THE CENTRE REPORTER,
THE STORY
Garrett O'Hara, young lawyer,
on his way to practice at
Concho, wild western town, in
shot at from ambush by Shep
Sanderson, who mistakes him for
Judge: Warner, whom certain
cattle Interests wish to prevent
holding court. Barbara Steelman,
who thought the shot was di-
rected at her, warns Garrett not
to go to Concho because of the
big cattle war. Steve Worrall
tells Garrett about the cattle
war between Ingram and Steel-
man, father of Barbara. Bob
Quantrell, young killer for In-
gram, saves Garrett O'Hara and
an Englishman, Smith-Beres-
ford, from being shot by San-
derson. The three become friends,
Garrett accidentally witnesses a
meeting between Barbara and
Ingram. They are lovers Garrett
and the Englishman buy a ranch
with Steelman as silent partner.
Fitch, Steelman man, kills an In-
gram follower. A posse, includ-
ing Quantrell and Sanderson,
capture and hang Fitch Sander-
son starts a fight at the ranch
and Garrett and the Englishman
are wounded. Quantrell changes
sides and joins with the two
“tenderfeet.” A lull in the cattle
war follows Quantrell kills
Sanderson and another Ingram
gunman, A tentative peace is
patched up through Garrett's ef-
forts. Quantrell jeopardizes the
peace prospects by leading an
unagthorized raid on the Hughes
rand,
CHAPTER VIiII—Continued
1
“Maybe not. But I didn't
let any of his warriors get
tewn for to have a powwow with In.
gram I'd heard you belly-achin’ about
hew Ingram was hangin’ on to the
Hughes place contrary to law an’ how
you almed to drive him out. Well, 1
figured I'd save you the trouble”
“Instead of which you have involved
us In fresh trouble,” O'Hara
curtly. “You've put us In the wrong
ta the most flagrant way, There's
just one thing for us to do, and that Is
tp show Ingram If we can that this
attack took place without our knowl-
edae and against our wishes, We
can't keep you in our employ, Quan-
troll.”
The brown eyes of O'Hara met
steadily the lizht blue shallow ones of
the voung killer.
“Seared of Ingram, eh?" the hoy
speered. “Snits me if It does you, Mr,
O'Hara. I'm to get the gate hecause
you want to play up to this fellow, yon
net havin' sand In yore craw enough
to go throngh with what you started
All right. 'Nough said. I'll ride down
the river today.”
aim to
away to
sald
“Understand, Bob, we've got no per-
feeling against you”
“1'l! go farther than
got cattle In Texas,
pote to my
on at
won't day's pay.
After we get things straightened out
can come back ride for
e river”
Steelman
that,
an’ I'l
foreman there
once nt
loge n
sonnl
explained
Pve still
give you n
take
whges
to yor the
Yon
same
here an’
we on tl
“I don't alm to go to Texas, but to
right he
answered, “1
but there'll
you wished 1 Texas.’
tried again get him
“You've forced our hand,
don't want you,
vou
stny sre, Steelman,” the young
wouldn't
times
was In
to
fellow
none
when
O'Hara
understand
ab, We
but —"
“But youve got to do it
yore face with Ingram™
the boy rudely. “No
to me, I understand
drivin’ at”
“We're under dbligations to
Bob,” O'Hara “You
my life and Lyul; from
Sanderson's vengeance. We
both of us. But you knew perfectly
well what the were, that
riders should keep out of this feud if
they wanted to stay with us. You de-
lberately overrode our wishes”
“Orders,” broke out Quantrell,
“Say, fellow, don't you use that word
when jyou're talkin’ to me. 1 don't
take orders from you or anvone else”
“But, by Jove, that's just the trouble,
Bob,” interposed Smith-Beresford ami
ably. can't have you shootin’
up people all over the shop. It won't
de, you knew.”
