The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-03-30
"Siletz!" shrfeked Sandry from the

1t was a 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.
Well" he rasped dryly, Il guess it
Just as we'll. I'll 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. unconsclously, for the
last half hour
II was all around them, that pouring
mass OF smoke, and it vas black, as If
the fires were near. Hampden's huge
figure tore past them toward the mar
row point OF the ridge, then came
luTching back, a long red streamer
staining his b~edraggled shirt.
My Cod" he shouted hoarsely.
We're hemmed in! It's on every
side. Wen burn like rats"
He flung a tragic arm to the dusky
heavens. Poppy Ordway found her
voice. She darted forward and
pounced upor him, again with that
subtle suggestion of the feline race,
gripping his arm with fingers of steel.
What do you mean?" she cried.
81 mean that we've ben playin' our
own little game out to its conclusion
like fools. while a bigger one has ben
playin' itself out. We're in a cup
w~aitin'."
There was something sinister about
that last word.
When this damned wind sucks up
q little harder til. draw tn fires to-
gether an we'll roast alive"
He ceased, painting, moistening his
lips. Then presently a hideous grin
distorted his features.
Who wins now?" he said. Brains
brains! An executive ability-an'
cunnin'! ! guess | win at last"
From somewhere up behind the low.
ering canopy 2 rumbling thunder
drowned his words, as if all the rocks
OF the tortured hills were split asun-
der in the heat. When it had died
away he turned to Sandry where he
sat, pale under his CRIME, a prey to
a thousand feelings.
I've hated you like poison ever
sence / first clapped eyes on your
Johnny Eastern face. You thought
you had NE beat-and so did she" he
jerked his head at Poppy, but Pm too
great a force for both of you. She's
the greatest woman in all tn world
an I'm glad / seen her like-that
loved her"
There was infinite pathos in his
heavy voice for the moment.
But tn plays over. TIL curtain1l
drop in thirty minutes-forty or fifty
at most-an' I'm the winner at last!
You'll neve marry her! But how |
had you on tn hip-eastern lawyers
an ALL"
AN old Frazer-clumsy fool!
Found your East Belt deed unrecord-
ed, didn't you? Laid 1t to him. Why
didn't you lay it to Hampden, who
had tn brains an the power of the
whole country? 1t was recorded all
right, but | owned tn recorder same
Is l owned tn commissioner. Fools,
fools, all of you! An / win at last"
It was again the East and the West
that Sandry saw with aching eyes in
the two women who took Hampden's
new Of their fate. Miss Ordway
raised palsied hands and let them
drop while she stared with eyes of
frightful horror. Siletz moved never
a muscle.
II told you to go back" she cried,
that big things were about to happen,
and you would not. Now / shall pay
you for all things-for what you
would do to Sandry. Also l pay him
for that" She pointed to the still
form under the ferns.
There Is a way out-the secret
trail which only l know and which we
take"
She sprang and caught Black Bolts
bride, dragging him with one motion
to Sandry's side. She bent to him
with arms of loving service, exertlng
all her strength.
Climb" she commanded, climb
quick! We can make 1t yeti"
But Sandry looked into her blazing
dark face that was like the peaks in
storm, so wild was it, SO thrilling, so
beyond comprehension, and shook his
head.
What would 20 do" he asked.
do? Go down the trail across the
Hog Back. There is room for a horse,