The Lake County times., 1907-09-18
tCoF1INUED.l

"But the townspeople are against
u.s." quavered Stillman. They'll tear
Us to pieces"
Let 'em try. Once 1 get my hand
On the ringIeader, the rest may riot
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, famed
TO red heat by the discovery of her
earlier detection, was enhanced four
fold by the thought OF this last adven-
ture Something told him there was
treachery afoot, and when she did not
return at dawn he began to fear that
she had cast in her lot with the riot
ers. This aroused a perfect delirium
of doubt and anger till he reasoned
further that Struve, having gone with
her, must also be a traitor He recog-
nized the menace in this fact, knowing
the mans venality, so began to reckon
carefully its significance. What could
Strive do? What proof had he? Nc
Namara started and seiZing 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
declpher the characters on the safe
lock as he turned the combination, so
he set to work scanning the endless
bundles within, hoping that after all
the man had taken with him no incrim-
mating evidence. Once the searcher
paused at some fancied sound but
when nothing came Of it drew his re-
1T
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 the faintest
creak at 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.
McNamara's astonishment was so
genuine that he leaped to- his feet.
faced about, and prompted by a 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, it 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 dogged and grim purposed
enmity. McNamara's first perturba-
tion left him calm, alert, dangerous,
whereas the continued contemplation
OF his enemy worked in Glenster 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
nervous pitch to which he was keyed
Il have come for the last act, Nc
Namara. Now We'll have it out man
to man"
The politician shrugged his shoulders
''You have the drop on me. l am un-
armed" At which the miners face
lighted fiercely, and he chuckled.
"Ah, that's almost too good to be
true l have dreamed about such a
thing and l have been hungry to feel
your throat since the first time | saw
you. It's grown on me till shooting
wouldn't satisfy me. Ever had the
oil VyyYe TO oh &hsa
life out of you with my bare hands"
Mcnamara squared himself.
Il 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 down
the others form. noting the lean thighs
and close drawn belt, which lent the
appearance of sparseness, belied only
by the neck and shoulders. He had
beaten better men, and he reasoned
that if it came to a physical test in
these cramped quarters his own great
weight would more than Offset any su
peror agility the miner might possess
The longer he looked the more he
yielded to his hatred of the man before
him and the more cruelty he longed tC
satisfy It.
Take of your coat" said Glenister
"Now turn around. All right I just
wanted to see If you were lying about
your gun"
IN kill you!" cried Mcnamara
Glenister laid his six shooter upon the
safe and slipped or his own wet gar
ment The difference was more mark
ed now and the advantage more
strongly with the receiver. Though
they had avoided allusion TO it, each
knew that this fight had nothing Il
do with the Midas and each realized
whence sprang their fierce enmity
And 1t was meet that they should
come together thus. 1t had been the
one certain and logical event which