“We want to part friends”
sald. “There's no reason why we
shouldn't. You're too—impulsive, let's
guy, to ride for us just now, but-—"
“Friends,” Interrupted Quantre:!
his cold blue eyes narrowed to slits,
his voice filled with scornful anger.
“Me, I wns ready to ride the river
with you. I'd have gone with you to
the end of the trail, through, under,
between, or over. An’ you drop me
Like 0 hot potato because you're scared
of what Ingram will think. Don't talk
to me about friends, fellow, I'm
through with you, but you'll find you're
not through with me by a h—I1 of a
lot.”
“I say, old chap, let's be reason.
able,” Smith-Beresford said. “It's not
Ingram that's involved so much as our
pod faith, We've got to play our
enrds nbovebourd, you know, Can't
let you go raiding his men while we're
talking peace to hin But we're
dedced morry to lose you, and our
personal feeling isn't changed at all,
Some day we'll laugh about this to
gether, and to show our appreciation
of your services we want sou to ac-
cept this little bonus from us.”
Quuntrell took the check handed
hin a=d tore It into twenty pleces,
He tarned on his heel and clumped
out of the room, Fifteen minutes
later he disappeared over the hill on
horseback,
“Well, we sure turned a good friend
be a plenty
to lose
to
interrupted
need plain
you,
saved
Shep
you,
went on
{00,
like
orders our
“We
O'Harm
William Maci.eod Raine
Copyright by Willlam Macleod Raine
WNU Service
—
into a bad enemy,” Steelman said rue-
fully, lighting his pipe with a live coal
at the blacksmith's fire.
O'Hara felt that Steelman left n
criticism implied If not expressed.
The old eattle man would not have let
Quantrell go, but would have credited
the young fellow's action to excessive
zeal and let him off with a reproof,
But then Steelman had no hope in the
success of the negotiations with In-
gram and was not interested in dem.
onstrating good faith.
“I don't see what else we could have
done,” Smith-Beresford said despond-
ently, Like O'Hara, he regretted very
much the necessity that had driven
them. Quantrell had probably saved
both their lives on one occasion, but
he was headstrong and implacable to
a degree that made It Impossible to
retain him. Undoubtedly some day he
would have broken out again If he had
stayed. He was a killer. The lust
to slay had become a fever In his
blood likely to flare up any time.
He could not help thinking of Quan.
trell and his exit. Had they made a
mistake In letting him go? Hud not
the real mistake been In employing
him In the first place, knowing as they
did the manner of man he was? The
trouble was they had net known, not
fully. He had seemed so boyishly
eager to join them, and they had sup-
posed they could restrain him. No use
blaming themselves, Certainly they
could not keep him any longer, a
killer who refused to discipline him
self or to be disciplined.
CHAPTER IX
Garrett O'Hara Loscs
At the Hughes ranch all
preparation. were being ex-
amined, horses saddled. Ingram him
self grimly supervised his men as they
made ready.
Deever called to him:
up the creek, Dave”
Garcla rode up, fumbled In his sash,
drew out an envelope, and handed It
to Ingram. The owner of the Diamond
Tall tore It open and read it with an
impressive face. Meanwhile GQGarcin
was busy answering questions, [Ile
had been captured by the enemy. taken
to the Circle 8 O ranch, and had less
than hours before made lis
cape. All this he explained in Spanish
Ingrum drew him to one side. “Did
Miss Steelman give you this letter
herself?”
wus husy
Guns
“Guy comin’
two ©
“Si, senor™
“An' then she helped you make yore
getaway?
The Mexican hesitated, then decided
it wns hetter to tell the truth. “Senor
Steelman he tell me vamos”
“Did he know about this letter
her give It to you?
He had not, Garcia explained. Khe
slipped it to him and begged him
to deliver it to Senor Ingram.
Ingram dragged Mexienan from
his horse and flung bim into the arms
standing near. “Keep him
back.” he ordered.
be sald: “I'm postponin’
a few hours, Tom
Got to see some one first.”
