The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-08-15

The desperate swore a yiia oath.
You'll know me better before long.
! haven't forgotten you either, Mr.
Prosecuting Attorney Hendricks. ]
swore ia remember you, and have.
I'm In great luck to get chance to
get even so soon."
We'll, you had better make the most
Of It. / rather think they'll hang you
when they take you"
The half-breed moistened his dry
lips. The eyes in his furtive face mar
rowed to little slits whore vanity and
cowardicv struggled together
They won't take me- he boasted.
though a snaiitng whine ran through
his braggadoclo. "Tll get away to the
head Of the lake in your boat. Three
posses have been after me a week and
they haven't caught me. seen
chance and doubled on them twice
right after I broke prison"
Il read the account Of your escape"
said Heildricks
He did not 90 into particulars. He
had no desire that the girl beside him
should know that this man had
treacherously killed a guard and fell
low convict in his break for liberty,
and he was content that she should
remain In ignorance OF the fact that
through his efforts Sharkey had been
sent up as a ''lifer" three years be-
fore. For Hendricks was afraid to the
marrow of his bones. The inurderers
evil record rose to his mind and
worse than his criminal career was
that racial mixture OF bad white with
mongrel negro and cruel Indian blood.
The young lawyer read purposed MUIR
der and worse in his face. Fear alone
had hitherto held him from his intent.
The leaden hours dragged down the
deeper dusk, and at length Sharkey
made his move. He forced them to
lead the way to the boat while he fol-
lowed through the dripping ferns. In
his imagination Tom Hendricks felt.
every step of the way to the shore, a
leaden bullet pinging into his spine,
but not once did he turn his head II
was his cue to appear confident, for he
knew that under the edge of Mercer
island the outlaw expected to murder
him. II he could restrain himself till
they reached that point. The dead
body in the deep water under the
shadow of the overhanging brush
would tell no tales. and II by chance
some logger heard a shot in the night,
what was to connect the escaped CON
vict with it?
Under the persuasion of Sharkey's
rifle the Seattle lawyer showed of the
boat and pulled to the end of the
wharf. Here the convict stepped eau
tiously down. and at the same moment
Hendricks pushed the boat from the
landing with an oar and rose to his
feet The girl on the wharf gave a
cry, for Tom was swaying violently
from side to side.
"Sit down or I'll shoot" screamed
the half-breed. trying to balance in
the rocking boat,
shoot and be damned" cried Hen
bricks, a fierce light shining in his
eyes.
He leaped across the seat toward his
enemy. a wild shot rang out skyward,
and the next moment the impact OF
his charge had flung both men from
the overturning boat into the water
The lawyer came to the surface first
The boat was drifting far out into the
lake. bottom up. clearly beyond the
reach of immediate rescue. He swan
a few STRIKES toward the shore, then
turned, waiting. for the convict was
In difficulties. Apparently he could
not swim. Tom reached him as he
came up the second time. but as tn,
man flung out his arms wildly for his
neck, he caught him by the hair and
soused him down once and again. He
had the convict unconscious before
they reached the shore, and when the
fellow came to himself he found hi;
hands and legs bound securely with {
bit Of rope Edith had found on the
wharf
Hendricks ran up the fsherman'l
flag to attract the Bellevue boat, anC
20 minutes later he had the pleasur,
OF handing over his captive to tn,
sheriff of King county. who was on II
returning to Seattle after an unsuc
cessful hunt fo- Sharkey.
Tom called on Edith Vance mex
evening to inquire whether she ha,
suffered any i'll effects from their ad
venture. He would probably bavl
called anyway, he explained. bat 1
served as a very reasonable excuse.
do you need exeuses?" Edit
asked
Wen, no, don't But I though
perhaps you might think / did Thi
happens to be the third time havr
been here this week, you know"
ut is very generous OF you to COM
so often-you who are the hero OF tn,
hour. Are all heroes that way?"
Can't say never met one.
Under her dark lashes she looked q
her elean-limbed lover so long thA
he was fain at length to break tn
silence fatuously.
you'll know me next time you Sc
me"
yes. I'll know you better than
did before.
She nodded, in a mef.tatiye compre
hension.
Il have been a conceited little prla
You see. Tom, had never seen 20
In an inspired moment and I sup
posed you didn't have them"
You guessed right don't hav
them" he told her promptly.
-. Il. 1 49, ....-...