Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-12-24

know what you was gettin' up against
you and your-your-Poppy Ord
way. You made yer fight, n you
thought you'd wont But you reck.
oned without me. I'm maxim mine,
an' it's a hummer"
He glared savagely along the gun
into Sandry's bloodshot eyes, and at
this moment Black Bolt heaved up
through the ferns, Siletz peering eager.
ly along his straining neck, and the
face of Poppy Ordway at her shoulder.
The girl slid out of the saddle and ran
to Sandry.
What is it?" she cried, what is
it?"
Sandry pointed to the burning can
die at the pines foot and instantly she
sprang forward and snuffed it out
with thumb and finger.
Miss Ordway slipped down from
the foamy, steaming hips of the horse,
to stand leaning against him, her
bright eyes beginning to sparkle with
the tension of the moment. At sight
of her Hampden's face grew gray be-
meath it's CRIME. She was smiling
with that pleasure which she always
found where men fought, or engi-
neered dramatic coups, or worked out
clever schemes, and her beauty was
never so maddening to him in all his
knowledge of her. His one pure dream
had, in truth, reached a sorry ending.
Sandy" said Siletz simply, 81 came
to you. There's danger somewhere
l don't know where or what-but
there's something in the shadows
A vagrant wind famed up long
sheets and whistling banners that
hurried up to leap into the moaning
canopy behind the Hog Back. The
actors in this little drama were too
intent to hear the heightened note.
$50 you coma to be in at tn
] DEATH" said Hampden at last, his
eyes on Poppy in anguished fury,
you done me to death an you want
to see me diei oh, tn games up and
l don't care a damni I'm tn smartest
one of this bunch yet. An but fer
tn fact that you've got them two let
tiers you stole from the commissioner
and tn account book with the records
of our deals an rake-offs and Sc on,
I'd a had a chance to fight an win
yet! But l know you, Poppy-Oh,
how damned we'll l know you!-an'
know I'm whipped. But I'm maxim
D fight-you're damned right | ami"
He waved an eloquent arm around
ht the appalled,, shrinking country
which seemed to crouch in it's naked
ness under the shrouding smoke.
but tn thing that cuts is KNOWN
hat you done it all fer him! A feeble
~1rivelin' thing from tn East! An
hey say you'll marry him! Well, go
to it! He'll have to move out, fer
there won't be any more Dillingworth
Lumber company in twenty hours. I'll
be behind bars, all right, but I've
cleaned him out"
AS he finished with a reckless laugh
Sandry turned amazed eyes to Poppy.
She was pale with anger and she
avoided his glance. This was the last
thing she wanted-that Sandry should
know of her attempt to forestall him
in the getting" of Hampden. She
saw her chance to gain his gratitude
by her gift drifting away. Also the
revelation of her lawyers perfdy was
a mighty blow.
"Hampden," she said u~nsteadily,
you're the coarsest beast l know!"
"All right. But amt that what it's
all fer? To lay me as a burnt offerin'
at his feet-a sacrifice to win his
mincin' love? Didn't you say you'd
marry him? Amt l heard it right
an left?"
mol" cried Poppy, red with rage
under sandry's astounded eyes, mo!
I never did"
"Yesi" cried Siletz ringingly. you
did! You said when Sandry was dy-
ing that you were his promised wife"
In the hush that followed, intensi-
fed by the dropping brands from the
huge pine which was now but a black
ened, prQnged shape in the t%hickening
smoke, there fell upon their ears a
sound as incongruous with the strained
moment as could be imagined.
1t was a shower Of notes, high,
sparkling, thrilling, that seemed to
fall like drops of diamond through the
murky canopy. They came up from
the west, mysterious, martial, joyful,
and their burden was Lead, Kindly
Light, Lead Thou Me Ont"
1.-THE P~reacher!" whispered Siletz,
"Oh, the Preacher!"
And presently through the dim dun
white of the smoke that crept with
portent between the crowding pines,
there merged the familiar, erect form.
With one accord they turned to him
as he approached and Sandry for the
one moment left Hampden unguarded.
It was all that was necessary. Quick
as light the hand that had first in
st~inctive1v sought his hin sought If