Show A FIGHT FOR A GIRL A faint yellow light still lingered in the west although tho the moon was shining it was a hot night not a breath of air stirred the stiff limbs of the yucca trees or the fiery cactus blooms tb the 0 stilling stifling heat still seemed to radiate from the baked sides of the small adobe houses and the ho sandy soil boil was uncomfortable for table to walk upon although the sun had bad been down an hour the tha town was wag just beginning to show signs of life any anyone one arriving there between the hours of 10 in ill the morning and 0 6 at night would feel assured that the place was deserted doors and shutters were closed and tile the fierce rays of the sun beat down from the burnished blue arizona skies with malign malignant glee bold holding ilig undisputed sway at sundown however humaDi humanity ty began to assert asseri it relf not that it was much cooler but tho the terrible blinding glare was gone men appeared ou on the one long straggling gling street clad in cotton shirts and trousers the former turned back from the throat threat as far as possible ponies came loping across tho the trails from the nearest camps with their swarthy riders and lights began to flare in the saloons and gambling tents sounds of voices were heard beard too true mostly in oaths end and coarse jokes but they were human and ou on this particular night came the tb 0 wheezy wail of a fiddle and tho the livelier rattle of a banjo from the upper floor of the two story building in the place a rough structure of unpainted pine with the words hanks hotel in large black letters over the doer A dance was evidently in progress for several ponies were tethered to the yucca hiees in front and out on the still night air came the sound of a mans voice shouting orders inside the room it was hot and uncomfortable made more so by the light of half a dozen limps lamps there were veto perhaps 30 men and ove ODO third as many women the former cowboys in high boots and tucked in trousers or red miners from the camps 20 miles away in tiro mountains aiDS tied and all had pistols or knives gleaming in their belts the women were veto brazen painted things who had bad drifted here when they were era down on oll their luck and staid because their sex was such a rarity that they were tolerated A hard crowd 11 thought jack devore as he be leaned against the door idly watching the dancers dari cers all of the thorn in toughened with crime and all of them how it unless WS its that one over there and his eyes rested on a yoking girl who had bad just dancing and stood leening against the wall panting and exhausted jack devore in of his travels and dangerous life did not show his 42 years looking at him ono ODO would take him for a gentleman of quiet and retiring tastes he was remarkably handsome ol of the blond type arid and dressed in excellent taste he be spoke good spanish and buiest english had bad a knowledge of shakespeare that many a scholar might yell well envy possessed a tenor voice that would have made mada his on the operatic ope ratio stage and a i pair of eyes that would win will ones heart they were so EO innocent and honest yet jack jac devore had bad been put down by more than one as ili an unmitigated villain vill din he was a professional gambler and had broken more bears and ruined more lives than any other mini mail in california and arizona Ari yona lie he was faid to be utterly without pity alt although bough some swore to the contrary at any rate lie he was relentless in his pursuit of an all object and a dead shot two things which mado made him a man whom it would bo be unwise to offend lie was well mell aware of the furtive glances which were cast in his direction as ai lie ho lounged against tile the door it pleased him bial to hoar hear the respectful invitations to dance which ho he received but lie ho folt felt no desire to join them jack devote devoie was rather fastidious in his tastes and touching hOg one of tho the painted women was out of the question hot but the girl at choso whoso faco face his eyes had bad stopped was different you yon might look from the city of mexico to san ean franciaco lie he mused and not dot find another face liko like hers bers and jack was an excellent judge of beauty sho she stood leaning against the wall in a posture which brought out every line of 0 her rounded f figure egure from tho the small email foot tapping the floor in time to the groaning fiddle to the top of her saucy head ache be wore a short cotton skirt of some coarse dark material while a largo large white wh I 1 to kerchief korab ica draped mexican fashion leaving her throat threat and arms bare berged tor for a bodice her hair bair which fell in long black curls below her waist was caught up at the left side of her bar head bead with a few brilliant cactus flowers flow ersher ber teeth ebone white through her bar par parted ted lips aud and her ber eyebrows met in a straight I 1 level liua line over a pair of glorious gio rions lark dark eyes As if abaro that some one a was watching her she stirred uncomfortably and then looking up lip met 6 gabe t for a a moment she