“Whe t you
Harvey
“Private business of my
gram answered curtly.
In m chose n fast horse and cut
! park to the eastern rim
From here he pushed inte the
heading farther to the north.
summit of a wooded ridge he
and tied the horse, then
torward cautiously, rifle in
hand. Ilis keen eves scanned the ter
rain carefully. At times he stopped
and stood perfectly still for sninutes
at a stretch, then once more crept
through the brush toward a small
arrose that dropped swiftly to a mesa
below, It was the spot where he and
Jarbarn Steelman had been used to
meet before the feud had flamed Inte
open warfare,
Ingram had been there only a few
minutes when a lone rider emerged
from a draw, The approaching horse
clambered up to the ledge plateau and
Barbara Steelman drew the animal to
a halt,
Out of the brush came Ingram to
meet her. No words were wasted by
him in greeting. Before he spoke his
flinty blue eyes searched her for a
moment,
“l got yore note, an’ I'm bere,” he
sald,
She plunged at once into what she
had to say. *I had to talk with you.
I had to tell you how it was about the
attack on the Hughes place. My fa-
ther had nothing to do with that,
neither be nor his partners. My father
had started for the river ranch after
a conference with Mr. O'llara an’ Mr,
Smith-Beresford., It was agreed they
should start negotiations with you to
stop this dreadful war. Bob Quan.
trell was to blame for the attack, an’
he has been discharged since. We're
all so sorry about it"
“I'll bet you are,” the cattle man
grimly replied. “Sorry Quantreil fell
down on his end of it after it had all
heen fixed so pretty. A nice alibi ar
ranged for everybody, an’ those (wo
pilgrims in town drawin’ the wool over
my eyes. You tell ‘em from me that
the first time 1 meet) either of ‘em
he'll have a hide so full of holes It
wouldn't hold hay.”
“Hut you're wrong," she persisted
desperately. “I've got to make you
see that, It's true what 1 say, every
8OC
the
of n
tin 1
to Harvey,
10
this
man
come Then,
expedition
ave got to sce, Dave?™
asked
own,” In-
ne
of it.
hills,
At the
dismounted
moved
word of It.
what
My father didn't know
lob Quantrell meant to do,
Neither did the others, his partners
at the Circle 8 O. You know Dob
Quantrell, how he is. 1 should think
you'd understand.”
“It's certainly lucky you've got
Quantrell to blame everything on,"
Ingram sald with a flash of anger.
“Everybody innocent but him, that
sounds to me.”
“But just the same it's the truth.”
He looked long into her eyes, then
spoke harshly. “All right. Say it is.
You want peace, you claim. How
much do you want it? You can have
it, soon as you like—If you'll take it
on my terms."
“And they are?’
“Marry me. Do that, an’ I'll agrea
to muke pénce with Wes Steelman an’
these young squirts he has taken up
with.”
She felt the blood beating into hee
face. “You want to make a bargain
with me.” she cried bitterly. “I'm
sell myself to you in order to get you
to what a reasonable man would
10
do
———————— re m—
pees
Frem Here He Pushed
Hills,
into the
to do because It Is
way to-—-to ask a
It's an insull,
chance
would
Lie glad
That's no
marry you.
there was a
happy that
with.”
“What
right
girl to
Even If
for a girl to be
ruin it to start
makes you quarrel
with me?” asked impatiently
“Why do you twist what 1 say an’ put
something in my mind that's
there? Girl, 1 want to marry
I've always to since 1 first
What's the sense of alvars
rowellin' me with yore spitfire words?”
“Why do yom marry me?"
she flamed at him. “Because it would
madden Father. Decause you'd have
the whip hand. lectiuse you'd like to
break my spirit.”
