Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-05-02


 straining at the leash and taut in every nerve. Now, however, the traders fingers frightened on the knife handle, and his knuckles whitened with the grip. at which Starks right hand swept to his waist, and simultaneous ly Gale iunged across the table. His blade fiickered in the light, and n gun spoke-once, twice, again and again. A cry arose outside the cabin; then some heavy thing crashed in through the door, bringing light with fl, for with his first leap Gale had carried the lamp and the table with him. and the two had clinched in the dark.
 Burrell had waited an instant too long, for the mems voices had held 20 steady. their words had been so vital that the finish fouEd him Tunprepared: but. thrusting the lantern Into Poleon's hand, he had backcd of a D ce and hurled himself at the door. He fell to his knees inside and an int mt 1 ter between two raging beasts. The lieu tenant knew Doret mu~t have entered, too. though he could not s~e him, for the lantern shed n ,sic,ily gloom over the chaos. He was locked desperately with John Gale. who flung him about ard handled him like a child. fighting like an cid gray wolf hoary with years and terrible in his rage. Only for the lanterns light Gale would dcujtless have sheathed his weapon fin his new assailant, but the more fiercely the trader struggled the more tena iouslv the soldier clung AS 1t was, Gale car ried the lieutenant with, him and struck over his he2d # Stark.
 Poleon had feared into the room at Burrell's heels to receive tie impact of heavy body hurled backward into his arms as If by some irresistible force. He seized it and tore it away from the thing that pressed after and bore down upon 1t with the ferocity of wild beast. He saw Gale reach ever the lieutenant's head and swing his arm, saw the knife blade bury itselc in what he held, then saw 1t rip away and felt q hot stream spurt into his fate. Do ret glimpscd Burrel rising from his knees, his arms about the traders s waist, and the next in tat the com- batants were dragged apart.
 The lieutenant wrencLed the drip. ping blade from Gales hand. It no longer gleamed, but was warm and slippery in his fingers. Pcleon held Stark's gun, which was empty and smoking.
 The figh had not lasted a minute. and yet what terrible havoc lad been wrought! The gambler was drenched with his own blood. which gushed from him, black in the yellow flicker and so plentlfully that the Frenchmap was befouled with it, while Gale. too, was horribly stained, but whether from his own or his eneny's veins 1t was hard to tell. The trader paid no heed to himself nCr to the iatruders. allowing Burrell Co push him back against the wall, the breath wheeziug in and out of his lungs, his eyes fas- tened on Stark.
 T got you, Dennettw he cried hoarsely. "Your magic is no eooI." His teeth showed through his grizzled muzzle like the fangs of some wild animal
 Bennett, or Stark. as the others knew him, lunged about with his cap- tor, trying to get at his enemy and crying curses on them all, but he was like q child In Poleon's arms. Grad ually he weakened, and suddenly re- slstance died out of him.
 Come away from here," the lieuteS. ant ordered Gale.
 But the old man did not hear ard gathered himself as if to resume tIe battle with his bare hands, whereupcn the soldier. finding himself shaking like q frightened child and growing physically weak at what he saw, doubted his ability to prevent the cn. counter and repeated his command.
 "Come awayv' he shouted. But the words sounded foolishly flat and