Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-01
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
AND 4 KNOT TIaHTENED.
DAY Of shattered hopes 10 q
desoaats thing, but the night
- Of such a day is desolate In.
deed. In all his life Poleon
poret had never sunk to such depths
Of dependency, for his optimistic
philosophy and his buoyant faith in
the, goodness Of life forbade It. Tho
arrival Of the freight steamer afforded
him some distraction, but there was
only a small consignment for the store,
and that was quickly disposed Of; SO,
leaving the other citizens of Elambeau
to wrangle over their private merchan-
disc, he went back to his solitary vigil,
which finally became SO unbearable
that he sought to escape bis thoughts,
or at least to drown them for awhile,
amid the lights and life and laughter
Of Stark's saloon.
Runnion annoyed him with his volu-
bility, TOR the news Of his good for
tune had fred the man with a reck-
less disregard for money, and he turn
Cd to gaming as the one natural re-
course Of his Fix.
It was shortlycafter midnight that
Stark came into the place. Poleon
was not too absorbed in his own for
tunes to fail to notice the extraordi-
nary ferocity and exhilaration Of the
saloon keeper nor that his face was
keener, his nostrils thinner, his walk
more nervous and his voice more cut
ting than usual when he spoke to Run
mon:
"Come here!"
"I'll be with you when finish this
hand" said the player over his shout
der.
"Come herev' 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 earshot Of Poleon, who
watched them, idly wondering what
Stark had to say that could make Run
MON start and act so queerly. Well,
. It 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. He could distinguish moth
ing. they said, nor was he at all Curl
GUS until a knot of noisy men crowded
up to the bar and, forcing the two
back nearer to the table where he sat,
. his r'.arp ears caught these words
froza Runnion's lips:
mot with me! She'd never go with
mew And stark's reply:
''She'll 60 where 1 send her and with
anybody tell her to-"
& The Frenchman lost what followed,
for newly dealt hand required study.
He scanned his cards and tossed them
face up before the dealer; then he
overheard Runnion say:
ats 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 dicker.
mot 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, I made love
to her, and she got mad and wanted
me killed"
"She'il never know who you are IN
til it's too late to turn back" said the
other, land you are the only man !
can trust to take her through. 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'e
shoulder close up to his neck.
'Never mind what said. She's
mine, and you've got to promise to be
straight with her. I've trusted you be.
fore, and IL you're not on the level
now say so. 1t will save you lot OF
trouble"
".Oh, all rightw exclaimed Runnion
testify. "Only 1t looks mighty queer"
He melted into the darkness, and
Stark returned to his cabin, where he
paced back and forth impatiently. smil-
ing evilly now and then, consulting his
watch at frequent intervals. A black
look had begun to settle on his face,
but 1t vanished when Necia came, and
he met her with smile.
II was afraid you had weakened
he said. Everything is ready and
waiting. I've got the only canoe In the
place, Peterborough, and hired q
good ioarsman to put you through, In
structing him to make as fast time al
he can and to board the first steamer
that overtakes you. Too bad this
freighter that just got In isn't goins
the other way. However, there's liable
to b another any hour. and II one
doesn't come along youth find enough
blankets and food In the skin. SO yor
needn't go ashore. You'll bs there be
fore you know It."
Thsn hs led her ont into the dark
meas. and they stumbled down to thu
rivers bank. descending to the sravelly
waters edge. where rows OF clnms;
hand sawed boats and polling skin
we're chatting ct their painters. Thu
up river steamer was Just clearing.
Stark's low whistle was answered 8
hundred yards below, and they search
81 ont q darker blot that proved to hi
MANS figure.