The Carter Express. (Carter, Okla.), Vol. 14, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, September 14, 1923 Page: 2 of 6
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Carter Express and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
THE CARTER EXPRESS
GIFT OF THE DESERT
TM YOUR HUSBAND"
SYNOPSIS.—On the Isolated
Mi-affer ranch, on the southern
border, Deborah Meredith, trained
nurse. Is In attendance on Mrs.
Meager, whose husband has re-
cently been killed. Immediately
after the death. Bob Meager. Mrs.
Meager’s stepson, arrives and
takes pouHossion. lie Insults
Deborah and she resolves to
leave, but there seems no possi-
bility of her getting away. Mea-
ger gloats over Deborah's plight.
He tells her he has sent for a
Justice of the peace, who will
marry them tomorrow. Horri-
fied. the girl secures a revolver.
The Justice. Cornelius Garrlty.
scoundrel and bosom friend of
Meager, arrives with a party,
among them the ’"Frisco Kid.
notorious desperado Despite
Deborah's protests the Justice
performs the marriage ceremony
Bho escapes and reaches her
room.
^By Randall Parrish
COTWifht by A.C McOuil St Cn
♦
CHAPTER V
The Blow in the Dark.
Deborah, the revolver held tightly
In her fingers, moved silently back Into
the darkest corner of the room, and
crouched there listening. If those men
entered that door she meant to shoot,
and shout to kill. This one deudly
purpose was all she was conscious of.
or cared for.
Perhaps In some vague way. Meager
may have realized her desperation. He
knew nothing of her being armed, yet,
even In his drunkenness, had learned
something of her temper, and hesi-
tated to face her Immediately. Why
should he run the risk? He already
had attained his principal object; they
were married, and he could wait until
her nnger subsided somewhat before
asserting his legal rights. Meanwhile
the boys were waiting for their drinks,
and he felt more Inclined to celebiute
the victory along with them and let
tomorrow take care of Itself.
Some faint conception of this situa-
tion occurred to her. as she crouched
there In the dark watchfully waiting,
yet remained undisturbed. The ten-
sion relaxed, and she felt again her
womanly weakness, her questioning
and despair. She laid the revolver be-
side her on the floor and buckled the
belt with Its load of cartridges about
her waist; ttien picked the weapon up
once again and rested It on her knee.
She was no longer crazed, but able to
think dearly and decide what to at-
tempt next
Meager’s action could mean but one
thing—his utter confidence that she
was already securely In his power.
She could not escape, she would be
waiting there for him when he was
ready to possess her. Wlint difference
did an hour make; she was his wife;
when he was drunk enough, reckless
enough, he would come to claim her.
Well, let him come; she would con-
tinue to.wait, and he should have his
welcome. His wife! She might be
his widow before dawn.
She did not move for a long, long
time; did not take her eyes from the
closed door, or release her grip on
the revolver. She felt cold, tireless,
actuated only by a relentless hatred.
She wished he would come so that It
might be over with. But nothing hap-
pened, and, little by little, her mood
changed. The strain began to tell,
began to break down her resolution,
left her doubtful and afraid. 8he ven-
tured to open the door a slight crack
and peep cautiously out Into the hall;
It was deserted, not even a guard had
been stationed there, but the door at
the farther end. leading Into the liv-
ing room, had been left open, and she
could hear the men In there making
merry. It was a babel of voices at
first; then someone began to sing a
ribald song In English, and at the first
line she drew back, shutting out the
hateful sound with a feeling of su-
preme disgust.
Trembling from head to foot, she
crossed to the window and looked out
Into the cool mists of the night. No
guard had been posted here either.
