The Argosy, August 1905 — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

= 4 # ~~ gad. he « & “ a: use he was drunk. ] protest!’ I shouted. ‘It is not “There was a loud, insulting laugh. Of course they did not care whether it was legal or not. “It was a most exciting game, and my son lost. “Oh, God, how my old heart throbs now as I recall the seream that Munice gave when John told her she had been lost to De Paro! “She fell on her knees and implored him not to sacrifice her to such a man. But whisky had got the best of John, and he would not relent. “There was a brother of De Paro in the-erowd. He and John were always having words. The younger De Paro did not like John. “They had words that day, and my son drew his pistol and shot young De Paro dead. “At first there was consternation. But the coolness of the living De Paro was such that the others became calm. The sheriff was going to arrest John, but De Paro stopped him. *** Wait,’ he said; ‘ let me have a few minutes’ speech with Eunice.’ ““ At that moment there was a clatter of hoofs and two horsemen rodé up. They were United States officers, and they wanted De Paro for a crime. They covered him with revolvers, took him away, and when they saw the dead body of his brother they asked who commit- ted the murder. The sheriff showed his badge. “<T've got him all right,’ said he. “<Gentlemen, I know what you want me for,’ said De Paro. ‘ You’ve got the drop on me, and I will go. But first [ want to talk to the girl who is to be my wiie. Just a moment’ “< Hurry up,’ said one of the officers. * De Paro went in where Eunice was erying Herself sick and tried to calm her. He said he would be kind to her. said the marriage could not be at onee, any way, for two men were going to take him on a long journey for awhile. It was for cattle-stealing on the Indian reservations. _ “He called for a pen and some paper wrote. Oh, do you know what ‘> oe Tes —. i NOD ae ie al “ a. ete tp eagerly leaped at such an He. ‘a i . - "= b Ls she was to be his wife; that her father had killed his brother, and that unless she agreed to marry him the day he re- turned he would shoot her father, her grandfather—that’s myself—and her off to Mexico, where he would keep her so she could never escape. “The poor girl was in terror. She was white and trembling, and the thought of her father being hanged for murder impelled her to do the bidding of De Paro. She signed that paper, promising to become his wife on the day he was liberated.” The old man stopped and a sob broke from him. I sat silent, pondering upon the question whether such a promise was good for anything or not. “ Did your son die? ” “That, sir, I do not know. He got worse, and one day went to Mackinville and never came back. We have not given him up for dead.” The story had stirred me greatly. I knew the kind of man De Paro must be, without soul or conscience, and to pic- ture pretty Eunice Bethune the slave of such a one was revolting. ** Now, Mr. Bethune,” I said, “ tell me just what you think I can do to help you and Eunice.” “ Ah! My head is old and full of fan- cies. I did think something when I saw how manly, how honest you looked, and how strong. But it would be too great a sacrifice.” cs “ No sacrifice would be too great if by it I could insure your happiness,” I said, “ What I thought, in my old. head,” came the quavering voice, “ was if you. should take the right to protect Eunice. Tam old. One day, not far from now, L shall lie down and never’ wake. Eunice then must fight the world alone, which she could not do. She is a good girl, educated and pretty. She would make a good wife. I thought if you should marry her before De Paro came he would be afraid of you when he would*not of an old man like me.” I was stunned for a minute. This was certainly a strange request, yet as I looked upon the wild surroundings, the uncivilized setting in which the girl was placed, I could not wonder at it. — Me — a - a x .. F vr ot ele ut. eh * aa , - * * —” 2 a « « iy oe * oe » %. .Ger, 64 aes » » * r ~ >? * ‘ty he wrote? He wrote to the effect that — ; * —— . net ae (a + 4 comicbooks.com