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Home My WebLink AboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1938-10-27, Page 6Thursday, October 27, 1938THE WINGHAM ADVANCED-TIMES TELEPHONE TALKS IN THE WATSON FAMILYs*r TIGER EYE Sy ‘77?. 1 ■ ..... SECQND INSTALMENT The Kid’s name was Bob Reeves, Imt back home on the Brazos they called him Tiger Eye, because one eye was yellow—the eye with which he sighted down a gun-barrel. His father was “Killer" Reeves, but the • boy did not want to kill. If he stay ed home he would have to carry on his father's fueds, so he headed his horse, Pecos, northward and encount ered Nate Wheeler, who drew his .45 and fired just as Tiger Eye did. The Kid didn’t want to kill Nate, only to cripple him, but his aim must have been wild, for Wheeler dropped from his horse. Babe Garner came riding up. Wheeler was a “nester,” he said, and had it coming to him. Tiger Eye rode to Wheeler’s cabin to notify the dead man’s widow. * * ♦ NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY “No’m, yo’all bettah stay right heah, I’ll go tote him in, Mis’ Wheel- all. I’ll tote him on his hawse," The mother stood upon the step and watched him go, her hand shield ing her eyes from the last direct sun rays, Her face was white and her mouth was grim. He knew there was murder in her heart; not for him who brought the ' message—for the man who had shot her husband, A bleak sense of being somehow tricked by circumstance swept over the kid. It wasn’t fair. He wasn’t a killer, he hadn’t wanted to kill, but a man lay dead because of the kid’s ■bungling shot. Shoah funny, Babe Garner being right there close where he could see and hear the whole thing. Never needed any explaining—just took it for granted, the kid only did what he had to do. Never said a word, either, about that poor shooting. Getting Wheeler on the pinto, ty ing him on with his own rope—like toting a deer out of the hills along the Brazos. The kid worked calmly enough but he worked fast and he did not look straight at Nate Wheel er’s face; not once. Damn’ shame. Shooting Wheeler’s arm down would have done just as well. Better. A damn sight better for the woman and that baby. She was down by the gate, waiting in the dusk, when the kid came rid ing up, leading the pinto with its grisly pack. The little woman unfas tened the gate, her fingers clinging to the weathered, strap-worn slick in her husband’s hands. She did not speak as the grim bur den went through. Just reached out and caught a swaying, inert hand and laid it swiftly against her cheek and let it go. The kid swallowed hard and turned his tiger stare straight ahead, up the trail toward the dark ened cabin. I "I’ll go fix the bed-for him,” lie announced dully, coming up as the kid. halted at the doorstep and swung | lhnberlv down from the saddle. The kid was unfastening the rope I where the last hitch had been taken • in the middle of Nate Wheeler’s back. The body had sagged to one I side, and the kid lifted it by one arm |——the gun —arm, the one lie meant to “shout down." The arm gave limply in his grasp, the bone shat tered above the elbow; and the kid froze to an amazed immobility for ten seconds, his mind blank, his fing ers’groping and testing. Arm shoah was plugged, all right. Not a doubt in the world about that. Funny the kid hadn’t noticed it be fore. But, then, Wheeler had fallen on 4-hat side and his arm had been underneath, and |he hole in his head was too plain to miss seeing. It nev- liad occurred to the kid to look at that arm. Hadn’t happened to get hold of it when he loaded him on the pinto, either. Hell, he hadn’t missed, after all! Hit the arin right where he aimed, up above the elbow where there was only one bone to bust*and headed like his pappy. It pointed now to Wheeler and said, “Daddy* go bye?" twice, waving its chubby arm toward thp bed. That did somethihg to the woman, kinda. She grabbed the baby’s arm down and turned away quick, and sat down on a rocking chair and started moaning and rocking, the baby’s face pressed to close against her shoulder that its little stubby # nose was flat tened and it kicked like a calf at the branding fire, trying to get loose. “Anything yo’all want me to do— milk, or anything like that?" The kid stood by the door with his bullet- scarred hat in his hand, trying to keep the red out of his face. “No--oh, no—oh, feed the pinto— and feed the team—■" The little wo man still rocked the baby, speaking jerkily like that between her moan ing. The kid went out