Evidently She had been left perfectly
free to go or come as she pleased, yet
she fully understood how limited that
freedom was. She might ftee ftom
the house, but that was all; the bor-
ders of the ranch were still her prison
walls, the efficient -used those sand
desert, stretching In every direction,
trackless and Impassable on foot, vast,
waterless leagues, where she would
perish miserably. A light still burned
In the bunkhnuse. but the building
seemed deserted. Once two men
passed down the hill, leaning heavily
upon earh other, staggering and sing-
ing, disappearing finally through the
open door. She was still stnrlng after
them, when a sound from behind sud-
denly caused her to face about. A
fumbling hand was lifting the Iron
latch; the door was being pressed
open with an efTort nt silence. Mo-
tionless. breathless with apprehension,
the girl watched the entering beam of
light broaden until Boh Menger stood
swaying In the doorway. Hutching at
the knob to steady himself. He did
not see her st first, his bloodshot eyes
blindly searching the apartment; then
he must liuve perceived her outline
against the window, for be lurched for-
ward. giving vent to an exclamation
of relief.
"H—l, so you are here, waiting for
me? L>— d If I didn't think maybe
you’d taken a chance outside. Too
blame sensible, ain't you? I thought
likely, you'd come to your senses If 1
left you here ulone awhile. Going to
be good to me now, you little cat?
Say! what you got to say for your-
self, snyhow?"
“Only this; don't you come another
step toward me.”
He burst into a gruff laugh, slapping
his knee.
"The h—I yon say I Who do yon
think I am, anyhow? Some kid afrnld
of a woman? Say, listen, that's no
way for a wife to welcome her bus-
hand. I got a right here, and you bet
I'm going to stay. Got an Idea you
can bluff me. I reckon. Well, I ain't
that kind, nti* you might as well learn
It now as later. Tills Is our wedding
night. Here’s where I ought to be,
ain’t It? Say, why don’t you say some-
thing? Whnt you going to do?”
“I am going to kill you. Bob Mea-
ger.” she said coldly, "unless you leave
this room."
"Kill me! Why, yon blame little
fool. I could crush the life out o’ yon
with one htmd—see, Just like that.
And by G—d, I got the right If you
get too gay. I’m your husband, ain’t
I? That's whnt the law says, and I’m
going to be your husband, you can bet
your life on that. Think you’ll scare
me, do you?" he hurst Into an ugly
laugh. “Not this time, you won’t" He
turned and closed the door; then
crossed the rnojn toward her, reeling
drunkenly, .vet quite able to retain
his feet. The starlight rendered hi*
features visible. Her motionless si-
lence caused him to pause.
"Pretty d—n still, pln’t you?” he ex-
claimed, peering at her suspiciously;
"why don’t you talk? When I speak
to a, woman I want her to say some-
thing.”
"There Is nothing more for me to
ssy."
"Only that you’re going to kill me
If I touch you, hey? All right, then;
here’s, your chance.”
'He took two steps toward her, his
hands reaching out eagerly, his face
thrust forward. Then he stopped sud-
denly. with startled eyes staring Into
the leveled muzzle g>f the .44, his lips
giving suppressed utterance to a swift
ejaculation.
■Til. be d—d!”
“Put your hands up. Bob Meager I"
the words were Icy cold. “Dp, I say!
Don’t fool with me now. Turn around
and go out that door. I am not play-
ing ; this means your life or mine. Go I”
He cringed back, cowardly, yet with
drunken running. Desperate as she
was. there was hesitation In the girl’s
action. Dimly he grasped the truth
that she shrank from the necessity of
shooting; that she would actually pull
the trigger only as a last resort. He
took the chance.
“Sure," he muttered, "you got the
drop and I cave. So long, honey.”
He half turned away, reeling drunk-
enly, then suddenly, unexpectedly,
flung his body directly at her. crush-
ing her back against the wall, both
falling together, the weapon undis-
charged beneath her body. Swift, sur-
prising as the assault was she had yet
escaped the grip of his hands, and was
on her knees agnln before he could
move. The revolver was her only
weapon, but In the fall she had lost
grip of the stock. It lay there glitter-
ing In the starlight, and. desperate,
maddened by the danger, obeying the
first wild Instinct of the Instant, she
I snatched It up by the barrel and
struck with all her force at the man's
head. The fellow gave utterance to
no moan, his limbs twitched, and then
he lay motionless, his face against the
floor.
