Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-05-04

"Cbmc hcrer'
an be with you when | finish this
hand" said the pidyet over his shoul-
der.
"Come hereG' Stark snapped his COM
mand, and Runnion threw down his
cards.
Drawing the reluctant gambler aside,
Stark began to talk rapidly TO him,
almost within carSlOt Of pulcon, who
watched them, Idly wondering what
Stark had 10 say that could make Run,
MON start and net 50 quccrly. Welt.
II was their affair. They made bad
pair TO draw TO. He knew that Run
Mon was the saloon Keepers lIeuten.
ant and obeyed implicitly his seniors
, commands. lie could distinguish moth
ing they said, nor was he Mt all curl.
Gus until knot OF noisy men crowded
up TO the bar and, forcing the two
back nearer TO the table where he sat,
his sharp ears caught these words
from Runnlons lips:
mot with me! She'd never go with
me!' And Stark's reply:
"SheM go where send her and with
anybody tell her to-"
The Frenchman lost what followed,
for newly dealt hand required study.
lie scanned his cards and tossed them
face up before the dealer; then he
overheard Runnlon say:
ITS the only one In camp. He
might sell It II you offered him
enough" At this Stark called one OF
the men at the bar aside, and the
three began TO decker.
mot a cent less" the third man an.
nounced loudly. There amt another
Peterborough In town. .-.
Going outside. RunnIon said again to
Stark:
"She won't go with me. Ben. She
don't like me. You see, made love
to her, and she got mad and wanted
me killed"
shell never know who you are un-
~ It's too lhte to tprn bnck." said the
other, and you are the only man l
can trust to take her through. l can
trust you. You owe me too much to
be crooked"
"Oh. I'll act square with you! But,
look here, what's all this about any
how? Why do you want that girl?
You said you didn't care for her that
way. You told me so yourself. Any
way, Amt the safest kind Of chap.
eron for good looking girl"
Stark laid cold hand on Runnion's
shoulder close up to his neck.
"Never mind what l said. She's
mine. and you've got TO promise TO be
strnlght with her. I've trusted you be-
fore, and II you're not on the level
now say so. Il will save you lot OF
trouble"
"Oh, all right" exclaimed RunnIon
testify. only It looks mighty queer"
lie melted into the darkness, and
Stark returned TO his cabin, where he
paced back ard forth impatiently, smIl.
Ing eyilly now and then, consulting his
watch at frequent Intervals. A black
look had begun TO settle on his face,
but It vanished when Necla came. and
he met her with n smile.
81 was afraid you had weakened -
he said Everything Is ready an,,
waiting. rye got the only canoe In the
place. n Peterborough. and hired .
good oarsman TO put you through. In
structing him TO make rs fast time rs
he can and to board the first steamer
that overtakes you. Too bad this
| frelghtcr that Just got In isn't going
the other way. However, there's liable
to be another any hour. and II one
doesn't come along you'll find enough
blankets and food In the skin. so you
needn't go ashore. You'li be there be-
fore you know It."
| Then he led her out into the dark
ness, and they stumbled down to the
rivers bank. descending to the gravelly
waters edge, where rows OF clumsy
hand sawed boats and polling skin,
were chatting ut their painters. The
up river steamer was just clearing.
Stnrk's low whistle was answered q
hundred yards below. and they search
ed out darker blot that proved to b,
u mans figure. ...s
"Is everything readyy" he inquired
ut which the shadow gr,inted unlntel
| llglbly. So, holding Nicola by the arm
Stark helped her back to seat In III,
stern.
This man will take you through.
lie said. you can trust him all right.
The oarsman clambered in and ad
Justed his sweeps; then Stark laid I
hand on the Prov and showed the ligh
boat out Into the current. calling softly
"Goodby and good luckw
"Goodby, Mr., Stark. Thank you eve
so much" the girl replied, too numl
and worn out TO say much or to motto,
or care whittier she was bound or VIII,
was her boatman. She had been swep
along too swiftly to reason or fear 70
herself any more.
Stark did not return to his cabin, bu
went back instead to his saloon, wher,
he saw Poleon Doret stlll sprawlinJ
with elbows on the table, his hat pulled
low above his sullen face, Stark theI
went out and down toward the bar