The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-24
CHAPTER II

OdAFGGh II
Before midnight Smith struck
the hard forest. Here there was
no trail at all, only spreading out
crop Of rock under dying leayeI.
Ahead OF him, somewhere Ia
dafkness-but how far he did not
know-Quintana and his people
we're moving swiftly on clInch'S
Dump.
II may have been an hour later
two hours, perhaps-whon
from far ahead IN the forest came
asound@4the faint click Of shot
heel on rock.
Now; Smith unslung his pack,
placed 81 between two rocks where
laurel grew,
Saizar's red bandanna was Ftii!
vet, but he tied It across his face,
leaving his eyes exposed. The dead
mans hat fitted him. His own hat
and thefextra torch he dropped in-
toihis basket.pack.
Ready, now, he moved swiftly
forward, trailing his rifle. And
very soon It became plain to him
that the people ahead were NOV
ing without much caution, evil
IDENTIFY fearing no unfriendly ear
or eye in that section Of the Wild
10 keep in touch with them
Smith hsstened his pace until h.!
drew near enough to hear the low
mtirmir OF their voices.
They were travelling in single
file: he had a glimpse OF them
AGAINST the ghostly radiance ahead.
Indeed, so near had he approached
tiiat he could hear the heavy, labor
cd breathing of the last man in the
file-some laggard who dragged his
feet. ploding on doggedly, painting,
1iuttering. Probably the man was
sard.
Already the Forest in front was
invaded by the misty radiance from
The clearing. Through the trees
starlight glimmered on water.
The perfume Of the open land grew
inSthe night air-the scent Of dew
vet grass. the smell Of still water
and OF sedgy shores.
Lying. fiat behind a rotting log,
smith could see them all now
spectral shapes against the light.
There were five Of them at the for
est,s edge.
They seemed to know what was
to be done and how to do It. Two
went down among the ferns and
stunted willows toward the west
shore OF the pond; two sheered off
osthe, southwest, shoulder deep in
blackberry and sumac. The fifth
man waited for a while, then ran
down across the open pasture.
Scarcely had he started when
Smith glided to the woods edge,
erouched, and looked down.
Below stood Clinch's Dump,
plain In the starlight, every win.
dow dark. To the west the harm
doomed, huge with it's ramshackle
$ ontbuildings struggling toward
1 the Lake.
Straight down the slope toward
the barn ran the fifth man Of
Quintana's gang. and disappear
cd among the outbuildings.
Smith crouched, listened.
searched the starlight with intent
eyes, and waited.
Untn something happened he
could not solve the problem be-
fore him. He could be Of no use
to Eve Strayer and to Stormonl
ttntilshe found out what Quintana
was going to do.
He could be of little use any,
way unless he got into the house,
where two rifles might hold out
against I've.
There was no use in trying to
get to Ghost Lake for assistance.
he felt that whatever was about
10 happen would come with a
rush. It would be all over before
he had gone five minutes. No:
the only thing to do was to stay
I where he was.
As for his pledge to the little
5 Grand Duchess, that was always
in his mind. Sooner or later,
somehow, he was going to make
good his pledge.
he knew that Quintana and his
gang were here to ind the Flam-
ing Jewel.
Had he not encountered Quin'
tapa, his own erraud had been the
I. same. For Smith had started fol
Glinch's prepared to reveal himsel!
10 Stormont, and then. masked tc
the eyes-and to save Eve from a
broken heart, and Clinch from
States Prison-he had meant 10 rot
the girl at pistol point.
!. ut was the only way to save
Clinch; the only way to save the
pride OF his blindly loyal girl. Fol-