Evening star., 1923-09-24

how, it's you folks story first. then
mine"
Susie summoned the woman again.
and this time took from her a steam
ing bowl of broth, huge tin plate of
what looked to Pete like the finest
roast meat he had ever seen, and sew
eral other steaming dishes that filled
the room with the stimulating odor
of a savory meal.
AS Pete ate, Hawkins entered into
his story.
Well" he began, guess you know
how things stood when they packed
me into that low wagon box on run
ners. For the life of me / couldn't
and can't yet see why they wanted
to do away with me. Thought az first
they wanted the Dead Horse-knew
they did in fact. from the way their
lawyer and Demons had been hound
ing me. But that didn't explain why
that gangster fellow, Butler Garret.
got so poison mad at me. Later on
found out he was in love with
Susie, here" At this Susie blushed
violently and made as If to carry out
some of Pete's discarded dishes. HaW-
kins, however, seemingly unaware OF
the embarrassment caused the girl,
continued: And he got 1t into his
head that / was digging up his past
in order to get something or other
on the Gold Company. Well. he was
mighty worried lest might tell Tam
here, and then he seemed to be work
ing under orders from Houston. too.
But 1t was Susie here that saved me.
after all-that is Susie and your
whopping big yarn about the fifty
thousand. Whew!'
Hawkins paused in his story to take
a long breath, then, placing his hand
to his forehead, he continued: what
a blessing and a curse money is. Pete.
1t saved my life this time, though.
for your frozen friend in there"
pointing a thumb over his shoulder
to where Slim Eliot was lying. made
a bargain with Tam-bless her heart
to spare. me If 1 would tell where
it was-the fifty thousand, that's
about all. isn't it. Susie? Anyhow.
that's how we happened to be hidden
away up here. Yes" he continued
brokenly. that's ALL"
"Of course, II Is not, Mr.. Hawkins;
it isn't all"-Tam hesitated for a
moment, then continued. as though
weighing every word, Mr.. Alden has
right to know
Well" Hawkins hesitated-'you
see / know. that is. we knew that you
weren't dead; but might be anytime.
Then 1 knew that 1t was only a mat
ter of time until l would be found
out. So," at this point the old man,
visibly affected, turned his head to
one side as though to hide his emo
tion as he forced the final words out,
''I-I-made a bargain for you--and
and for all of us I-I-signed a
quit-claim deed to the Dead Horse
Mine. 1t wasn't much, after all--I-"
You what?" Pete shouted. as the
full significance of the words came
to him. You what? You signed a
deed?" His hands sought the shoul-
ders of the miner as he lowered his
voice almost to a sob, Tell me you
didn't"
Susie and Hawkins gaped in wide
eyed aStonishment at the frenzy that
overcame Pete as he fairly sobbed out
the last words-and continued NUT
tering: What have you done? NV
God. what have you done?"
But why-what is the matter
what have I doneT' Hawkins finally
gulped out. aware that he must have
done something far worse than he
himself imagined.
intently from Hawkins to Susie and
choked back the rush Of words that
came yelling UP from his sorely
troubled heart. Should he tell them.
he asked himself? After all, wouldn't
1t be better to let them find out their
grave mistake and let them take the
blow when circumstances lessened its
sting? He sank back dejectedly on
his pillow, and said no more. All his
efforts in vain! All Of his fight.
ly as though resigned to his fate, and
suppressed with difficulty the bitter
tears that flooded his eyes and bade
Hawkins continue.
The old miner. suspecting that
Pete was Withholding knowledge
that held for him something worse
than the pangs of regret he had al
ready experienced. continued In a
broken voice:
She" pointing to Susie. found
out-that you were in their hands
that you were at the mine. They told
her that you would be killed, buried
in the tunnel unless / sold the prop
erty to them, and that 1 would never
come out of the winter alive. And
So did it-didn't we, Susie?" Poor
Hawkins struggled hard to shoulder
all of the blame on himself. but in
spite of his efforts, his actions told
more eloquently than words that he
had but yielded to the pleadings Of
the girl-of Tamarac Sue. who sat
while Hawkins talked. with her head
bowed, hot tears streaming down her
tender cheeks.
Pete looked from one to the other,
not knowing what to do, or say. His
voice choked as his eyes met hers.
Enthusiastically did you do it?"
he finally asked.
Susie hesitated and looked for
guidance to Hawkins. The noun
taineer slowly shook his head in
silent approval of the question she
seemed to ask. Slowly she left her
seat and walked to the room beyond.