The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-19
EPISODE SIX
t
The Jewel Alamo.
CHAPTER /

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Mits clineh and his men
drove Star Peak, and drew a
blanket covert.
There was a new shanty atop.
camp debris. plenty Of signs OF
recent Occupation everywhere
hot embers in which oifal still
smouldered, bottles odorous OF
claret dfegs, and an aluminium
culinary outfit, unwashed, as
though Quintana and his men
had departed in haste.
Ear in the stu valley below,
Nike Glinch squatted beside the
runway he had chosen, a cooked
rifle across his knees, /
And, is Clinch squatted there,
ntrderous1y intent, ever the fixed
obAessi6n burned In his fever
brain, STIRRING HIS thin lips to In
eessant muttering-a sort Of
soundless invocation, part chron-
icle part prayer:
"oeGod Almighty, in your big,
swell mansion up there, all has
went contrary with me sense you
let that there damn millionaire,
Harrod, come into this hero for
est He went and built into
hisselt an b Abitation, and he put
up a wall OF law all around me
where Twas searnin' a lawful liv-
in, In Thy nice, clean wilderness.
~. And now comes this here
Quintana and robs my grille.
Il promised her mother II make
lady Of little Eve-1 loved my
wife, o. Lord-once she showed
me a piece In the Bible-I amt
never found Il sense-but it said:
And the woman she flc% into the
wilderness where there was a
Place prepared f,f her OF God' -
That's what you wrote into your
own Bible; o God! You can't 80
back on 1t. ! seen It.
and now wanta to ask,
What place did you prepare for my
Eye2 What spot have you refer.
eiIce to? You didn't moan my
Dump, did you? Why, Lord, that
amt no place for no lady-And
now Quintana has went and robbed
me Of what I'd saved up for Eve
Does that go. with Thee. o Lord?
No. 1t don't. And It don't go with
me, neither. Pm a-goin' to git
Quintana. Then I'm ago.n' to
git them two minks that robbed
my gjrlie-I <ami-Jake Kloon, MS
done IL in eahoots with Earl Lev
eratt: and QuIntana set 'em on.
Asfar crash in the forest stilletl
his twitching lips and st.ffened
every iron muscle,
As he lifted his rifle, Sid Hone
came into the glade.
ssYahooi Yahool" he called,
where be you, Mike?"
G1ineh slowly rose, grasping his
rifte. his small gray eySs Shlaze.
where's ouitlsna?" ne de-
sH'siais sou seen nObOdy~
MOI -
one bys one the men who had
driven Star Peak lounged up in
the red sunset. lIg'.. gathering
around Clineh aud wiping the
sweat from sun-reddened faces.
eWell, !" inquired Jim Hastings
finaliy, edo we quit. Mike or do
We stlll7hunt In Drowned Valley"
mot me, at night" remarked
Blomners drily.
t.sS6t amongst them slnk'holes,"
added Hone.
Suddenly Clinch turned and
stared at him. Then the deadly
light from his little eyes shone on
the others one by one.
Boys he said, 81 gotta get
QnintanR. T can't never sleep an
other wink till I get that man
Come on. Act up like gents all.
Let's co.
The Hastings boys, young and
fashs shuffled into the trail. Blom-
niers hesitated, glanced askance at
Glinch and instantly made up his
mind to take a chance, with the
sinkholes rather than with Cliuch,
God Almighty. Mike, what be
you amin to dog" fsltered Har-
veg,
eIEm amin to stop the inlet
and outlet to Drowned Valley
Harve.. replied Clinch in his
pleasant voice. God Is a-going' 70
deliver Quintana into my hands. +"
All right. What next?"
Then" continued Clinch, az
eal.late TO set down and wait.
y How iong?"
Ask God, boys. I don't know.
ALL know Is that whatever is
liyin, In Drowned Valley at this
hour has gotta live and die there.
For It can't never live to come
9uten that there morass walkin'
onto two legs Ike real man"
CHAPTER II
Glinch had not taken a dozen
stride before Hal Smith doomed
MP ahead in the rosy dusk, driv-
ing in Leverett before him.
An exclamation OF fierce exul-
Nation burst from Clinch's thin
lips as he flung out one arm, in.
dicating Smith and his sinking
prisoner:
Who was that gol-dinged 'oata-
Mount that suspicioned Hal? I
wasn't worried none, neither.
Haith a gent Mehha he RtInlta nm