Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-12-04
..lAI i. IL: LIT.
A Power Greater TIM Gre q
Lends Itself TO the Mea> AID
Downs tie Mighty.
BY JENNIE HARRIS OLIVER.


The man in the loft was suddenly
wide awake.
He lay where he had dropped after
bis cautious climb up the logs and
through the hole that had beckoned
him, rudy patch. from his fastness
among the huddled boulders.
Here on the loose, scattered boards,
forming a rude gallery to the one room
of the little mountain cabin. he lay
face to the wall, his narrow, closest
eyes glued to a chink, peering out into
the fitful moonlight
Men of the law-tireless, grim and
determined-would find his dead
cayuse back there on the trail, and
would press steadily on. Sometimes,
when the wind grumbled in the chin
ney, or a wild creature called to the
night, or the occupants OF the room
below replenished the fire cold sweat
broke out or his body, while his nails
bit his palms and his breath stopped
TOR fear
But sleep had finally overtaken him
while he watched, holding him for
time in horrid dreams, and then sud
denly and unaccountably he had
sprung awake.
Over his head he could see bands of
crimson light reckoning and wavering
among the cobwebs, and he knew that
II he could but roll over softly, stealth
lily, as snake moves in the grass. he
could see what had intruded itself into
his exhausted slumbers.
A moment OF GREATNESS, reptile-like
wriggling and he was staring, with
blazing eyes. through wide crack in
the Notwithstanding at gold glinting
DULY in the red glow from the fire
place; flakes of gold, crumbs of it,
chunks as big-almos; as big as his
fst!
At first he saw only the metal pour
Ing from leathern sack on the rckety
table, and he knew the voice that had
called him with lustfu, softly clink-
Ing challenge. 1t was the only voice
he really understood, or that under
stood him.
After a wlIile he was conscious Of
the heavy sough of the rising wind,
and of other voices.
A man-seemingly giant-with
aunt frame and hollow eyes, sat limp
ly propped on rude couch, the gold
upon one side, and on the other. top
ping stool, were the remnants of a
meager supper. Before the man knelt
70 vii
clouds of tawny hair. that glinted DULY
like the gold.
The mans long, heavy arms were
bare to the shoulder, and over them
the woman lowered, bending her frail
strength in rhythmical sweeps up and
down their dead surface, pausing often
at the palms to press and pinch them,
and sometimes to beat and slap them
smartly.
AS her body swayed in almost fran
tic endeayor she pleaded as with a
child.
TRY to move now. honey, Just try
one finger-this one Are you trying
your best, Herman? 1t doesn't seem
to me you are. Look at me- Is it still
dead-dead?"
ut seems" said the man hoarsely,
that when you strike your best on the
palm there is an answering tingle in
the shoulder. guess it only seems
that way. Try the other. Hannah"
The woman held the big dark hand
to her cheek moment, and then laid
1t gently down that she might begin
her patient work upon it's mate
Always she talked hopefully, or with
tender pleading and motherly scold
Ing. and the bullying eyes above. when
they could tear themselves from the
lure upon the table, saw all the rebel
lion, misery and terrible despair in the
dark face of the stricken giant
| So must his face have looked bach
there In the silent cell. when his
hands had strained and bled upon the
iron bars 1t had been of some use fol
him to try, and he was glad, for all, tc
be himself. and not the man below
The kind Of Imprisonment that held
the latter was SO hopeless, SO mad
dening.
| The fugitive's eyes came back with
greedy interest to the gold. fortune
guarded by meager scrap of WON
an and paralytic man! The occasion
had almost grotesque possibilities. A
heavy revolver lay by the leather
sack but the man couldn't use 1t.
The woman. small as she was
looked as II she would dare anything
II he could but catch her of hel
guard.
He began to study her, and to cen
ter his interest upon her movements
II she made as il to rise, and go away
the watchers breath came pantingly
in hope. and his coarse lips drew bacl
into a sardonic twisted smile; bu
her every movement was to ease he
cramped body, or smooth fold of he
skirt under her aching knees. He
work went on with fresh bursts of rea
soning, of Gliding, tender talk.