Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-06-04
cHAPTER Iy-(Continued.)

CHAPTER lY-(COntinued.)
isn't that DREADFUL" she shudder-
ed. "Oh, and / must see him alone"
"No. you mustn't" said Glenister,
with equal decision Gin the first
place, he wouldn't know what you
were talking about and in the second
place know Struve. He's too drunk
to talk business and too sober to-
we'll to see you alone"
"'But must see him." she insisted.
"It's what brought me here. You
don't understand"
81 understand more than he could.
He's in no condition to act on any i'm
portant matter. You come around to-
morrow when he's sober"
at means SO much,' breathed the
girl "The BEAST"
Glenister noted that she had not
wrung her hands nor even limited at
tears, though plainly her disappoint-
ment and anxiety were consuming
her.
well, I suppose I'll have to wait,
but I don't know where to go- some
hotel, suppose
"There aren't any. They're build
ing two, but tonight you couldn't
hire room in Nome for money.
was about to say lots of money
Have you no other friends here-no
women? Then you must let me find
a place for you. / have friend
whose wife will take you in"
She rebelled at this. Was she never
to have, done with this mans favors?
She thought Of returning to the ship,
but dismissed that. She undertook 10
decline his aid, but he was halfway
down the stairs and paid no attention
to her beginning so she followed him
1t was then that Helen Chester wit
messed her fist tradgedy of the from
tier, and though 1t came to know bet
ter the man whom she disliked and
with whom she had been thrown so
fatefully. Already she had thrilled Mt
the spell of this country, but she had
not learned that strength and license
carry blood and violence as corollar-
les.
Emerging from the doorway at the
foot of the stairs, they drifted slow
" along the walk, watching the crowd
Besides the universal tension, there
were laughter and hope and exhilara-
ton In the faces. The enthusiasm of
this boyish multitude warned one The
girl wished to get into this spirit
TO be one of them. Then suddenly
from the babble at their elbows came
a discordant note, not long nor loud,
only a few words, penetrating and
harsh with the metallic quality lent by
passion.
Helen glanced over her shoulder to
fi,,I ho& 30
were gone and that its eyes were
bent on SOME scence in the street,
with an eager interest she had never
seen mirrored before. simultaneously
Glenister spoke:
Come away from here"
With the quickened eye of exper-
fence he forsaw trouble and tried to
drag her on, but she shook off his
grasp impatiently, and. turning, gaz-
ed absorbed at the spectacle which
unfolded itself before her Although
not compromising the play of events
she felt vaguely the quick approach Of
some crisis, yet was unprepared for
the swiftness with which it came.
Her eyes had leaped to the figures
Of two mten in the street from whom
the rest had separated like oil from
water. One was slim and well dress
ed: the other bulky, mackinawed, and
lowering of feature. 1t was the small
er who spoke, and for a moment she
misjudged his bloodshot eyes and
swaying carriage to be the result of
alcohol, until she saw that he was
racked with fury.
MAKE good, tell you, quick! Give
me that bill of sale, YOU"
The unkempt man swung. on his
heel with growl and walked away,
his course leading him toward Glen
lister and the girl. With two strides
he was abreast of them; then, detect
ing the flashing movement of the
other, he whirled like a wild animal.
His voice had the snarl of a beast in
1t.
"Ye had to have it. didn't We? Well,
there!a
The actions of both men were quick
as light, yet to the girls taut senses
they seemed theatrical and deliberate.
Into her mind was scared forever the
memory of that second, as though
the shutter of a camera had snapped,
fmpresstng upon her brain the scene,
sharp, clear-cut, and vivid. The shay
gy back of the large man almost
brushing her, the rage-drunken, white
shirted man in the derby hat, the
crowd sweeping backward like rushes
before blast men with arms flened
and feet raised in flight, the glazing
yellow sign of the Gold Belt Dance
Hall" across the way these were
stamped upon her retina, and then
she was jerked violently backward,
two strong arms crushed her down
upon her knees against. the wall, and
she was smothered in the arms of
Roy Glenister.
aMy God! Don't move! We're in
line!"
He crouched over her his cheek
against her hair, his weight forcing
her down into the smallest compass,
his arms about her, his body forming
a living shield against the flying bull
let's. Over them the big man stood,
and the sustained roar Of his gun was