The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-02-07

night, certain that the vigilantes wovia
founded at news of the battle at the
Midas and Of Glenister's success. He
stormed and cursed his men as cow
ards. The judge became greatly exer-
cised over this new development.
which, coupled with his night of long
anxiety, reduced him to a pitiful hys-
terra.
They'll blow us up next Great
heavens! Dynamite! Oh, that is bar
barous. For heavens sake, get the SOL
diers out, Alec"
GAY, we can use them now" There
upon Mcnamara reused the command
ing officer at the post and requested
him to accouter troop and have them
ready to march at daylight, then be-
stirred the judge to start the wheels of
his court and invoke this military aid
in regular fashion.
snake it all matter Of record" he
said. 1--WE want to keep our skirts
clear from now on"
"But the townspeople are against
u.s." quavered Stillman. They'll tear
us to pieces"
'Let 'em try. Once l get my hand
on the ringleader, 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 Strive, having gone with
her, must also be 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, Selling 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
decipher 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 1t drew his re-
volver and laid it before him just in
side the safe door and close beneath
his hand, continuing to run through
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 establishment was so
genuine that he leaped to his feet.
faced about, and prompted by 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 dam
gerous, yes, fatal second to open it,
The two men stared at each other
for time, silent and malignant, their
glances meeting like blades; in the old
err mans face look of defiance, in the
younger's a logged and grim purposed
enmity. McNamara's first perturba-
ton left him calm, alert, dangerous,
whereas the continued contemplation
OF his enemy worked in Glenister 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
stubblc, 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
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.
II have come for the last act, Nc
Namara. Now we'll have 1t out man
to man."
The politician shrugged his shoulders.
you have the drop on me. l am I'M
armed" At which the miners face
lighted fierceiy and he chuckled.
"Ah, that's almost too good to be
true. / have dreamed about such n
thing and have been hungry to feel
your throat since the first time l saw
you. It's grown on me till shooting
wouldn't satisfy me. Ever had the
feeling? Well, I'm going to choke the
life out of you with my bare hands,"
Mcnamara squared himself.
II wouldn't advise you to try 1t. 1
have lived longer than you, and was
never beaten, but I know the feenns
you speak about. / have 1t 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 II IL came to physical test in
these cramped quarters his own great
weight would more than Offset any SUI
perior agility the miner might possess.