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Show PIUTE COUNTY NEWS, JUNCTION, UTAH FARMER WOMAN elwood of Oo.lt Pftisei Lydia E. Pinkhams Vegetable Compound Became It Gave Her Health and Strength In a sunny pasture in Oklahoma, a lerd of sleek cows was grazing. They made a pretty pio ture. But the, thin woman in the blue By FRANK H. SPEARMAN WNU r . CHAPTER XII Continued 14 - lantern Pushing the closer to the fireplace, he picked up one of the mesqulte roots, raked together Pardaloes scattered embers, and after patient effort, got a tiny blaze flickering. Having done this, he sat down on the blanket near the hearth, put out the lantern, and advised Tracy to go to sleep. Whatll you be doin? asked, the drowsy Tracy. Ill sit here for a while. Give me your cards. Bill. Pardaloe had brought In an extra blanket for Selwood, who was cough' lng. As he reached Into his capacious hip pocket for the cards, he framed an apology. Theyre gummed up some, John." No matter, returned Selwood curtly. Give me the cards. Pardaloe handed the chilly gambler the greasy cards and withdrew, Tracys talk gradually subsided; he was soon asleep. . In the uneven play of light from the hearth, Selwood, the blanket spread before him, median lcally shuffled Pardaloes cards. Ahsorbed and Client, he held the pack in Ids left hand. Impassively slipped the cards one by one to his right and faced them slowly on flip blanket pausing at intervals to mar their sequence and to read In It the answer to the question he kept ask half-burne- ' ) d . lng: Whats that?" dead woman. Pardaloe, cramping bis grizzly neck at the surprising words, bent his beady eyes close down on the fate--. bearing sequence. He stared for a moment. Then without words he drew back his head; the dead woman was there: Tracy slept only a little while longer. Pardaloe had gone to the wagon, and Selwood felt presently that his partner, was awake and that very probably he lay watching him; ,but Selwood himself had no desire to break the silence. Tracy did not lie quiet long. What you doing there, John? be asked at length with something of a growl, It looks to me as If one of us, anyway, ought to be in Sleepy Cat a night like this. Everything weve got up there In the world Is at I f stake. Everything i i : i , iSn, 4 . . j Ive got up there, amended Selwood. Youre a mine-ownnow Im just plain gambler; remember that will you? He spoke the last two words with a touch of acid sharpness that did not often creep into his tone. Tracy recognized In It an invitation to quit. Ive been back up there tonight, since I brougnt you down, vblunteered Selwood, to break the brusqueaess of his earlier tone. The Vigilantes are holding our part of the town, and they changed their minds, somehow, about burning us. Abe Cole told me we were safe. Of course,, the other fellows might try It but I Just Imagine theyll have most of the bunch on the telegraph poles by morning If they've got enough poles. Dave 'Selwood asked the question In his accustomed kindly fashion youve played the cards a good while, havent you? Ever since I was big enough t set up n play euchre with my dad. Goln nigh on forty year, grumbled the old man, appeased In turn by the friendlier tone of his protege. Do you believe In em, Dave? I believe In the cards, answered. all the time. I Tracy meditatively, believe In dogs most o the time; not many men I believe In ary time Do you believe In dead men, t Dave? asked Selwood. Dont talk foolishness," retorted And. he added with deeper Tracy. I dont believe In no pessimism, women none o the time. Pardaloe stuck his head in through the shack door just in time to hear Right for once, Tracys words. Dead partner, be half bellowed. right every word right. Selwood showed impatience. Wake Bob, he said to Pardaloe short'y. Hitch up the horses. We'll be pulling out of here pretty quick. Which way you headin? ' askel Tracy as Pardaloe disappeared. Ills tone was Irritating, and tbe question found Selwood Irritable. I dont know and dont care much, he answered Indifferently. Ill tell you, remarked Well, Tracy; 1 youll take me back to Sleepy Cat youll oblige me. Oughtnt tove sneaked me out o there. Then you bein away from th'ere, too; to talk It flat out, I dont like It." Selwood