Page 136 (1/1)

Blue drawled these last words, as if he enjoyed re A sarette and eed He nificant and passionate And sords followed: "Colonel Lee Jorth stalked out of the store--out into the road-- black coat an' his wide black hat, an' he stood like a stone

"'What the hell!' burst out Blaisdell, comin' out of his trance

"The rest of us jest looked I'd forgot your dad, for the h e seen him stalk out Everybody had a hunch then I called hied him to come back All the fellars; had a say No use! Then I shore cussed him an' told him it was plain as day thet Jorth didn't hit s I knew Jorth had trick up his sleeve I've not been a gun fighter fer nothin'

"Your dad had no rifle He packed his gun at his hip He jest stalked down thet road like a giant, goin' faster an' faster, holdin' his head high It shore was fine to see hiroan, an' Fredericks thar cussed somethin' fierce When your dad halted--I reckon aboot fifty steps from Jorth--then we all went numb I heerd your dad's voice--then Jorth's They cut like knives Y'u could shore heah the hate they hed fer each other"

Blue had becoradually to denote his feeling Underneath his serenity there was a different order of uns at the same time--an even break But jest as they drew, some one shot a rifle froun! The bullet must have hit your dad lon, aboot the middle He acted thet way, sinkin' to his knees An' he ild in shootin'--so wild thet he must hev missed Then he wabbled--an' Jorth run in a dozen steps, shootin' fast, till your dad fell over Jorth run closer, bent over hihtened up with an Apache yell, if I ever heerd one An' then Jorth backed slow--lookin' all the time--backed to the store, an' went in"

Blue's voice ceased Jean seenet that now dropped hirew hazy Then Jean bowed his head in his hands, and sat there, while a slight trerew deathly cold and deathly sick This paroxysrew conscious of a dull amaze at the apparent deadness of his spirit Blaisdell placed a huge, kindly hand on his shoulder