The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-04-17

and disappeared through the door,
STAND upI" ordered Gwynne, turn
ing to Lapelle. II ought to kill you
myself. It's in my heart to do so. Do
you know what you've done to herr"
Barry drew himself up, his fast
swelling, bloodshot eyes filled with
deadly hatred Ills voice was thick
and unsteady.
You'd better kill me while you
have the chance" he said Because,
so help me God, I'm going to kill you
for this"
Go" Numbered the other his
hands twitching. ''If you don't, I'll
strange the life out of you"
Lapelle drew back, quailing before
the look in Kenneth's eyes. He saw
murder in them.
"You didn't give me u chance, d-n
you,' he snarled. "You hit me before
I had a chance to"
II wish to God I had hit you sooner.
and that had killed you," grated
Kenneth.
"You will wish that with all your
soul before 1 am through with you,"
snarled Barry. "Oh, I'm not afraid of
you'll know the whole beastly story
about your father and that"
"Stop!" cried Kenneth, taking step
forward. his arm drawn back. "Not
another word, Lapellel You've said
enough I know where you got your
information-and l can tell you, here
and now, that the man lied to you.
I'm going to give you twenty-four
hours to get out of this town for good.
And If I hear that you have repeated
a word of what you said to her I'll see
to 1t that you are strung up by the
neck and your miserable carcass filled
with bullets. oh, you needn't sputter |
1t will be your word against mine. l
guess you know which of us the men
Of this town will believe. And you
needn't expect to be supported by
your friend Jasper Suggs or the gentle
Mr.. Hawk-Aha, that got under your
pelt, didn't it? If either of them is
still alive at this minute, it's because
he surrendered without fight and
not because God took care of him.
Your beautiful game is spoiled, La
pelle-and you'll be lucky to get off
with whole skin. I'm giving you a
chance. Get out of this town-and
stay out!"
Barry. recovering quickly from the
shock, made a fair show of bravado.
"What are you talking about? What
the devil have 1 got to do with"
That's enoughl You know what
Pm talking about. Take my advice.
Get out Of town before you are a day
older. You will save yourself ride
on a rail and rawhiding that you'll
not forget to your dying day."
II will leave this town when 1 feel
like 1t, Gwynne," said Lapelle. drawing
himself up. II don't take orders from
you. You will hear from me later
You've got the upper hand now-with
that niger Of yours standing over
there holding an ak in his hands,
ready to kill me II make a move.
Well settle this In the regular way.
Gwynne-with pistols. You may ex-
pect a friend Of mine to call on you
shortly"
"As you like" retorted the other,
DoWAhk btlmys 4ou may uduc luc
time and place"
Lapells bowed and then cast an eye
about in quest Of his hat. It was lying
In the road some distance away. He
strobe over and picked It up. Quite
naturally. perhaps unconsciously, he
resorted to the habit Of years; he
cooked 1t slightly at just the right
angle over his eye. Then, without
glance behind. he crossed the road
and plunged into the thicket.
Kenneth watched him till he disap-
peared from view. Suddenly aware
of a pain in his hand, he held 1t out
before him and was astonished to find
that the knuckles were already begin
ming to puff. He WINGED when he
tried to clench his fist A rueful smile
twitched at the corners of his mouth.
Mighty slim chance I'll have" he
said to himself. Wont be able to
pull trigger to save my life"
1t suddenly occurred to him that he
ought to intercept Rachel Carter be-
fore she reached the house, not only
to prepare her for the shock that await
ed her but to devise between them
some means Of undoing the harm that
already had been done. They would
have to stand together In denouncing
Barry, they would have to swear to
Viola that the story was false. He
realized what this would mean to
him: an almost profane espeusal Of
his enemy's cause, involving not only
the betrayal Of his own conscience,
but the deliberate reputation Of the
debt he owed his mother and her peo-
pie. He would have to 60 before Viola
and proclaim the innocence Of the
woman who had robbed and murdered
his own mother. The uDthinkable, the
unbelievable confronted him.
A cold sweat broke out all over him
as he stood down by the gate, torn be-
tween hatred for one woman and love
for another: Rachel and Minda Car