tried to pass It off. He spoke with half a laugh and In tbe manner of his partner, Didnt think Dave, youd take It that bard, Dave. I did what I thought was right Yes, but" Sorry I bothered you. It wont happen again. I hope I shant be bothering anybody very long." Tracy threw a sharp qustlon at him. What d you mean by that fool ishness?" Is there any particular objection to my meaning exactly what I say? The retort was too keen to pass un noticed. Tracy was silent for a moment. When he spoke he made Whenever you get gruff complaint. a chance, you like to take me hard dont you? Anything I say Selwood suppressed a smile. I wasn't thinking about you, Dave, Dont you know, a man can feel that his games about played? Mine begins to look that way to me tonight, Shucks! you got a cough started again, thats alls the matter with you." Selwood ' released a hard little laugh. "Coughs don't bother me. Ive been acquainted with em too long, asked you a while ago whether you believed in dead men. . Last night dreamed I saw Frank Sanger. I thought I was walking down River street In Sleepy Cat. It seemed as If It was dusk evening, or early morning daybreak. I looked across the street. There was Frank Sanger walking on the other side, looking straight over at me. Looked the as he did that night we I at Bur-toeBut his mustache was heavier, lie had on a queer-lookin- g hat. I tried to reach for my gun ; I couldnt move a Anger, All of a sudden, he started across the street toward me. His eyes were as big as teacups. And all the time I knew he was dead ! I tried to cry out I must have made some kind of a noise, for something woke me up. I grabbed my gun out from under my pillow. I was sure he was somewhere In tbe room. And there I lay In a cold . sweat. Dead men don't walk the streets, growled Tracy. "Stir up that fire. What you slttin there In the dark for? Theres nothin to a dream, man ! Selwood made no move. "Its In the cards, too, Dave. Ive tried em three times. It always comes the same way theres death In this deck for somebody. I guess its full time for me to cash In. anyway. And remember, everything between you and me is fixed. f You own the mine; I own the hall. Light the lantern, dash It." burst out Tracy, with a deepening growl. Dreams dont mean anything! If theres anything wrong with the cards Its because theyre hanging men In Sleepy Cat." Without a word Selwood rose, felt for a match, and, striking it, looked for the lantern. Tracy kept up a of talk, puncnervous running-fir- e tuated at times by abrupt pauses, bat persistent. Selwood, holding the lantern In his hand, slipped the globe down over the lighted wick; then he paused and, as he stood, listened. Doubtful at first of his sense of hearing, the faint, regular sound of hoof beats soon fell unmistakably on his ears. Selwood. extinguishing, by a short drop, the flame of the lantern, and bidding Tracy lie still, picked up the box and set It over the fire, stepped door and stood through the half-opefor a moment Just outside. lie had not been mistaken; a horseman was nearing the cluster of evil huts known as Calabasas. Standing expectant In the full light g moon, Selwood was of a joined by the silent Indian, who, waiting only to get his orders, stole forward under cover toward the main road. He reached a point of vantage at the moment the horseman slackened his pace. Scott allowed him to advance and turn and rein about In Indecision only long enough to make him but. Pardaloe, in the Interval, had joined Selwood and had moVel with him from the door, which they left hanging awry on its one hinge, lilto the shadow. There they stood when, reining about, after speaking low to Scott, who had hailed him, the rider spurred again down the draw and halted before Tracys shack. For, God's sake, he muttered, swinging from his saddle, "where Is everybody?" Selwood recognized the voice and the figure at the same instant, and, out Into the moonlight, stepping spoke to McAlpIn. d The little barn boss staggered stiffly Into the shack after Selwood, the two other men crowding In behind him. Pardaloe lighted he lantern, Scott lifted the box that Selwood had chucked, bottom up, over the smoking fire, and Selwood pointed to the stool. Neither he nor Scott made