The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-04-06

sary, and dead men tell no tales. What
he saw before he received his death
blow | won't hazard. But, mind you.
he was knitted to death hacked III the
quick flesh till the life ooZed out at the
bloody gaps. That's black; that's
| bloody-and that's good enough, or bad
enough, for me-"
| spoke with heat. even with pas
sionate emotion. for the thoughts had
been burning in my mind for some
time. Sheppard said nothing for
space. but leaned forward and careful
ly knocked the ash from his cigar.
What you say is very true. Ned"
he said quietly at last, "an0 YOU have
put it very bluntly and | don't say
that you have not something on your
side. You have emotion. at any rate.
and we shall all be agreed that good,
honest emotion is to be reckoned a
force as much as reason. But, to my
mind, you forget, YOU overlook. too
much. and Your feelings miscarry
What, precisely, have we done? We
have defended against q pack of ruff
luhS NHdL Gci tdliIls Is lol licil prop
erty. and what, SO far as it is any
ones, is ours. or, rather. yours. We
have drawn blood in the encounters.
but it was that same cutthroat blood.
| will confess to you both that | am
Of squeamish temper myself. and
that first surprise fairly wrought upon
me. But | pulled myself up and con
sidered. And as for this last affair,
there's no denying its gravity 1t has
the menace of a ira gedy-that's fact.
But where do we intervene? Williams
meets fate destined for one of us.
We take our chances but Providence
| designs otherwise. Williams is dead;
| learn that with regret. understood
him for man of spirit and pluck.
Rest his soul. But by whom was he
killed? BY these very cutthroats
against whom we are conspiring.
There's another reason, and. if you
like, a more potent reason. why we
should continue. Williams dead body
does not stand between us and the,
treasure. and especially if we aim at
two ends. Justice will be measured
out by our pursuit. You will think l
speak harshly, but am talking sense
That is how IT appears to me-"
You are wrong" | said. 1T is not
emOtionally that | speak On the con-
trary. l am guided by reason. and I
take leave to say it is yours that is the
| sentiment. We have shed blood: that
Is bad. We have been the cause of
bloodshed, and that In a way Is worse
at least 1t seems SO to me. / am nJ
taking upon me the obligations of tkua
murder. The plain truth is that had
we not been involved in this feud TIE
man would have been alive this day
If we 90 on it will be with increasing
ferocity. We shall set passions in mo-
ton like a machine, the force of which
Is irresistible, the end of which is dis
aster. | ask you to consider that"
Sheppard turned softly to Montgom
cry. What do you say" he asked
Il agree with what Greatorex says"
he answered sturdly. Let us 90 on
and finish the bruteS. They've done
for Williams. poor chap! It's time we
did for them"
Sheppard burst into gentle laughter,
and l, too, could not fOrbear smiling at
the boys confusion of mind.
There. you see, Ned" said Sheppard
slyly. your eloquence has convinced
Mont gOmery, and | must reluctantly
give way. | am all for peace, but" he
sighed. I'VE must needs be governed
by the majority in these democratic
times"
Il take your hint l said quietly
But l am entitled to ask if you have
duly considered"
Il have, Ned" said he gravely And
you, Montgomery?
81 am anxious to go and ready to
face the results" replied the lad.
$50 be it," said |, and thereafter new
er reverted to the subject Having once
made up my mind that we must go
forward. | threw myself into the bust
ness with alacrity. Sercombe was
gone; indeed. we learned that day that
the police We're searching for him. The
treasure also had disappeared, and only
Hood remained-silent, d0cile. civil.
anu, dS hHcM, lliipldtuDic. IiC hoi
deceived Jones SO deeply that the poor
fool imagined the innkeeper was his
ally. and dared not enlighten him for
our private reasons Moreover, | do
not think that he would have paid me
any attention. He thought he knew
men. and as he had picked out Ser
combe for suspicion, and even now, as
T hnI nf ia
arrest. he had in the same obstinate
blindness marked Hood for confidence.
Nay, more; it turned out that the ey-