Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-28
BOB HAMPTON OF PLACER.
BY RANDALL PARRISH,
WILDERNESS
Copyright BY Clus

what protected by low bushes. Hampton
took few chances of those spying eyes
above. never uplifting his head the smallest
fraction of an inch but reaching forward
with blindly cropping hands caught hold
upon any projecting root stone which
enabled him to drag his body an inch
farther Twice they fired directly down at
him from the opposite summit. and once a
fleck of sharp rock. Clipped by a glancing
bullet, embedded itself In his cheek. dyeing
| the whole side of his face crimson. But
not once did he pause or glance aside. nor
did the girl look up from the imploring
face Of her dead AS he crept silently In,
sheltering himself next to THE body Of the
dead man. she perceived his presence for
the first time and shrank back as II In
dread.
you come here?" she questioned, falter in
her voice. and he noticed that her eyes were
dark aud large. yielding a marked impress
| of beauty to her face.
II was unwilling to leave you here alone"
he answered quietly, land hope to discover
some means for getting you safely back
beside the Others"
But 1 didn't want YOU" and there was a
| look of positive dislike in her widely opened
| eyes.
Didn't want me?" He echoed these I'M
| expected words in tone of complete sur
! prise. Surely you could not desire to be
| me?'
Because I know who you are. Her
| voice seemed to catch In her throat. He
| told me. You're the man who shot Jim
| Eberly."
| Mr. Hampton was never of pronounced
emotional nature. nor was he person
easily disconnected. yet he flushed at the
| sound of these fmpulsive words and the
| confident smile deserted his lips. For a
moment they sat thus, the dead body lying
| between. and looked at each other. When
the man finally broke the constrained
silence deeper information had crept into
| his voice.
my girl" he said gravely. and not with
| out q suspicion of pleading. This Is no
place for me to attempt any defense Of a
| shooting ARRAY in gambling house. al
| though l might plead with some justice
that Eberly enjoyed the honor Of shooting
| first l was not aware of your personal
feeling in the matter or l might have per-
mitted some one else to come here in my
stead. Now II is too late. have never
| spoken to you before, and do at this
time merely from a sincere desire to be of
! some assistance.
! There was that in his manner of grave
| courtesy which served to steady the girl
| Probably never before in all her rough
frontier experience had she been addressed
| thus formally. Her closely compressed
| lips twitched nervously. but her questioning
| eyes remained uncovered.
| You may stay, she asserted soberly.
| "Only don't touch me-"
| No one could eyer realize how much
| those words hurt him. He had been dis
| ciplined In far too severe q school ever to
/ permit his face to index the feelings OF his
] heart, yet the unconcealed shrinking of
| this uncouth child from slightest personal
| contact with him cut through his acquired
reserve as perhaps nothing else could ever
! have done. Not until he had completely
conquered his first unwise impulse to retort
| ansrily did he venture again to speak.
| II hope to aid you In getting back beside
! the others. where you will be less exposed"
| .'Wiil you take him.
| He is dead" Hampton said soberly.
| ''and can do nothing to aid him. But there
| remains a chance for you to escapes
| Then 1 won't CO." she declared posi-
| lively.
| Hamptons gray eyes looked for a long
4 moment fxedly into her darker ones. while
i the two took mental stock Of each other.
| He realized the utter futility OF any further
| argument. while she felt instinctiyely the
cool. dominating strength Of the man.