His hands went out and caught her
arms just above the elbow, She conld
feel the pressure of his strong fingers
on the firm of her
though the grip
hurt her, she feit the force
vital strength coursing through her
blood, and with the feel of it excite
ment pounded In her veins
“No, by G—d4!™ he cried
hoarse volee, “Because 1
for my mean to
Because there's no girl like you on the
river--no, nor Pe
cause” —he gulped the words out, nl-
most savagely—"1 wouldnt give yore
111’ finger for any other woman I've
cver known.”
He snatched her into his arms and
held her close, looking down hungrily
into the dark eyes which now denied
him nothing, which in their soft and
shining depth held gifts never before
offered to any man,
There was a little rustling move
ment of her body toward him, Per
haps it was only an unconscious sig
of happiness. She felt love pouring
through her quivering being.
Ingram kissed the palpitant brown
throat, the glowing eyes, the red lips
between which gleamed perfect ivory
teeth, The touch of love had awak-
ened her. She was a flaming flower,
fncomparably desirable in her soft
and joyous vitality. From her sur
render, so full of innocent and pas
sionate abandon, the man plucked an
emotion new to his experience.
“My mate! My woman!” he cried
exultantly.
In her bosom there was a burst of
song. From her soft throat came a
happy little laugh. “If you care as
much as that,” she murmured.
Shyly she withdrew from his em-
brace, her cheek flying a flag of color.
“We're all alike, we women" she
laughed tremulously. “We want our
man and-—a home.”
He came to earth and the less Im
portant business of the day. “Tell
yore father it’s to be peace between
us. I'll sure be easy to do business
with”
“I ean't tell Dad. He mustn't know
I've been here. It's to be a secret
yot—~nbout us. You'll have to mnke
friends with him first. I'll tell Mr.
O'Hara, an’ he'll meet you."
They talked long before they parted.
Ingram watched her ride out of sight
before he turned te climb to the mesa
above. For the hour at least she
had given him a new vision of life.
Through all the harshness and hatred
of the feud she had contrived to re
niways
ne
not
100
wanted
saw you
want to
flesh forearms
did not
of his
in n low
want yon
mate an’ have
you
anywhere else
mals sweet and fine as the song of
CENTRE HALL, PA.
lark. He felt himself na
small thing, Infinitely removed from
the stars to which she looked so
bravely. Dut he realized this convie-
tion was but for the moment,
He knew that he was what he was,
what the years and environment and
his ancestry had made him, a hard
and wilful man, one who would go
his own way at all cost. Men were
not born again, not in this workaday
world, He would make peace, becnnse
circumstances forced his hand, be-
=ause the path he wanted to follow
lay that way. jut he must continue,
since it was In his horoscope, to tram-
ple down those who opposed him on
his road to success,
As he rode up to the Hughes ranch
he recognized a claybank cow pony
at the hiteh rack near the house.
eral men were sitting on the porch,
including Harvey, Deever, and Iloche,
Leaning against one of the end posts
a rifle across his legs, sat Bob Quan-
trell, smoking a cigarette insolently
but warily.
“What are vou doing
manded Ingram harshly,
The lad took
a mendow
Sev.
here?’ de-
the cigarette from his
mouth and out a fat smoke
wrenth lazily, “The short an’ sweet
of it Is that I'm here lookin' for a job.
I'm through with that other outfil.
I don't like thelr ways an' they don't
like mine,”
“You've got
what
blew
the
you
nerve to come here,
did the
Ingram said blackly.
of business, Dave
“What would
for Steel.
