Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-04-15
CHAPTER vII-(Continued)

DIeeu giri, ana anyDoOy can see Sne' { crazy about him. Whats the answery' 1 Have you got your eye on her tooY'
 Sure! Do you blame mey' I "No, but she's too good for you. Bet ter stay out" the gambler advised As matter of fact, I don't like her father any better than yon like her iovers"-
 "Weli, it's mutual. can sec Gale hates you like poison"
 -''and don't intend to sec him and his tribe hog all the best ground here abouts."
 ] They've already done it. You can't stop them"
 "Yes. can stop them," said Stark. T want the ground that girl has staked. and I'm going to get It. It lies next to Lees. and it's sure to be rich. Ours Is so far away 1t may not Ee worth the recorders fees. This crfea may be as spotted as coach dog. so don't intend to take any chances"
 She made her locations legally, z said Runnion.
 You leave that to me. When VIII the other boys be hereT'
 Tomorrow morning. l told them 10 follow about four hours behind a:.d not to run in on US till we had finished. They'll camp a few miles down the creek and be in early"
 You couldn't get but three, ehy'
 That's all could find who would agree to give up half"
 Can we count on them?'
 "Huh!" the other grunted. "They worked with me and Soapy Smith on the Skagway trail"
 "Good-flve against three, not count ing the girl and the lieutenant" Stark unused. Well, that will do It." He outlined his plan; then the two re- turned to the cabin to find Lee cook ing supper
 PoleOn had finished several pipes and after supper sat in the shadows fin the open doorway apparently tired and dejected. though his eyes shone like diamonds and roved from one to the other. Half unconsciously he heard Stark saying:
 This girl was about your size, but not so dark. However, you remind me of her in some ways. That's why it puts her in my mind, suppose She was about your age at the time-nine- teen"
 "Oh. I'm not eighteen yet" said Ne cia. i Well. she was fine woman any how, the best that ever set foot in Chandon, ard there was a great deal of talk when she chose young Bennett over the Gaylord man, for Bennett had been running second best from the start, and everybody thought 1t was settled between her and the other one. However. they were married quietly"
 The story did not interest the Cana dian. His mind was in too great agi- tation to care for dead tales. His heart burned within him too fiercely, and he felt too great a desire to put his hands to work. As he watched Burrell and Runnion bend over the table looking at little can of gold dust that Lee had taken from under his bunk his eyes grew red and blood shot beneath his hat brim. Which one of the two would it be? he wondered. From the corner of his eye he saw Gale rise from Lees bed, where he had stretched himself to smoke, and take his six shooter from. his belt, then remove the knotted bandanna from his neck and begin to clean the gun, his head bowed over 1t earnestly, his face In the shadow. He had ever been q careful and methodical man, reflected Poleon, and evidently would not go to sleep with his frearm in bud condition.
 Nobody imagined that Gaylord would cause trouble" Stark was say ing, for he didn't seem to be jeal- ous sort. just stupid and kind of heavy witted. But one night he took advan- tage of Bennett's absence and sneaked up to the house. The story teller paused. and Necia, who was under the spell of his recital, urged him on:
 ASo' yCo w nit udDIeueu then Go on!' But Stark stared gloomily at his hands and held his silence for full minute, the tale appearing to have awakened more than feeting inter- est in him.
 Tt was one of the worst killings that ever happened in those parts," he continued. Bennett came back to find his wife murdered and the kid gone."
 "Oh!' said the girl in a shocked voice.
 "Yes, there was deuce of q time. The town rose up in a body. and we you see, happened to be there-we followed the man for weeks. We trailed him and the kid clear over into the Nevada desert. where we lost them" "He died of thirst fin the desert may be. he and the little one" That's what we thought at the time, but I've crossed his trail since then. No. Gaylord is alive today. and so is i the girl. Some time we'll meet" His l voice gave out. and he stared acain at |