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Ht m * ' »•! •: i ~“7“ ^ —■ ,.,i •■.... • d ■ - - ■ ’•» 1 . — ^— liiBi'n- -' ' >• , .• r' » t v ; - Ufa THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1927 THE CLINTON CHRONIC* E CLINTON. S C. ■>Vi PAGE SEVEN li WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE: Frank Beeson, from Albany. N. Y., reaches Benton, Wyoming, then—1868 —western terminus of the Pacific rail road. He had been ordered by physi cians to seek a climate “high and dry.” He is robbed of most of his money in his. hotel and loses his last twenty! dollars at monte in “The Big Tent,” a dance hall and gambling resort in the “roaring” town of Benton. Edna Montoyo, compaion of a gam bler, is believed by Frank to have ca joled him purposely iiito the game. Broke, disconsolate over his discovery that “the lady of the blue eyes,” as he calls her, is what she is, and finally humiliated over his glaring “green ness,” Frank repulses Edna when she begs him to go away with her, sob- bingly telling him that she had made a mistake in letting him lose his mon ey. He goes to take a job with George Jenks, a teamster, in a wagon train about to leave for Salt Lake City. C&pt. Adams, a Mormon, is in charge of the wagon train. • Rachael Adams, an attractive young woman, one of his wives, is in the train, / as v 1s Daniel Adams, his loutish son. When Edna, who has shot, but not killed the gambler, Montoyo, comes a fugitive in “britches” to join the train, Daniel tells his father that she is seeking Jenks and Beeson. Caut. Adams shouts, “No hussy in men’s garments shall go with the train.” Dapiel, by a spectacular gun play foils Montoyo’s attempt to take Edna back with him. Under Jenks’ and Edna’s instruc tion Frank practices shooting—is told to “aim for his feet to hit his heart.” This follows a clever exhibition of shooting by young Daniel, who is an gered by Rda*LS interest in Beeson. CHAPTER X INTO THE NIGHT A meeting between My Lady and tne brought on, not long after, the ex pected crisis. As we walked, sudden ly I saw Daniel nearing, striding rap idly, straight for us, a figure porfen- tious in the fading glow, bringing the storm with him. She saw, too. Her eyes widened, startled, surveying not him, but me. “Please go. I’ll keep him.” “It is too late now,” I asserted in a voice not mine. “I am here first and I’ll go when I get ready.” “You mean to face him? I knew it. You will play the man! Watch him close! He’ll give you little grace this time. But remember this: I’ll never, never, never marry him. Rather than • be bound to him I’ll deal with him my self!” “It won’t be, necessary, madam,” said I—a catch in my throat; for while I was all iciness and clammi ness, my hands cold and my tongue dry, I felt that I was going to kill him. Daniel charged in for us. I did not touch revolver butt; he did not. He barked first at her. “Go whar yu belong, yu Jezebel! Then I’ll tend to this—” The rabid, epithet leveled at me I shall not re-! peat. ’ “Be careful what you say, Daniel. No man on this earth can speak to j me like that.” j All his face flushed livid with a sneer, merging together yellow freck les and tanned skin. “Can’t, can’t he? I kin an’ I do. Now yu git. I’ve stood yore fast-an’- loose plenty. 1 mean business. Git! Whar yu’ll be safe. I’ll not hold off much longer.” “No more of that, you brute,” I roared. “If you have anything to say, say it to me.” He Whirled. “Yu! Why, yu leetle piece o* noth in’—yu shut up!” By sudden reach he gripped her arm; to her sharp, short scream he thrust her about. “Git! I’m boss hyar.” And at me: “What yu goin’ to do? She’s prom ised to me. Git, yerself, or I’ll stomp on yu like on a louse!” I forgot instructions. I disregarded every movement preliminary to the onset! Bullets were too slow and I did not see his revolver; I saw but the hulk of him and the intoler able sneer of him. and that his flesh was ready to my fingers. And quicker than his hand I was upon him, into him, clinching him, clinging to him,, arms binding him, legs twining around his, each ounce of me greedy to crush him down and master him. a The shock drove him backward. W’e swayed and staggered, grappling hith er and thither. I had his arms pin ioned, to bend him. He spat into my face; and shifting, set his teeth into my shoulder, so that .they champed like the teeth of a horse, through ahirt and hide to the flesh ground with a thump. Here we churn-1 ed, while he flung me and still I stuck- j The acrid dust of the alkili envel oped us. Again he spat, fetid— sprawled upon him, smothering his flailing arms; gave him all my weight and strength; smelled the sweat of him,- snarled into his snarling face, close beneath mine. Once he partially freed himself and buffeted me in the mouth with his fist, but I caught him—while strug gling, tossed and upheaved, dimly saw that as by a miracle we were sur rounded by a ring of people, men and women, their countenances pale, alarmed, intent. Voices sounded in a dull roar. Presently I had him crucified: his one outstretched arm under my knees, his other arm tethered by my two hands, my body across his chest, while his legs threshed vainlj^^^ I looked down into his bulging eyes. “ ’Nuf. Cry ‘ ’Nuf’!” I command ed. “ ’Nuf! Say ‘ ’Nuf’.’’, echoed the crowd. He strained again, convulsive; and relaxed. “ ’Nuf!” he panted through bared teeth. “Lemme up, Mister.” “That settles it?’