Evening star., 1923-09-10


Continued from Yesterdays Starr
''Old Gopher in there talkin' .yet?"
He did and it nearly killed@ him."
Pete answered. simply. - -, - =
Talk location stuffg''
/ Yes" .~se -
Where is it7'' It was plain Butler
thought Pete was lying.
/ 1T used to be in safe"
Still cocks. huh-" Buffers face
darkened
Give 'ems the dope. don't get to
aghitn' again" interrupted Alsuin,
tmpatiently.
We'll. yer damn lucky to be sittin
there" Butler continued. Don't mind
tellin' va what's what. Order Is, old
Gopher in there's got to be croaked
That's worth more thanrcash to me. Il
self, an he knows it. Then there's
$ou. Yer worth SOC" berries. in jail
ltore'n that, We could fasten old Co
per's bumpin' on to you eastern hell
and that's that. Now afore 1 gets
here. you up and talks $4,000 cash to
my pals. and they falls for ii hard
Personally, don't mind sayin' think
yer a liar. But I can't play my hunch
against all the boys here. so we had a
Eneetin' Tn tellin, ye all this. SO you
won't go hggerin crosswayS later,
see? Well we had meeting and
here's the dope: First off, Hawkins
gotta go. We ain't sayin' whats s
happened to him. he's jest takin'
here Slim over there goes after
your cash. II he gets 1t. y you
can burn up snow from here to
hell. if you want to. | don't care, If
be don't find il, well. there'll be a nice
little necktie party for bumpin' Haw-
Hins. Somebody's got TO be the goat.
you know. an anyhow" Bull saw his
arror and hurried on. THE boys here
All say You got the dope on the cash
= from Hawkins and bumped him. That
grateful that were not turning va
over" Butler fipished his long speech
with an air of hnality.
How do know you won't finish
Hawkins just as soon as I tell you
where the cache isl" Pete asked
How do we know you amt double
crossin' us on where the long green's
reposin?" countered Butler.
You have my word"
it?" scoffed Bull. An you've got my
word the old Gopher won't be bumped
il yer telling the truth"
Then, what will you do with him? ?
Why not leave him here?"
Now yer askin' questions that va
don't have no concern in at all. An
now that we've talked to va like gen.
eImen, what's the answer"
Under such circumstances one with
half the aStuteneSS of an Alden could
have answered the question at once.
Pete knew the game was up; he would
be glad to have the few days respite
afforded by the hunt for the mythical
50 900 of course But Hawkins words
flashed through his mind. ''Tamarack
Susie. brains of the gun crew." he had
said And she. the brains of the gun
Grew, had given him the location OF
the cache. Was it a trick? When
d. Ill NInN rfraE
poker. Now he studied the stern.
crafty faces about him. If they knew
she had sent him the Jumbo Point To-
cation and heard him name it now,
they would know he lied. and he could
expect no mercy at their hands. The
company'& game, whatever. 1t was,
called for Hawkins life. Pete knew
the men before him cared nothing for
murder. He knew the system they
represented, for he had often heard
hts father tell how escaped criminals,
men with death penalties over their
heads, often entered criminal service
for designing men of affairs, and he
Knew that these criminals had little
chance of escaping the clutches once
tlley entered such service. But why
had Tam written the note? Hawkins
warning finger and the gurgle of blood
IN the miners throat mashed back to
Refer. Eight eyes, all searching for
the slightest hint OF deception, were
focused upon him Still he hesitated.
His lips were dry. but he dared not
moisten them. Then Hawkins voice
vanished and his warning finger fed
ed from Pete,s mind. In its place came
flooding in the dream of the night be-
fore, and he saw again the angel girl
pouring water between the parched
bps of Hawkins!t There could be no
mistake, the angel was surely Tama-
rack Sue!
Pete's face broke into a smile. AL
most enthusiastically he slapped his
knee and exclaimed: You mean, then,
that for this sinking $4,000 youll let
me go free and you won't bump Haw-
kins?"
Butler was plainly surprised and
taken a5ack by Petes evident GER
tainty of the money. Nevertheless, he
answered. steadily:
That's our game. Where's the
! Jumbo Point. ten PAGES due east
, Of the discovery stake of Cherry
Blossom claim" Like a poker play
ar with his all on the board
before him, Peter dealt the WORDS
and waited tensely for the answer. !.
) With triumphant smile Alguin
Slapped Butler on the shoulder. Then,
Shes right again. whatd | tell you%"
Even Slim Eliot, dark skinned and
quiet, the runner who Pete knew
9ould bring back only a sentence of
death, seemed to be unusually
pleased.
I Lets figure. the cut" some one sug-
aested. All but Butler seemed to
consider the money as good as in
their hands.
Z Pete's momentary triumph was
short-lived. Butler faced him and
slowly drew from his pocket a small
drumpled handkerchief Pulling IL
Heditatively through his fingers, he
caught Pete's eye and muttered:
I "Sumthin' queer about all this,
sumthin' damn funny. Eliot starts