The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-28

80 ~
Continued Prom Page g.
n I've heard all want to from
you tco---and III say aud dfink
what l please"
Bin had no answer at first We
had thought that this threat might
bring Harold 20 time. he had sup.
POSED tho man valued Ntrginla'S
: love as much a. he. In a similar
position. would have valued Il.
n~iisreid turned TO the sirl. so
you're not my woman. chr"
No. no. MOI never viii be-
The girls eyes were blazing. and
she had forgotten her fear in her
magnificent wrath. Il suppose-you
we're a squaw man. These Indians
ARE your own friends"
Harold smiled cruelty. -Ye. a
souaw man. And these are my
friends Don't you suppose i've
kncwn--fcr the last wc,k--you were
Just foolirg me along. all the time
fondlins Rins sindy at least was
taithsuh--and her form wouldn't
take anything from yours
Pete. watching Joe. was some.
what amared at the curious start
the man made. His searching gaze
had leaped over the girls form: his
dark. sfnolderinx eyes suddenly
elazed rcd. There was no other
word than red. They were Ike two
Goals Of fire.
There ensued q moment OF strange
ana menacing silence. Pete
ehuckied. already receptive 10 Jo-'s
thought Harold turned TO stare at
htm.
Joe put his pipe 10 bis Fps. then
fnmhied at his pocket. lie seemed
TO search In vain. .wn you give
me . match. please. LADY," he asked.
The tone was strange. thick and
ssrnined. yet virginiss heart thrilled
With hope The request was a wei.
come interiude In a quarrel that
was rapidly approaching the fight.
ing stage. Perhaps n these men
started to smoke. their blood would
cool. she had known Of old that
tobacco was wonderful bromide TO
overstretehed nerves. She turned
quickly 10 the shelf above Bits
head and procured half a dozen
matches from the box.
A. her back was turned abe
heard Pete laugh again--one evil
syllable that filled her with instinct.
i've horror. Her wide eyes turned
10 him; he was watching her In
tentiy. Then she stepped back TO
give Joe the matches
Insfincttveiy her eyes turned 10
the wall for a r-axuring sight Of
her pistol II was gone from its
plaza
For ~ mx.ns she stared In hor.
Dafied am&xement- The matches
dropped Idly from her hand A sob
cnugh, In her throat. a sob Of hope
less and utter terror. but shs fought
brave little fight to suppress a.
She knew aha must appear TO be
ersvcs At least ehe must do this
much. She looked nj Joe. his evil.
leerfng face told her only too plain
: y that hts eager hand had seized
and secreted her pistol. Pete's face
- Sf~Nu TO- hafo&1 OHly 4opA~1
bAwiidered-
Hs was her last hops. but IN one
fnstAnt's scrutiny she raw this had
vanished. too. Some terrible thought
had sob~red and enEros,ed him.
Now he was cycling her like a wit
less thing. his features drawn. his
eyes burning. The moment was
charged with fneffable suspenre
what IN II. Virginia." Bui asked
One Of thes. men she an
swered brokenly--''has taken my
pistol I want him 10 give II
The circle laughed thsn-a harsh
and sinister sound that filled her
with fnexpre~sibIs horror. For
moment she stood motlonless In the
center of that ieering circle. her
eyes wide. her face white as death
"a slight figure. trying so hard "a
UUnnd straight. crushed and defense
iess. only her eyes pleading In last
appeal. IEstinctively her lips whis-
p<red . prayer.
Joe spoke then. q Single sentence
IN the vsrnacuiar for Harold's ears.
old. himself and Pete in turn. then
pointed to the girl. His face was
hidcous with eagerness.
Harold started at the words, but
a. first made no answer. He had
lost her anyway: there was no need
Of further restraint The silence.
the stress. most OF all the burning
liquor flung a wild and devastating
fame thru his veins. a dreadful
madness seized bis brain. There
was no saving gvace. no impulse Of
manhood. no memory OF virtue to
hold him back.
His degenerscy was complete He
could not go lower. His fathers
wicked blood pulsed in his veins,
the final brutality that the North
bestows upon those II conauers was
upon him He answered with
curse.
"why not,- he said The SUITS
thrown me over when I'm thru
you can do what you want. And
crack the skull OF that mole with
me pick and throw him out in the
BfIow."
The two Indians furched forward
AZ bis words. Bnl left his chair in
mighty leap.
XXI
+ When Bill sprang forward TO in.
!, tsrcept the attack upon the girl he
{ came with amazing accuracy and
B power. There was nothing OF blind.
ness or nisdirection about that leap.
II was as II his sight had already
Z tslllrnnd 10 lin The raaI t..aaL.