Life — December 3, 1908 — page 42: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“Yer can't now, Dick. Wait.’” “ How long? "” “How do I know but what Sunset will fix yer when he finds out?"’ “Can't I take care o’ myself? .Say you'll tie up ter me, ial OW TO Liz. You gotter say!" He gripped her tight. “You can’t fool with me,’’ he said, sternly. “I been BE BETT R waitin’ now for months. When will it be?’ ONE. DAY SER Let me have one more dance—then- 4 Are you going ter dance to-night with Sunset?’ rn BY THE REV. She laughed—a coquette’s laugh. ADMISSION “And to-morrow? "’ “Tl give you my answer.’ 5OS ano TH oo" et eee Have you ever been to a dance in a Western mining town? If you have, and have studied its psychology, you will come to Hicnory realize that it is not such a crude affair as it seems upon att seamy surface. CHURCH Rough men and rough women are there, abandoning them- selves to a rough enjoyment with a freedom from convention startling at times in its very intensity. But underneath ic Deacon Dauber: tuexe! THAT S: WILL SHOW WHETHER I'M WILLING To all there is a subtle etiquette never, or very rarely, infringed WORK FOR THE CHURCH OR NOT upon. When this ctiquette is disturbed, there is trouble—and this trouble is likely to happen when the liquor has done work. On this particular night, however, no trouble occurred Lizzie kept to her agreement, and treated her lovers with precisely the same consideration, dancing with each in Only once she break the bargain, and this in the most casual way, by whispering to Sunset, when Smoky’s back had turned, that he was to take nothing more that night. He nooded in reply. Henceforth he made no more trips to IGE. the bar. He was called Sunset, by the way, because of his habit of never taking a drink until the sun had gone down It was three o'clock in the morning. One by one the dancers had gone out. One or two had gone to sleep ha CASE wherever they happened to fall—their forms disposed grace- fully in odd corners Pa Smoky Dick, in full possession of all his faculties oS he was after a big stake—motioned to Sunset Pete. girl nodded good-night and went off to bed. The two men stepped out into the street. The little town HICKORY was now as silent as the dead. A few racy clouds overhead ‘mitt ] _ obscured the face of the moon CHURCH “Let's go to Striker’s,”” said Dick. VY They made their way over to a tumble-down frame build- ing—a rival saloon. They pushed the door open and entered “Au! MERE COMES THE VISITING REVEREND NOW; {LL JUST SLIP INTO A lock on the door was unheard of in Crescotte. Dick shut THE ARN, PUT ON MY COAT AND BE OUT IN TIME TO RECEIVE CONGRATULA- Ti0oNns.”” (Continued on page 638.) (Continued from page 634.) you're gone on Sunset, and you're scared ter tell him, cause of me, eh?” aybe.”’ Smoky Dick raised his hat over his forehead, and lean- ing way over, looked the girl grimly in the fac “Look here, Liz,” he said, “ef I thought There was a pause. The gir! did not flinch “Well,”” she said at last, “ain't I got a right? Sunset’s are. He's on the level. I don't know’s I'd trust you."* The effect of this remark on Smoky Dick was singular His keen eyes all ablaze, flashed themselves up and down the <im room. He pounded his fist on the bar, almost jumping the bottle and glass off, saying: “I'l fix him,"’ and turned to go The girl sprang out and stopped h “Now, now, Dick,’ she said, her voice gathering a won- derful softness. “Don't you go off mad. Can't I have my joke? I jest wanted ter see how you'd take it.”’ “Is that right?’ INN SUNDAY “Yes—of course.”’ S fed | He put his hand on her arm. She smiled up at him. He bent over to kiss her. - She shrank away, still holding him with her wonderful eyes. comicbooks.com