Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1916-03-16

Preacher and she would ruin you
Shoot them, Sandry. shoot them-ol
give me the gun!"
Shuddering. Sandry covered hel
savage eyes with his hand. Theil
reversion sickened him. But she
shook him loose. crying for death
xiii them both. for they will ruin
you II they go free! She's got the
packet. Kill her and get the packet
What's this?" he cried hoarsely.
Things she has written about you
a-letter to a man by the name OF
Musseldorn!"
Slowly Sandry's face went white
beneath its CRIME as he raised his
eyes and looked at Poppy Ordway.
She returned his gaze.
Then True" she said. that's
why | went east. cannot lose you.
Walter There was danger from that
wild creature there. though you did
not know it. and | was determined to
make sure. Fair means or FOUL
must win. And there's no law for a
genius. | know and you know that
you are"
GUILTY." he said. throwing up his
head.
Then Sandry dropped his eyes to
Siletz and spoke as II he obeyed
some compelling power, some urge to
justify himself before her.
Il answer to the Right Law
obeyed the ancient Right Law. little
Sletz, and have no regrets"
II know!" cried Siletz, 81 know"
the smoke was so dense that the
actors in this drama could scarcely
see each others faces, but they took
no note of 1t. The climbing roar had
shut them apart in a sound-made ST.
lence and they did not know it. Only
Hampden. edging sidewise. was alive
to the possibilities Of the moment
He saw the gun hanging in Sandrys
hand, forgotten. He saw Siletz de.
vouring his face with her blazing
eyes OF passion. He saw his moment
and took 1t.
With one great bound he flung him.
self high in the air. ieaped the space
between and came down with his
great weight upon the shoulders of
the other man, clutching for back and
throat, drawing the one to him in
grip Of iron. pushing the other away
Sandry went down like reed, and
as his knees buckled under him there
was an omihous snap. The bone OF
his right leg. newly healed and fragile.
gave way under the strain
AS the two men fell, both guns. the
one in Sandry's hand and the one in
his trousers band. tumbled loosely
apart. Siletz, clinging still to San.
dry's knees. was borne down with
them. AS they rolled over she tore
herself from under them and with
two sweeps of her outspread arms
gathered the guns. Then she sprang
up, drawing back pace. her eyes like
fire, and deliberately sought for
chance to kill Hampden.
"Sandry," she cried. lie fat Lie
flat!"
From under Hampden's arm that
was choking the breath from his
lungs the owner saw that slim fig
ure Of doom and strove to cry out At
last he got his voice for a moment.
"Siletz!" he rasped, don't shoot.
command you, don't kill" But the
bark of the gun drowned his words.
She was firing around them.
With the first shot Hampden, re.
Numbering the guns that he had
failed to get, felt his flesh rise on mis-
body and he loosened his hold, shook
off Sandry and got to his feet, painting,
fighting mad his eyes red and awful
With the courage Of the raging bull
he made straight for Siletz, who fiI ed
point blank at him He took the ball
in his shoulder and spun half round.
The girl pulled the trigger again, got
an empty snap, threw the weapon
away and raised the other.
"Siletz!" shrieked Sandry from the
ground, for my sake stop!"
1t was command, a cry OF owner.
ship. and it went straight to that part
Of her nature which had obeyed for
generations. She hesitated, holding
the man across the barrel.
AS for Hampden. he stood. waver-
ing drunkenly, chuckling in his throat,
a thing of horror in his malevolence.
We'll" he rasped dryly. Il guess it's
just as we'll III leave you to yer
pleasant dreams | sail fer Panama
Hawaii-the Yukon. I'm done"
He turned on his heel. to stride
away into the pail of smoke toward
the north. In one moment he came
rushing back to run down to the west.
For the first time the three people
left together remembered the fires.
saw the ,thickened smoke, heard the
roar that had made them scream their
tragic words, unconsciously, for the
last half hour.
1t was all around them, that pouring
mass Of smoke. and 1t was black, as IL
the fires were near Hampdens huge
figure tore past them toward the mar
row point of the ridge. then came
lurching back, long red streamer
staining his bedraggled shirt
MY, Cod" he shouted hoarsely.
We're hemmed I'M! It's on every
sidel Well burn like ratst"s