The Holly chieftain., 1909-06-11
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1ussCN AucW uc luuSt gum Time TOT
thought One false step might ruin
all. He could not face this ON the
spur OF the moment; so. struggling his
shoulders with an air of polite skep-
ticism. he assumed tone Of good ma.
tured raillery.
"Fifteen years? Murder? John Gale
. murderer Why. that's almost
pardon me II smiIe-I'm getting
sleepy. What proof have your
"ProOf"' bIazed the gambler. Proof!
Ask Gaylsrd. Proof! Why. the wo-
nan he murdered was my wifer'
It was Burrell's turn now to fall In
coherent, and not only did his speech
forsake him. but his thoughts went
madly veering OF into wilderness
where there was no trail. no light. no
hope. What frIghtful bones were>
these he barred? This man was Ren-
netti This was Necia's father! He
ratsed q pair Of eyes that had become
furious and bloodshot and suddenly
realized that the man before him. who
persisted in saddling upon Gale this
heinous crime. was the slayer Of Ne
Gales story for an instant He found
his fingers writhing to feel the crea-
ture's throat.
proof" Stark was growing. How
much proof do you need? I've fol-
Awed him for fifteen years I've
tracked him with men and dogs
shroagh woods and deserts and mIning
camps. I've slept on his trail for
6Oo0 miles. and now do you think I'm
mistaken1 He killed my wife, say.
and robbed me Of my little girl! That's
her in his house That's her he calls
Necia. Shes my girl-my girl, do you
understand land I'll have his life"
Burrcll had no inkling yet Of the
fathers well shaped plans nor how
farreaching they were and could bare
y stammer:
$50! You-you know?"
"Yes! She wears the evidence
around her neck, and IL that isn't
enough can furnish more-evidence
enough to smother you. My name
isn't Stark at ALL changed 1t years
ago for certain reasons. I've changed
It more than once, but that's my priv
ilege and my own affair. Her name is
Merridy Bennett"
Il don't suppose You know I'm go
ing to marry herr" said the Kentuck-
ian irrelevantly.
NO" replied the other; II wasn't
aware OF the fact"
'Well. / am. I'll be your son-in-
law"
There's lot of things. Burrell, for
you and me to settle up first. For one
thing. want those mines Of hers.
I'm her father, and she's not of age.
I'll take them anyway as her next Of
kin"
Burrell did not follow up this state
ment. for its truth was incontroverti-
BILE, so he continued:
"We'll adjust that after Gale Is at
tended to. But meanwhile what do
You want me to do?"
II want you to arrest the man who
killed my wife. II you don't take him
the miners will. I've got following
IN this camp. and I'll raise crowd in
6fteen minutes enough to hang this
eQuaw man or batter down your bar
racks to get him. But don't want to
Do that want to 60 by the law
you'vs talked 30 much about. l want
yea to do the trick"
At last Burrell saw the gamblers
esviltry. He knew starks reputation
TO well to think that he feared a
meeting with Gale. Stark had plan
ned his settlement coldly and with de-
liherate malice. Moreover, he was
strong enough to stand aside and let
another take his place and thus deny
to Gale the final recourse of hunted
beast, the desperate satisfaction that
the trader craved. he tied his enc
my's hands and delivered him up with
his thirst unsatisfied-to whom? He
thrust q weapon into the hand Of his
other enemy and bade this other enc.
my use it-worse than that, forced
him to strike the man he honored,
the man he loved. Burrell never
doubted that Stark had carefully
weighed the effect Of this upon Necia
and had reasoned that girl like her
could not understand soldiers duty
II It meant the blood of parent. II
he refused to act the gambler could
break him. while every effort he made
to protect Gale would but increase the
others satisfaction. There was no
chance Of the traders escape. Stark
held him In his hand. Was 1t impos-
sible. the lieutenant wondered, to
move this man from lis purpose2