge size of spinning mills In four southern states Is as follows: North Carolina, 11,650 spindles; Alabama, 16,000; Georgia 16,100, and South Carolina 22,000 spindles. The splndleage of the southern states has doubled since 1901-02. Then the northern states had 15,000,000 spindles and the southern states 6,400,000 spindles, making 21,400,000. Meanwhile there has been tm Increase of a little more than one-third of the total, which now amounts to about 20,000,000 spindles. According to the Clark direotory figures, the spindles In the southern states have probably Men underestimated. It is that factor which adds enough to the other estimate of 28,800,000 for the United States In 1910-11 to bring the total figure up to 30,000,000 spindles, or near there. This Increase must be considered in the world's cotton consuming capacity as of no small significance. Last season the south spun 2,272.000 bales. This year It took, to August i, 2,735,000, or 460,0000 bales . more than a year ago and will probably take half a million In excess of last season's total to September 1.? Wall Street Journal. Another Whits Hope Gone.?A "young hope" buckled on his gloves and stepped into the squared circle, where the other fighter was awaiting him. When the old cow bell was rung?It was Intended for the gong?both fighters stepped closer together and began sparring. They sparred for sometime, when suddenly the first one poked a stiff arm jab Into the other's face. The other's head lurched back and he struck wildly at his opponent, only to miss. The first fighter was the aggressor and the second was fighting on his defence. For several rounds It was plain to see that the second scrapper could not get close enough to the other one to hit him, so the fight was declared off and the first fighter was the winner. Some friends of the defeated gladiator rushed up to him and asked what the matter was and why he didn't "soak him." The fighter was disgusted as he sneered "Aw, go on with all you guys! Didn't you know that mutt had been eating onions for supper and I couldn't get up close to him?"?Fort Scott (Kan.) Tribune. Modesty.?The dashing young lady was anxious that her aunt, who was rather old fashioned, should look as presentable as possible In her bathing costume. "Sure, Aunt Ella," said the girl rather cautiously, "you're not going to wear your spectacles In the water?" "Indeed, I am," replied her aunt. "Nothing shall Induce me to take off another thing."?Judge.