The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-05-16

into the night.
whats wrong? Where is Necia :?
Where is she?" he demanded and at
last seized her roughly, facing her to
the light, but Alluna only blinked owl
ishly at his lantern and shook her
head.
"Gone away" she finally Informed
him and began to weave again in her
despair, but he held her fiercely.
"Where has she gone? When did she
go?" He shook her to quicken her re-
ply.
81 don't know; / don't know. Long
time she's gone now" She trailed off
! into Indian words he could not COM
prehend, SO he pushed past her into
the house to see for himself and with
out knocking flung Necia's door open
and stepped into her chamber Before
he had swept the unfamiliar room with
his eyes he knew that she had indeed
gone, and gone hurriedly, for the signs
of disorder betrayed reckless haste.
when did she go, Alluna? For
Gods sake, what does this mean?" he
cried.
81 don't know. She come and she go,
and dom see her; mebbe three, four
hour ago"
where's Gale? He'll know. He's
gone after her. eh?"
The upward glow of the lantern
heightened the young mans pallor, and
again the squaw broke into her sad
lament.
John Gale-he's gone away with the
knife of my father. l am afraid; am
afraid
did he come back here just now?"
| mo. He went to the Jail house, and
he would not let me follow. He don
come back no more"
This was confusing, and Meade
cried angrily:
"Why didn't you give the alarm?
Why didn't you come to me instead Of
yelling your lungs out around the
| house?'
HE told me to wait" she said sim
ply.
go find Poieon, quickr'
HE told me to wait" she repeated
stoically, and Burrell knew he was
powerless to move her. He saw the
! image of great terror il the woman's
face. The night suddenly became
heavy with the hint of unspeakable
! things. and he grew fearful, suspect
ing now that Gale had told him but a
part of his story, that all the time he
knew Stark's identity and that his
quarry was at hand, ready for the kill,
or. if not. he had learned enough while
standing behind that partition. Where
was he now? Where was Necia
What part did she play in this? He
gave up trying to think and fed for
| Stark's saloon, reasoning that where
one was the other must be near, and
there would surely be some word of
Necia. He burst through the door. 4
quick glance over the place showed if
empty of those he sought; but, spying
Poleon Doret, he dragged him outside,
inquiring breathlessly:
''Have you seen Gale?'
mo"
Have you seen Stark? Has he been
about?
eyes; wan hour, mebbe two, hour
ago. wy? Wat for you ask?"
"Theres the devil to pay Those
two have come together, and Necia is
gone"
"Necia gomez the Canadian jerked
out. wat you mean by dat? Were
she's gone TOT"
81 don't know. Nobody knows
Heaven! I'm shaking like leaf"
bah! She's feel purity bad. She's
20 out by herself. OATS all right"
Il tell you something has happened
to her! There's HI to pay! ] found
her clothes at the house torn to rib
bons and all muddy and wet
Poleon cried out at this.
We've got to find her and Gale, and
/ we haven't minute to lose"
Were have you look?"
give been to the house, but AllCc2
is crazy and says Gale has gone tC
kill Stark, as near as | can make out
Both of them were at my quarters
tonight. and I'm afraid the squaw i.
right
| buI w ere 10 NCI1I!
eve don't know. Maybe Stark has
got her"
The Frenchman cursed horribly
"Have you try hees cabane?
mo"
Without answer the FrenchmGE
darted away. and the lieutenant spec
after him through the deserted row
Of log houses.
Burrell gripped his companions am
with fingers of steel, and togethoi
they crept up to the door. But eve.
before they had gained it they heart
voice within. 1t was Stark's. The
walls of the house were Of mos
chinked logs that deadened ever.
sound, but the door itself was of Till
whipsawed pine boards with ample
cracks at top and bottom, and the!
heard plainly. The lieutenant Leaned
Il