Evening journal., 1922-10-05
CHAPTER ".

When State Trooper Stormor
came out on the edge OF Owl MsrsN
the girl was kneeling by the watei
washing deer blood from her slen
der. sun-tanned fingers.
What are you doing here?" sh
inquired. looking up over her shoul
der with a slight smile.
Just having a look around n,
said pleasantly. That's a nice IA
buck you have there"
Yes he's nice"
You shot him7" asked Stormont
Who else do you suppose sho
himf' she inquired smihngly. Sh,
rinsed her fingers again and stood
mp. swinging her arms TO dry hei
hands---a 1.-the. grsy-shffted figure II
her noyish garments, straight, sup.
pie and strong.
Stormont smiled too, then became
grave
who else was here with you p
he asked quietly.
She seemed surprised. did you
see anybody else ?"
He hesitated, flushed, pointed
down at the wet sphagnum. Smith
footprints were there in damning
contrast to her own Worse than
that, Smiths pipe lay on an en-
bedded log. and rubber tobacco
pouch beside It.
She said with slight catch in her
breath: TT seems that somebody
has been here. -. Some hunter,
perhaps-or a game warden. :"
~Or Hal Smith," said Stormont.
A painful color swept the girls
face and throat. The man, sorry for
her. looked away.
After a silence: '1 know some
thing about YOU" he said gently
"And now that I've seen you-heard
you speak-net your eyes-I know
enough about you 10 form an opln-
ION. 49, So 1 don't ask Won 10
turn informer. But the law won't
stand for what Cinch is doing
whatever proyocation he has had.
And he must not aid or abet any
criminal, or harhor any malefactor."
The girls features were express
sionless. The passive. cullen beauty
OF her troubled the trooper.
Trouble for Clinch means sorrow
for you" he said II don't want
you TO be unhappy. I bear Cllnch
no III will. For this reason ask
him. and ask you too. TO stand clear
OF this affair.
Hal Smith is wanted. I'm here
10 take him.
AS she said nothing. he looked
down at the footprint in the sphag-
mum. Then his eyes moved 10 the
next imprint; TO the next Then
he moved slowly along the waters
edge, tracking the course of the man
he was following.
The girl watched him in silence
until the plain trail led him to the
spruce thicket.
Don't go in therei" she said
sharply, with an odd tremor in her
voice.
he turned and looked at her then !
stspped calmly into the thicket. And |
mo next instant ehe was among the |
sprueee, too, confronting him with
her rtne.
''eet out of these woOdslv she
said.
He looked into tn. girls deathly
white face.
Eve" he said. 1T will go hard
with You if you XIII me- I don't
want you TO live out your life in
prison"
Il can't help it If you send my
father to prison he'll die. I'd rather
die myself Let us alone, tell youi
The man you're after Is nothing to
us. We didn't know he had stuck
up anybody"
IF he's nothing 20 you. why do
you point that rifle at me7"
II tell you he is nothing to us.
But my father wouldn't oetray a
dog. And won't. That's ell. Now
get out of these woods and come
back tomorrow. Nobody'il interfere
with you then"
Stornokt smiled: Eve he said.
''do you aslly think me as yellow
rs that - .,
Her blue eyes flashed a terrible
warning. bet. In the same instant,
he had caught her rife. twisting It
out of her grasp. as Il exploded.
The detonation dazed her; then, as
he fung the rife into the water, she
caught him by neck and belt and
flung him bodily into the spruces.
But she fell with him; he held
ner twisting and struggling with all
her superb and supple strength;
5aggered to his feet, still mastering
her. and. as she struggled, sobbing,
looked hot and painting in his arms.
be snapped a pair OF handouts on
Ter wrists and flung her aside.
She fell on both knees. got up.
jhoulder deep in spruce. blood run
ling from her lip over her chin.
The trooper took her by the arm.
She was trembling all over. Hel
ook thin steel chain and paddock
rom bis pocket, passed the links
Lround her. steel-bound wrists. and
astened her to a young birch tree.
Then. drawing his pistol from its
lolster, he went swiftly forward
through the sprucss- .
When he saw the cleft in the
ocky dank OF Star Peak. he walked
ralsht to the black hole which
onfronted him.
"come out of there" he said dis
luctIy.