, 1922-10-04
CHAPTER "

w o1 "hh SO
CHAPTER "
When state Trooper stormont came
out on the edge OF Owl March, n
Eri was knesiinS by the water. wash
ng deer blood from her slender. sun
tanned fingers.
what are you doing here7' she in.
quired. locking up over her shoulder
with a slight smile.
"Just having a look around" he
aid pleasantly. That's a nice fat
buck you ave there
yes. he's nice"
You shot him7" asked stormont.
who else do you suppos shot
h.m?" she inquired. smilingly. She
rinsed her fingers again and stood up,
swinging her arms to dry her hands
a 1.-THE. gray-shirted figure in her boy
ish garments. straight. supple. and
strong.
stormont smiled too. then became
grave.
who else was here with you?' he
asked quietly.
She seemed surprised. DID you
see anybody else?'
lie hesitated. flushed. pointed down
at the wet nphRgnun. Smiths foot
prints were there in damning contrast
TO her own Worse than that. Smiths
PIPE lay on an embedded log, and a
rubber tobacco pouch beside II.
She said with a slight catch in her
breath: 1T seems TINT somebody has
been here Some hinter. perhaps-
or n game warden.
COR Hal Smith" said Stormont.
4 painful color swept the girls face
and throat. 1.-The man, sorry for her.
looked away.
After a silence: Il know some
thing about you" he said gently
And now that I've seen you-heard
you speak-met your eyes--I know
enough about you to form an opin.on.
So I don't ask you TO turn inform
er. But the law won't stand for what
Cllnch is doinE-whatever p-rovocation
he as had. And no must not aid or
rbet any criminal. or harbor any male
factor"
The girls features were expression
less. The passive. srlien beauty OF
her troubled tho trooper.
Trouble for Cilnch means sorrow
for you" he said. II don't want you
10 be unhappy. / bear Clinch no i'll
win. For this reason I ask him. and
1 ask you too, to stand clear OF this
affair.
Hal Smith is wanted. I'm here to
take him."
As she said nothing. he looked down
at tho footprint in the sphAgnum.
Then his eyes moved to the mex. inn
print: 20 the next Then he moved
slowly along the waters edge. track
ing the course OF the man he was fol-
loving.
The girl watched him In Silence until
the plain trail led hitn to the spruce
thicket.
Don't 60 in thereg, she said sharp
~, with an odd tremor IN her voice.
He turned and looked at her. then
stepped calmly into the thickst. And
h next instant she was among tho
spruces, too. confronting him with her
rife.
Get out of these woodsr' she ssid.
He looked into the gir".s deathly
white face.
Eve" he said. ut will &c hard with
you il you kill me. I don't want you
10 live out your life in prison"
II can't help 1t. II you send my
father to prison he'll die. I'D rather
dc myself. Let us alone. l tell you,
The man you're after is nothing 10 us.
We didn't know he had stuck up any
bodyi'
If he's nothing to you. why do you
point hat rifle at me?"
II teif you he is nothing 70 us. D-t
NV father vrntt1Nrff haer1 - 49, yS
I won't. That's AL. Now &c, out OF
these woods and come baciS omorrow
Nobodym interfere with you then"
stormont smiled: Eve" hs eaid,
90 you really think me As yc.Iow as
ttat?"
Her blue eyes flashed ? ter, ible
Worning, but, in the same instant. he
lad caught her rifle. twisting I: out
.; her grasp as It exploded
The detonatiou dazed her; then. a,
he flung the rife into tae wae'.r. SIR
caught him by neck and belt and tiunE
LIN bodily into the sprucas
But she fell with him, he he'll he:
twisting and struggling with all her
luperb and supple strength; stusssrr6
te his feet, still mastering her; and
az I struggled. sobb.ng. locked lrt
and painting in his arms. Re snapped
: pair OF handouts on her w1:sE aad
n her aside.
She fell on both knees. got IN
shoulder deep in spruce. blood running
from her lip over her chin.
The trooper took her by the arm
She was trembling all over. He took =
Tim steel chain and paddock from his
pocket, passed the i,nAs around hei
~rteeibuund wrists. and fastsae1 he
to a young birch tTee