The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-06-27

practice to speak sfmhly 20 his
eneay IN passing, mainly because
Il 80 angered the latter. this time
ne insisted upon stopping iId was
dohonair and smiling, as always.
but there was moro than a trace
OF mockcry In his tone as he said.
So your luck has changed. hasn't
~ That Avengcr well Of mine has
put a good value en- your property.
1 congratulate you. Colonel"
"Humphl ] don't believe In luck. Z"
Nelson mumbled. "And tho Aven.
ser isn't enough OF a well 60 bag
about"
"Sog You don't believe IN luckg
II seems 20 be our lot Invariably
20 differ doesn't IL Now, ms dear
Colonel, I'm not ASHAMED 10 confess
that ! am deeply Huperstltlous. and
that l believe implicitly ia signs and
prodigies; You sec. l was born
under a happy star: al my nativity
tho front Of heaven was FUN OF fiery
shapes as X were Comfortable
feeling. ! assure you. Take that
iuclden, az Newtown. not long ago.
doesn't that prove my contention
what ineldentg4
Gray's brows lifted whlmslcally.
'of eouuc. How should You knowg
There was clumsy attempt TO do
me bodily harm. Assnsslnato me.
Funny. isn't itg So IN considered
and 80 imprnc,icable. But about
this Avengor matter II you find Il
announcement 20 offset my wells az
fast as put them down. perhaps
you'd consider selling"
'inconvcnlent7" Nelson felt the
blood rush 10 his face at this la.
sufferahlc Insult, bat he Gained him.
self with tho thought that his op.
pnncnt was deliberately goading
him. After alt. Il served him right
for permitting the fellow to stop
him. "Ineonvonlenti Har lie
turned away carelessiy.
No offense. my dear Colonel. I
thought. after your Arkansas fIasco.
you might wish--"
what Arkansas fiasco1" Nelson
wheeled. ard in spite OF himself
his voice cracked
"Ah' Another secret. chr" Gray
winked deliberately nothing could
have bean more deliberately offcn.
slve than that counterfeit or a
friendly understanding. VERY won.
! sha'n't say word
You the banker was gasplng
You're doing your damnodcst toto
start something. aren't youg"
Every day. Every hour. Every
minute" The speaker bowed. IN
defense Of my promise to fight fair.
LEI mo assure you. however. that I
did not start this. As a matter OF
fact, / knew nothing about Il until
you had been hooked. Apropos %
that quixo,ic promise. please rtmem.
Der that your own actions have ab
solved mo from a.
The men stared az each other for
a moment that seemed in,ermluabie.
Gray was watehful. expee,aut: Mel.
son was plainly shaken By desire 80
desperate that resistance lef, him
weak. lie was like an animal froz
en- IN tho very attitude OF sprinEiug.
Foxy. aren't YOU" no managed
70 say. AZ last. Tempting mo 20
make the first move" with a
mighty effort OF viii ho forced his
tense body 20 relax. Tho act OF a
bully Bah! Wouldn't 30 a
fool"
"A bully Is usually coward. e
Gray said. slowly. Neither OF VA
is coward I'm not ready to-
Join the issue that way. especially
in a place like this. Tho game IS
too exciting to-"
You'll get all tho excitement
you're looking for" Nelson cried.
wrathfully. You've cost mo a Tot
OF money. but you could have coat
mea lot more II you hadn't been
fool enough 10 brag about I, and
give mo warning. Now-11l ssnd
you out OF Texas afoot."
"on my back. Perhaps. bu; mover
on my feet"
without another word the banker
passed on. but no went blindly. FOR
his mind was in black chaos. No
chance now for secrecy: no was in
for a bit Of he'll.
He managed TO kill tho story In
the local papers, but II appeared
ia tho Dallas Journals. which was
even worse. and for tho first time in
his life lie found himself an obIsct