Deborah slowly lifted her body,
shrinking hack from the darkly out-
lined form, beginning to comprehend
with horror what she had done. She
still held tight to the weapon with
which she had dealt the blow, although
realizing that she no longer required
Its protection. The silence was terri-
fying; her nerves tingled painfully,
she found difficulty In breathing. Was
the mnn dead? Had she actually killed
him with that one hasty blow? She
could scarcely realize the possibility,
and yet she had struck with all her
force, driven to It by terror uncontrol-
lable. She shrank now from even
touching him; nurse as she was, hav-
ing witnessed death 'n every form of
horror, and ministered to wounds of
every degree, she would not place hand
on this mnn. whether he lived or died.
He represented to her mind all that
was base and evil; she was glad she
bad struck him down.
But what now? This question over-
shadowed all else. The thing she had
been Imagining for so long bad at laai
come to pass. He hnd come to her,
come claiming her with Insult and out-
rage, and she had actually dealt the
blow of which she had dreamed. Her
courage had not failed her, and he was
lying there now In the darkness at her
feet, sorely wounded, perhaps dead.
It was her act; she hnd done It—what
now? She had never faced this situ-
ation before, the aftennnth. Whether
Meager was dead or alive, she must
get away. Better to face any danger
of the great desert than remain where
she was. with not a friend to counsel
or protect her, not a white man to
whom she could appeal.
The girl thrust the revolver bnek
Into Its holster at her waist, nnd
glanced out through the window Into
the quiet night. Of two evils, the des-
ert, or these lawless men, she chose
the less cruel, the desert If she was
to die. It would be. at least, In honor.
Once decided, her mind worked rap-
idly. In all probability not a man re-
mained sober about the home ranch;
If any horses had been left In the
stable, she therefore ought to get sev-
eral hours the start of a pursuing
party. She believed Meager was dead,
and If so. his followers would b<~ slow
to discover what had happened, nnd
would possest no leadership. This.
Inevitably would mean delay. While,
even If the fellow should live, hours
surely must elapse before he coidd
take the trail. With a gbod horse
under her, she would be beyond sight
out on the desert, riding straight for
those two peaks old Tom Meager Imd
pointed out to her as marking the No-
gales trail. With such a start In the
race there was surely a chance to
win. Her pulses throbbed exultantly
nt this sudden awakening of hope, and.
without so much as another glance
at the body prostrate on the floor,
she hurried to carry out her plans.
An unrecognized Mexican lay In
drunken slumber, curled up like a dog,
on the floor of the passage, but she
found no difficulty In passing the fel-
low. She neither heard nor saw nay
of the others, ns she made her way
through the rear door and arross the
few feet of open space dividing the
main hou ■ from the detached kitchen.
There was a lamp burning In the lat-
ter, and the remains of fire In the
stove, but no occupant. Deborah
knew the place we", and lost no time
In gathering together whnt food she
required, fortunate enough to discover
a small sack In which It could be con-
veniently transported.
The effort had proven easy nnd safe
so far, and her heart beat hopefully
as she emerged from the kitchen, thus
equipped. Now If she could only pro-
cure a horse, escape actually nppeared
possible. Doubtless the ranch horses
had all .been turned loose In the large
corral. She had no means of catching
these half-broken animals, but It
might be thnt the horses ridden by
the party arriving during the evening
had been put up In the stable, ready
for Immediate use. These were weary
Enough from their desert trip when
they arrived, but that was hours ago;
they mnRt have been fed and watered
since, and, with the rest, would be
fairly flt by this time for another
Journey. They were wiry broncos,
able to endure any amount of hard
ship. It was then she remembered
the horse the “Frisco Kid” hnd been
riding. Evert In the darkness she had
marked the flne, blooded lines of the
animal, the far better condition In
which he appeared to he. If she could
only lay hands on him.
