Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-22
THE
BARRIER
By Rex Beach
BY Rex Beach
Copyright. 1908. by Harper & Brothers
CHAPTER XVIII.

unusual had occurred.
"Say! What's this about you and
Stark? hear you had a horrible run
in and that you split him up the back
like quail"
I'VE had a row." admitted the trad
er. ITS been long time working
out. and last night 1t came to II head"
"I.ord-ee! And to think of Ben
Stark bein' licked. Why, the whole
camps tallin' about 1t. They say he
emptied two six shooters at you. but
you kept a-comir'. and when you did
get to him you Just carved your ini
tials on him like he was a Eastwood
tree. Say. John. he's a goner, sure"
do you mean he's-passing out"
ooh, no. | reckon he'll get well.
from what hear. though he won't let
nobody come near him except old Doc.
But he's lost a battle. and that ends
him Don't you savvy? Whenever a
killer quits second best it breaks his
hoodoo Why, there's been men layin'
for him these twenty years from here
to the Rio Grande, and every feller he
ever bested will hear Of this and begin
to grease his holster; then the first
shave tail desperate that meets him
will spit in his eye just to make
name for himself. No. sir! He's
spent shell. He's got to fight ali his
battles over again. and this time the
other Teller will open the ball. Oh.
I've seen 1t happen before. YOU killed
him last night. just as sure ns If you'd
hung up his hide to dry. and he knows
IT,"
"rm a peaceable man." said Gale on
the defensive. II had to do IT,"
II know! know, There was wit
nesses. This dressmaker at the fort
seen it, so hear"
The other acquiesced silently.
"Well, well. Ben Stark licked.
can't get over that. 1t must "a been
somethin' powerful strong to make you
do it, John" When the old man
vouchsafed no more than a nod to Il
question the prospector inquired:
where's Poleon? I've got news for
him from the creek"
II don't know. Why"
"His laymen have give up. They've
crosscut his ground and the pay amt
there. SO they've quit work for good"
HE drew a blank. eh?'
"Worse'n that-three of them. The
creek is spotteder than leopard.
Runnion's men. for instance. are into
1t bigger than house, while Poleon's
people can't raise color. call 1t
tough luck-yes, worse'n tough. It's
hard billed and picked. To them as
has shall 1t be given and to them as
hasn't shall be took even what they
amt got, as the poet says. Look at
Necia She'll be richer than cream
puff. Guess I'll step around and see
her."
"She's gone," said the trader YEARLY.
turning his haggard face from the
prospector.
"Gone. Where?"
up river with Runnion. They got
her away from me last night"
"Sufferin' snakes" calculated Lee.
$50 that's WHY" Then be added sim.
ply, Lets 60 and git her, john
The trader looked at him queerly.
maybe | won't-on the first boat!
I'm eating my heart out hour by hour
waiting-waiting- for some
kind Of craft to come, and so Is Bur-
rell."
"What's he got to do with it," said
the one eyed miner jealousy. Cant
you and me bring her back"
He'll marry her. God. won't there
never be boat?"
For the hundredth time that morn
ing ne went to the door of the post
and strained his eyes downstream.
"Well well! Them two goin' to be
married." said Lee. STARK licked, and
Nicola goin' to be married-all at once.
| hate to see It. John. He amt good
enough. She could "a done heap bet
ter. There's lot of regular men around
here, and she could "a had her pick. OF
course. always bein' broAe like n dog
myself. amt kept up my personal ap.
pearance like ought, but I've got some
new clothes now, and you wouldn't
know me- bought 'em off n tender
foot with cold feet. but they're the
goods, and you'd see big improve
ment in me-"
"He's a good man." said Gale, "bet-
ter than you or me, and he's all torn
up over this. ] never saw a man act
10. When he learned about it thought
he'd 60 mad. He's haunted the river
bank even since, raging about for some
means Of following her, and If hadn't
Fairly held him he'd have set out single
handed"
While they were talking Burrell
tame In. and mo Creek" saw that the
night had affected the youth even more
than Il had Gale or at least he showed
the marks more plainly, for his face
was drawn, his eyes were sunken MS II
from hunger, and his whole body
seemed to have fallen away till his
uniform hung upon him loose, unkempt
and careless.
II can't wait much longer" said Bur-
tell and sank YEARLY into n seat. Al
most the next instant he was on his
feet again, saying to the trader, as he
had said 1t score Of times already:
"Runnion comes to me. Gale! You un-
derstand he's mine. don't your"
The old man nodded. YES; you can
take him."
"Well, who do / glt?" asked Lee.
|'You can't come along" the trader
said. I'VE may have to follow the
hound clean to the States. Think Of
your NINE"