Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-12

All right"
Trooper Stormont swung out o.
his saddle and led his horse away
toward the stable.
Hal Smith went into the bar where
Clinch stood oiling a rifle.
I'm going after Quintana with
you. Mike"
"B'gosh, you amt. You're a-goin
to keep watch here"
mo. Trooper Stormont has prom
Used to stay with Eve. You'll need
every man today, Mike. This ism
a deer drive.
CIinch let his rifle sag across the
hollow of his left arm.
Did you beef to that t~rooper.?"
he demanded in his pleasant, mis-
leading way.
do you think I'm crazy" re-
torted Smith.
well, what the hell"
"They all know that some man
used your girl roughly. That's all
1 said to him-'keep al eye on Eve
until we can get back And | tell
you, Mike, if we drive Star Peak we
won't be back till long after sun
down"
Clinch growled: II amt never
asked no favors of no State Troop
err"
HE did you a favor, didn't he?
He brought your daughter in"
Eyes, N he'd jail us all If he got
anything on u.s."
YES; and he'll shoot to kill if any
of Quintana's people come here and
try to break in"
Clinch grunted, peeled off his coat
and got into a leather vest bristling
with cartridge loops.
Trooper Stormont came in the
back door, carrying his rifle.
Some rough fellow been bother
ing your daughter. Clinch?" he in
quired. THE child was nearly all
in when she met me out by Owl
Marsh-clothes half torn off her
| back, barefoot and bleeding. She's
a plucky ~youngster. I'll say so.
Clinch. If you think the fellow may
come here to annoy her I'll keep an
eye on her till you return"
Clinch went up to Stormont, put
his powerful hands on the young
fellows shoulders.
After a moments glazing silence:
You look clean. l guess you be,
too. L wanta tell you I'll cut the
CUTS outa any guy that lays the
heft of a single finger onto Eve"
I'D do so, too. if l were you"
said Stormont.
Would We? Well, I guess you're
a real man. too, even if you're a
State Trooper" growled Clinch,
"G'wan up. She's a-nappin'. If she
wakes up you kinda talk pleasant
to her. You act kind, pleasant and
cosy. She amt had no ma You tell
her to set snug and cam. Then you
cook her a egg if she wants It.
There's pie, too. l cal'late to be back
by shutdown"
Nearer morning." remarked
Smith.
Stormont shrugged. "Tll stay I'M
til you show up, Clinch."
The latter took another rifle from
the corner and handed it to Smith
with a loop of ammunition.
Come on" he grunted.
On the veranda he strobe up to
the group of sudden, armed men
who regarded his advent in express
sionless silence.
Sid Hone was there, and Harvey
Chase, and the Hastings boys, and
Cornelius Blommers.
you fellas comin'?" inquired
Clinch.
"Where?" drawled Sid Hone.
me an Hal Smith is cal-kalatin'
to drive Star Peak. 1t amt deer,
neither"
There ensued a grim interval.
Clinch's wintry smile began to glim-
mer.
Booze agents or game protec-
tors? which," asked Byron Hast
ings. "They both look like deer-if
a man gifts mad enough"
Clinch's smile became terrifying.
81 shell out five hundred dollars for
every deer that's dropped on Star
Peak today" he said. And I hope
there won't be no accidents and no
mistaken no stranger for a deer"
he added. wagging his great square
head.
Them accidents is liable to hap
pen" remarked Hone, reflectively.
After another pause: where's
Jake Kloon?" inquired Smith.
Nobody seemed to know.
He was here when Mike called
me into the bar" insisted Smith
"Where'd he go?"
Then, of a sudden, Clinch recol-
lected the packet which he had
kicked under a veranda chair. 1t
was no longer there.
ANY O. you fellas seen a package
mere OH Lie ny dHNo' uSAh"HNOH
Clinch harshly.
Jake Kloon, he had somethin',"
drawled Chase. 81 supposed it was
his lunch. Mebbe twas, too"
In the intense stiffness Clinch
glared into one face after another.
Boys" he said in hisssoftly mod
ulated voice. II kinda guess there's
a rat amongst US. I wouldn't like
for to be that there rat-no. not fol
a billion hundred dollars. No, ]
wouldn't. Becuz that there rat ha;
bit my little grille, Eve-like thai
there deer bit her up onto Star Peak
No, I wouldn't like for to be
that there rat. Fer he's a-goin' tC
die like a rat. same's that there deer
is a-goin' to die like a deer. g..
Anyone seen which way Jake Kloor
went?"
Now you speak of it." said Byron
Hastings. seems like 1 noticed Jake
and Earl Leverett down by the
woods near the pond. I kinda disre.
membered when you asked, but
guess I seen them"
Clinoh tossed his rife across his
left shoulder.
rats an deer" he said pleasant.
ly. "Them's the articles we're look
in for. Only for Gods sake be are.
full you don't mistake a man for ZEN
in the woods"
One or two men laughed.
CONTINUED in our mex issue)
Dn- D fau Tn@2I