The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-10-02

man striking me dumb. This then had
probably been his real purpose from
the start. He had followed Beaucaire
deliberately with this final end in view
-of running him, and thus compelling
his daughter to yield herself.
and you actually mean that you
propose now to force Judge Beau
CARES daughter TO marry you?"
swell, hardly that, although I shall
use whatever means / possess. l in
tend to win her If / can, fair means, or
FOUL
drew a deep breath, comprehend
ing now the full iniquity of his plot,
and bracing myself TO fight 1t.
"And what about the other girl,
Kirby? for there is another girl"
yes" rather indlfferently, "there is
another"
"Of course you know who she is?"
"Certainly-a Niger, a white mig
ger; the supposed Legitimate daugh-
ter of Adelbert Beaucaire, and a slave
woman. There is no reason why /
should fret about her. is there? She
is my property already by law" He
laughed again, the same ugly sneering
laugh of triumph. THAT was why /
was so particular about the wording of
that bill of sale-I would rather have
her than the whole bunch Of field
hands"
"You believe then the girl has never
been freed-either she, or her
mother?"
Believe? / know. tell you / never
play N game with my eyes shut"
"And you actually intend toto
hold her as a SLAYER"
swell, I'll look her over first before
| decide-she would be worth a pot
full of meney down the river"
The contemptuous. utterly indiffer-
n manner in which he voiced his viii
famous purpose. would have crazed
any man. To me this utterance was
the last straw, breaking down every
restraint, and leaving me hot, and
furious with anger. / forgot the muz-
zle of the pistol pressed against my
side, and the mcnacing threat in
Kirby's low voice. The face of the
man was indistinct, a mere outline,
but the swift impulse to strike at 1t
was irresistible, and l let him have the
blow-a stralght,arm jab to the jaw.
My clinched knuckles crunched against
the flesh, and he reeled back, kept
from falling only by the support of
the d~eckhouse. There was no report
OF a weapon, no outcry, yet, before /
could strike again, / was suddenly
gripped from behind by a pair of arms,
which closed about my throat like a
wise, throttling me instantly into silent
iielplessness. l struggled madly to
break free. straining with all the art
Of a wrestler, exerting every ounce OF
strength, but the grasp which held me
was unyielding. robbing me of breath,
and defeating every effort to call for
help. Kirby, dazed yet by my sudden
blow, grew eager to take a hand in the
ARRAY. struck me a .cowardly blow In
the face, and swung his undischarged
pistol to a level with my eyes.
D you'll" he calculated, and FOL
the first time his voice really ex
Inhibited temper. "Pd kill you with this
bur for the noise. No, by God! there
is a safer way than that to settle will
you. Have you got the skunk, Carvery
ssYou eau bet / have, Joe. I kir
choke the life out o. him-shall Iy
mo; let up a bit-just enough so h
can answer me first. ! want to fin,
out what all this means. Now lool
here, Knox. what is all this to you
why are you butting In on my game
Was Beaucaire a friend Of yours?"
ST can hardly claim that" I admit
ted. 1--WE never met until I cam'
aboard this steamer. All l am inter
ested In is justice to Others"
ITO others? Oh, / suppose you meal
those ~girls-you know them then?"
II have never even seen them,'
said.
II see: a self-appolnted squire o
DANES !; actuated merely by a romanti
desire to serve beauty in distress. Ex
} tremely interesting. my dear boy. But
} see here. knox," and his tone changes
: to seriousness. LET the romance &c
and talk sense a minute. You are no
going to get very far fighting me alone
( You haven't even got the law with yor
t Even II / cheated Beaucaire. which
do not for q moment admit. there !
: no proof. the money Is mine, and S
Is the land and the niggcrs. You Gu
: be ugly. OK course. but you cannc
overturn the facts. Now. you acknow
edge that what has occurred is pei
3 sonany nothing TO you; Beaucaire wa
no special friend, and you don't eve
|. know the two girls-all right theI
drop the whole matter. ] hold u
) crudge on account of your striking nj
+ and am even willing to share ND wit
q wan to erald seahle