“Frisco Kid!" What had ever be-
come of the fellow? She wondered
as she slowly made her way down the
slope, keeping as far from the bunk-
house as possible. She had neither
seen nor heard of him since that first
meeting with Meager. Perhaps he was
among those drunken dogs in the liv-
ing room, sloping off their carousal;
yet somehow she did not believe It
Someway Ills voice and manner had
strangely Impressed her us different;
he did not belong with that crew. Out-
law. desperado, she knew him to be,
a man with n price on hi* bead, yet
surely he was no drunken, roystering
brute. He had not even gone Into the
house; she was sure of that now. re-
membering clearly. He hud led the
horses away, while the other two en-
tered with Menger. Nor had he re-
turned later; not at least while she
was at the window, nnd he was nol
In attendance at the wedding.
Then the truth suddenly occurred
to her—the man was hiding out He
dure not risk drinking, or being shut
up In a house. He was u hunted
creature, watchful of treachery In
every human being. He could trust
to no otie, not even his companions in
crime; there was a reward for him,
dead or alive. He would lie out yon-
der In the dark somewhere, alone, he
and his horse, wakening nt the slight-
est sound. Perhaps he would be the
one she needed to fear the most, when
the pursuit started. These thoughts
flnshea swiftly through her mind, al-
most unconsciously, as she stole for-
ward silently through the shadows.
She passed a figure lying In the trail,
too drunk even to reach the bunk-
house, but as she cre.pt past the open
door ehe saw no signs of any oc-
cupants within. Except for the few line-
riders. and that outlaw hiding in some
thicket of chaparral, the whole per-
sonnel of the ranch were stupefied with
liquor, Indifferent to any occurrence
going on about them.
A bit reckless now. because of this
knowledge, the girl ventured through
the grent open door of the stable, and
began groping her way forward
searching the stalls. The first was
empty, and, as she started to advance
toward the second, she came to a sud-
den pause, with heart leaping Into her
throat—there Jiad been a sound st her
left, a rustling of straw, as though
something hnd made a quick move-
ment. She listened Intently, drawing
a breath of relief at the succeeding
silence. No doubt it was a horse stir-
ring. or possibly a rat. Then a voice
spoke sternly not three feet away.
“Put up your hands! Who are you?
What rre you doing In here?”
She obeyed Instinctively, too fright-
ened to even speak, dropping the bag
to the floor, forgetting completely the
revolver buckled about her waist.
A hand reached forward nut of the
darkness and gripped her uprnlsed
arm; she was conscious of the close
presence of a man, yet for the Instant
retained no power of movement.
“Why don’t you speak?" said the
same voice. Impatiently, evidently an-
gered at her silence "What are you
sneaking about In here for? Well. I'll
be d—d I" his tone changing, "If I
don't believe It’s a woman."
“It Is a woman,” she < managed to
reply falterlngly. "But—but does that
make any difference?”
He laughed, a certalp relief evi-
denced In the soind. although he did
not In any wav rHax tils vigilance.
"Well, I confess It might,’’ he ad-
mitted, “for you nre u most unusual
discovery in this section. I was look-
ing for nlmnst anything else. You be
long with this outfit?”
“To the Meager ranch, you mean?
Yes—that Is, I have been employed
here. You—you nre not a Mexican,
are you?"
“I should say not. 1 belong north
of the line. If that’s any relief to yon.
And what's more, If you want to be
square with me. I'll play fair on my
side. You believe that?"
“I shall have' to; It wouldn’t do me
any good to lie.”
“I reckon not; so let’s get It over
with; who are you?”
“Deborah Meredith," she explained,
rather eagerly. “I—I am a profes-
sional nurse; my home Is In Chicago.
Tom Menger employed me to come out
here and take care of his wife. Are
you a friend of Bob Meager’s?
The man chuckled, and she knew
he had put away the weapon he had
held In his hand.
