Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-04-30
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BY EEK BEACH
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 shoulders with an air of polite skep. ticlsm. he assumed tone of good na- tured raillery.
 Fifteen years? Murder? John Gale murderer? Why. that's almost pardon me if smile-l'm getting sleepy. What proof have youT"
 "Proof!' blazed the gambler. Proof! Ask Gaylord. Proof. Why. the wo- man he murdered was my wifer'
 IL was Burrell's turn now to fall in- coherent. and moi only did his speed h forsake him. but his thoughts went maGly veering off into wilderness where there was no trail. no light. no hope. What frightful bones were these he barred? This man was Ben nett! This was Necin's father. He raised pair of eyes that had become furious and bloodshot and suddenly realized that the man before him. who persisted in saddling upon Cafe this heinous crime. was the slayer of Ne cia's mother, for he did not doubt Gales story for m instant. He found his fingers writhing to feel the crea- rure's throat
 Proof. Stark was growing. How much proof do you need? I've fol- owed him for fifteen years. I've tracked him with men and dogs through woods and deserts and mining camps I've slept on his trail for 5000 miles. and now dc you think Tir mistaken? He killed my wife, say. and robbed me of my little girl! That's her in his house. That's her he calls Necia. She's my girl--my girl, do you understand ?--and I'll have his life"
 Durrcll had no inkling yet of the fathers well shaped plans nor how farreaching they were and could bare iy stammer:
 "So! You-you knowr'
 "Yes! She wears the evidence around her neck, and If that isn't enough can furnish more--evidence enough to smother you. My name isn't Stark at all. 1 changed it years ago for certain reasons. I've changed 1t more than once, but that's my priv ilege and my own affair. Her name Is Merridy Bennett"
 T don't suppose you know I'm go- ing to marry herr said the Kentuck- ian irrelevantly.
 No" replied the other; "I wasn't aware of the fact"
 "Wef, I am. I'll be your son-in- law"
 There's a lot of things, Burrell, for yUI and me to settle up first. For one thing, l want those mines of hers. Tn 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- ble, so he continued:
 1 well adjust that after Gale is at tended to. But meanwhile what do you want me to do?"
 q want you to arrest the man who killed my wife. If you don't take him the miners will. I've got following in this camp, and I'll raise a crowd in fifteen minutes-enough to hang this squaw man or batter down your bar racks to get him. But don't want to do that. want to go by the law you've talked so much about. I want you to do the trick"
 At last Burrell saw the gamblers deviltry. He knew Stark's reputation too well to think that he feared a meeting with Gale. Stark had plan red his settlement coldly and with de liberate malice. Moreover, he was strong enough to stand aside and let another take his place and thus deny to Gale the final recourse of a hunted beast, the desperate satisfaction that the trader craved. He tied his ene- my's hands and delivered him up with his thirst unsa tisfied-to whom? He thrust 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 a soldiers duty If it meant the blood of a parent. If 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 it impos- sible, the lieutenant wondered, to move this man from his purpose?
 Have you thought Of Necia2 She loves Gale. What effect vii this have on herr"
 "D-n her! She's more his brat than mine. l want John Gaylordw
 At this vicious fre-zy overlook Burrell, and he thought cf the man be- hind wonder door, whom he had for gotten. Well, why not? These two men had stalked each other clear. into the farthest places, driven by forces that were older than the hills. Who was he to stand between such pas sions?
 The gamblers words rang in his ears-"I want John Gaylord"-and be- fore he knew what he was doing he