»~
a
Copyright 1928.93, Harold Titus,
_—-
-
CHAPTER IX—Continued
w—T Sr
He signed his name and sat back,
brows drawn and after a time nodded
vindictively.
* » * ® * * *
Out at the Hoot Owl Ben Ellott
went through a week of unbroken dis-
may. It was a situation such ag he had
never dreamed of facing.
Dawn had heard and seen and . | .
believed! She had fled the hall, con-
vincing him of her bellef in Lydia's
accusation. Days had passed and he
had heard nothing from her. He was
impelled to go to her but, under such
circumstances, a young man does not
do that. There are some affairs so
embarrassing that words fall flat,
His men knew the story, of course;
all the country knew It. But none
mentioned it to him, none willingly be-
trayed to him their knowledge of his
humiliation. He waited and suffered
and tried to rally his self-possessiog.
He was walking, wondering grimly
what Dawn was thinking then, what
she was doing; he was hearing once
again the biting volce of Lydia; hear-
ing, In memory, the hush fall over that
dance hall
He was wholly alone. Far behind
him loggers worked in the timber;
down yonder the mill sent up its plume
of smoke and he could hear the distant
puffing of the exhaust in the stillness.
No wind blew; nothing stirred . .
that he could see. He could not ob
serve that slight, eautious movement
to his left, that figure which watched
him some and edged out
hermlecks to a
view was anobscured but wh
through young
point from which his
ere he still
had good cover,
1 still
» shook off his mitter
¢ thumb
the rifle ti
one knee, placing it on the tall of the
His not
Just steady as he snuggled his cheek
against the
be, from ambush that
Nor were his hands just steady.
He sighted carefully, trying to still
the tremor of his arms.
breath slip out slowly, he squeezed.
The crack of the rifle echoed and re-
echoed across the chopping. Ben El
liott lay still, as he had pitched on his
face. One of his hands was out.
stretched, the other pinned beneath
him. His face, one cheek In the snow,
was turned toward the man who had
fired but it was far away.
For many minutes the man in the
timber remained kneeling. Elliott did
not stir. Then, cautiously, the killer
groped for the ejected shell, slipped
it Into his pocket, raised to his feet
and, backing cautiously, struck into the
deep timber,
The man up there stool
released
he carried, settled slowly to
other snowshoe, breath
was
rifle butt. No man's would
shooting way.
CHAPTER X
The rifle bullet had passed so close
above Ben's head that he had felt its
breath even before he was aware of
its whine,
A bullet , ,. here , for him!
A hunter? But what would a hunter
be shooting at here? That bullet was
designed for him and had missed by
inches. And he was pitching forward,
simulating a fall, letting himself go
limp. It was tue only protection he
could conjure.
He saw nothing, no movement, even:
heard nothing. He was a-tingle, scalp
creeping with an odd sensation ag he
waited for another bullet from these
heights to the eastward.
But no other come. Ben lay there
until deep dusk had fallen. Then be
rose to his hands and knees, watching,
listening. After a moment he stood
still. Then, resolutely, he left the road,
wallowed through the deep snow,
crossed the rallroad track and tolled
up the heights. He went on, through
the snow to the first fringe of trees.
Then he spoke, in a light hail: “Hi”
and Immediately dropped behind =
stump.
After a moment he rose, went for.
ward again and entered the shadows
boldly. No one was there, for certain,
but before he had gone more than a
few spaces he came on that which he
sought: a snowshoe track, vigible in
the gloom because of the softness of
the snow. Whoever had gone that way
had sunk deeply.
He followed this out of the thick
timber to a little clearing. The trail
was not visible in the darkneas so he
struck a match and holding it cupped
in one hand, bent low,
The flare showed the track of a long,
narrow shoe plainly and as he moved
the tiny torch along toward its tip he
stopped all movement. The match
burned out. He moved on to the next
track and lighted another. He ex
amined several of the Imprints made
by the shoe. Then he went as rapidly
as possible back down the slope to
the road\and started on to eamp,
After supper Ben called Bird Eye
Blaine to one glide.
“I'd like to have you harbess the
supply team and spend an evening In
town,” he said.
The little barn boss cocked an In-
quisitive eye,
“Just In town, Misther Ellfott? Or
fer somethin’ special?”
