Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-11-08
fContinued from u last issue)
CHAPTER Ill

NI1AE LEN b
Eve picked I'D her rifle. She was
trembling violently. Then, master
ing her emotion, she walked over TO
the pack, placed Quintana's rifle and
mackinaw in it, coolly hoisted 1t TO
her shoulders and buckled II there.
Over her shoulder she kept an eye
on Quintana who crouched where
he had fallen, unstirring, his deadly
eyes watching her.
She placed the muzZle of her rifle
against his stomach, rested 1t so,
holding it with n hand. and her
finger al the trigger. =.
AT her brief order he turned out
both breeches pockets. She herself
stopped and drew the Spanish clasp
knife from its sheath at his belt.
took a pistol from the hostler. an
other out of his hip pocket. Reach
ing up and behind her, she dropped
these into the pack.
MAYBE" she said slowly. your
ankle is broken. I'll send somebody
from Ghost Lake to find you. But
whether you've a broker bone or
not you'll not go very far, Quin-
tana. . . . After I'm gone you'll be
able to free yourself. But you can
get away. You'll be followed and
caught. j. . So IL you can walk at
all you'd better go in to Ghost Lake
and give yourself up. ;. . It's that
watch. 4. Don't stir or touch that
trap for half an hour. . . And
that's ALL"
As she moved away toward the
Drowned Valley trail she looked
hack at him. His face was blood
less but his black eyes blazed.
"If ever you come into this forest
again." she said, my father will
surely kill you"
To her horror Quintana slowly
grinned at her. Then, still %grinning,
he placed the forefinger of his left
hand between his teeth and bit it.
Whatever he meant by the ges-
ture it seemed unclean, horrible;
and the girl hurried on, seized with
IN overwhelming loathing through
which a sort of terror pulsated like
evil premonition in a heavy and
tortured heart.
Straight into the fire of dawn she
sped. A pale primrose light glim-
mered through the woods; trees
bushes, underground turned a dusky
purple. Already the few small
clouds overhead were edged with
fiery rose.
Then, of a sudden, a shaft of
fame played over the forest. The
sun had risen.
Fastening, she searched the soft
path for any imprint of her fathers
foot. And even in the vain search
she hoped to find him at home
hurried on burdened with two rifles
and a pack, still all V and
acquiver from her encounter with
Surely, surely. she thought, if he
had missed Quintana in Drowned
he would not linger in that
chastity place; he'd come home, call
in his men, take counsel perhaps
Mist over Star Pond was dis
solving to a golden powder in the
binding glory of the sun. The
eastern window-panes in Clinch's
glittered as though the rooms
inside were all on fire.
Down through withered weeds
scrub she hurried. ran across
he grass to the kitchen door which
iwung ajar under its porch.
Dad" she called. "Dad!"
Only her WI frightened voice
choed in the empty house. She
limbed the stairs to his room. The
ed lay undisturbed as she had
it. He vas not in any of the
ooms; there were no signs of him.
Slowly she descended to the
itchen. He was not there. The food
he had prepared for him had be-
ONE cold on a chilled range. E
For a long while she stood staring
through the window at the sunlight I
Probably, since Quintana
ad eluded him, he'd come home for l
omething to eat. . . . Surely, now |
hat Quintana had escaped, Clinch
Tould come back for breakfast. {
Eve slipped the pack from her
and laid it on the kitchen 6
able. There was kindling in the
eNod-box. She shook down the Gin
Iers, kid a fire, soaked it with
ierosene, lighted it. filled the kettle
With fresh water. {
In the pantry she cut some ham, i
nd found eggs, condensed milk,
bread, and an apple pie. {
after she had ground the coffee she {
all these on a tray and car
led them into the kitchen.
Now there was nothing more to
10 until her father came, and she
at down by the kitchen table to