The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1921-02-05

frontier of death, his first thought was
to hide his evidence where Cranston
could not find 1t when he searched the
body, but where later it might he
found by the detectives that We're sure
to come. 1t was the old creed of a
life for life. He wanted his evidence
to be preserved-not that right should
be wrOnged, but so that Crnnston
would be prosecuted and convicted
and made to suffer. His hatred of
Cranston that had made him turn
states evidence In the first place had
been carried with him down into
death.
AS Dan stood wondering, he thought
he heard twig crack on the trail be-
hind him, and he wondered what for
est creature was still lingering on the
ridges at the eve Of the SHOWS.
The snow began to fall In earnest at
midnight-great, white flakes that al
most In an instant covered the leaves
1t was the real beginning of winter,
and all living creatures knew 1t. The
wolf pack sang to it from the ridge
wild and plaintive song that made
Bert Cranston, sleeping in a lean-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 a candle
and placed 1t out Of the reach of the
night wind. His face looked swarthy
and deep-lined in its light.
"Well?" he demanded what did
you find?"
"Nothin'," Jim Gibbs answered gut
turally. IF you ask me what i found
out l might have somethin' to an
swer."
"Then-" and Bert, after the man.
ner of his kind, breathed an oath
"What did you find out?"
His tone, except for an added note
Of savagery, remained the same Yet
his heart was humping great deal
louder than he liked to have it. Realiz-
ing that the SHOWS were at hand, he
had sent Gibbs for last search Of
the body, to find and recover the evil
dence that Hildreth had against him
and which had not been revealed either
on Hildreth's person or in his cabin.
He had become increasingly appre-
hensive about those letters he had
written Hildreth, and certain 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 had
returned empty-handed, but evidently
not empty-minded.
1--WE found that the bOdy's been un-
covered-and men are already search
in for clues. And moreover think
they've found them" He paused,
Weighing the effect of his words. His
eyes glittered with cunning. Rat that
he was, he was wondering whether the
time had arrived to leave the ship. He
had no intention of continuing to give
his services to man with rope
moose closing about him. And Grams
ton, knowing this fact, hated him as
he hated the buzzard that would claim
him In the end, and tried to hide his
apprehension.
go on. Blat 1t out" Cranston or
dered. ''Or else 60 away and let me
Sleep"
1t was a bluff but 1t worked. II
Gibbs had gone without speaking,
Cranston would have known no sleep
that night. But the man became more
fawning. ~ l--- ~
"rm tellin' you. fast ~ can" b
went on. almost whining. IT went to
the cabin. Just a. you said. Bot
didn't get chance 10 search IT,
s"Why notf Cranston thun1ersd.
His voice re-echced among the now.
VET pines. 'tvlifa. n.
.lM tell you why Because some
AnA,sAase-svsdeatlV . coo-wasy "a a.
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