“Something special, , , . But no one
’
else Is to know. What I want to find
out Is this: Who Is wearing a palr
of Canadian snowshoes with the web-
bing in the toe of one torn so it makes
a hole about this shape.”
Quickly he sketched a rough ontline
on & leaf of his notebook. Bird-Eye
scanned it and nodded.
“Take it easy. Maybe you won't find
out tonight. But make a start, any-
how. If you should have any luck, stop
in at the siding on your way back. I'll
ride that far with you."
It was after midnight when Ben El
liott roused from his sleepless bed to
hear Bird-Eye speaking to his team
outside. He crawled out of his blan-
kets and opened the office door to let
the other in, but before he asked any
questions lighted a lamp.
“Well, how about t?"—as he re-
placed the chimney.
Bird-eye looked at him narrowly.
“I found th’ shoes,” he sald with an
emphatic nod. *'Nd I found out who's
they be!"
“Good ™
The barn boss blinked.
“l dunno ‘bout that. It ain't so
good, U'd say. They're the property,”
he sald with profound emphasis, “av
wan Red Bart Delaney, a celebrated
killer from somewheres in Canady!”
From the second small bedroom sep
arated from the office by a board par
tition, a bed croaked sharply, Elllott
did not hear it.
“So that's It!" he sald softly.
“Yis! That's ut! Th’ prisence av a
rattlesnake loike Red Bart in th’ eom-
munity don't forecast nawthing but th’
} kind av
$1
B
hottest
v ain't {£9
av | , Ain't it
“Yes, I have, He was
war on
below ®
trouble!
Ye've heard
mixed up In
Zhing-Wauk
ruce the
lid not reply to th
2%
did
it question,
1 fle i seb TY
you find out?
“Well,
into
he brought
Tincup
on its own two stinkin' feet! e's fa-
vorin’ Joe Plette's hotel. Te' gnow-
shoes was ln th’ office 'nd it come up
so's 1 didn’t have to seem curious to
foind out whose they was. He's here
lookin' fer cedar, he says. But it gives
a body a lot av bother wonderin’ what
his rale reason moight be. Lyin’ 's as
natural as breathin’ to th' lolkes™
“I can tell you,” Ben sald. “He's gun-
ning for me, Bird-Eye.”
“Saints! . . . I thought ut, I did!
Ah, me b'y-—"
“Yes, he started today. 1 was shot
at with a rifle two miles up the road
Just at sundown. The man who shot
at me wore a snowshoe with the web
broken. He wouldn't be lending his
snowshoes.”
Bird-Eye stood motionless and silent
for a moment before he spoke,
“Thin th' sooner we give him both
barrels av somethin’, th' safer ye'll be,
his stinkin’ pris
ence Wednesday noight
can't help but think Bird-Eye's advice
is good. Swear out a warrant for him
the first thing. This is a time for cau-
tion. It'll do you no good to take
risks.”
“I'll not walk into any traps, but {f
Brandon thinks he can make me hunt
my hole—"
“Oh, Brandon!” The cry was bitter
and Martin threw his arms wide In a
gesture of helplessness, "You've got to
watch him as you've never watched a
man In your life. Why, son, you don't
know, you don’t dream, of the ends
he'll go tol”
“But 1 thought you didn’t know him,”
Ben sald, puzzled. “I thought you sald
you were a stranger to this country.”
“Yes. But stories travel. And Isn't
your experience today enough to con-
vince anyone of the man's ruthless
ness
“Oh, sure,” Ben agreed, but still won
dering at Martin's mood. It was not
just easy to belleve that a steady-go-
ing, mature man should be 80 moved
by mere tales '
“You're right. He'll stop at noth-
ing, not even murder, And | agree
with you that he's got to be watched,
jut if I ran Into my burrow or didn't
try to get at the bottom of this thing,
he'd gain part of what he's after, you
No, that can’t be done”
He rose and began to pace the floor.
“And it's not only Hoot Owl,
now, that's at stake. He's mixed up In
more important matters than just prop
erty. He caught me foul where it hurt
. hurt!” Martin, following him with
his eyes, winced. "He's used a woman
ROO,
the
to come between me and the finest girl
the
ns Ben
or walked earth!”
confronted him,
will avert his fa«
ht. “Lastly he bring
into the
4 it 1 won't run i”
“No, But i
. Oh, how | wish you'd counsel wits
some one else, Able or anyone
You're young, you're in danger.
