Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-06-02

u1iuiitElil- hftdl1 WHttc HdktS INNl Ai~
most in an instant covered the leaves.
It was the real beginning OF winter,
and oil living creatures knew It. The
wolf pack sang to 1t from the ridge
Wild and piaintive song TINT made
Bert Cranston, sleeping ia a Iean-to
on the Umpqua side OF the Divide,
swear and mutter In his sleep. But he
didn't really waken until Jim Gibbs,
one Of his gang. returned from his
secret mission.
They wasted no words. Bert flung
aside the blankets, lighted candle
and plnced Il out Of the reach OF the
night wind. His face looked swnrthy
and deep-Ilned 10 Its light.
"welT he demanded. "whnt did
you findT'
"Nothin'," Jim Gibbs answered gut
turally. III you ask me what found
out might have somethIn' 10 nm
Bwer.s
Then" and Bert, after the man.
ner OF his kind. breathed an oath
''What did you find outY"
His tone, except for an added note
OF sayagery, remained the same. Yet
his heart was Humping a great deal
louder than be liked 10 have II. Heniiz-
Ing that the SHOWS were at hand, he
had sent Gibbs for a last search Of
the body, to End and recover the evil
dence that Hlldreth had against him
and which had not been revealed either
on Hlidreth's person or IN his cabin.
lie had become Increasingly appre-
hensive about those letters he had
written Hlldreth. and certnin other
documents that had been In his pos.
session. He didn't understand why
they hadn't turned up. And now the
SHOWS had started, and Jim Gibbs Ind
returned empty-handed. but evidently
not empty-mlnded.
i've found that the body's been un.
coyered--and men are nircndy search
IN for clues. And moreover--i think
they've found thern.' He paused.
weighing the effect Of his worda His
eyes giittcred with cunning. HAT that
he wns. be was wondering whether the
time had arrived 10 leave the ship. He
had no Intention OF continuing TO give
his services TO man with q rope
moose closing about blfn. And Grams
ton. showing this fact. hated him nv
be hated the buzzard that would claim
him In the end. and tried 10 hide bis
apprehension.
eco on. Bint II out" Cunston or
dered. "or else 10 away and let me
sleep"
II was a bluff; but Il worked. II
Gibbs had gone without speaking.
cranston would have known no sleep
that night But the man became more
fawning.
'Tm teiiin' you. fast as I can he
went on, almost whining. y went 20
the cabin. Just as you said But !
didn't get q chance to search IT,"
"why not7" crnnston Numbered.
Ills voice re.echoed among the snow
wet pines
"I1i tell yon whyI f1ccause some
one else-evidentIy cop--was al.
ready searchln' H. Both Of US know
there's nothin' there, anyway. We've
gone over Il TOO many times. After
while he went away--hut ! didn't
turn back yet That wouldn't be Jim
Gibbs Swallowed him. just as you'd
want me 20. And he went straight
back 20 the body"
"fesT Crnnst0n had hard work
curbing his Impatience. Again Gibbs
eyes were full Of ominous apecula.
lions.
HE stopped NJ the body, and II was
plain he'd been there before. He went
crawling through the thickets, loolKln'
for clues. He done what you and me
meyer thought to do-lookin' oil the
way between the trail and the body.
He'd already found the brass shell you
told me TO get At least, Il wasn't
there when looked. after he'd gone.
You should've thought OF II before.
But he found somethin' else a whole
lot more important--a roll OF papers
that IIildreth had chucked into an old
pine stump when he was dyin'. II was
your fault, CranstOn, for not gettin'
them That night. This detective stood
and read 'em on the trail. And you
know-Just as well as do--what
they were.T
"D-n you, ] went back the next
morning, as soon as could see. And
the mountain lion had already been
there. ! went back lots OF times since.
And that shell amt nothIng-but oil
the time supposed ! put II IN my
pocket. You know how II is--a fellow
throws bis empty sheII out by habit.s
Gibbs eyes grew more intent. What
was this thing7 Cranston's tone, In
stead Of commanding, was almost
pleading. But the leader caught him
self at once.
Il don't see why / need to explain
any OF that to you. What want TO
know is this: why you didn't shoot
and get those papers away from himT'
For nm instant their eyes bnttled.
But Gibbs had never the strength Of
his leader. II he had. II would have
been asserted long since. He sucked
10 bis breath, and his gaze fell away.
It rested on Cranston's rifle, that 10
some manner had been pulled up
across his knees. And at once be was
cowed. He was never so fast with
gun as Cranston.
Blood on my hands. eh--same as
on yoursT he mumbled. looking down.
what do you think / want. q rope
around my neciSf These hills are big
but the arm Of the law has reached up
before, and It might again. You might
as well know first as last I'm not goln'
to do any kiiIin's to cover up your
murders"
'That comes Of not going myself.
You fool---If he gefa fhaf evidence