, 1908-10-15
Hampton of Placer

fvely to his hip, but attempted no
more. Hampton's ready weapon was
thrusting its muzzle into the astound-
ed face, and the gray eyes cleaning
along the polished barrel held the fell
low m~otionless.
Hands up! Not a move, Murphy!
l have the drop!" The voice was low,
but stern, n the old frontiersman
obeyed mechanically, although his
scanned face was fairly distorted with
rage.
You! Damn you'll thought 1
knew-the voice"
Yes, l am here all right. Rather
odd place for US to meet, isn't it? But,
you see, you've had the advantage all
these years.; you knew whom you
were running away from, while l was
compelled to plod along in the dark.
But I've caught up just the same, II 1t
has been a long race"
What 10 ye-want me fer?" The
look in the face was cunning.
Hold your hands quiet-higher,
you fool! That's it. Now, don't play
with me. l honestly didn't know for
certain / did want you, Murphy, when
/ first started out on this trip. l
merely suspected that l might, from
some things l had been told. When
somebody took the liberty of slashing
at my back in a poker-room at Glen
cs;c. and drove the knife into Slavin
by mistake. l CHANGED to catch a
glimpse Of the hand on the hilt, and
there was a scar on it. About is
years before, l was acting as officer of
b guard n night al Bethune. 1t
was q bright starlit night, you remem-
Der, and Just as ! turned the corner of
b old powder-house there came a
sudden fash, a report, a sharp cry. |
sprang forward only to fall headlong
over a dead body; but In that flash |
had e e he hand grasping the re-
volver, and there was a seal on the
back Of 1t, a very peculiar scar. 1t
CHANGED l had hi evening previous
slightly quarreled with the officer who
was killed; / was the only person
known to be near at the time h. was
shot; certain other circumstantial evil
dence was dug up, while Slavin and
q other-no, 1t was not you-gave
some damaging, manufactured testi-
mony against me. AS a result ! was
held guilty of murder in the second
degree, dismissed from the army in
disgrace, and sentenced to ten years
imprisonment. So, you see, 1t was not
exactly o ! have been hunting,
hurphy,-it was a scar"
Murphy's face was distorted into a
hideous grin.
Il notice you bear exactly that kind
of u scar, my man, and you spoke last
night as If o had some recollection
Of the case"
The hooking grin expanded; into
the husky voice crept a snarl of de
tance, for @ Murphy's courage had
come back-he was fronting flesh and
blood. "oh, stop preachin'-an' shoot
an be damned ter vel"
You do me a grave injustice, Muir
ply. Your slashing at me down in
Glencaid hasn't left so much as a
sting behind. It's completely blotted
out, forgotten. l haven't the slightest
desire to kill you, man; but l do want
to clear my name Of the stain of that
crime. want you to tell the whole
truth about that nights work at Be.
thune, and when you have done so.
you can go. I'll never lay a finger on
you; you a go where you please"
"Bah!-ye amt got no proof-agin
me-sides, the case is closed-it cant
be opened agin-by law"
You devil! I'd be perfectly justi.
fed in killing YOU" exclaimed Hamp.
ton, savagely.
Murphy stared at him stupidity. the
cunning Of incipient insanity in his
En- whar-do ye expect-me
ter say-all this. pervidin', oil course
wus fule 'nough-ter do it,"
up yonder before Custer and the
officers Of the Seventh. when We get