And this matter you Just mentioned:
Can't you think of Dawn a little? If
you love her can't you see that she
has a right to believe that you will
protect yourself?”
The man's volce had fallen to a
broken whisper. He held out both
hands in appeal and tears sprang into
his eyes. This man, this mature, quiet
gentleman, this stranger to the coun
try, begging him with tears In eyes and
voice to consider Dawn McManus
struck Ben dumbfounded.
“Oh, it's only that you've shown
yourself to be so decent” Martin sald
after a moment, emotions under better
control. “1 hate to see you putting
yourself In danger.”
“1 won't stick my head Into any
noose,” Ben replied. “Lord, it's late
open
kK or crook, bn
I know yon won't
with
town and Elliott,
Elliott is arrested and
Misther Elliott! He's a harrd chunk,
him. It's Nick Yrandon's work, who's
tried everything else ‘nd who'll not ra-
fuse to try murder to get ye down,
Benny by!”
“Likely you're right,” Ben sald and
rubbed his chin with a knuckle, “But
we'd have to prove that, first. There's
nothing to worry about, now we know
the man's here to get me. Likely he
thought he got me. Still there, was
he? Um. . . . Well, that's something
to think over, Bird-Eye. You better hit
for camp, now, and get some sleep. 1
may call you in the forenoon.”
Bird-Eye sniffed and twisted his head
gravely and after adding imprecations
on Nicholas Brandon and warning Ben
to stay close to the office, departed.
He could be heard unblanketing his
team and climbing Into the sleigh; and
when the frosty runners screamed in
departure sounds came from that sec.
ond bedroom behind the partition, the
door opened and John Martin stood
Jooking out. His dark eyes held on
Ben Elliott, anxious and troubled.
“I couldn't help hearing” he sald
simply. “Do you mind?"
“Of course not, John. Looks like
lively times !"—with a grin.
“It's none of my affair, Elliott, but
I'm an older man than you. I've seen
trouble . . . aplenty.” His voice
dropped significantly, as though old
wounds were being “I've heard
of Delaney. Every man the timber
We'll need clear heads to meet this
situation. Better get Into the old blan.
kets.”
But he did not sleep at once. He lay
awake a long time, thinking of Red
Bart Delaney and Brandon and won.
dering how he could prove their rela.
tionship. . . . And speculating on Mar.
tin's outbursts, the man's keen hatred
of Brandon, whom he probably had
never seen, his Intense Interest in
‘Dawn McManus . . . Something strange
and unnatural was there, Elliott told
himself. Still, he added, you could
stake your last hope on a man like
John Martin,
. . . * . » »
Early the rext forenoon the mer
chants and traders and loafers in the
business places on Tincup's main thor
oughfare saw something to nip thelr
attention.
Ben Elliott came driving Into town
at a spanking trot, his team of alert
drivers coated with frost. This was
nothing unusual. But when he brought
them to a crunching halt before the
bank bullding, over which Nicholas
Brandon worked and lived, jumped out,
threw blankets over their backs and
tied them to a post, a few necks were
craned,
Throughout the evening before Bran.
don had gorged himself on a sense of
relief, At eight he had passed Bart
Delaney on the street. None had been
about to notice that although Brandon
appeared only to overtake and pass the
-
man that, in reality, they spoke briefly
and cautiously,
“Well 7’
“In his tracks. , , . Two mile above
th’ mil."
“Was he alone?”
“Sure, . They'll find him stiff,
When do we settle?”
“As soon as the bank opens tomor-
row.”
Inside, the man seethed with a sav-
age exultation. He crossed the street,
drunk with the feeling of relief, mount
ed to his office and drank to his own
success. , . , And drank"ugain. For
hours he sat at his desk, whisky bottle
at his elbow and when he went down
the hallway to his bedroom at the
rear he carried the bottle with him.
His first move for the day, once In
his office, was to draw the cork of a
fresh flask and drink deeply. A grow-
“Good Morning” Said In 1
Hoarse
He
Gasp.
him.
That
hile to
warmth ran
was better, tf was not comforta
wake up, thinking of a man lying life.
less on the snow . . , at your or-
ders,
Soon, now, word would be coming
into town from Hoot Owl, tragle, final
word. He must be in shape to meet
the news dispassionately. No one
would know his part in the killing;
none would guess. Still, it would not
be easy to have people saying that
Ben Elliott was dead. , . Elliott is
dead; Elliott is dead. , . . The words
spun about In his mind, a savage chant,
and Brandon wanted to be glad but
could not. Elllott was gone, though.
