Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-22

| this black night. fighting In defense of
| her most sacred self this girls nature
had been stripped to its purely savage
elements. AS Glenister had predicted,
Helen at last had felt and yielded to
irresistibly powerful impulse.
CHANGING backward at the creature
sprawled by the door. Helen went to
her brother. put her arms about his
neck. and kissed him.
"Hc's dead?'' tie Kid asked her.
She nodded and tried to speak, but
began to SILVER and sob instead
| unlock the door" he begged her.
"I'm hurt, aud must get in
When the Kid had hobbled into the
room she pressed him to her and strok-
I'd his matted head regardless of bis
muddy, sonking garments.
II must look at him. He may not be
badly hurt said the Kid.
Don't touch him!' She followed,
nevertheless, and stood near by while
her brother examined his victim.
Strive was breathing, and, discover
ing this. the others lifted him with diff
| ficulty to the couch.
Something cracked in here-ribs, l
| guess" the Kid remarked, gasping and
feeling his own side He was weak
1 and pale, and the girl led him into the
bunkroom where he could lie down.
| Only his wonderful determination had
sustained him thus far, and now the
knowledge of his helplessness served
| l.. IInl
i The Kid would not hear of her go
ing for help till the storm abated or
daylight came, insisting that the trails
were too treacherous and that no time
could be saved by doing SO. Thus they
waited for the dawn. At last they
heard the wounded man family call
ing. He spoke to Helen hoarsely.
tones:
81 said this was my madness-and l
got what | deserved, but I'm going to
die. o Goblin going to die, and I'm
afraid" He moaned till the Bronco
Kid hobbled In, glazing with unquench-
ed hatred.
Eyes, you're going to die, and did
It. Be game, can't you? l sha'n't let
her go for help until daylight"
Helen forced her brother back to his
couch, and returned to help the wound
ed man, who grew incoherent and be-
gan to babble.
A little later, when the Kid seemed
/ stronger and his head clearer Helen
| ventured to tell him of their uncle's
! villainy and of the proof she held, with
4 her hope Of restoring justice. She told
him of the attack planned that very
| night and of the danger which threat
ened the miners. He questioned her
closely and, realizing the bearing Of
her story, crept to the door, casting
the wind like hound.
"We'll have to risk it," said he.
The wind is almost gone and It's not
long till daylight"
She pleaded to go alone, but he was
firm. "I'll never leave you again, and,
moreover, I know the lower trail
quite well. Well go down the gulch
| to the valley and reach town that
way. It's farther, but it's not SO
dangerous"
"You can't ride" she insisted.
II can if you'll tie me into the sad
die Come, get the horses
1t was still pitchy dark and the rain
| was pouring, but the wind only sighed
weakly, as though tired by it's vio-
lence, when she helped the Bronco into
| his saddle. The effort wrenched a
groan from him, but he insisted upon
her tying his feet beneath the horses
belly, saying that the trail was rough
| and he could take no chance Of fall
ing again; so. having performed the
| last services she might for Strive, she
| mounted her own animal and allowed
1t to pick it's way down the steep de-
scent behind her brother, who swayed
and lurched druhkenly in his seat,
gripping the horn before him with
both hands.
They had been gone perhaps half
hour when another horse plunged furi-
ously out of the darkness and halted
before the roadhouse door. Its rider,
! mud stained and disheveled, flung
himself in mad haste to the ground
and bolted in through the door. He
saw the signs of confusion in the out
er room, chairs upset and broken, the
table wedged against the stove and be-
fore the counter q shattered lamp i'll
a pool of oil. He called loudly, but,
receiving no answer, snatched a light
which he found burning and ran to
the door at his left. Nothing greeted
him but the empty tiers of hunks.
| Turning, he crossed to the other side
and burst through. Another lamp was
lighted beside the couch where Strive
i lay, breathing heavily, his lids half
closed over his staring eyes. Roy
noted the pool Of blood at his feet and
the broken window: then, setting down
his lamp. he leaned over the man and
spoke to him.
When he received no answer he
spoke again loudly Then, in frenzy,
| Glenister shook the wou:sled man
cruelty, SO that he cried out in terror:
I'm dying-oh, I'm dying" Roy
raised the sick man up and thrust his
own face before his eyes.
| ''This is Glenister I've come for
Helen-where is she?" A spark of
recognition f1ickered into the dull stare.
You're too late--I'm dying-and Pm
| afraid"