.’ “I said “NuP,” he growled. With a quick movement I sprang clear of him, to my feet. He lay for a moment, baleful, and slowly scram bled up. On a sudden, as he faced me, his hand shot downward—I heard the. surge and shout of men and women, | to the stunning report of his revolver, ducked aside, felt my left arm jerk and sting—felt my own gun explode: in my hand (and how it came there. I did not know) beheld him spin! around and collapse; an astonishing! sight. So there I stood, amidst silence, j gaping foolishly, breathing hard, my ■ revolver smoking in my fingers and my enemy in a shockingly prone pos ture at my J feet, gradually reddening the white of the torn soil. He was upon his face, his revolver | hand was outflung. He was harmless, j The moment had arrived and passed.] I was standing here alive. I had kill- j ed him! Figures rushed in between. Hands grasped me, impelled me away, through a haze; voices spoke in my ear while I feebly resisted, a warm salty taste in my throat. “I killed him. I didn’t want to kill him. He made me do it. He shot first.” “Yes, yes,” they said, soothing gruffly. “Shore he did; shore you didn’t. It’s all right. Come along, come along.” Then— “Pick Beeson up> He’s bad hurt, himself. See that blood? No, ’tain’t his arm, is it? He’s bleedin’ internal. Whar’s the hole? Wait—he’s busted something.” They would have carried me. “No,” I cried, while their bearded faces swam. “He said 4 ’Nuf*—he shot me afterward; Not bad, is it? I can walk.” As they hustled me onward the world had grown curiously darkened, and I dumbly wondered whether I was dying myself. Across a great dis tance we stumbled by the wagons and halted at a fire. “You’re all right.” Jenks appar ently had looked me over and was ministering to me. “Swaller this.” The odor of whiskey fumed into my nostrils. I obediently swallowed. Hands were rummaging at my left arm; a bandage being wound about. “Did I kill him?” I besought. “Not that! I didn’t aim—I don’t know how I shot—but'I had to. Didn’t I?” “You did! He’ll not bother. you ag’n. She’s youm.” That hurt. “But it wasn’t about her He bul lied me—dared me. We were man to man, boys. He made me fight him.’' “Yes. shore,” they agreed—and they were not believing. They still linked me with a woman, whereas she had figured only as a transient oc casion. Then she herself, My Lady, appear ed, running in breathless and appeal ing. “Is Mr. Beeson hurt? Badly? Where is he? Let me help.” She knelt beside me, her hand grasped mine, she gazed wide-eyed and imploring. “No, he’s all right, ma’am.” “I’m all right, I assure you,” I mumbled thickly, and helpless as a babe to the clinging of her cold fin- gers. The group about me dissolved. Jenks seated himself close beside us. “Your arm won’t trouble you,” he •aid. “Jest a flesh wound. You two and eat and rest a bit, and if you set out Yore moon-up you Can easy get! “Mouunts!” I blurted. “ ‘Set out,’ you say? You mean that I—we— should run away? I’ll not leave the train and neither shall she, until the proper time. Or do I understand that you disown us?’’ “Hold on,” Jenks bade. Tain’t a question of disownin’ you. But you’ve killed one o’‘the Mormons, the wagon boss’s son; and when he comes in the momin’ demandin’ of you for trial by his Mormons, what can we do? We’ll take the chance on sneak in’ you both away, and facin’ the old man.” “I think we’d best go,” I agreed. “It’s the only way.” And it was. We were twain in men ace to the outfit, and to each other, but inseparable. We were yoked. The fact appaled. It gripped me coldly. I seemed to have bargained for her with fist and bullet, and won hert now I should appear to carry her off as my booty; a wife and a gam bler’s wife. Yet such.must be! “Moon’ll be up in a couple o’ hours,” Jenks a said. “I’d advise you to take an hour’s start of it, so as to get away easier. If you travel straight south- ’ard you’ll strike the stage road in the mornin’. When you reach a sta tion you’ll have ch’ice either way.” “I have money,” she