any effort to hurry the foreman. It was enough for them to study his bloodshot eyes until he should be ready to explain what was responsible for fels peculiar mental condition and his unexpected appearance at Calabasas. He sat on the box, fingering at and fussing with his left forearm. About s. Pardaloe came In wltl) a handful of wood ripped from a window shutter and fed it, silently and skillfully, to Selwoods flre. When the blaze suit ed him, he turned on his hinges to read the story the cards were telling, He kept silence till Selwood had finished. Dead man In em tonight eh, John? he said In an undertone. A dead man, responded Selwood This last composedly, and added.: ' time theres something new, Bill. A Sons. Copyright by Clurlei Scribner Serrk. , , n late-risin- stout-hearte- him stood Pardaloe and Scott, who had risen from the hearth, while Sel wood stood with his back to the fire, studying McAlpIn by its light and the light of the lantern on the table, won dering whether McAlpin could be wounded, and how badly, or whether he was running a huge bluff. exclaimed the barn boss, John, darting his bloodshot glance at1 ha y got any catrldges? Selwood answered only after a pause and, then Impassively. A few, Jim why? McAlpin, holding his left forearm and hand pretty well up, spoke to Scott "Bob, he- - said, "take your knife and slit that sleeve up a bit, I'm nicked in the arm, John, but Its naught; Carpy hound It for me. John, theres plenty doin' In Sleepy Cat." "Have anybody?" they hung snapped Traey fiercely. Hanged anybody? echoed McAlpin, turning toward Tracy ou the cot. I want t tell y', Dave, the biters bit. Tracy tried to Interrupt; Selwood I patiently but firmly protested. gave'you your say, Dave. I waited for all your cards ; I want a chance to face mine now and," he added, with a touch that Tracy had rarely heard In his voice, Im going to have It. Youve tried hard to make a good gambler out of me, Dave and the only reason you couldnt do It Is because it never was In me. When my own blood kicked me out, you took the place of my father Shut up But, Dave, I wasnt cut to travel the lines you laid for me. You said It tonight I knew It yesterday. So yesterday I closed my game, Dave. Im done. Yesterday I traded you out of the place on the hill. I gave you a half Interest In the best quartz .vein along Thief River. Ben Wentworth, a man as square as you Youll never are, Is your partner. know need while the pay ore lasts, and theres enough In sight to keep years. Besides, I'm you twenty-fiv- e able to work awhile myself yet. So I dont see why you should wear yourself out, raving about the place on the hill being burnt I owned the place, Dave; Its gone up in smoke and Its my fault, for, Dave, I'm telling you now and telling the boys here, I smashed the big lamp on the floor tonight and fired the hall myself. Selwood was perhaps better prepared for what followed than his companions, who listened stupefied. It was a , moment before Tracy could frame words; then he launched at Selwood a further torrent of abuse. Perhaps I played you a low trick, as you say, Dave; perhaps I didnt. Anyway, I meant to cut that string, and that was my way of cutting It Ive done you no wrong if anybody Is loser, I am. You say youre done with me for good and all. Thats pretty hard to take from you, Dave 4ts hard because I owe you so much and you owe me Just next to nothing. But whatever you say or whatever you feel, I cant ever honestly say Im done with you; youre the only partner I ever had and you cant ever change my feelings toward you. Youve said a few things tonight I Oughtnt Tove Sneaked Me Out o wish you hadnt said but most of There what youve said was coming to me, and I wouldnt ask you to take a thing In th night Sleepy Cat If anybodys back." hanged there the night, itll be VigiBefore Tracy could reply, Scott lantes ! started to leave the room; Pardaloe Selwood alone made no exclamawould have pushed his huge bulk tion. He stood quiet, with his eyes after him, but Selwood stepped be--' fixed on the wounded courier. tween them and the door. McAlpin What do you mean, Jim? ventried to shut Tracy off. Selwood situred Scott patiently.' lenced him. Theres nothing to be I mean, exclaimed McAlpin, the said here