The Hoot Owl was at his mercy, and
Dawn « « Dawn!
And then he turned to the opening
door,
His jaw sagged, a light retching
sound came from his throat as breath
drained out. en Elllott was
standing there and smiling good-na-
turediy at Lim.
‘But dead men do not stand np, . . .
Not men left dead on the snow, . , .
Men whose life you have had
taken do not smile. . . . . Men stiff
on the snow cannot smile, , . This
combination of truths coupled in Bran.
don's swirling mind and struck him
cold. This could be no man, then; this
was an apparition, this was
And then whatever it was spoke,
“Good morning, Brandon!"
Elliott spoke naturally and easily,
and closed the door behind him, Dead
men do not speak; ghosts do not open
and close doors-~they pass through
them,
And N¥cholas Brandon, gathering his
faculties, lurched to his feet, panting
and clenching the edge of the desk,
$ } seed
ing through
gasp. “Good, . . . "
Ben Elliott laughed bitterly,
TO BE CONTINUED,
Crocodiles of State
good money every day to keep croco-
diles alive. It has often been sald that
Jalpur is the most “different” city of
colored mauve or pink. The Crocodile
from what far distant religious
mythological rite these beasts obtained
thelr privilege, it Is a fact that they
a day and are tended by a keeper,
Whenever this wizardlike old man ap-
pears at the wateredge with thelr
mud, immediately swim towards him.
Guatemala’s Jungles
In Gautemain's jungles are grot
esquely marked monoliths, ruins of
magnificent cities and colossal temple.
topped pyramids which bear witness to
the existence of an Indian civilization
centuries before the Christian era, In
little mountain villages and In the city
market places are throngs of Indians to
remind one of the fact that Guatemala
is still 60 per cent pure Indias,
TRE
CORRECT GUIDES
TO QUILT MAKING
——
By GRANDMOTHER CLARK
The cutting diagrams for Colonial |
quilt No, 97B and Indian Wedding |
Iiing No. 90B are offered to quilt |
makers who are particular to have
the patches cur out right. These
cutouts Include the seam allowance
It Is necessary to cut the patches ou’
right If you want neat results. The
Indian Wedding Ring has five differ.
ent pleces to be cut out and the Col
onial Garden only one. The triangle
shown Is sometimes used when the
Colonial quilt is set together, leaving |
The |
identical |
ling, only |
produce |
A running vine between units,
Indian Wedding Ring is
with the Double Wedding
more patches are used to
the effect,
Send 10 cents to our quilt depart- |
ment and we will | both of these |
cutout sets postpaid,
HOME CRAFT COM
DEPARTMENT D. Nine
is Avenue,
Address—
PANY,
St.
iped addressed en
when writing for
SEEK BAN ON BIBLE
The
Joseph
Freethinkers of America and
Lewis, president, have insti
a suit in the New York State
Supreme court “to stop the reading
of the Bible and existence of re-
controlled societies In our
public schools” In order “to uphold
the American principle of the sep
aration of church and state”
The complaint recites that Pro-
testants, Catholics, and Jews dis-
agree, and that “for several centur-
{es the sald three sects hated and
murdered each other in thelr con-
troversies over sald Bibles, but now
are not allowed by secular law to
murder each other, though the con-
troversies and religious hatreds are
quite as vocal as ever.” -—Literary
Digest,
tuted
ligiously
Dr. Pierce's Pellets are best for liver,
bowels and stomach. One little Pellet for
a laxative—th=ee for a cathartic.—Ady.
Wisdom in Old Saw
“If the brain sows not corn, It
plants thisties,” says an old proverb.
Overcame Her Nervousness
“A few years 0,” writes Mrs,
Charles Sivil, of Hartshorne, Okla,
“Iwas weak and run-down. It
that nervousness was about to get
the best of me. My mother told me
about Cardui and that is what I de
cided to take. After I began takin
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gained strength and was less ner-
vous. By the time I had taken twe
bottles, 1 felt fine.”
First, better appetite, and then
more strength and a feeling of well-
Cardui benefited them. If it does not
benefit YOU, consult a physician.
£5 KILL ALL FLIES
ve. Bran,
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else will, Simoniz makes it last
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