The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-20
CHAPTER III

ttuutu2Lgllub THBSS ana ne ran on
and Ion, crashing through tho under.
growth, made wider by the pain
OF vicious blows from branches
which flew back and struck him in
the dark.
Thorrs 'bIed him; unseen logs
tripped him; he heard clinch's bull.
lets whining around him; and he
ran on, beginning to sob and curse
in 3 frenzy Of fury, fear and shame.
Shots nom Clinch's rifle ceased:
the fugitive dropped into a heavy,
shutting walk, slaverlng, Easping
geslculating with his weaponless
fists In the darkness.
Tram sye;l1'll fix YET he kept
stamInering In his snarling, iang.
ling voice, broken by sobs. '"Ill
learn ye,. yeh poor DANCED thing,
golrram ye
10 his own shack onN Sinking
Lake he dared not go. He tried to
believe that. It was fear Of ClInch
that made him shy Of the home
shanty; but, IN his covering soul,
he knew IL was fear of another kind
the deep, tsuperstltous horror OF
Jake Klpon's empty bunk-tho re.
pngnant sight OF Kloon's spare
clothing hanging from Its peg-the
dead mans shoes
All at once he thought of
Clinch's step-daughter. The
thought instantly scared him. Yet
what a revenge!-to strike
Clinch through the only creature
he cared for In all tho world
What a reyenge!-Glinch was
headed for Drowned Valley. Eve
Strayer was alone at the Dump
Another thought flashed like light
! ming across his turbid mind-the
packet
Bribed BY Qulntana, Jake Kloon,
lurking at Clinch's door, had heard
him direct Eve to take a packet toI
Owl Marsh. and had notified Qutn-
.tana.
Willingly or unwittingly. tho girl
had taken a packet OF sugar-mlik
chocolate instead Of the priceless
parcel, expected.
Again, carried In, exhausted, by
a State Trooper, Jake KlOon hal
been fooled: and 1t was the packet
of sugar milk chocolate that Jake
had purloIned from the veranda
where Clinch kicked 1t. For two
cakes OF chocolate KipoM had died.
For two cakes Of chocolate he.
\ Earl. Leverett, had become MAJ.
slayer, a homeless fugitive in
peril OF his life.
Somewhere In Clinch's Dump
was the packet that would make
him ricf-Here was his opportu..
ity. He had only to dare; and pain
and poverty md fOaT-ahove all
else fear-would end forever.-
When. at last, no came out To-
the edge OF Clinch'S clearing. tn
dark October heavens were hut 4
vast wilderness OF >-trs.
The light burntd steadily trOri
Ewes window.
CHAPTER ~
From his hiding place among
trost.blackened raE.weeds, the
trap.robber could see only the
plastered ceiling of the bed cham.
Der.
But the kerosense lamp cast two
shadows on that-tall shadows Of
human shapes that stirred at times.
The shadows on the ceiling were
cast by Eve Strayer and her State
Trooper.
z Eve sat on her beds edge, swath-
ed in a lilac kimonia--delicate. relic
OF school days. Her bandaged feet,
crossed, tangled above the raG.rug
on the floor; her slim, tanned fin
gers were interlaced over the book
on her lap.
Near the door stood State Troop
er Stormont, spurred. booted, triS
and trim, an undecided and flushed
young man, fumbling irresolutely
with the purple cord on his CAM
paign:hat.
She looked up at him again, visit
fully. Perhaps he was restless,
bored, sitting there beside her half
the day, and, already, half the night
Men Of that kind-active. nervous
young men accustomed to the open,
can't stand caging.
5'T want you to 60 out and get
some fresh air." she said. ats a
wonderful night. Go and walk
while. And-if You feel like-com.
Ing back to me
"Will you sleep?
mo, I'll wait for you
Her words were natural and d.
rect, but in their simplicity there
seemed afdellCate sweetness that
stirred him
nI'll come back to you" no said.
Then, in hts response. the girl
in her turn became aware Of some
thing beside the simple words-a
vague charm about them that
family. haunted yer after he had
gone away down the stairs,
That was the man sho had once
tried TO kill! At tho sudden anu
terrible recollection she shivereu
from curly head to bandagel feet.
Then she trembled q little with
the memory ofhis lips against her
bruised fands-bruised by hand
cuffs which he has fastened upon
ehef.
She sat very, very still now.
huddled on the God's edge, scarce
~ breathing.
For tho girl was beginning TO
dare formulate tn deepest Of any
thoughts that ever had stirred her
origin mind and bodS
II It was love, then It had come
suddenly and strangely. II had
come on that d9y--at the very MT