The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-11-28

| oeen. 10 you know, L Deneve I'm per
| fectly fit to undertake that little de-
| tective operation casually mentioned
/ TO you few days ago. It's got to be
/ done, and the sooner / get at it the
easier I'll feel. Fact is, l put In a
/ large portion OF the night thinking cut
( my plans"
( i wish you would give it up all to
( gether, Bob" she said, anxiously. u
shall be SO dull and lonely here while
+ you are gone"
; Il reckon you will, for fact, but,
Nadia, 1t isn't likely this little affair
/ will require very long, and things are
! lots happier between US since my late
/ shooting scrape. When fall comes
/ mean to take you east and put you
/ in some good finishing school. Don't
/ care quite as much about it as you
/ did, do your"
/ Yes, I think l do. Bob" She strove
! bravely to express enthusiasm. The
! trouble is. l am so worried over your
/ going of alone hunting after that
man"
! He laughed, his eyes searching her
/ face for the truth. well, little girl.
he won't exactly be the first I've had
call to go after Besides, this is a
/ particular case, and appeals to me in
a sort Of personal way. If you only
/ knew it, you're about as deeply con-
/ cerned in the result as I am, and as for
/ me, / can never rest easy again until
the matter is over with"
It's that awful Murphy, isn't it?"
/ Hes the one I'm starting after first
and one sight at his right hand will
! decide whether he is to be the last as
we'll"
Il never supposed you would seek
revenge, like a savage" she remarked,
! quietly. You never used to be that
way"
Good Lord, Nadia, do you think I'm
low down enough to go out hunting
that poor cuss merely to get even with
him for trying to stick me with a
| knife? Why, there are 20 others who
! have done as much, and we have been
| the best of friends afterwards. Oh,
| no, 1assie, it means more than that
and harks back many a long year
| told you | saw a mark on his hand |
would never forget-but | saw that
mark first Is years ago. This is a
duty | owe friend, a dead friend, to
run to earth this murderer. Do you
understand now? The fellow who did
! that shooting up at Bethune Is years
ago had the same sort OF a mark on
his right hand as this one who killed
Slavin. That's why I'm after him and
when l catch up he'll either squeal or
die"
But how do you know?"
'I never told you the whole story
and | don't mean to now until / come
back and can make everything per-
| fectly clear. 1t wouldn't do you any
good the way things stand now, and
would only make you uneasy. But if
you do any praying over it, my girl,
pray good and hard that l may dis
cover some means for making that fell
low squeal."
She made no response but stood
gazing thoughtfully past him.
Have you heard anything lately,
Bob, about the SEVENTH" she asked
finally. "Since-since N troop left
here?"
He answered with well-simulated
carelessness. No; but it is most like
ly they are well into the game by this
time Crooks column, l have just
heard, was overwhelmingly attacked
on the Rosebud, and forced to fall
back. That leaves the Seventh to
take the brunt of it, and there is going
to be he'll up north presently, or I've
forgotten all 1 ever knew about In
dians. But come, little girl, as I said,
I'm quite likely to be off before night,
provided l am fortunate enough to
strike fresh trail. Under such ccndi-
lions you won't mind my kissing you
out here, will your"
She held up her lips and he touched
them softly with his own. Her eyes
were tear-dimmed oh, Bob, l hate
so to let you go" she sobbed, cling