Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1903-03-12
Because warn you, you shall never

Do not dare to utter her name again."
"Whew." whispered Burt. so he is
one of the high and mighty kind. 1
understand you reject my proposal,
them"
In the dusk Burt saw the CLEAN of
Rothesay's eyes. and he shrank back q
little. He found he had worse rival
to deal with than he expected.
| Rothesty would not prolong this
scene-he saw that the two might stay
there all night and still be in the same
position toward each other.
Il would like to whip you as mai
whips miserable hound!" he cried.
unable to prevent burst of rage, land
hope to do it some time! Now am
! going to leave you. l swear I'll fire
at you the first movement you make to
with You already"
AS he ceased speaking Rothesay
thrust the pistol into his pocket and
seized the oar and began to scull his
boat.
Burt was by this time too excited to
| l1etNG iSlO DdSh, SNSIl >lcO liS IlAOuSAI
Of doing So He could not remain still
and see this man elude him, when so
satisfactory vengeance awaited him
if he could succeed in Selling and de-
livering the fellow to the police.
Dick snatched up his oars and the
water splashed from them as he
dropped them in the water
/ p,,t ho hoI
stroke before Rothesay dropped his
single oar and drew the pistol from his
pocket.
The next instant thin flame shot
toward Burt. and a ball went crashing
through his right arm. making it drop
at his side as if it had been cloven
from his shoulder with an axe.
Rothesay had aimed we'll; he had not
! intended to do more than temporarily
disable his enemy and he had succeed
ed He heard the oath that came from
Burts lips as one oar floated away on
the water.
Rothesay did not lose any time;
while the other boat turned and stood
still, he was sculling his rapidly to-
ward the shore.
Burt saw it Craze the land and its oc
cupant leap on shore and disappear, al
most before he could take up with his
left hand the remaining oar and make
miserable attempt at sculling, while
his right arm hung useless.
1t was an unavailing attempt, and he
saw it instantly and sat down, draw
ing handkerchief from his pocket
with which to arrange a sling to sup
port his arm.
He did not swear any more. but his
silence was more ominous than oaths
would have been. Could his face have
been seen, one would have trembled
for Vance Rothesay's safety should the
! two ever meet again.
/ Rothesay. once free, bounded uL
/ from the shore of the pond and darted
! out of sight among the trees. He felt
as if he had been delayed hours, and
that there might be scores of men in
I pursuit.
/ But soon that feeling died away ana
his thoughts returned to Kate Purcell
! and the danger she must face in re-
manning there so near Dick Burt. And
/ that Burt would be more dangerous
than ever now he knew very we'll
| He did not pause in his swift run
avoiding highways when it was posi-
i ble-until he had put four or five miles
/ between him and the place he had left.
Then he stopped and leaned, breathing
. heavily, against tree, and tried to col
! lect his thoughts into something like
coherency.
/ He was conscious at that moment OF
but one dominant desire-the desire to
turn back and not stop until he had
again reached the home of Kate. Pur-
cell 1t seemed to him that he must
be near her to protect her from Burt;
and then he thought how foolish were
his fcars-that Burt could not abduct
Kate, and that she was not likely to
consent to Burts suit
He never doubted her. He knew
enough OF her father to know that the
old man was very little protection but
! he did not know that her father wished
her to marry Burt and would try to
compel her to do so.
/ Never so much as at this moment din
Rothesay feel such despair at thought
/ OF the tolls which confined him. He
longed to shake himself free, and to go
and avow himself before the world to
| be Kate Purcell's lover-to defend her
from all harm. And he could not but
| feel that harm was threatening her
! now at every moment
| Let the consequences be what they
might he must know often concerning
the circumstances which surrounded
her; and he knew full we'll how diff
cult he might find it to gain such
knowledge.
He dared not pause long in his jour-
ney. Instead of going in the direction
| of Boston, he bent his steps in the
opposite way, following a cart path
overhung with trees. and where the
darkness was so deep that he could see
nothing and often stumbled as he h'lr-
riea along.
ITO Be continued.)