The Washington herald., 1912-08-11
PHILIP STEELE

But you're safe now. The tain was
wrecked by outlaws. We came out af-
| ter them, and Ii found you-back
there on the prairie. You're safe now
His arms frightened about her again.
YOU'RE all right now" he repeated
gently. He was not conscious Of the
sobbing break in his voice, or Of the
great, throbbing love that it breathed
to her.. He tried to speak calmly,
There's nothing wrong-nothing. The
heat made you sick. But you're all
right now
From beyond the hill there came a
sound that made him break off with a
sudden, quick breath. 1t was the sharp
singing report of Billinger's carbine
Once, twice, three times-and then there
| followed more distant shots!
Hes come up with themp he cried
The fury of fight, of desire for ven
geance, blazed anew in his face. There
was pain in the grip of his arm about
the girl do you feel strong-strong
enough to ride fastl" he asked There's
only one Ingan with me, and there are
FIVE of them. It's murder to let him
fight it alone
"Yes-yes-" whispered the girl, her
arms Tightening round him. Ride fast
| or put me of. I can follow"
II was the first time that he had heard
her voice since that last evening up al
Lac Balm, many months before, and the
sound of it thrilled him.
Hold Tight" he breathed.
Like the wind they swept across the
prairie and up the slope of the hill. AT
the top Philip refined in Three or four
hundred yards distant lay thick clump
of poplar trees and a thousand yards
beyond that the first black escarpments
of the Bad Lands. In the space be-
tween horseman was galloping fierce
ly to the west. 1t was not Billinger.
With a quick movement Philip slipped
the girl to the. ground, and when she
sprang step back. looking up at him
in white terror, he had whipped out one
of his big service revolvers.
There's little lake over there among
those trees" he said. wait there-un-
til come back"
He raced down the slope-not to cut
off the flying horseman-but toward The
clump of poplars. 1t was Billinger he
was thinking of now. The agent fred
three shots. There had followed other
shots, not Billinger's, and after that his
carbine had remained silent Billinger
was among the poplars. He was hurt
or dead.
A well-worn trail, beaten down by
transient rangers, cut through the stunt
ed growth of prairie timber. and without
checking his speed Philip sped along it,
only his head and shoulders and his big
revolver showing over his horses ears.
A hundred PAGES and the timber gave
place TO a sandy dip. in the center of
which was the water hole. The dip was
not more than an acre in extent. Up TO
his knees in the hole was Billinger's
riderless horse, and little way up on
the sand was Billinger. doubled over
on his hands and knees beside two black
objects that Philip knew were men.
stretched out like the dead back in the
wreck Billinger's yellow-mustached
face, pallid and twisted with pain. look
ed over them as Philip galloped across
the open and sprang out of his saddle.
With terrible grimace he raised him
self to his knees. anticipating the ques-
ton on Philips lips.
Nothing very bad, Steele" he said.
"One of the cusses pinked me through
the leg. and broke il, ] guess Painful,
but not killing. Now look at that"
He nodded to the two men lying with
their faces turned up to the hot glare
of the sun. One glance was enough TO
tell Philip that they were dead. and that
it was not Billinger who had killed
them. Their bearded faces had stiffen-
ed in the first agonies of death. Their
breasts were soaked with blood and
their arms had been drawn down close
to their sides.
As he looked the CLEAN of a metal
buckle on the belt of the dead man near
est him, caught Philips eye He took
a step nearer to examine il and then
drew back. This bit of metal told the
story-it bore the letters R. N. w. NJ.
P.
y thought So" he muttered. with a
slight catch in his voice. you didn't
follow my good advice, Bucky Nome,
and now you reap the harvest of your
folly. You have paid your debt to
M'sieur Janette"
Then Philip turned quickly and look
ed back at Billinger. In his hand the
agent held paper package, which he
had torn open. A second and similar
package lay in the sand in front of him.
Currency he gasped. ITS a part
of the money stolen from the express
car. The two hundred thousand was
done up in FIVE packages, and here are
two of EN-. Those men were dead
when | came. and each had a package
living on his breast The fellow who
pinked me was just leaving the Dip"
He dropped the package and began
ripping down his trouser leg with a
knife. Philip dropped on his knees be-
side him. but Billinger motioned him
back.
Its not bleeding bad" he said. 81
can FIX it alone"