and led and the pinto down to the Pecos he led behind the stable. Dark back in there. Pecos snorted a little, but he’d stand, all right. No use having him out in sight — not in a country where the nesters hollered Pecos stable. "That’s to earmark yo ’all bo white folks ’ll know and walk’ wide of a skunk,” drawled ths kid, as the tall man clapped his hand to Ma heact_ great harm done. Few weeks inno a sling, arm good as ever. The kid felt the little heat waves streaking up his spine3at the woman’s voice from the doorway, and the heat warmed and dissipated that cold lump he had been carrying in his chest. He hadn’t bungled that shot, after all. Wheeler must have ducked, his head right in line with the bullet, was an accident—and that made difference; a very great difference the kid, justly proud of his skill. He lifted Wheeler’s body from the into to his own back, carried it in and laid it on the bed. The wife now stood staring down at him with the hot dry eyes of hate. Hate for the man who had killed her husband. She stooped now and picked up the baby a*nd wiped his nose and cheeks with a corner of her apron. Red- If a to “Draw, you coyote!” and then start ed popping it right'to yoii, without waiting to see if yo’all were going to draw. The chores were soon done. How about a grave? Plumb foolish to start digging, unless he knew where to dig. She ought to have the say about that, but he hated to ask her. Riders coming, Poole men, maybe, after Nate Wheeler. They oughtn’t to bother the widow now, the way she was feeling. The kid started running. He reached the cabin door and opened, it while the riders were still at the gate. “Men a-comin’ heah, Ma’am. If yo’all don’t want ’em—” “Oh, let them come," she answered wearily. “They can’t do any more damage. They’ve got Nate — they ought to be satisfied with that” NEW BROOMS MAKE CLEAN UP AT CITY HALL r a - ' II■■ ■M -■ 1 * ..^^9si I <4* Cleaning tip the Toronto city hall was the motto of these young ladies. Their endeavors wefe more house wifely than political. They are pledg es of the loat Alpha Pi fraternity. Under the direction of Bessge Hadler and Ruth Silverhart they did a thor ough job of dusting off the front steps right to the curb. The sweepers, all students at University of Toron- to, arc Sylvia Wilks, Riva Salkin, Honey Applebaum and Frances Zen er. She got up and crossed the room, and presently the kid saw her face, dead white in the flare of a match she was drawing across the lamp wick. The riders stopped outside the cab in and some one whistled a call--but it was not the night-bird call Babe Garner had taught the kid. Different, This was the first strain of that old war song, “When Johnny Comes Marching Home." The kid’s lips puckered thoughtfully and he repeat ed the strain, standing just inside closed door. Friends, they must that is, friends of the Whelers. wouldn’t have to dig that grave, ter all, The kid was glad, for he hat ed grave digging. He opened the door and the men came in; four of them, one after the other. Shaggy, farmer-looking men, with stubbly cheeks that stuck out on one side with great cuds of tobacco. The kid felt, a vague distaste for them. They halted at sight of him, hud dling just within the room instead of scattering. But the kid’s hat was off, and though it dangled from his left hand he looked at home there, some how. Besides, they had got their sig nal all right, The leader relaxed, dropping his hand to his side. “We come to tell Nate there’s a meetin’ over to Hans Becker’s place and we’d like to have him go along." He cast another suspicious glance to ward the kid and checked what more he would have said. “You better get ready and go too. The woman are talkin’ about stayin’ all together over there, where it’s a big house and lots of room, till we git the Poole—” He stopped again. “This boy workin’ for you?” he asked brusquely. “He’s—been helping me—” “Oh, I don’t call him to mind. Yuh want to look out for strangers. Where’s Nate?” The little woman lifted her hand from patting the baby, one finger to the corner the bed. “Sick?” A headshake was his the kid did not move. “No time to go on a toot, with the’ Poole—" “They got him.” Nate’s wife spoke in that dull, level tone which the kid hated to hear. “Shot him on the road somewhere. The boy found him and brought him home.” The kid stood aside for them, as they rushed to the bed to look at Nate, but no one paid any attention to him. Not then. The tall man brought the lamp and they examin ed the body thoroughly. They