The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-07

gHAFVEH IL
When IL last Eve arrived at the.
place Of pines again, and saw the
far, spectral glimmer Of Qufntana's
fire, the girl was almost breathlesS.
But dawn was not very far away
and there remained little time for
the taking alive Of a dangerous
man.
Where two enormous pines grew
close together near q sapling, she
lknelt down, and, with both hands,
scooped out d big hollow in the I'm
memorial layers of pine needles.
Here she placed her trap. 1t took
all her strength and skill to set It;
70 fasten the chain around the base
Of the saplingi pine.
And now, working with only tho
faintest glimmer Of her torch, she
covered everything, with pine
needles.
II was not possible to restore the
forest floor; the place remained
visible darker, rougher patch on
the bronzed carpet Of needles beat.
en- smooth by decades OF rain and
snow No animal would have troc
den that suspicious space. But 1t
was with man she had To DEAL
dangetouso but REASONING man with
few and atrophied tnstincts-and
with no experience in traps; and,
therefore IA no dread Of them.
Before She started she had
thrown g cartridge into the b1 eech
Of her rifle!
Now she pocketed her torch and
seated herself between the two biz
Pines and about three feet behind
the hidden trap.
Dawn was not far away. She
looked upward through high pine.
tops where stars shone; and saw
no sign Of dawn. But tho watcher
by the fire beyond WAS astir, nov,
IN the immlnence OF dawn, and evl.
IDENTIFY meant TO warm himself be.
fore leaving.
Eve could hear him rillng dry
wood on the fire; the light on the
tree trunks grew redder; a pung.
emit reek of smoke was drawn
through the forest aisles. She sniff.
ed II. listened, and watched, her
rifle across her knees.
Eve never had been afraid of
anything She was not afraid of
this mar. 1t IL came to combat she
would have TO kill. It never enter.
ed her nindsto6 fear Quintana's
rifle. Even Glinch was not as swift
with b rifle as she. Only Stormont
had been swffter thank God!-
She thought Of Stormont-sat
there in the terrific darkness Low.
Ing htm, her heart Of a child trem.
tilods with alteration.
3shen the memory OF Darragh
pushed in and hot hatred possessed
her. Always, ins,hcr heart, she had
aistrnsted the nlan.
Instinct had warned her: a SPY?
SVtat eSi1 had he worked steady?
Nhe,e was hes father? Ev IDENTIFY
9uintana had escaped him at
Drowned Valley Quintana was
yonder bg his fire, preparing to
flee the Wilderness where men
hunted him. But where was Clinch ?
Had this sneak; Darrah, betrayed
him Was Clincr already in the
clutch Of State Troopers? Was he
n iafll
At the thought the girl felt
slightly faint; then a rush Of angry
blood stung her face in the dark
ness Except for, game. and excise
Violations the stories they told
about Clinch were lies.
He8had nothing to fear, nothing
to be ashamed Of, Harrod hSd
dfiyen3him to ilawlessness; the Gov.
ernme1t took away what was left
him to make a living. He had to
live What II he did break laws
made by millionaire and fanatic!
What o. II? He had her love and
her respect - and her deep, deep
pity And these were enough for
any girl to fight for.
Dawn spread a silvery light above
the pines, but Quintana's fire still
reddsned the tree trunks; and she
could hear him feeding It at inte.-
walls
Finally she saw him. He came
out on the edge Of the ruddy ring
OF Light and stood peering around
Attic woods where already vague
grayness was revealing nearer
9Cees!
When, finally, he turned his back
and hooked at his fire, Eve rose
and stood between the two big
pines. Behind one OF them shs
placed her rifle.
u was growing lighter in tbs
woods She could see Quirtana In
the fire ring and outside-saw him
30 20 the spring rivulet, lie flat,
drink then, on his knees, wash face
and hands In the icy water.
N became plain to her that he
Was nearly ready to depart. She
watched him preparing. And now
She could see him plainly, and
know him to be Qulntana and no
other. VIZ
ne had d light basket pack. He
put some articles into 1t, stretched
himself and yawned, pulled on his
hat, hpisted the pack and fasteu4