nfter day before
yesterday,”
“All in the
the replied airily
you expect? 1 workin’
man's crowd then, Like 1
quit ‘em. If you're needin’
either with a f
way
boy
was
sald, I've
a top hand,
cows or a six-
say the
Any of
here can recommend me”
The big cattle man did not
eyes from the slim lad with
bunch of
shooter, why just
yore
word, U'm
gooseberry. the 1 Oy
he re
ceding chin, This
at him with his
wis the most notorious
the territory In time
come afar to write hooks
youngster grinning
buck teeth showin
bad
men Ww
man
from
id career,
present
his wi though none
could guess that
wonld some day be nationy
Ingram wag not afr
was afraid of no man
too arrogant
room
“You're an
wis
leave
Quantrell,” he
words carefully
all yore life till
chief, You're not
Listen. You're
country. Get out
an' shove 1 ougt
rested right
didn't know
just what I'd do
shot
rope
through
Push or
now
you'd
we you dawn
But I'm servin' not
stay In this
hunted down
“You're the
jeered OQ intrell
men si
play Yon
There
yore
yore
Ingram
all yore woll pack
The
him wit}
watched him
Jifted. He 1}
minutes hating
td ’
potently, ior
i n
had shot as
a close frier
under the
Quantrel]
wag in th
Apparently he
a sort of
fortol
same
©
was
that
the
lariat
over Quantrell
‘
d mot
breath
snaked for
Ingram closed wit!
f the big cat
weno!
¢
like a chil param {
rifle from his and sent It
ately, the boy was flung to the ground
and his hands were pinned down by
one of Ingram's., The six-shooters of
the gunman were wrenched from their
scabbards and tossed aside.
The cattle man eaught
the throat and dragged
feet,
ing at each other, the youngster held
him to
of the Diamond Tall owner.
“I'! kill you for this,” Quantrell
cried with a furious oath, his voice
breaking into a boyish falsetto.
Ingram did not answer. He was not
through, His eyes had fallen on 2
quirt hanging from a nall driven into
the wall of the house. Toward this he
propelled his victim, forcing him up
the steps to the porch. The boy tried
savagely to fight himself free.
As Ingram reached for the
Quantrell realized what he
do and shrieked protest,
“Don't you dass touch
you! Don't you!”
The cattle man paid
His muscular forearm held the boy
off while the lash hissed through
air and colied itself the slen.
der body protected only by a flannel
shirt. Six—nine—twelve times
quirt and fell. Quantrell fought
to the torture, snarling
biting an animal,
Those watching the scene
silent, startled at what they
There were no sounds except the swish
shift]
whip
me! Don't
no attention.
around
rose
escape
like
stood
Raw
of the lash, the scuffie of the
feet, and
issuing from the thre
ing man,
In
whin,
i
ry
writh
writ
he whine of wild-beast fi
at of the
stopped, flung away
“Gather those * he
Rocl
Vhen
ie,
the cowboy
man
the steps.
cattle threw the young outlaw
down
“(yet
+» ordered. “Out
nt you down
He was
uncontrol.
Hig volce
y
v
ful threats he
away
Inarvey was the first to speak
You thorough, Dave™
rn
re
In-
our
run him outa the country.”
to the others “Toys
for today The Jefferson
i sr. looks lke
nna patch
i ne
ut turned
ranch She
(‘Hara
As she
iehes bho.
arrett
father
it o mn
h the ranches
fted as it }
Yet back
fox
ad not
of the
thrilled
on of disaster, It
that
gn some deen
at she and her
together
INUED)
The
legend
first recorded reference to the
of
made by an English chronicler in the
year 1228. Roger of Wendover, a monk
of St. Albans, who died in 1237, gave
the story as having been received from
an Armenian bishop while on a visit
to England, and who claimed to have
personally met the doomed man,
According to this version the wan
derer's name was Cartaphilus, and he
was doorkeeper at Pilate’'s palace
When Jesus was being led forth to be
crucified Cartaphilus contemptuously
struck him on the neck, saying: “Go,
go on faster! Why dost thon
linger?” Whereupon Jesus replied:
“I go, but thou shalt remain waiting
till 1 return.” And under this decree
the offender goes wandering through
the world unable to die, and waiting
for the coming nguin of Christ,
The Armenian bishop, according to
the story, said that this wanderer
dined with him shortly before the bish
op left Armenia and that he was now