mut tered together, but the kid could not hear what they said, because he stay ed back, near the foot of the bed. Near the door too. No use letting tli&n block the way out, even "if they did think he was working for the Wheelers. There was a sudden and significant pause. The tall man leaned over and probed carefully with* a finger, then stood up and spat over his shoulder into the shadows. He looked past his companions, fixing his unpleasant gaze on the kid. “You over there, what’s your name?” “Bob Reeves,” said the kid. “Reeves—don’t know that Where you from?" "Brazos.” The kid did not eyes—much. But he got a comprehensive view’ through his lash es. “He brought Nate home to me. And he did the chores.” ‘The little woman in the rocking-chair, holding the sleep-slackened form of her baby in her arms, stopped rocking turned her anguished eyes upon tall man. “He’s been awful nice accommodating, Pete Gorman.” “Accommodatin’!” The tall man snarled the word like an oath. “Prob ably one of the Poole’s new Texas killers they shipped in! Accommo dated you, mebby, by killin’ Nate. Willin’ to take Nate’s place, mebby!" The kid lifted his eyes now, though on'e was squirited shut and the other was the eye of a tiger. They did not see him draw his gun, but the little woman jumped and caught her baby up against her breast at the shatter ing roar of the kid’s shot. “That’s to earmark /yo’all so white folks’ll know and walk wide Of a skunk" drawled the kid, aS the tall man clapped hand to his head. “And that’s for splttin’ on the floor,” he added, on the echo of another shot. “Scuse me, Ma'am—■! couldn’t stand to see him,jnsult yo’all that-a^way." No One in that room saw ther kid make a hurried moved, but the door Opened, fanned the acrid haze of powder'smoke arid shut with a bang. Where the hid had stood was empty space. They looked at one another, and- they looked at Pete Gorham, with the bipod trickling down each side of his neck from bullet holes bored through the grisly tops of his ears that stood out against the black brim of his hat, Once more the kid was running away, but he was hot takiffg. any the be; He af- arid pointed where stood answer, and name. lift his pretty and the and t more time than was necessary. He was in the saddle and waiting, peer ing forth, when he heard the cabin door open, saw a dim shape steal out, Then another, and after a minute one more. , Afraid of him, the way they acted. Afraid he would hide4 outside in the dark and pick them off one at a time as they, came out. That’s about their, notion of what a Texas killer would be like. That was about the way they would fight—Pete Gorham, anyway, Now he would go earmarked the rest of Kis life, Shoah was a neat trick, and tempting too, with his ears stick ing up like a field mouse under his black hat. Shoah made a fine mark, easier than shooting the pips out of cards. The kid gave a sudden boyish laugh at the thought of those ears with their round bullet holes. The three went in .again, slipping in one at a time, The .kid grinned again, He’d bet Pete Gorham was the man that stayed inside and .didn’t come out. After a while they came out again, this time with a Jantern, one man walking ahead as if he were on guard. The kid didn’t know about that lan tern. If they went snooping around, and if they looked behind the stable, he might have to shoot somebody. Better not take a chance. So he backed Pecos a step at a time, back and back until they were out beyond the stable, There, within sight of the gate— within easy shooting distance too— the kid waited in the gully not far from the gate. They drove away from the house at last, coming his way. One man was driving the team, his horse following behind the wag on. The little woman was on the seat beside him, Two riders went ahead. Half a mile behind them, he fol lowed, the little cavalcade. Easy en ough, with the cluck of the wagon coming faintly through the starlight, The kid wondered, if they were afraid he might be on their track. Probably not. His little argument with Pete was kind of personal. One of the men didn’t like Pete’s remarks any too well. He’d be glad Pete got him self earmarked that-a-way. (Continued Next Week) SOME BRIEF NOTES ON THE CANADA TEMPERANCE ACT (Continued from Page One) representatives appeared. Argument re the validity of the Canada Temp erance Act and much of the material contained in the Ontario govern ment’s Factum prepared for the Sup reme Court and recalled .from Eng land, was rehashed. It is understood the counsel