said; and sat ej-ect. ****** For the first half mile wo rode without a word. What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavily upon her, elosing her throat with the torture of vain, self-reproach. That much I sensed. But I could not reassure her. My own thoughts were.so grievous as to crush me with aching woe. This, then, was I: somebody who had just killed a man, had broken from the open trail and was riding, he knew not where, through darkness worse than night, himself an outlaw with an outlawed woman—at the best a chance woman, an adventuring wo man—now the spoil of killing! (Continued Next Week) statement of the Condition of The Commercial Bank 4 Located at Clinton, S. C., at the Close of Business March 23, 1927 RESOURCES Loans and Discounts $299,418.47 .Overdrafts NONE Liberty Bonds 25,000.00 Bonds and Stocks Owned .... 60,800.00 Furniture and ^Fixtures 3,000.00 Other Real Estate Owned 10,000.00 Due from Banks and Bank ers .... 16,166.19 Currency 3,397.00 Gold 442.50 Silver and Other Minor Coin 740.78 Checks and Cash Items .... 578.90 Other Reosurces 41.01 CROSS HILL ITEMS OF INTEREST Mrs. Wade Williford of Hartsville, and Miss Daisy Hill of Coker college, spent the week-end with their father, A. M. Hill. Miss Katherine Bryson returned to Monroe on Saturday after spending, a week with relatives. Mrs. J. E. Griffin is visiting rela tives in Augusta. Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Leaman of Greenwood, visited relatives here Sun day. Mias Josie Griffin and Mrs. S. A. Leaman apent last week-end in Au gusta with relatives. Little Billy Davis of Augusta, is visiting his grandparents. Mrs. Lydie Miller spent last week in Whitmire. Mr. J. H. Rasor of Columbia, spent the week-end at home. Mrs. Hoyl Miller of Ware Shoals, is visiting her parents. The afriends of Mrs. Jim Coleman are glad to know that she is much im proved from her illness. B Mrs. Bessie McDonald and Mrs. Moss and baby of Atlanta, are visit ing Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Crisp. Mrs. Mamie Lipscomb of Spa^tap- burg, is visiting relatives in the </ty. County Ginnings Are Nearly 21,000 Bales Cotton ginnings in Laurens county for the year 1926, made public by the bureau of the census on March 21, amounted to 20, 958 bales as compar ed with 18,698 bales ginned t;he year before. Whether or not the report included an estimate of cotton ginned after statistics were gathered or as yet unginned is not known, although such an estimate was made for/ entire cotton area. KQDAK: > YICTUREkDEVELOPING • • BEST—QUICKEST—WORK GUARANTEED KODAKS LOANED TO RESPONSIBLE PARTIES. ♦ FILMS, PACKS, ETC. SADLER-OWENS PHARMACY “At Union Station**. Telephone 400 Telephone 377 * ,r I , Hi Save one-third Put one dollar in every three hack in your pocket when you use Stag semi-paste Paint. It saves one-third the cost. Just mix a gallon of “Stag” with a gallon of linseed oil ana you have two gallons of fin est quality paint obtain able ready to use. Won’t crack, nor peel. Bright, permanent colors. This fresh-mixed paint spreads easier, goes further. Better jobs for less money. There’s a “Stag" dealer near you. See him—or write us for literature and name* of dealer. Ask ; for color cards or booklet showing houses in colors. semi paste Change Made In Firm Name gallon makes The firm name of Cooper Furniture Company has been changed during the past week to that of the Clinton Fur niture Company. P. B. and W. f. Adair are now sole owners of the bus iness which serves not only Clinton, but several adjacent towns and cities in this section. Made by HIRCKBERG PAINT CO., Baltimore, Md. S»I 4 by ' . % D. E. TRIBBLE CO. Clinton, S. C. TOTAL $419,583.85 LIABILITIES Capital Stock Paid in $ 50,000.00 Surplus Fund .... 25,000.00 Undivided Profits, less Cur rent Expenses and Tax es Paid Due to Banks and Bankers Dividends Unpaid Individual Deposits Subject to Check Savings Deposits Time Certificates of De posit .... .... Cashier’s Checks Bills Payable, including Certificates for Money Borrowed «.... .... Reserve Fund Carried on General, Individual or Savings Ledger 604.45 NONE 60.00 127,203.67 13,508.15 j 165,096.39 5,111.19 30,000.00 3,000.00 _. cl’ar. Well furnish mounts and grub We toppled together, came to the and anything elae you need.” TOTAL .... .... ..-..$419,583.85 State of South Carolina, ss. County of Laurens. Before me came F. M. Boland, Cash ier of the above named bank, who, be ing duly sworn, says that the above and foregoing statement is a true condition of said bank, as shown by the books of said bank. F. M. BOLAND. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 29th day of March, 1927. L. D. 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