My task was done.
I had the hitching-rein loose in my hand, when I became conscious of
something unusual behind me. I looked round--it was the stillness that
foreruns the storm.
Williams was standing on the side-walk facing the low wooden fence, a
revolver in each hand, but both pointing negligently to the ground; the
Sheriff had just come down the steps of his house; in his hands also
were revolvers; his deputy, Jarvis, was behind him on the stoop.
Williams spoke first:
"Sam Johnson, you sent for me, and I've come."
The Sheriff answered firmly, "I did!"
Their hands went up, and crack! crack! crack! in quick succession, three
or four or five reports--I don't know how many. At the first shots the
Sheriff fell forward on his face. Williams started to run along the
side-walk; the groups of men at the corner, through whom he must pass,
closed together; then came another report, and at the same moment he
stopped, turned slowly half round, and sank down in a heap like an empty
sack.
I hurried to him; he had fallen almost as a tailor sits, but his head
was between his knees. I lifted it gently; blood was oozing from a hole
in the forehead. The men were about me; I heard them say:
"A derned good shot! Took him in the back of the head. Jarvis kin
shoot!"
I rose to my feet. Jarvis was standing inside the fence supported by
some one; blood was welling from his bared left shoulder.
"I ain't much hurt," he said, "but I guess the Sheriff's got it bad."
The men moved on, drawing me with them, through the gate to where the
Sheriff lay. Martin turned him over on his back. They opened his shirt,
and there on the broad chest were two little blue marks, each in the
centre of a small mound of pink flesh.
4TH APRIL, 1891.
* * * * *
A MODERN IDYLL.
"I call it real good of you, Mr. Letgood, to come and see me. Won't you
be seated?"
"Thank you. It's very warm to-day; and as I didn't feel like reading or
writing, I thought I'd come round."
"You're just too kind for anythin'! To come an' pay me a visit when you
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