Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-02


longs to me-"
| You said just now
Never mind what 1 said. She's mine.
and you've got TO promise to be straight
with her. I've trusted you before, and II
you're not on the level now. say so. 1t
will save you a lot of trouble"
/ "Oh! All right" exclaimed Runnion,
testify. only il looks mighty queer"
] He melted into the darkness and Stark
returned to his cabin. where he paced
back and forth impatiently, smiling evilly
now and then, consulting his watch at
frequent intervals. A black look had be-
| gun to settle on his face. but 1t vanished
when Necia came, and he met her with a
smile.
Il was afraid you had weakened" he
said. Everything is ready and waiting.
I've got the only canoe in the place, a
| Peterborough, and hired a good oarsman
, to put you through, instructing him to
make as fast time as he can. and to board
/ the first steamer that overtakes you Too
bad this freighter that just got in isn't
! going the other way. However, there's
liable to be another any hour, and If one
doesn't come along you'll find enough
blankets and food in the skiff, so you
needn't go ashore. You'll be there before
| you know it."
You are very kind" said the girl. II
]
ed in her simple everyday dress. and
| looked again the sun-colored half-breed
/ girl with the wide. dark eyes and the
! twin braids of crow-black hair.
You didn't run into anybody. eh?"
/ She shook her head Then he led her
out into the darkness, and they stumbled
down to the rivers bank, descending to
/ the gravelly waters edge, where rows
/ OF clumsy hand-sawed boats and polling
81 oh, ~.
up-river steamer was just clearing
Stark's low whistle was answered a
hundred yards below, and they searched
out darker blot that proved to be a
mans figure.
! rs everything ready?' he inquired at
which the shadow grunted unintelligibly.
So, holding Necia by the arm, Stark help
ed her back to a seat in the stern.
This man will take you through" he
said You can trust him, all right"
The Oarsman clambered in and adjusted
, his sweeps, then Stark laid a hand on
( the prov and showed the light boat out
into the current, calling softly:
Goodbye, and good luck"
Goodbye, Mr.. Stark. Thank you ever
so much" the girl replied, too numb and
worn out to say much, or to notice or care
/ whittier she was bound or who was her
/ bOatman. She had been swept along too
/ swiftly to reason or fear for herself any
more.
Half an hour later the scattered lights
/ Of the little camp winked and twinkled
I for the last time. Turning she set her
face forward, and, adjusting the cushions
TO her comfort, strained her tired eyes
towards the rising and falling shadow of
her bOatman. She seemed borne along on
a mystic river of gloom that Kissed and
/ gurgled about her, invisible but all-per-
vading, irresistible, monstrous, only the
ceaseless, mOnotonous creak of the row.
locks breaking the silence.
Stark did not return to his cabin, but
went back instead to his saloon, where
he saw POleOn Doret still sprawling with
I elbows on the table, his hat pulled low
above his sullen face. The owner of the
place passed behind the bar and poured
/ himself fun glass of whisky, which he
] tossed OF, then, without look to right or
/ left, went out and down towards the bar
racks. A light behind the drawn curtains
/ of the officers house told that
his y man was not abed, but he
| waited a long moment after his
( summons before the door was opened.
| during which he heard the occupant
moving about and another door close
/ in the rear. When he was allowed en-
trance at last he found the young man
| alone in a smoke-filled room with a
/ bottle and two empty glasses on the la
BILE
For at the sound of his voice Gale had
/ whispered to Burrell, Keep him out!'
and the Lieutenant had decided to re-
/ fuse his late visitor admittance when
/ he lighted on the expedient of conceal
| ing the trader in the bedroom at the
! rear. 1t was only natural, he reasoned,
/ that Gale should dislike to face man
/ he bod frad hfc
composure.
Go in there and wait till I see what
he wants." he had said, and, shutting
the old man in. he had gone forth to
admit Stark, resenting his ill-timed intru-
sion and inquiring brusqueIy the cause
of it.
/ Before answering Stark entered and
/ closed the door behind him.
I've got some work for you, Lieuten-
ant"
Il guess it can wait till morning"
said Meade.
mo. it can't; it's got to be done to-
/ night, right now! You represent the law,
/ or at least you've taken every occasion
| to so declare yourself, and to mix in with
/ little things that don't cut much figure;
! so now I've come to you with something
big. It's a serious affair, and being as
/ I'm a peaceful man 1 want to go by the
4 law his eyes HOCheu lne WORDS ne
/ uttered. You're mighty prompt and de-
| termined when it comes to regulating
| such affairs. You seem to carry the
/ weight of this whole community on your
shoulders. so I'm here to give you some
! information"
Burrell ignored the taunt. and said,
/. quietly: IT'S a little late for polite
/ conversation. Come to the point"
| I've got a criminal for you"
What kind?"
/ Murderer"
You've had a killing in your place,
F, eh?'
mo, I've just made a discovery.
/ found il all out by accident, too-pure
! accident. BY heaven, You can't tell me
there isn't a benefcent Providence over
looking our affairs. Why, this felon has
| lived here among us all this time. and
only for the merest chance l never
would have recognized him"
We'll well! Go on" snapped Burrell,
Z impatiently.
He's a friend of yours. and a highly
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