Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-19
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M...-b ROBERT w CHAMBERS e
POBEpT W CHAMBERS
. GEORGE H DoPAN coMnAfN

, Suddenly Clinch turned and stared
at him. Then the deadly light from
his little eyes shone on the others
one by one.
Boys" he said, 81 gotta gel
Quintana. L can't never sleep an
other wink till l get that a Come
on. Act up like. gents all. Let's
co.
The Hastings boys. young and
rash, shuffled into the trail. Blom-
mers hesitated, glanced askance al
Clinch, and instantly made up his
mind to take a chance with the sink
holes rather than with Clinch.
"God Almighty, Mike, what be you
amin to do?" faltered Harvey.
I'm amin to stop the inlet and
outlet to Drowned Valley, Harve,"
replied Clinch in his pleasant voice.
! God is a-goin' to deliver Quintana
into my hands"
"All right. What next?"
"Then,' continued Clinch, Il
cal-late to set down and wait"
How long?"
TASK God, boys. 1 don't know.
All L know is that whatever is Twin
in Drowned Valley at this hour has
gotta live and die there. For 1t
can't never live to come outen that
there morass walkin' onto two legs
like a real man.
CHAPTER II
Clinch had not taken a dozen
strides before Hal Smith doomed up
ahead in the rosy dusk, driving in
Leverett before him.
An exclamation of fierce exulta-
ton burst from Clinch's thin lips
as he flung out one arm, indicating
Smith and his sinking prisoner:
"Who was that gol-dinged cata-
mount that s~uspicioned Hal? 1
wasn't worried none, neither. Halls
a gent. Mebbe he sticks up folks,
too, but he's a gent. And gents is
honest or they amt gents"
Smith came up at his easy, tire
less gait, hustling Leverett along
with prods from gun-butt or muz-
zle, as came handiest.
The prisoner turned a CHASTITY
visage on Clinch, who ignored him.
Got my packet, HALF" he de-
manded.
Smith poked Leverett with his
rife: Tune up" he said; tell
Clinch your story"
Jake done it," muttered Leverett,
thickly.
Done what?"
"Stole that there packet o. yourn
whatever there was into It,"
"Who put him up to it?"
"A fella called Quintana."
what was there in it for Jake?"
inquired Clinch pleasantly.
Ten thousand"
"How about you?"
IT told 'em 1 wouldn't touch it.
Then they pulled their guns on me,
and 1 was scared to squeal."
$50 that was the way?" asked
Clinch in his even. r~eassuring voice.
Leverett's eyes travelled stealthily
around the circle of men, then re-
verified to Clinch.
81 dassn't touch it." he said, "but
[ dassn't squeal l was huntin'
onto Drowned Valley when Jake
meets up with me-"
az got the packet he SEE, and
I'm a-going to double criss-cross
Quintana, 1 am, and beat it. Don't
you wish you vas whacks with me?'
"'No,' seq I, honesty is my policy.
no matter what they tell about me.
S'help me God, 1 amt never robbed
no trap and 1 amt no skin thief,
whatever lies folks tell. All I ever
was run a little hootch, same's
He licked his lips furtively, his |
cold. bright eyes fastened on Clinch.
"G'wan, Earl" nodded the latter,
'heave her up"
That's all. l SEE, 'Goodby, Jake.
An if you heed my warnin', ILL
gains amt a-going to pros
per nobody That's what I said to
lake Kloon, the last solemn words
I spoke to that there man now in
ais bloody grave"
"Hey?" demanded Clinch.
That's where Jake is" repeated
Leverett. why, so help me, I
want gone ten yards when. bang!
goes a gun, and 1 see this here
.uintana come outen the bush, I
10, and walk up to Jake and frisk
him, and Jake still a-kickin' the
moss to slivers. Yessir, that's what
[ SEEM"
"G'wan."
"Yessir . 'N'then Quintana he
Jake into a sink-hole. Thas-
wot 1 seen with my two eyes. Yes
sir. 'N'then Quintana he run off,
NJ jest set down in the trail, 1 did;
n'then Hal come up and acted like
[ had stole your packet"
The dusk in the forest had deep
ened so that the mems faces had be-
mere blotches of gray.