The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-11-07


OF her In some ways. That's why IL
puts her in my mind, l suppose. She
was about your age at the time-nine-
teen"
"Oh, I'm not eighteen yet" said Ne
ella.
well, she was a fine woman any,
how, the best that ever set foot in
Chandon, and there was a great deal
OF talk when she chose young Bennett
over the Gaylord man, for Bennett
had been running second best from
the start, and everybody thought it
was settled between her and the other
n However, they were married
quietly"
The story did not interest the Cana
dian. His mind was in too great agi-
tation to are for dead tales. His
heart burned within him too fiercely.
and he felt too great a desire to put
his hands to work. AS he watched
Burrell and Runnion bend over the
table looking at a little can of gold
dust that Lee had taken from under
his bunk his eyes grew red and blood
shot beneath his hat brim. Which one
OF b two would it be? he wondered.
From the corner of his eye he saw
Gale rise from Lees bed, where he
had stretched himself to smoke, and
take his six shooter from his belt,
then remove the knotted bandanna
from his neck and begin to clean the
gun, his head bowed over it earnestly,
his face in the shadow. He had ever
been q careful and methodical man.
reflected Poleon, and evidently would
not go to sleep with his firearm in bad
condition.
Nobody imagined that Gaylord
would cause trouble" Stark was say
ing, for he didn't seem to be a jeal-
GUS sort, just stupid and kind of heavy
Twitted. But one night he took advan-
tage of Benefits absence and sneaked
mp to the house," The story teller
paused, and Necia, who was under the
spell Of his recital, urged him on:
Eyes, yes. What happened then?
Go on!" But Stark stared gloomily at
his hands and held his silence for a
full minute, the tale appearing to have
awakened more than a fleeting inter-
est In him.
1T was one of the worst killings
that ever happened in those parts" he
continued. Bennett came back to find
his wife murdered and the kid gone"
ooh" said the girl in a shocked
voice.
sGVnc thara mo n doI1on nf n ttmn
The town rose up in a body, and We
you see, l happened to be there-we
followed the man for weeks. We
trailed him and the kid clear owe into
the Nevada desert. where we lost
them"
HE died of thirst in the desert may
be- he and the little one"
"That's what we thought at the time,
but I've crossed his trail since then.
No. Gaylord Is alive today, and so Is
the girl. Some time we'll meet His
voice gave out, and he stared again at
the floor. ' :
couldn't the little girl be traced?"
said Necia. what was her name?"
Stark made to speak, but the word
was never uttered. for there came a
deafening roar that caused Lees can
die to leap and flicker and the air in
side the cabin to strike the occupants
like a blow. Instantly there was con-
fusion, and each man sprang to his
Alset, crying out affrightedly, for the
noise had come with utter unexpected
ness.
my God, I've killed himw cried
Gale. And with one jump he cleared
half the room and was beside Stark,
while his revolver lay on the floor
where he had been sitting.
"What is itY" exclaimed Burrell.
But there was no need to ask, for
powder smoke was beginning to fill
the room, and the traders face gave
answer. 1t was whittier than that of
his daughter, who had crouched fear
fully against the wall, and he shook
like a man with ague. But Stark stood