Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-10-03

| absolutely except for one jumper,
and we don't take him seriously.
fellow named Galloway relocated us
one night last month, but he didn't al
lcge any grounds for doing so, and we
could never find trace Of him. IL we
had, our title would be as clean as
snow again" He said the last with a
peculiar infection.
You wouldn't use violence, trust?"
"Sure! Why not? 1t has worked all
right heretofore
| But, my dear sir, those days are
gone The law Is here. and 1t Is the
! duty OF every one to abide by it."
well perhaps 1t is, but in this coun-
| try we consider n mans mine as sa
cred ms his family. We didn't know
what lock and key were in the early
times. and we didn't have any troubles
except famine and hardship It's diff
fercnt now, though. Why, there have
been more claims Jumped around here
this spring than in the whole length
and history Of the Yukon"
They had reached the hotel. and
Glenlster paused. turning to the girl as
the Judge entered. When she started
to follow. he detained her.
81 came down from the hills on pur-
pose to see you. 1t has been long
week.
Don't talk that way she interrupt
ri coldly. II don { care to hear It,"
See here, what makes you shut me
out and wrap yourself up in your
haughtlness? I'm sorry for what did
that night I'VE told you so repeated
| ly. I've wrung my soul for that act
till there's nothing left but repent
ance."
at Is not that" she said slowly. 81
have beer thinking it over during the
past month and now that have gain
ed an insight into this life | see that
It wasn't an unnatural thing for you
| to do It's terrible to think of, but it's
true ! don't mean that it was pardon
| able she continued quickly, "for it
wasn't, and l hate you when I think
about It, but l suppose | put myself
into position to invite such actions.
No: Tn sufficiently broadminded not
to blan you unreasonably, and think
/ could like you in spite of 1t, just for
what you have done for me. But that
isn't all. There is something deeper.
You saved my life, and I'm grateful,
| but you Brighten me always. It is
the cruelty in your strength. 1t Is
something away bnck in you-lustful
and ferocious and wild and crouching."
He smiled wryly.
at is my local color maybe. absorbed
! fry tn pl,
| though. il you want me to III let
them rope and throw and brand ne.
| III take on the graces of civilization
and put away revenge and ambition
and all the rest of it if it will make
you like me any better. Why. I'll even
promise not to violate the person of
our claim jumper if I catch him, and
heaven knows that means that Sam
son has parted with his locks
II think l could like you If you did,"
she said but you can't do it, You are
a savage"
There are no clubs nor marts where
men forcgather for business in the
north-nothinG hut the saloon. and this
I is all and more than club Here men
conGregate to drink, to gamble and to
! traffic
1t was late in the evening when
Glenlstcr entered the Northern and
passed idly down the row of games,
pausing Mt the crap table, where he
rolled the dice when his turn came.
Moving to the roulette wheel he lost a
stack Of whites, but at the faro LAY
OUT" his luck was better. and he won
gold coin on the high card, whercupon
he promptly ordered round of drinks
for the men grouped about him, n for
mality always precedent to overtures
of general friendship
As he paused. glass in hand. his eyes
, We're drawn to man who stood close
~. talking earnestly. The aspect of
the stranger challenged notice, for he
STOOD high above his companions, with
a peculiar grace of attitude in place Of
the awkwardness common in men Of
grcat stature Among those who were
listening intently to the mans care
fully mOdulatcd tones Glenister recog-
nized Mexico Mullins. the ex-gambler
who had given Dextry the warning at
Ab lie stuuleu Inc
listening group a drunken man stag
gered uncertainty through the wide
doors Of the saloon and. gaining sight
Of the tall stranger, blinkcd, then ap-
preached him. speaking with loud
voice:
well. II faint ole Alec Mcnamara.
How do, ye ole pirate?"
Mcnamara nodded and turned his
back cooly upon the newcomer
Don't turn your dorsal fin to me.
wan to talk to We"
Mcnamara continued his calm dis
course till he received vicious whack
on the shoulder. Then he turned for
moment to interrupt his nssailant's
garrulous profanity:
Don't bother me. nm engaged"
"Ye won talk to me, Ell? Well, I'm
goin' to talk to you, see. guess you'd
listen If told these people all know
about you. Turn around here
His voice was menacing and attract
ed general notice. Observing this, Nc
Namara addressed him, his words
dropping clear, concise and cold:
Don't talk to me. You are a drunk
en- nuisance. Go away before some
thing happens to you"
Again he turned away, but the
| drunken man seized and Whirled him