Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-23
Tin,ez- Republican, ar5,alltnu n1ua, groher - I9o7

on the ringleader, the rest may RIO,
and be damned
Although he had made less display
than had the Judge. the receiver was
no less worried about Helen, OF whom
no news came. His Jealousy. fannef
to red heat by the discovery OF ne
earlier detection, was enhanced Tour
fold by the thought Of this last adyen
ture. Something told him there was
treachery afoot. and when she dld MOI
return ut dawn he began to fear thai
she Ind cast In her lot with the riot
crs. This aroused Il perfect deliriuh'
of doubt and anger till he reasoned
further that Strive, having gone VIII
her, must also be traitor. He recog-
nized the menace In this fact, knowing
the mans venality, so began to reckon
carefully it's significance. What coula
Strive do? What proof had he! Nc
Namara started and, selling his hat
hurried straight to the lawyers office
and let himself in with the key he car,
ried 1t was light enough for him TO
decipher the characters on the SAT,
lock as he turned the combination, Sc
he set to work scanning the endlesf
bundles within, hoping that after al
the man had taken with him no incrim
mating evidence. Once the searchel
paused at some fancied sound, bu
when nothing came of 1t drew his re
volver and laid it before him just in
side the safe door and close beneath
his hand, continuing to run through
the documents while his uneasiness In
creased. He had been engaged so for
, some time when he heard tue faintest
creak ut his back, too slight to alarm
and just sufficient to break his tension
and cause him to jerk his head about.
Framed in the open door stood Roy
Glenister watching him.
McNamaras establishment was so
genuine that he leaped to his feet.
faced about, and prompted by secre-
tive instinct swung to the safe door as
though to guard its contents. He had
acted upon the impulse before realiz-
| ing that his weapon was inside and
that now, although the door was not
locked, 1t would require that one dan
gerous, yes, fatal second to open It,
| The two men stared at each other
| for a time, silent and malignant, their
glances meeting like blades; in the old
er mans face look of defiance, in the
younger's logged and grim purposed
enmity. McNamara's first perturba-
l Ia 1,,, n d0npnrnIlQ
whereas the continued contemplation
of his enemy worked IN Glenister to
destroy his composure, and his purpose
blazed forth unhidden.
| He stood there unkempt and soiled,
the clean sweep of jaw and throat
overgrown with a three days. black
stubble, his hair wet and matted, his
whole left side foul with clay where
he had fallen In the darkness. A mud
dy red streak spread downward from a
cut above his temple, beneath his eyes
were sagging folds, while the flicker at
his mouth corners betrayed the high
J nervous pitch to which he was keyed.
81 have come for the last act, Nc
Namara. Now well have 1t out man
to man"
The politician shrugged his shoulders
"You have the drop on me. am un-
armed" At which the miners face
lighted fiercely, and he chuckled.
"Ah, that's almost too good to be
true. I have dreamed about such q
thing, and / have been hungry to fee
your throat since the first, time I saw
you. It's grown on me till shooting
wouldn't satisfy me. Ever had the
feeling? Well, I'm going to choke the
life out Of you with my bare hands"
] Mcnamara squared himself.
II wouldn't advise you to try IT.
have lived longer than you, and was
never beaten, but know the feeling
you speak about have it now"
His eyes roved rapidly up and dowr
the others form, noting the lean thighs
and close drawn belt, which lent the
appearance of sparseness, belied onl!
by the neck and shoulders. He hat
beaten better men, and he reasoned
that if it came to a physical test IL
these cramped quarters his own grea
weight would more than Offset any su
perior agility the miner might possess
The longer he looked the more n
Il Welded to his hatred of the man befor
him and the more cruelty he longed t
satisfy 1t.
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