that you all ought not to ' gamblers ' are on top Theyve hear, he Insisted. "I want you to turned the tables. Theyve rallied hellhear It." bent, drove the Vigilantes to cover up No! burst out McAlpin, stepping town crowding em to the river close hurriedly over to where Tracy lay, to the new railroad station I mean and talking angrily at him. I wont John Cole Is wounded, Abe Cole Is hear a word of it not another word, wounded. Chris Kickbusch is dead. he shouted In profane excitement. Doc Carpy Is wounded, and Starbuck Im here on life and death away is boss of Sleepy Cat thats part of with your Jarring and listen to me. it, and only part of It. How manv If the place wasn't burnt by you, catrldges y got, John? John, Itd been burnt a dozen, times Meaning they need em? since. The gamblers Is after you, Meaning, the minute Starbuck took John after you and after this fool hold of the fight he doubled the man Tracy. And he wants tq go back blamed Vigilantes up like a Jnk-knlf- e to Sleepy Cat! Theyll burn him with stole a murch on the suckers his bed under him. They dont want behind their bqcks, got into John no dead men In Sleepy Cat I he Coles store, where was all their am- shouted at Tracy. John! McAlpin, munition. stole it and burnt the store wild with anxious haste, whirled on thats another part of It" Selwood. Carpy told me to ride the Are the barns gone? asked Sel- desert till Id find you. Tell him, wood harshly. he says, theyre drivin us and "Not yet. I.efever and the wagon boys are holdin both the barns, hut If the wind conies up, they wont save em. There aint enough left of your big hall on the hill to roast a chestnut, John. For many years now I have been Tracy half sprang from the cot. He poured a torrent of wrath on the Vigiwatching the pursuit of happiness. lantes and the gamblers, with IncidenWhat a beating of bushes! What a tal shots at the fate that had kidscurrying hither 1 have seen It would naped him away from where he could appear that most people regard hapstand in defense against aDy and all piness as a kind of wild rabbit which comers, of his own. they must hunt and capture. They Selwood waited, without an pursue It with horses and hounds and motor cars. for the fury of the storm to ships and abate. Old David stopped only when They stop at no expense. Yet I have not kiiown a pursuer to capture hapNow, he pantphysically exhausted. ed, looking malevolently at Selwood. piness. They return to their homes "I hope youre satisfied. You've disappointed. Often they have found played your game, aint you? Seiil the. Angel of Happiness, after searcheverything weve got on the hill i p ing the world for her, waiting for them In smoke. And I can turn out, whim on their own door steps and she has I get up. with a pack of cards aqd welcomed them and for a day or two start all over again. I aint but six' y they have been filled with the light of her countenance. , years old ! Why dont you say son. At last, they say, we have caphe dojnanded violently. j tured heF. ' Selwood, turning toward his Then, suddenly, she Is gone. ner, rested his elbow on the rck What we need Is more money and ledge above the fireplace, took f oin his lipS the cigar he had lighted, md a bigger house, some of them have Til have a loi to said. spoke deliberately. And this has been a too common say, I'm afraid, Dave more thar I If' I had another husband or want to say to a man half sick, out plea : its got to be said, whether I likd It another wife sonfe one who really loved me and my great purpose then or you like It or not. I want you to remember, D: ive, L should be able to find happiness and first of all the hall Is, or was, n Ine I am sure that she would stay with me." all mine. I took over your Interest All these Incidents of the chase 'I yesterday afternoon In Sleepy Cfat, and turned over to you my Interest have witnessed and the tragic failures In the Thief River mine. It was a which have followed them. L. have trade fair to you and fair to me; yiu come to think that no ' one who pursues Happiness can ever hope to catch said I was giving half a dozen tim her. And here 1 I am In accord with what I was getting I wasnt; but was giving you a square deal, a nd good authority. Mr. Herbert Spencer has said