Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-03-17

Hampden of the Yellow Pines was the
power behind the holocaust!
AS this stupendous knowledge forced
itself into mis- weary brain, the other
man turned and strobe swiftly away
among the boles The wearying climb
had taken the breath from Sandrys
lungs and he drew a pistol from his
belt and fired over Hampden's head.
Like an animal the man whirled. hand
to hip, and faced him.
I've got you at last" Sandy pant
ed; I've got you at last!"
Hampden's heavy lips curled ven
omously from his short, strong teeth
You'll he breathed, you! You
damned Fastener! You lily-handed
tenderfootn"
Sandy smiled grimly.
This is just about the blacklist spot
in your crooked career, Hampden," he
said at last, the blacklist and the big
gest blunder. | cant see why you did
it."
You can't" snarled Hampden, oh,
you can't! Well, by God, you will be-
fore I'm done with you. You didn't
know what you was gettin' up against
you and your-your-Poppy Ord
way. You made yer fight, an you
thought you'd won! But you reck-
oned without me. I'm maxim mine,
an it's 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-
ncered 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, Il came
to you. There's danger somewhere
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.
SO you come 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 die! Oh, tn games up and
don't care a damn, 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 tho commissioner
and tn account book with the records
of our deals an rake-offs and so on
I'd a had a chance to fight an win
yet! But | know you, Poppy-Oh
| do Nunl1 ~,
| know I'm whipped. But I'm maxim
fight-you're damned right | am
He waved an eloquent arm around
at the appalled,, shrinking country
which seemed to crouch in it's naked
ness under the shrouding smoke.
But tn thing that cuts is KNOWN
that you done it all fer him. A feeble
,, drivelin thing from tn East! An
they say you'll marry him! Well &C
to it, He'll have to move out, fel
there won't be any more Dillingwortf
Lumber company in twenty hours. II
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 las
thing she wanted-that Sandry should
know of her attempt to forestall hin
in the getting" of Hampden. She
saw her chance to gain his gratitude
by her gift drifting away. Also thu
,, revelation of her lawyers perfidy wa!
a mighty blow.
'Hampden," she said unsteadily
you're the coarsest beast l know"
"All right. But amt that what it,
all fer? To lay me as a burnt offerin
at his feet-a sacrifice to win hi
!, mincin' love? Didn't you say you'C
!, marry him? Amt | heard it RICH
an left?"
MOI" cried Poppy, red with rag,
: under Sandry's astounded eyes, mo
| never did"
, Yes" cried Siletz ringingly, "yol
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 tn
huge pine which was now but a black
ened, pronged shape in the thickeninI