New Britain herald., 1922-10-09
GO ON WITH THE STORY EPISODE THREE
 On Star Peak
CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER I.
 Mike Clinch regardAd the jewels taken from Jose Quihtana as legiti- mate loot acquired in war.
 He was prepared to kill anybody who attempted to take the gems from him.
 At the very possibility his ruling passion blazed-his mania to make of Eve Strayer a grand lady.
 But now, what he had feared for years had happened. Quintana had found him-Quintana, after all these years had discovered the identity and dwelling place of the obscure Ameri- can soldier who had robbed him in the washroom of Paris cafe. And Quintana was now in America, here In this very wilderness, tracking the man who had despoiled him.
 Clinch, in his shirt-sleves, carrying a rife, came out on the log veranda' and sat down to think it over
 He began to realize that he was likely to have trouble with a man as cold-blooded and as dogged as him. self.
 Nor did he doubt that those with
 
 On whom could he count? On nobody unless he paid their hire. None among the lawless men who haunted his backwoods "hotel" at Star Pond would lift finger to help him. Almost any among them would have robbed him-murdered him. probably-if it were known that jeyels were hidden in the house.
 He could not trust Jake Kloon; Leverett was as treacherous as only born coward can be; Sid Honey, Harvey Chase, Boomers Byron Has tings-he knew them all too well to trust them-a sullen, interruptions pack, partly cowardly always fierce as are any creatures that live fur lively, feed only by their wits, and slink through life just outside the frontiers of law.
 And yet, one of this gang had stood by him-Hal Smith--the man he him. self had been about to slay.
 Clinch got up from the bench where he had been sitting and walked down to the pond where Hal Smith sat cleaning trout
 Hal" h said. T been figuring some. Quintana don't dare call in the constables. I can't afford to. Quintana and I've got to settle this on our own"
 Smith slit open a ten-inch trout, stripped it, flung the entrails out into the pond, soused the fish in water, and threw it into a milk pan.
 Whose jewels were they in the be- s,i ptoro, Lo }rn,yiroH rare1eSSlv
 How do I know"
 "If you ever found out" 'I don't want to- got them in the war, anyway. And it don't make no difference how I got 'em; Eyes going to be a lady If I go to the chair for it. So that's that
 Smith slit another trout, gutted 1t, flung away the viscera but laid back the roe.
 Shame to take them in October he remarked, but people must eat" "Same's me-" nodded Clinch; T don't want to kill no one, but Eve she's gotta be lady and ride in her own automobile with the proudest." Does Eve know about the jewels?" Clinch's pale eyes, which had been
  Pond, reverted to Smith.
 "I'd cut my throat before I'd tell her." he said softly
 "She wouldn't stand for it?"
 Hal, when you said to me, Eyes ! lady, by God.' you swallered the hull pie. That's the answer A lady don't stand for what you and l don't bother about
 Suppose she learns that you robbed the man who robbed some body else of these jewels"
 Clinch's pale eyes were fixed on him: "Only you and me know" he Baid in his pleasant voice.
 "Quintana knows. His gang knows"
 Clinch's smile was terrifying. T guess she ain't never likely to know