that life c msists In being In you said It was a square deal, and with environment. correspondence know It was." Scl-woo- d, 1 , 1 theyll shoot or burn up every man jack of us If we dont get help and no more said. If you find John, says Carpy. hell understand. McAlpin stopped, out of breth. A broken by the walling stillness scream of distant coyotes followed his words. In the silence Selwood stood, his eyes on McAlpin. pondering his Words. Of all men In Sleepy Cat that might have sent such a message to Selwood, Carpy was the one whose call he could not Ignore. Who had taken care of him when he lay sick? When money could not buy skilled nursing when the Ignorance of even friends might have been fatal to him? Who but Carpy? Carpy was calling him. .With' the tables turned on the blundering Vigilantes, this never-failin- g friend always giving himself unstintlngly, recklessly, to the service of others, the man who never asked whether one needing help was worthy or unworthy who never said pay, or asked for a fee the man who was his own worst enemy needed help. Selwood to those about him was grimly silent; but in his heart he said: He shall have It! And one more question was gnawing like remorse at his heart. Where was Christie Fyler In all this deadly clash? . He shot a question at McAlpin. Where Is Fyler? Where Is his daughwell-meani- ter?" OKLAHOMA 111 t "I dont know, John nobody knows. Carpys been tryln all night to get track of em If anybody knows where Christie Is, Its Cliff Star-buck- ." The name cut Selwood like a knife. Starbuck! he echoed, biting Starbuck! off the word, In rage. he repeated, as If to feed his wrath. And Carpy gave me his word no harm should come to her. Dont McAlpin put up a hand. blame him not for what he couldnt do, th night Im hit myself McAlpin held up his forearm but nobody here seems to care a rap about that where I got hit or how I got hit But Carpy is a wounded man and his backs to the wall! Selwood seemed hardly to heed the Starbuck he reInterruption. echoed, In lower but not less .deadly tone. The fingers Of the hand resting on his hip Insensibly drew together. He seemed as be stood to shrink for a moment within himself. Then he started from his lethargy and, looking up, turned, his eyes slowly from one to the other of his companI cant ions and back to McAlpin. pass up a call from Carpy, he said. speaking to all. "I wouldnt If I could; and I couldnt If I would. And It looks now he added, as If Star-buc- k and I have a score to settle. I hope not ; but if its got to be settled, the sooner the better." .Selwood made his arrangements with decision. Taking what ammunition he could scrape together, he would ride, he said, to Sleepy Cut. McAlpin was to ride with him to the sltflatlon when they had reached town. Pardaloe, open-eare- d and chafing under his mask of quiet, listened Ihtently but without Selwood was talking to approval. Tracy; when he turned from the oot, Pardaloe was waiting for him! "John.' he said, taking Selwood aside and speaking in an undertone, if you was askin me to head for Thief Blver same time z you're headin for Sleepy Cat, then dont ask me. (TO BE CONTINUED.) 1 checked apron as she looked She was tired df cows, tired of her tedious work in the dairy. She was tired of cooking for a houseful sighed at them. beof boarders, sides caring for her own family. .The burdens of life seemed too heavy for her failing health. She had lost confidence In herself. One day she began taking Lydia B. Pinkhams Vegetable Compound and her general health began to improve. She took It faithfully. Now she can da her work without any trouble, sleeps well and Is no longer blue and timid. This woman, Mrs. Cora Short, R. R. 9, Box 387, Oklahoma City, Okla., writes: Everybody now says: Mrs. Short, what are you doing to yourself? I weigh 135 and my weight before I took it was 115. I have taken seven bottles of the Vegetable Compound." Other women who have to work hard and keep things going may find the road to better health as Mrs. Short did, through the faithful use of Lydia G, Pinkhams Vegetable Compound. Ask your neighbor. . For Indigestion, Dyspepsia, etc. Relieves Distress after Hurried Meals or Overeating. 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