the “wandering Jew” is
Jesus:
Comfort in the Desert
A train ride through some of the
southwestern country, often very une
pleasant on account of the intense
heat, is to be made more tolerable by
the uge of railroad coaches that have
heen made heatproof to a consider
able degree. A special window glass
is made use of which cuts off much
of the heat of the sunshine. It also
cuts off some of the light, but in this
open country there will be sufficient
for all purposes. The woodwork of
the car is also treated to resist the
action of heat
a penitent man; that he was baptized
by Ananias, who also baptized Paul,
under the name of Joseph, At the time
of the Crucifixion he was thirty years
of and when he completes a cen
tury he becomes faint, and on recover
ing consciousness he is again as young
was when the doom was pro
nounced,
age,
as he
Woman's Long Fast
When Madame Hansux a short time
ago completed her hunger strike of 28
days in a French prison, Scotland
came forward with the assertion that
the feat was by no means a record,
and that it had been exceeded several
times in Scotland. It cited a case in
1772 which beeame known as “Pen
nant's Fasting Woman of Ross-shire”
from the fact that Pennant described
it in his “Tour of Scotland.” Kath
arine Mcleod, aged thirty-five, was
attacked with a fever, which ocea-
gioned partial blindness, and almost
total inability to take food. Her par
ents sometimes put a littie into her
mouth, but for a year and three-quar
ters they had no evidence that either
food or drink passed her lips. By for
cibly opening her mouth and depress
ing her tongue, they tried to compel
the passage of food, but a suTocating
constriction led them to desist,
————— A AS A
Tribute to Music
This 1s the lusury of music. It
touches every key of memory and
stirs all the hidden springs of sor
row and of joy. Love it for what it
makes you forget and for what It
makes you remomber.— Britaine
AS POLITICS IS PLAYED
“Do you miss the serene dignity
which distinguished politics in days
gone by?”
“No,” answered Senator Sorghum.
politicians fought duels
At present politics
is more like a football game. [It looks
terribly rough. But at the finish It is
always discovered that nobody is very
injured.” Washington Star.
The Adjustment
A street car Inspector was watch
ing the work of the new conductor.
“Here, Foley,” he sald, “how is
this? You have ten passengers, and
“Is that so?" asked Foley. Then,
turning to his passengers he yelled:
“There's wan many this car
Get out, one of yea"
too on
WHY HE WAS PLEASED
Friend—\Why were jou so pleased
when that lunchroom opened just op-
posite to your store?
Druggist—~QOur sales
cures have doubled In
month,
of dyspepsia
less than a
Tragedy
We bought the swellest
Eni
And thought it a lucky catch,
But all the day she wept because
She hadn't a hat to malch,
Great Affairs
“Do you like to discuss political af-
fairs?”
“Not those
Miss Cayenne,
where ancient
their
her gown oB
of Europe,” answered
“except In the cases
families have aveolded
alfuirs mixed
up with their love affairs."—Washing-
Star.
politieal
No Left Hand Turns
Passenger—How do you know the
way back?
Aviztor—1 just notice the shapes of
the clouds and then It is easy. —H
LUCKY DAUGHTER
He—Darling, sou may be only aa
daughter, but you sure
Wedding Announcements
No matter what the gossips Say
Of matrimonial manners new,
Folks marry in the good old way
And live for an affection true.
His Trouble
Cashler—You don’t look well lately!
Butter Clerk—No; | can’t sleep at
night on account of lung trouble.
Cashier--Nonsenses ; your lungs are
all right!
Butter Clerk—Yes, mine are;
trouble is with the baby's
the
It's Pretty Simple
“Do you know what | think of mar
ried life?”
“Are you married?”
“Yes”
“Yes.”
Irapossible
Bride—Will you aiwanys love me like
this, darling, even when | become old-
er and uglier?
Groom (Who married for money) -
You may become older sometime, dear
est, but you will never he uglier,
Must Be a Mistake
. Kimpson These reporters tell awfol
bs,
Sampson What do youn mean?
Bimpwon~One of them interviewed
my wife and sald thay she had noth
ing to say