The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-12-12

80 "
was hard to tell. The trader paid nc
heed to himself nor to the %intruders.
allowing Burrell to push him back
against the wall, the breath wheeling
In and out Of his lungs. his eyes fas-
tened on Stark.
Il got you, Bennett!' he cried
hoarsely. "Your magic is 10 good"
His teeth showed through his grizzled
muzzle like the fangs of some wild
animal.
Bennett, or Stark, rs the others
knew him, lunged about with his cap
tor, trying to get at his enemy and
crying curses on them all, but he was
like a child in Poleon's arms. Grad
ually he weakened, and suddenly re-
s~istance died out of him.
"Come away from here" the lieuten-
ant ordered Gale.
But the old man did not hear and
gathered himself as If to resume the
battle with his bare hands, whereupon
the soldier, finding himself shaking
like a frightened child and growing
physically weak at what he saw,
doubted his ability to prevent the
counter and repeated bis command.
"Come away!' ne shouted. But the
words sounded foolishly fiat and
lnane.
Then Stark spoke intelligibly for the
first time.
ARREST him! You've got to believe
what l told you now, Burrell." He
poured forth a stream of u~nspeakable
profanity, smitten by the bitter knowl-
edge of his first and only defeat.
you'll hang, Gaylord! I'll see your
neck stretchedw To Poleon he painted
excitedly: II followed him for fifteen
years, Doret. He killed my wifev"
"Dat's id lier' said the French
man.
mo, 1t isn't. He's under indictment
for it back In California. He shot her
down In cold blood, then ran Off with
my kid. That's her he calls Necia.
She's mine Amt ] right. lieutenant"
AT this final desperate effort to fix
the crime upon his rival Burrell turn
ed on him with loathing.
ITS no use, Stark. We heard you
say she killed herself. We were stand
ing outside the door, both Of us, and
got it from your own lips"
Until this moment the man had
stood on his W feet, but now he
began to sag, seeing which Poleors
supported him to the bed, where he
sank weakly, collapsing in every joint
and muscle.
TITS a job" he snarled. You put
this up, you three, and came here to
gang me-" An unnatural shudder con
vulsed him as his wounds bit at him,
and her he f1ared up viciously. But
I'll beat you all. I've got the girl.
I've got her."
"Necia!' cried Burrell, suddenly re-
Numbering, for this ARRAY had driven
! all else from his mind.
Stark crouched on the edge Of his
bunk, a CHASTITY gray grfnning thing.
One weapon still remained to him, and
he used 1t.
eyes, I've got my daughter"
"Where is she p demanded the trad
er hoarsely. "Where's my girl?"
The gambler chuckled. An agony
seized him till he ~hiccoughed and stran-
gled. Then, as the spell passed, he
laughed again.
"She's got you in her head, like the
mother had, but I'll drive 1t out. I'll
treat her like l did her,"
Gale uttered q terrible cry and
moved upon him, but Burrell Shout
dered the trader aside, himself pos
sessed by a cold fury that intensified
his strength tenfold.
"Stop it, Gale. Let me attend to
this. I'll make him tell"
ooh, will your" Knocked the girls
father.
where is sheY'
"None of your ID b~usiness!" Again
he was seized with a paroxysm that
left him shivering and his lips color
less. The blankets were soaked and
soggy with BLOOD, and his feet rested
In a red pool.
"Ben Stark" said the tortured lover.
you're u sick man, and you'll be gone
In half an hour ct this rata Won't
you do II decent thing before you
die?'
bah! Pm all right"
"Tn get you a doctor if you'll tell
US where she is. If you don't I1l-let
you die. For Gods sake, man, speak
up~
The wounded man strove to rise, but
could not, then considered for a mo-
ment before he said:
II sent her away"
"Where?"
up river on that freighter that left
last night. She'll go out by Skagway,
and I'll join her later, where I can
have her to myself. She's forty miles
up river TO- and getting farther every
minute. oh, you can't catch her"
The three men stared at N another
blankly.
"Why did she go?' said Gale duly.
Because I told her who she was
Ind who you are; because she thinks
you killed her mother; because she
was glad to get away" Now that he
was grown too weak to infict violent
pain the man lied ~malevolently, gloat-