The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-05-17


of the jumpers as a finger leaves it's
print in clay. They shifted back d
little from plimsoll, circllng out as
they might have moved from a mar
marked by pestilence. He stood trying
to OUTAGE Sandy, TO keep his eyes
steady.
You pack yore gun under yore coat
flap" said Sandy. 81 don't know how
quick ycu can draw but | aim to find
out"
He handed one of his own guns to
Mormon, announcing his action lest
Plimsoll might mistake il.
Now, then" he went on, 81 once
told you | looked to you to stop any
gossip about Molly Casey. Same time
Butch Parsons an Sim Hahn got huht.
You don't seem able to sabe plain talk
an I'm tired of talkin' to you, Jim
Plimsoll. Me, I'm goin' to roll me "A
cigarette. Any time you want to you
can draw. TIN givin' you the aidge on
me-. If You don't take that aidge, Jim
Flimsoil, I'm givin' you till srIn-up ter
morrer mornin' to git plumb out of
camp. An to keep driftin'."
Deliberately Sandy took tobacco
sack and papers from the pocket of
his shirt, his fingers functiOning auto
matically, precisely, his eyes never
shifting from PlimsoIl's face, measr-
ing by feel the amount Of tobacco
shaken into the little trough of brown
paner.
The group gaZed M him fascinated.
IlimSOll'S face beaded with tiny drops
Of sweat. his hands moved slowly up
ward toward his coat lapels, touched
them ms Sandy twisted the end of the
cigarette. stayed there. shaking slight
ly with what might have been eager.
ness-or paralysis. For the iook in the
stpel-gray eyes Of Sandy Bourke, half
moCking. all confident. spurred the
doubts that surged through the gam
hIer's channe-calculating mind. while
he knew that every atom of hesitation
lessoned his chances.
His own hands were close to his
chest. His right had hut a few inches
TO dart, TO drag the automatic from it's
smooth holster. Sandv's hands were
high above his belt, rolling the olga
rette. They had four times as far to
90. However. PlimsnII knew that II
anything went wrong with his perform
ance. II he failed to kill outright. that
nothing would 20 wrong with Sandy's
shooting. Rut-if he did not take his
chance and, failing It, did not leave
camp. .
"Giinme a match. Sam" Sandy's
voice came to Plimsoll cross a gulf
that could never he bridged. He
watched the flame, pale in the sun
shine. watched II lift to the cigarette
and then n huff Of smoke came into
his face as Sandy flung away the burnt
stick and turned on his heel. Murder
stirred duly in Tlimsolrs brain at the
sheer he surmised rather than read
on the faces Of his followers. His de-
feat was also theirs. But the moment
had gone. He knew he lacked the
nerve. Sandy knew II and had turned
lrs back on him.
His prestige was gone. His boon
companions would talk about it. Nor
mon gave Sandy back his second gun
and SANDY slid II into the holster. He
exhaled the last puff of his cigarette
before he spoke again to Plimsoll.
"Sun-up, ter-morrer. You can send
70 wore stuff here any time you've a
mind To. Fo' a Gamhlin' man. Plimsoll.
you're a id pore Judge of a hand
Plimsoll strobe off down the. hill
alone. The men who had come with
him hesitated and then crossed the
gulch. They had severed connections
with the J.. r.. brand for the time, at
least. The three partners walked back
toward the tunnel.
"We got 10 stay on the claims said
Sam. IF they happened to think Of
II they might heave u stick Of dyna-
mite in our midst afteh it's good an
dahk. a fiyin' chunk of dynamite is a
nasty thing TO dodge, Mt that"
II don't think II likely. Sam. Camp
knows. or will knew. what's been hap
PENN. III dynamite was thrown they'd
sabe who did il an | don't believe the
crowd nd stand for II. w'ndn't won
der " Jim Plimsoll forgets to SEND 70
that ten an stuff Of his. Hope he
does"
"what do we want with it," de
handed Mormon.
"Nothin', with the stuff. Wen set II
out beyond the lines come dusk, But
the tenf1l come in handy. We didn't
bring one erIong."
"You don't aim TO us 10 sleep in Il,
do you?" asked Mormon.
"Dun't believe we'd rest well IL we
tackled IT,. Bur IL mightn't be n had
scheme II we give the gen'rai idee that
we are sleenin' in II. put a lantern
IN the ear when we stahted. Fetch
thai erlong too. will you, Mormon.
II WAS late afternoon before Nor
mon r%eappeared. bearing n camp out
III, part III which was carried ny Vest
lake. Sandy and Sam had r~epitched
fhe- tent on fairly level ground " the
valley bnttom. Morman's eyebrows
vent up al the loeatim with which
SANDY and Sam. seated cross-legged
a the ground. n smoking. the other
l.usy,.x ln.. b.e..rf.. tet... -