The Benson signal., 1916-11-11
sliding table or chair, and then the

luS!uo the room. Nate bIanQ lay
half across table where she had been
flung, and she was trying to get to
her feet. BANDS back was turned.
He had opened the door into Jennie's
room and had one foot across the
threshold. Duane caught the girls
low, shuddering cry. Then he called
out loud and clear.
With cat-like SWiftness Bland wheel
ed, then froZe on the threshold. His
sight, quick as his action, caught
Duane'S menacing, unmistakable posi-
ton.
Bland's big frame filled the door.
He was in bad place to reach for
his gun. But he would not have time
for a step. Duane read in his eyes the
desperate calculation Of chances. For
a fleeting instant Bland shifted his
glance to his wife. Then his whole
body seemed to vibrate with the swing
of his arm.
Duane shot him. He fell forward,
his gun exploding as it hit into the
floor, and dropped loose from stretch
ing fingers. Duane stood over him,
stopped to turn him on his back.
Bland looked up with clouded gaze,
then gasped his last.
duane, you've killed him!" cried
Kate Bland, huskily. 81 knew you'd
have to!"
She staggered against the wall. her
eyes dilating, her strong hands clench-
ing, her face slowly whitening. She
appeared shocked, half stunned, but
showed no grief.
"Jennie" called Duane, sharply.
"Come out. Hurry!"
She came out with uneven steps,
seeing only him, and she stumbled over
BANDS body. Duane caught her arm,
swung her behind him. He feared the
woman when she realized how she had
been duped. His action was protec-
tive, and his movement toward the
door equally as significant.
"Duane!' cried Mrs. Bland
It was no time to talk. Duane edged
on, keeping Jennie behind him. AT
that moment there was pounding Of
iron-shod hoofs out in the lane. Kate
Bland bounded to the door. When she
turned back her amaZement was
changing to realization.
"Where re you taking Jenw she
cried, her voice like a mans.
sect out Of my way" replied Duane.
His look perhaps, without speech, was
enough for her. In an instant she was
transformed into a fury.
"You hound! All the time you were
fooling me! You made love to me!
You'n never leave here alive. Give me
that girl Let me-get at her! She'll
never win any more men in this camp"
"Help! help! help!' she shrieked, in
a voice that must have penetrated to
the remotest cabin in the valley.
Suddenly she snatched rifle off the
wall and. backed away, her strong
hands fumbling at the lever. And she
jerked it down, throwing a shell into
the chamber and cooking the weapon,
Duane leaped upon her. He struck up
the rifle as it went off, the powder
burning his face.
he said.
Jennie flashed out or the door
With an iron grasp Duane held to
the rif1e-barrel. He had grasped it
with his left hand, and he gave such
pull that he swung the crazed wo-
man off the floor. But he could not
loose her grip. She was as strong as
he.
"Kate! Let go"
He tried to intimidate her. She did
not see his gun thrust in her face, or
reason had given way to such an
extent to passion that she did not care.
She cursed. Her husband had used
the same curses, and from her lips
they seemed strange, unsexed, more
deadly. Like tigress she fought him;
her face no longer resembled w0-
mans.
He heard a cry from outsidc--a
mans cry. hoarse and alarming.
1t made him think of loss of time.
This demon Of a woman might yet
block his plan.
'Iet go." he whispered, and felt
his lips stiff. In the grimness of that
instant he relaxed his hold on the
rife-barrel.
With sudden, redoubfed. Irresistible
strength she wrenched the rifle down
and discharged it. Duane felt blow
"a shock-a burning agony tearing
through his breast. Then in a frenzy
he jerked so powerfully upon the rifle
that he threw the woman against the
wall. SHE fell and seemed stunned.
DuanO leaped back, whirled. flew
out of the door ON the porch. The
sharp cracking Of gun halted him.
He saw Jennie holding to the bride
of his bay horse. Euchre was astride
the other, and he had a Colt leveled,
and he was firing down the lane. Then
came a single shot, heavier, and
Euchre's ceased. He fell from the
horse.
A swift glance back showed to Duane
a man coming down tbs lane. Chess