The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-12-28

The first effect Of a great rhoch u
usually a semi paralysis Of the entire
mental mechanism and Il. a. = rule.
beneficent The brain seems 90 be
enclosed IN a great preoccurauon.
like wall. ana the messages o. pain
and horror brought BY the nerves
halter against Il IN vain The senses
arc dulled. the perceptions hunted.
and full realization does not cogne
For q long tina tn which time
kself steod stif. Hen ras beside the
dead body Of his old counselor and
friend ms q child might slt among
flowers lie half leaned forward. hts
arms limp. his hands resting In HE
Mr.. q deep wonder aud hewilderment
- bis eyeA Duly he watched the
ION nfsins IN the sky and felt tho
yeArrH> 81 the wind against hts fsc..
CHANGING only from time 90 time at
the huddled body before him The
wolf whined sofsiy. and sometime.
Ben reached his hand 20 caress the
furry shoulder.
Hut slowly his wandering faculties
returned 60 him. He began 90 under
stand. Esram was dcad-shat was II
--gone from his life as smoke goea
b the air. Never 90 hear him again.
or ece him. or make plans with him.
Or have hlgh adventures beside him
along the lonely trails Fenrfs had
found him In the darkness; here he
hy~-she old family friend. the man
who had saved him. redeemed him
and given him his chance. his old
sbuddy'' who had brought him home
The thing was not credible At fsrst I;
That hero. dead a. q stone. lay the
she'll OF that life that had bean his
ewn salvation. He studied intentiy
Che gray face. missed It's hahitusi
ernsie and for really the first time
his game rested upon the yawning
wound In the temple.
He gared at II IN specchiess. grow-
ng horror. and something like an in
credible cold descended upon him.
The entire hydraulic system Of his
biood seemed to be freezing. Hts
hands wrre cold. his vftais icy and
nfelena There was. however. the be-
ginning Of heat somewhere back Of
- eyes. He could feel II but dimiy.
6uS u was increasing. slowly. like q
ornoidering coal that eats its way into
wood and soon win burst into q
llama
Slowly he began 20 grow rigid. his
muscles fiexing. His face underwent
: tangible change The nnes deep
ened. the lips set In q hard line.
the eyes were like tho-s Of . reptile
--coid. passionless. unusserahiy ter
Yfble HIS face was pale like the
paiene>s Of death. but II appeared
more like hard. white metal than
f1eah. HIS mind began 20 work clear
again. he began 10 understand
Exrarn had been shot murdered BY
~ men who had Jumped has claim
Dsakzsos's father. who had TALKED 70
I'm had probably committed the
1v1mos Il not hA Go - biz under
1krouDsrp - his erdsa h 1sund
H1mm1f reualling what ysfssry Mol
- - Ia On. ths man hAA bsen
aspl Bensvtns thAs n TIE daDth
- furoGe Tie body vvu1A nsvsr
- GBnDv1ssa hs hAd tzfs1 - ssnd
- lArth~ Int - intas>R n
ng1n e him.
H arosA wholly ssRf-mAsfsss1 and
V>xh hard. strong hands made de-
titled examination Of Exram's wound.
II had evidently been shot ~ = nm
- large eaiibar. probably at Gloss
range. Exram's own gun lay 1T hia
1ket. loaded but not cooked
They shot you down In cold blood.
cd boy. didn't sheyr- he found him
nf1f askfuR. You didn't hayv 3
ehAncei"
Hut the gray i5ps wsre setting with
1eafh. and could not answer. Ben
1ad forgotten for the instant; he
must keep better hold Of himself The
Tina was not rfps to turn himself
Doss. But he dfd wish for one more
word with Ezram. 1uss . few little
minutss Of planning. They could
lpubxiess work out something good
Dgs<her. They could decide what TO
~
From this point his mind naturally
m to Exsn's parting advice TO him.
Tive only got one decent place 10
heep things safs. and that ami - an
0red decsnt.~ the old man hsd told
him. Il always put en- down my
bootleg between the sock and the
Rether. n I ever get shuff1ed Off
IN Of . sudden. want you to look
0here careful
otifi with the same deashiy paIlor
- crept over the dead leaves TO In
INNS feet. His hands were perfectly
Gfeady as he uniooped the lacss. one
M(4nP 0noffsr ana ovff@f1v rfIfeA <se4