The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-04-11
BLACK Bear creek, said the soldier
.urtly, at which Runnion broke into

that instant Necia showed her laugh
ing face under his arm, while the
trader uttered her name in amaze.
ment.
Lunch is ready" she said. We've
been expecting you fer quite awhile"
"Ba gar! OATS funny ting Col
sure" said PoleoE. ''Who tor you
bout dis strike, eh?'
Mother l made her." the girl an
swered.
stake off your packs and come in
Burrell invited. but Stark strobe for
| ward.
Hold on a minute. This don't look
good to me. You say your mother told
you. l suppose you're Old Man Gales
other daughter. eh!''
| Necia nodded.
what time of day was it when you
learned about this?"
"Cut that outv' roughly INTERCEPTED
Gale. do you think double crossed
your
| The other turned upon him.
| cit looks that way. and intend to
find out. You said yesterday you
hadn't told anybody"
! 81 didn't think about the woman"
said the trader. trife disconnected,
whereupon Runnion gave vent to an
ironical sneer.
"But here's your girl and this man
ahead of us. suppose there's others
on the way too"
"Nonsensev' Burrell cut in
81 call it sleek work" chuckled the
| Canadian, slipping out of his straps.
de mex tam | so stampedin' | 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 Runnion 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
Starks face frequently. and once the
blood left his cheeks and his eyes
blazed as he observed the gambler
boldly eying Necia.
you are mighty good looking girl
for blood" remarked Stark at last
"Thank YOU" she replied simply, and
the soldiers dislike of the man crystal
lized into hate on the instant. There
| was tone back of his words that
seemed aimed at the trader, Meade
thought, but Gale showed no sign Of
it, 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 their agreement, the trad
er staked first, followed by Poleon and
Stark, thus throwing Runnion's claim
more than a mile distant from Lees
discovery. From here they went up
the creek to find the girls other lOca
lions. one on each branch, at which
Stark sneeringly remarked that she
had pre-empted enough ground for a
full grown white woman.
RunniOn's displeasure was even more
open, and he fell into foul mOuthed
mutterings, addressing himself to Po-
leon and Stark while the trader was
out of earshot.
This affair don't smell right, and
still think it's frame-up."
"Bahw 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 PO-
leon, his voice as soft as a woman's.
II toP you dat l know all bout dis
Black Bear creek too. You member,
Ell? WAL, mebbe you tink I'm traitor
too? Wat? wy don you spik out?''
The three of them were alone. and
only the sound of Gales ak came to
them, but at the light in 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 SO bitter in his mouth
that he must have It out. SO when
addressed himself to Stark loud enough
for PoleOn to hear.
THAT lieutenant is more of man
than l thought he was
"How 500" inquired the older man.
"We1l, it takes nerve to steal girl
for one night and then face the ia
Their, but the old man dol't seem to
mind it any more than she does. l
guess he knows what it means. all
right"
Stark laughed raucously.
That's probably how Gale got his
suuaw,' concluded Runnion. with
sheer.
1t seemed a full minute before the
Frenchman gave sign that he had
heard; then q strange cry broke from
his throat. and he began to tremble as
if with cold. He was no longer the
singer of songs CT the man who was
forever a boy. The hooking anger of
moment ago was gone. In its place