were agreed that if one Act obtained the other could not be operative, a conclusion that wholly conflicts with precedent and practice for many years. In delivering judgment, the judge Wellington Mutual Fire • Insurance Co. Established 1840. Risks taken on all classes of insur ance at reasonable rates. Head Office, Guelph, Ont. ABNER COSENS; Agent Wingham. s DR. R. L. STEWART PHYSICIAN Telephone 29. Dr. Robt. C. REDMOND M.R.C.S. (England) L.R.C.P. (London) PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON 9 ----— “Butcher, Baker, Dressmaker Hairdresser, Grocer, Druggist Doctor .. and Friends!” The rates for residence telephone service are surprisingly low—only a few cents a day. You really yannot afford to be without a telephone. Mrs. Watson is merely naming the impor tant people she reaches by telephone — some of them every day — saving endless delays, needless risks and many tiresome journeys. The telephone is so much a part of the daily routine that its importance is often overlooked — until, like Mrs. Watson, you actually start to check up on what it does for you. resorted to a somewhat unusual pro cedure. He refused the appeal, but in doing so rendered a lengthy, judg ment in which he held that the Can ada Temperance Act was ultra vires. It would appear that the Varley case was a planned affair with the govern ment and the Moderation League co operating, and it is suggested that the original purpose was to put the gov ernment’s argument’ on the question of the validity of the Canada Temp erance Act on the legal records so that it might be cited as such in ar-' gument before the Privy Council. The decision of Judge Grout (now deceased) was very welcome to the Ontario Government and Mr. Hep burn began immediately to use it in an attempt to justify his attitude and his action in ignoring the Canada Temperance Act, despite the fact that on two occasions the Canada Temp erance. Act had been held valid by the highest legal authority, the Privy Council, and that the decision of a county judge on a question of con stitutionality is in itself of 'very little Dr. W. A. McKibbon, B.A. o PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Located at the Office of the Late Dr. H. W. Colborne. Office Phdne 54.Nights 107 J. W. BUSHFIELD Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc. Money to Loan. Office — Meyer Block, Wingham I M. J. IL CRAWFORD Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc* Successor to R. Vanstone. Wirigham Ontario legal weight. As the time for the hearing of the government’s appeal to the Privy Council drew near it became evident that the government was not at all confident of its' case. When the hear ing was called its representative ask ed' to be allowed “to withdraw” the appeal. The legal representative of The Ontario Temperance Federation and the three counties refused to con sent to this procedure. The reason for this attitude was that such a course left the way open for the gov ernment to revive the action at any time if they chose. After some transatlantic consulta tions the case was “dismissed” with the assent of the Ontario govern ment, “Dismissed" means that that 'particular action is finally disposed of and cannot be revived. The Ontario government thus failed in its action and the decision of the Supreme Court still stands though Mr. Hep burn continues to ignore it and con tinues to violate the law of the land. —Advt: harrV FRYFOGLE Licensed Embalmer and Funeral Director Furniture and Funeral Service Ambulance Service. Phones: Day 109 W. Night 109J. THOMAS FELLS AUCTIONEER REAL ESTATE SOLD A Thorough Knowledge of Farm Stock. Phone 231, Wirigham. It Will Pay Yop to Have An EXPERT AUCTIONEER to conduct your sale. See T. R. BENNETT At The Royal Service Station. Phone 174W.•» DR. W. M. CONNELL PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Phone 19. R. S. HETHERINGTON BARRISTER and SOLICITOR Office — Morton Block. Telephone No. 6S,, ...... .......... / J. ALVIN FOX Licensed Drugless Practitioner CHIROPRACTIC -,DRUGLESS THERAPY - RADIONIC EQUIPMENT Hours by Appointment Phone 191, Wingham W. A. CRAWFORD, M.D. Physiciah and Surgeon Located at the office of the late Dr, J. P. Kennedy, PJione 150. Wingham F. A. PARKER OSTEOPATH All Digeaaes Treated* Office adjoining residence next to Anglican Church on Centre flh, Sunday by app'ointtriefit Osteopathy Electricity Phone 272, Hours, 9 a.m. to 0 p.m, A, R. & F. E. DUVAL '* CHIROPRACTORS CHIROPRACTIC and ELECTRO THERAPY North Street — Wirigham Tetephcpe SOO. V1