Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-25
profanity

ing mce under his asm, while the
trader uttered her name in anazo-
menG
Lunch IL ready" she said. We've
been expecting you for quite awhile"
"Ba garl OATS funny ting 10,
sure" said Po,eon. "who toi' you
bout dis strike, ehs"
Mother. l made her," the girl nm.
swered.
"Take of your packs and come in
Burrcll invited, but Stark strobe for
ward.
Hold on a minute. This don't loot
good to me. You say your mother told
you. suppose you're Old Man Gales
other daug hter, ehT
Necia nodded.
"What time of day was 1t when you
learned about this?"
"Cut that out!'' roughly INTERCEPTED
Gale. do you think | double crossed
you?"
The other turned upon him
ut looks that way. and | intend to
find out. You said yesterday you
hadn't told anybody"
81 didn't think about tho woman"
said the trader, a trifle disconnected.
w%hereupoD Runnion gave rent to an
ironical sheer.
"But here's your girl and this man
ahead of US. | suppose there's others
on the way too"
"Nonsense.' Burrell cut In.
VI call 1t sleeck work. chueklcd the
Canadian, slipping out Of his straps.
"De mex tam ! go sta npedin' I TAX
you long, Necia."
"Me, too" said Lee. And now I'm
goin' to tear into some Of them beans
I smell a-bilin' in yonder,"
The others followed. although Stark
and Runnlon looked black and had lit
tie to say. 1t was an uncomfortable
meal. Every one was i'll at ease. Gale
in particular was quiet and ate less
than any Of them. His eyes sought
Stark's face frequently. and nee the
blood left his cheeks and his eycs
blazed as he observed the gambler
boldly eying Necia.
you are a mighty good looking girl
for u blood" remarked Starr at last.
"Thank you" she replied simply, and
the soldiers dislike OF the man crystal
lized into hate on the instant. There
was a tone back ~ his words that
seemed aimed at the trader, Meade
thought, but Gale showed no sign of
II. SO the meal was finished In silence.
after which the five belated prospect
ors went out to make their locations.
for the fear OF interruption was upon
them now.
First they went downstream, and,
according to neir agreement, the trad
ell staked arst. followed by poleon and
Stark, thus throwing Runnion's claim
more than a mile distant from Leo's
discovery. From here they e up
the crock to rn'l The girls other loca-
tons. n on zach branch, at which
S'A-ls s,Aeringly remarked that she
a pre.empted enough ground for a
full grown white
RuEniOn's ~displeasure was even more
open, and he fell into foul mouthed
mutteringr. addressing himself to Po
leon and Stark while the trader was
out of earshot.
This affair don't smell right and I
still think it's a frame-up."
"Bahr' exclaimed Doret.
1.-The old man sent the girl on ahead
Of us to blanket all the good ground.
That's what he did!'
Wait wan minnit," interrupted Pc.
leon, his voice as soft as a woman's.
II toll you dat l know all bout dis
Black Bear creek too. You member,
eh? Waal, mebbe you t'ink Pun traitor
too? Wat? wy dom you spik outT'
The three OF them were alone, and
only the sound of Gales az came to
them, but at the light i'll the Cana
dams face Runnion hastily disclaimed
any such thought on his part and
Stark shrugged his denial.
There are men quite devoid Of the
ability to read the human face, and
Runnion was Of this species. More
over. malice was 80 bitter in his mouth
that he must have It out So whnn
they paused to blaze the next stake he
addressed himself to STARK loud enough
for Poleon to hear.
THAT lieutenant Is more of q man
than l thought he was"
How SOL" inquired the older man.
well 1t takes nerve to steal a girl
for one night and then face the ia
ther, but the old man don't seem to
mind 1t any more than she does. l
guess he knows what It means, all
right"
Stark laughed r~aucously.
That's probably bow Gale got his
squaw," concluded Runnion, with q
sheer.
1t seemed a full minute before the
Frenchman gave sign that he had
heard; then a strange cry broke from
his throat, and he began TO tremble a.
II with cold. Ho was no longer tn
singer Of songs or the man who wa.
forever a boy. The hooking anger Of
a moment ago was gone. In its place
was a consuming fury that sucked the
blood from beneath his tan, leaving
him the pallor OF ashes. while his
mouth twitched and his head rolled
slightly from side to side like a pnlsied
old mans. But evidently Poleon meant
no violence. for he allowed the passion
to run from him freely until 1t had
spent It's vigor, then said to Runnion:
Somebody goin' die for wat you say
JUS now. Mebbe it's goin' be you,
n'sieu; mebbe It's goir' to be him. l
rant tell yet. but I'm hope an pray