The Detroit times., 1912-08-15
PHIuPSTEELE
Notwithstanding
L.LAMES OLIVER CURwOOD
Aulhs Of lheDensr Tnil 1heiionO. Of ,heAt Sa~ssk.
- c.sgrisA. Dii. TAs BobA. Merrill c.-p.aN
cssyrisA. 1914 rAs BobAs Merrill c.-paaN

ground. and when she sprang step
back, looking up at him in white ter
ror he had whipped out one OF his big
service revolvers.
There's a little lake over there
among those trees he said. Wait
| there-until come back"
He raced down the slope-not 10 cut
on the flying horseman-but toward
the clump OF poplars. II was Billinger
he was thinking of now The agent
had fred three shots. There had fol-
lowed other shots. not Billinger's. and
after that his carbine had remained
silent. Billlnger was among the pop
lars. He was hurt or dead
A well.worn trail, beaten down by
transient rangers, cut through the
stunted growth OF prairie timber, and
without checking his speed Philip
sped along II. only his head and
shoulders and his big revolver show
ing over his horses ears A hundred
PAGES and the timber gave place TO
a sandy dip, in the centet OF which
was the water hole. The dip was not
more than an acre in extent. Up TO
mis- knees in the hole was Billinger's
riderless horse, and little way up
the sand was Billinger doubled over
OH ais udlAuS anu kHGCb UGolAt lnO
black objects that Philip knew were
men, stretched out like the dead back
at the wreck Billingers yellow
mustached face. pallid and twisted
with pain. looked over them as Philip
galloped across the open and sprang
out of his saddle. With a terrible
grimace ne raised himself TO his
knees, anticipating the question on
Philips lips.
Nothing very bad, Steele" he said.
"One of the cusses pinked me through
the leg. and broke il, | guess Pain
full 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 stiffened 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 g;eam of a metal
buckle on the belt OF the dead man
nearest him. caught Philips eye. He
took step nearer to examine il and
then drew back. This bit OF metal
told the story-it bore the letters r.
i n. W. NJ p.
II 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
looked 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 a. t1t's a
part OF the money stolen from the
= express car. The two hundred thou
sand was done up in FIVE packages.
and here are two of EN-. Those men
were dead when | came. and each had
a package lying on his breast. The
fellow who pinked me was just leav-
ing the dipl"
~ He dropped the package and began
ripping down his .trouser leg with a
knife Philip dropped on his knees
beside him, but Billinger motioned
him back
It's not bleeding bad, be said. Il
can fix II alone"
You're certain Billinger--"
SureiT laughed the agent, though
he was biting his lips until they were
flecked with blood. There's no need
of you wasting time"
For moment Philip clutched the
Others hand.
ga, We can't understand what this all
MEANS, old man-the carrying OF OF
OF Isobel-and the money here, but
we'll find out SOON"
Leave that confonnded carbine,"
exclaimed Billinger. as the other rose
10 mount. II did rotten work with
IT, and the other fellow fixed me with
a pistol. That's why I'm not bleeding
very much"
/ The outlaw had disappeared in the
black edge of the Bad Lands when
Philip dashed up out or the dip into
the plain. There was only one break
ahead OF him, and toward this he
urged his horse. In the entrance to
the break there was another sandy
but waterlcss dip, and across this
trailed the footprints OF the out
laws mounts. two at a wa1k--one at
a gallop. Al one time, ages before,
the break had been the outlet OF
stream pouring Itself out between
Jagged and cavernous walls OF tock
from the black heart OF the upheaved
country within. Now the bed OF II
was strewn with broken trap and
masses OF boulders, cracked and dried
by centuries OF blistering sun
Philips heart beat little faster as
he urged his horse ahead. and not for
an instant did his cooked revolver |
drop from It's guard over the mares |
ears. He knew II he overlook the A
outlaws in retreat that there would \
/, be fight, and that II would be three |
against one That was what he hoped |
Tor II was an ambush that he |
dreaded. He realized that II the out
laws stopped and waited for him he |
) would be al a terrible disadvantage. |
In open fight he was confident. His |
piairie.bred mount took the rough |
trail at swift canter. evading the |
boulders and knife-edged trap in the
, same guarded manner that she gal.
! loped over prairie-dog and badger
holes out upon the plain Twice In
! the 10 minutes that followed their en-.
: trance into the chasm Philip saw
1, movements ahead OF him. and each
time his revolver leaped 10 II Once
It was a wolf again the swiftly NOV.
L.