The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-23
Clinch's Dump.
CHAPTER 1

Qtu ubGlueu " 81 GuolS'
Somewhere in Clinch's Dump
was hidden the Flaming Jewel.
Now was his time to search for 1t.
There were two other reasons
why he should go back. One OF
them was that Leverett was loose.
II anything had called Trooper
Stormont away. Eve would be
alone in the house. And nobody
on earth could forecast what a
coward like Everett might at
But there was another and more
serious reason for returning to
Clinefl's. Clinch, blood-mad, was
headed for Drowned Valley with
his men, to stop both ends Of that
vast motaBs before Quintana and
his gang could get out.
II was evident that neither
clinch nor any Of his men-al-
though their very lives depended
upon familiarity with the wildert-
ness-knew that third exit from
Drowned Valley existed.
e And that was why Darragh, or
Hal Smith, finally decided to re-
turn to Sar Pond-because II
! ouintana had been told or had
discovered that eircuitous way out
OF Drowned Valley, he might go
straight to Clinch's Dump :.
And, supposing stormont was still
there, how long could one State
Trooper stand OFF ouintana's
RanRf
No soner had Clinch and his
motley followers disappeared in
the dusk than Smith unslung his
basketpack, fished out a big cleo
stric torch, flashed It tentatively
and then, Sreslinging tho pack and
taking his rifle in his left hand,
he set of at an easy swinging
stride.
For a long while he did not dare
TO use his torch; but now he was
'oblIged to.
Heishined the ground at his feet,
elevated the torch with infinite pre-.
caution, throwing fan-shaped
light over the stretch OF sink he
had suspected and feared. l.
flanged the fiat, wet path OF rock
fon either side. Here Death spread
rs Shiny trap at his very feet.
Then, as he stood taking his
bearings with burning torch, far
ahead in the darkness light flash.
ed, went out, flashed twice more
and was extinguished.
Quintapa!
Smiths wits were working like
+ lightning, but instinct guided him
before his brain took command.
He leyeled his torch and repeated
the three signal flashes. Then, in
darkness, he came to swift cOnclu.
sion.
For three hundred yards. count.
ips his strides, he continued oil.
Then, in total darkness, no peck.
eted; the torch, slid a cartridge into
the breech Of his rifle, Sung the
weapon, pulled out haQdkerchiof,
and tied II across the face under
the5eyes.
He continued to move forward.
After a little while his car caught
d slight plash ahead. Suddenly
glare Of light enveIoped him.
t.1 els 1t you, Harry Beck"
Instinct led again Will wits
4 worked madly: Harry Beck IS two
miles back on guard. Where is
5Sard?"
The silence became terrible.
Once the glazing light In front
moved, then became fixed. There
was a light spIashing. Instantly
Smith realized that the man in
front had set his torch in a tree
crotch and was now covering
somewhere behind a leveled wea-
Sipon. His voice came presently:
"IIe! Drap-a that.a gun damn
quick!"
Smith bent, leisurely aHd laid
his rifle on messy rock.
.Nowt You there! Why you
want sardi Eh?"
III tell sard. not you" retorted
Smith cody. "You listen to me,
Z whoever you are. I'm from sard's
office in New York. I'm Abrams.
The police are on their way here
10 find Quintana.
A movement might have meant
death, but he calmly rummageI
for a cigaret. lighted It, blew a
cloud insolently toward the white
glare ahead. Then he took an
other chance:
q guess you're Nick saIzar.
ISL I am salzar. Who the
dew are you?"
g"I'm Eddie Abrams. Sard's law
yer. Ny business is to find my
client. II you stop me you'll so
to sprison-the whole gang OF you
-Sard, Quintana, PicQuet. San
chez, Georgiades and Harry Beck
and youi"
After a dead silence: Maybe
you'll 80 to the chair; tool"
It was the third chance he
took.
There was dreadful stiffness
in the woods. Finally came a
slight series Of splashes; the
crunch Of heavy boots on rock.
YFor why you coma here, eh?"
demanded Salzar, In a loss az
gressiTe manner. "What-a da
matt, eh?"
well" said Smith, "it you've
got to know, there are people
from Esthonia in New York
II you understand that"
schrist! When do they ar
riye3t.
week ago. Sards place is
In the hands Of the police. /
couldn't stop them. They've got
his safe and all his papers. City,
state, and federal, Officers are