The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-10-26
CHAPTER II

at all, only spreading outcrop Of rock
under dying leaves.
It may have been an hour later
two hours, perhaps-when from far
ahead in the forest came a sound
he faint clink Of a shod heel on rock.
Salzar's red bandanna was still wet.
but he tied il across his face, leaving
his eyes exposed. The dead mans hat
itted him. His own hat and the ex-
ira torch he dropped into his basket
pack.
Ready, now. he moved swiftly for
ward, trailing his rife. And very
soon It became plain to him that the
people ahead were moving without
much caution. evidently fearing no
Infriendly ear or eye in that sec
ion Of the wilderness.
To keep in touch with them Smith
FASTENED his pace until he drew near
enough TO hear the low murmur Of
their voices.
They were travelling in single file;
he had a glimpse Of them against
the ghostly radiance ahead. Indeed.
so near had he approached that he
could hear the heavy, labored breath
ing Of the last man in the file-some
laggard who dragged his feet. plod-
ling on doggedly. painting. muttering.
Probably the man was Sard.
Already the forest in front was in
vaded BY the misty radiance from the
Tearing Through the trees starlight
ylimmered on water. The perfume
Il the open land grew in the night air
the scent OF dew-wet grass. the smell
II still water and sedgy shores.
Lying fiat behind a rotting log.
Smith could see them all now
spectral shapes against the light.
There were five Of them at the forest )
edge
They seemed to know what was to
be done and how to do It. Two went
down among the ferns and stunted
willows toward the west shore Of the
pond two sheered off to the south
west shoulder deep in blackberry and
sumac. The fifth man waited for a
while. then ran down across the open
pasture.
Scarcely had he started when Smith
elided to the woods edge, crouched,
and looked down.
Below stood Cunch's Dump, plain in
the starlight, every window dark To
the west the barn doomed, huge with
its ramshackIe Outbuildings struggling
toward the lake.
Straight down the slope toward the
barn ran the fifth man Of Quintana's
gang. and disappeared among the out
buildings.
Smith crouched, listened, searched
The starlight with intent eyes. and
waited.
Until something happened ne could
not solve the problem before him. He
could be Of no use to Eve Strayer and
10 StormOnt until he found out what
,luintana was going to do.
He could be Of little use anyway
unless he got into the house. where
TWO rifles might hold out against five
There was no use in trying TO get
90 Ghost Lake for assistance. He
felt that whatever was about tc
happen would come with a rush. Il
would be all over before he had gone
five minutes. No; the only thing to dc
was to stay where he was.
A slight sound from one Of the out.
houses-a sort Of wagon shed-at.
tracted his attention. Through the
frost-blighted rag weeds he peered in.
tently, listening.
After a few moments a faint glow
appeared in the shed. There was a
cracking noise. The glow grew pinker.
CHAPTER III
Inside Clinch's house Eve awoke
with a start. Her ears were filed
with a strange, rushing. cracking
w0fua 4
outside her windows.
The girl tore open her bedroom
door. Jack she cried in a terrified
voice. THE barns on fire."
Good Cod he said. my horser'
He had already sprung from his
chair outside her door. Now he ran
downstairs. and she heard bolt and
chain clash at the kitchen door and
his spurred boots land on the porch.
oh" she whimpered, snatching a
blanket wrapper from a peg and strug-
sling into it. "Oh. the poor horse!
Jack! Jack! I'm coming to help.
Lent risk your life! I'm coming-I'm
coming
Terror clutched her as she stumbled
downstairs on bandaged feet.
AS she reached the door a great
fare Of light almost blinded her.
Jack"
And at the same instant she saw
him struggling with three masked
men in the glare OF the wagon-shed
aflre.
His rife stood in the corridor out
side her door. With one bound she
VvaF on the stairs again. There came
no crash and splinter Of wood and
glass from the kitchen. and a man
with a handkerchief over his face
caught her on the landing.
Twice she wrenched herself loose
and her fingers almost touched Stor-
mont's rifle; she fought like cor
nered lynx. tore the handkerchief
from her assaiIant's face. recognized
Quintana, hurled her very bodily at
him eyes flaming, small teeth barred.
Two other men laid hold. In an
other moment she had tripped Quin-
tana. and all four fell, rolling over
lud over down the short flight OF
stairs, landing in the kitchen. still
Gghting.
Here, IN darkness. she wriggled out,
-omehow. leaving her blanket
wrapped in their clutches. In an
,ther instant she was up the stairs
gain, only 40 discover that the rife
vas gone.
Tbk red glare from the wagon.