The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-11-22

Womble," he said in conventional
tones, as. though acknowledging
an introduction.
Messner did not offer his hand.
Womble stirred uneasily, feeling
for the other the hatred one is
prone to feel for one he has
wronged.
"And so you're the chap"
Messner said in marveling ac-
cents. well, well. You see /
really am glad to meet you. ]
have Decentralization to know
what Theresa found in you
where l may say, the attraction
lay. Well, well!"
And he looked the other up
and down as man would look a
horse up and down.
what we want to know Is
what are you going to dot" Wom-
BILE asked.
Messner made well-feigned
gesture of helplessness.
II really don't know"
"All three of us cannot remain
the night in this cabin"
Messner nodded affirmation.
"Then somebody must get out"
"That also is incontrovertible,"
Messner agreed. when three
bodies cannot occupy the same
space at the same time, one must
get out"
"And you're that one," Wom-
BILE announced grimly. It's ten
mile pull to the next camp, but
you can make 1t all right"
Messner cleared his throat.
"Your lungs are all right, aren't
they?"
-"Yes, but what Of it,"
Again the other cleared his
throat and spoke with painstak-
ing and judicial slowness. why,
/ may say, nothing fit, except
ah--according to your own rea-
soning, there is nothing to pre-
vent your getting out. hitting the
frost. so to speak, for a matter of
ten miles. You can make 1t all
right"
Womble looked with quick sus-
picion at Theresa and caught in
her eyes CLINT of pleased sur
prise.
"Well?" he demanded of her.
She hesitated and a surge of
anger darkened her face. He
turned upon Messner.
Enough of this. You can't
stop here"
Eyes, I can"
Womble stopped a moment to
steady his voice and control him.
self. Then he spoke slowly, in q
low, tense voice.
Look here, Messner, If you re-
fuse to get out I'll thrash you.
This isn't California. I'll beat
you to jelly with my two fists"
Messner shrugged his Shout
ders. eff you do, I'll call min
ers' meeting and see you strung
up to the nearest tree. AS you
said, this is not California.
They're a simple folk, these min
ers, and all I'll have to do will be
to show them the marks of the
beating, tell them the truth about
you, and present my claim for my
wife,"
The woman attempted to speak,
but Womble turned upon her
fiercely.
you keep out of this!" he
cried.
In marked contrast was Mess
ner's PLEASE don't intrude, The
resa.'
What of her anger and pent
feelings, her lungs were irritated
into the dry, hacking cough, and
with blood-suffused face and one
hand clenched against her chest,
she waited for the paroxysm to
pass.
Womble looked gloomily at
her, noting the cough.
Something must be done," he
said. yet her lungs can't stand
the exposure. She can't travel till
the temperature rises. And I'm
not going to give her up"
Messner hemmed, cleared his
throat, and hemmed again, semi
alphabetically. and said: II need
some money"
Contempt showed instantly In
Womble's face. At last, beneath
him in yileness. had the other
sunk himself.
You've got a fat sack OF
dust" Messner went on. II saw
you unload it from the sled"
How much do you want?"
Womble demanded. with a con-
tempt In his voice equal to that
In his face.
81 made an estimate of the
sack, and I-ah should say it
weighed about twenty pounds.
What do you say we call 1t four
thousand 2"
But it's all I've got. mani"
Womble cried out.
You've got her." the other said
soothingly. tsShe must be worth
1t. Think what I'm giving up.
Surely 1t is reasonable price. ;"
All right" Womble rushed
across the floor to the gold sack.