“Well, lie's got an Idea that I am.
We've run about togelher a bit, I ad-
mit ; which confession maybe Is no rec-
ommendation to you."
“No, It Is not."
“I thought likely It wouldn’t be. So
you and Bob are not good friends?"
"I despise and bate him; he Is a
drunken brute."
“Granted freely; bnt If you feel that
way why did you remain here on the
ranch?" -
“Because I have had no chance to
get away since bis father died. I
could not desert my patient, and be-
sides, bad no reason to suppose Bob
would come back and take possession.
He wns a fugitive from Justice; his
father had lost all faith In him, and—
and I had reason to believe he hnd
been shut out from all right to this
property." •
"You had resRon to believe? What
reason? I am not asking merely from
curiosity; -I want to understand the
entire situation. I already have an
Idea what this means; you are en-
denvorlng to escape alone?"
"It seemed my only chance." she
confessed. “But I am talking with a
stranger; perhaps I trust you too
much. You are not employed here?"
. "No; I Just blew In Inst night."
"What Is your name?”
"Daniel Kelleen."
“You nre not a cow-puncher surely?
You—you have education.’'
He laughed good-humoredly.
“Nevertheless. I am quite accus-
tomed to cow-punching. Perhaps I’ve
had a trifle more schooling than some
of the boys. Now let me have the
straight of this affair, and then we’ll
get busy. Tell It to me from the first."
Deporah stared at the man's dim
outline through the darkness. If she
could only see the expression of his
face. And there was no choice left
her—she must trust him blindly, ab-
solutely ; he could defend or betray her
nt his own will. So clear was this
situation Bhe scarcely hesitated.
t “You killed him? You did?
Say, I Ilka you. You are sure
tome girl."
iiU Bit CONTINUED.)
That Often Happens.
"Has your fiancee's fumlly an-
nounced your engagement yet?" asked
Fred. "No,” sighed Jack, "but the#
sure have denounced It.”—Cincinnati
Enquirer.
Opportunity sometimes has to klckr
a man before It can wake him u|k
WmOETS
After
Every
Meal
Take it bone to
the kids.
Have a packet io
ycur pocket for an
ever-ready treat.
A delicious confec-
tion and an aid to
the tooth, appetite,
digestion.
CLEAN. DYE,
AND StllNE
igXgis
JfJJU
POLISHES
LIQUIDS OR PASTES
For the Whole Family
f[,\T1 lit H ‘lt.l 881IX
An Incurable Disease.
Kldleule is a disease that attaches
Itself to all tyrannies and finally
brings them to destruction.
BASIS OF SOUND PHILOSOPHY
Irish Laborer's Advice Concerning
Commissioner’* Worriee Worth
Taking to Heart.,
Chnrles H. Spear, head of the harbor
commission of San Francisco, says
that on first taking that office years
ago an Irish laborer hailed him on the
Embarcadero with a “Good-marnln-,
Mr. PrUldlnt. How are ye the mam-,«
in’?’’,
“Never better,” said Spear, "and
bow about you?"
"Oi’m feeling Jlst the same way.
We're all Iv us workln’ fer ye, an'
workln’ fer the state, as hard as Iver
we ought to, consider!))’. Ol hope ye'll
have a good administhratlon. An' let
me make yez one Iv these here slggls-
tlons. San Franclcco bay Is a folne
body o’ wather. Whin thin's don't go
rolgbt along the'froont an’ yer soul
gits all full o' throuble about It, don't
let It wrinkle yer face nor kape yes
awake nolghts. Remimber that that
bay was here a iong time before you
come an’ It’ll be here a long tolme
afther ye’re gone.”
Women are leurnlng the cigaret
habit rapidly In China.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Cain, George W. The Carter Express. (Carter, Okla.), Vol. 14, No. 30, Ed. 1 Friday, September 14, 1923, newspaper, September 14, 1923; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc956208/m1/2/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.