stirred stared nt at him then her eyes fell nervously thinking that this was vas a decided point in her favor bo be roused himself and crossed the tha room to where she elie stood will you dance he said in his musical voice oice she gave him bar hand baud and he led her er out on the floor what is your name dame he be asked inez I 1 she answered 1 ia I 1 am not like the rest and she looked at him half proudly halt half apologetically it is ia easy to see that ho he replied hut but not so easy to see sea why v by you are here I 1 I 1 ho he did not ask the question but bile bho answered it 1 I bate tho the town eho said bitterly hut but I 1 cant get away my mother died here she ehe used to say her heart was broken I 1 wish I 1 could leave it he looked down into her beautiful eyes half amiling would you gawith go with no mo sweetheart swo etheart he ha asked idly she looked up startled and hesitating but before she had bad time to answer the banjo music stopped with a discordant crash and a rude hand thrust thorn them apart jack turning sharply found himself confronted by one of tile musicians whom he be recognized as the so superintendent perin of the Eagle bird mine D n you the he young fellow said savagely I 1 what do you want with her bar she is the one pure thing in this cursed hole and you shall not touch her devore did not answer him but turned to inez I 1 you have havo not answered me lie ho said will you yon go she looked into his eyes half hesitating he flo had taken a powerful hold bold on her bar that he be could see and felt sure of victory but she BUS was flung to one side and his assailants knife gleamed iu in the air for it a moment tile the two glared at each other whilo while the other men crowded around silent arid and loath to interfere I 1 but bound to seo see fair play inez sprang between them dont max mas dont I 1 she cried the young man turned to her fiercely choose I 1 he be commanded you yon know I 1 love you and would give my life for you yon but id rather sea yon dead than have him touch you yon and by god lie he shant I 1 she looked from one to the other afraid and doubting the violence of one terrified her and the other was different ferent from any man she had ever known the chances of a new life opened before her and dazzled her bar yet max had always been kind and gentle both were waiting for her bar answer impatiently and add devotes devores hand was on his revolver he was not accustomed to defeat she could not cot choose and womanlike burst into tears at this juncture big jim proprietor of the jae jack pot sal saloon tion saw fit to interfere ter fere quit your bawlin now inez he be ordered youve raised devil enough yond better equale yourselves boys at 20 paces it a little cold leadill soon eoon settle the difficulty and lie he laughed pleasantly as he marked off the distance with long strides and the men took their places A duel was the surest way after all I 1 jack devore took his aim with his customary coolness in reality bo be cared little for the girl but ho be was wag not dot used to being thwarted ile he could easily kill the young fellow who stood blood opposite him but the girl where would it lead her his face took ou on a more serious serious look than any one had ever seen there when lie ho had bad tired of her bar as ile ho surely must what then she was so different could she over ever sink bink to be one of those painted creatures A curious impulse stirred him and when big jim gave the word to fire lie be raised his at arm in and fired iu in the air receiving at the same time a I 1 severe shock in his right arm 1 I pass 11 was all he be said eaid when jack devore recovered his senses lie he was lying on oil a rude couch and a woman sat bat beside him As he opened his eyes she sha leaned foi forward fo iward Nvard and in the dim light he be recognized her as one of the ba li angers ligers on of the place jack she said softly you know mo me and I 1 know you yon arid and I 1 reckon there aint much love lost but im glad you shoot you remember lola jack did and lie he stirred mi uneasily cauly it had been hard bard to leave her w m lieu hen he was forced to leavo leave sacramento she was so pretty and did not dot speak much english and she had bad followed him all the way from mexico poor lola I 1 yes he be answered shortly because the woman went on 1 I knew duew her she died here she loved I 1 you yon jack devote and inez isber is her daughter hers bers and yours there was silence for n long time then as it began to glow oppressive jack said in a strangely softened voice does she elle does docs inez know inow it no tho the other answered dont toll her bar then he be said and say rose hose he reached into his hia pocket and painfully produced GOO in give her this and tell her to marry that feller faller and got get out do doit it yes answered the woman anything else jack yes was the quiet reply im going get me my pony polly ruse rose like a good girl I 1 I 1 halt half an hour later the sound bound of galloping hoofs was beard growing fainter and fainter out on the moonlit mesa beatrice bellido do de luna in san francico argonaut |