, 1922-11-06
CHAPTER III
CONTINUED From Our Last Issue)


shoes and a basket pack.
He seated himself near Darragh.
After a silence: Your wife e beau
tifuI, Jim. Her character
seems to be even more beautiful :.
She's like Gods own messen-
ger to Eve. And-you're rath-
er wonderful yourself
"Nonselnse,' said DarrsEh. I've
given my wife her first American
friend and I've lone a shrewd stroke
OF business n nabbing the best bust
ness associate 1 ever heard Of"
You're crazy but kind. 1
hope III be some good One
thing; IN never set over what you've
done for Eve in this crisis
''Theren be no crisis. Jack. Marry.
and hook up with me in business.
That solves everything. Lord
what n life Eve has had, But youth
make 1t all up to her. All this lone
illness and shame and misery OF
Cilnch's Dump"
stormont touched his arm in eau
ton. Eve and Rlcca came dow the
stAirs-the former now in gray wool
snowshoe dress. and carrying her
snow-shoes. black gown, and toilet
articles.
Stormont began to stow away her
effects ( n the basket pack Darragh
went over to her and o her hand
'I'm so glad we arc to be friends"
ne said at IA q lot to know you
held me In contempt. But I had TO
go about it that way"
Eve nodded. Then. suddenly recol.
Letting: oh she exclaimed, red
denisg II forgot the jewel easel It's
under my pillow"
She turned and speed upstairs and
reappeared almost instantly. carry
ing the jewel-case.
Breathless. flushed. thankful and
happy in the excitment OF restitu-
ton. she placed tho leather case in
Ricca's hands.
'AIy jewelsF' cried the girl, as
founded. Then. with a little cry of
delight. she placed the case upon the
table. stripped open the emblazoned
cover. and emptied the two trays.
All over the table rolled the Jewels.
flashing, scintillating. abiade with
binding light.
And at the same instant tho outer
door crashed open and Quintana
covered them with Darragh's rifle.
Now. by Christi he shouted.
who stirs a finger shall go to God
in one jump, You. my gendarme
trien'-you ny frien' Smith-turn
your damn backs-han's up hight
tha's the way,-now. Iadies.-back
away there-get back or I k'n@l
SURE. by Jesus. I kill you Ike 1 would
some white little micei-"
With incredible quickness he step |
ped forward and swept the Jewels
into one hand-filled the pocket of
his trousers, caught up every stray
etone and pocketed them.
You gendarme," he cried in a
menacing voice. you think you shall
follow in my track. Yes. I blow
your damn head off If you stir before
the hour. After that-well, fol-
low and be damn!"
Even as he spoke he stepped out
side and slammed the door; and OAR
ragh and Stormont leaped for 1t.
Then tho loud detonRtion of Quin-
tana's rifle was echoed b the spplin-
tering rip of bullets tearing through
the closed doo and both men halted
in the face of the leaden hail.
Eve. ran to the pantry window and
saw Quintana in somebody's stolen
lumber-sledge. lash a big pair of
horses to n gallop and go laundering
past into tR Ghost Lake road.
As he sped by in n whirl of snow he
fired five times ut the house. then, /
rising and swinging his whip. he
f14-anl 4hZ En-A- A~---z &- a.
In the dining room. Stormont. red
with rage and shame. and having
found his rifle in the corridor out
side Ewes bedroom, was trying TO
open the shutters for a shot; and
Darragh, empty-handed. searched the
house frantically for a weapon.
Eve, terribly excited. came from
pantry:
Hes gone.' she cried ~furiously.
Hes in somebody's lumber-sledge
with n pair of horses and he's driving
west like the devilF'
Stormont ran to the tap-room tele-
phone, cranked it. and warned the
at Five Lakes.
GOOD Godr' he exclaimed, turning
20 Darragh, scarlet with mortifica-
ion. what a CHASTITY business, I
never dreamed he was within miles
Of Clinch's! It's the most shameful
thing that yer happened to me"
What could anybody do under
that rifle?' said Eve hotly. That
would have murdered the
first persons who stirredT'
Darragh. -exasperated and read
fully Inundated, looked miserably
At his ~brand-new wife.
Eve and Stormont also looked at
her. She had come forward from the
rear of the stairway where ouintana
had brutally driven her. Now she
stood with one hand on the empty
jewel ease. looking at every
body u OF pretty, bewildcred eyes.
To parragh. in a perplexed. IN
stead voice.. rs it tho same bandit
who robbed us before?"
Yes; Quintana," he said wretch
ediy. Rage began to reddo his fea-
lures. "Ricca," he said. 81 prom
.scd I'D find your Jewels. I pro-
mise you again that III never drop
This business until your gems-and