The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-03-13

1850 q l.
execute.
Rutherford did so now-ventilatin.
his soul, discussing at length his griey
ances of all kinds-first against Stan
ford Gorgam, and his uncle, and Jas
per Haig; and then at still create
length against that immaterial thing
now grown more real than flesh anC
blood itself in his mind-the Gorgan
Trust. 1t was a curious thing to watch
and hear; he seemed both to hate the
Trust and to be in terror of it, as a
great, implacable, living enemy.
Neither you nor l nor this thing on
the floor" he said, again indicating
Jasper Haig, nor all the other men
and women it has managed were a
match for it. The thing" he ex-
planned, "is cunning. Cunning!' he
repeated with an unpleasant smile.
GAS cunning as it is powerful It's
that-really that paper devil that's to
blame, that's brought us here together
now, and is going to kill us.
did / think he inquired, when
came here that I'd kill Haig? Or this
girl here? No. Not for a minute i!
You-but not them! It wasn't 1 that
did this thing, or planned it. Nor
Haig ether It's this thing-this ink
and-paper devil-that planned it all,
and is doing it now. l can see that
anybody can but a fool.
tits as simple as a be. 1 thought
for years." he explained, that 1 could
fool it. This thing here" he said of
Jasper Haig again, thought so, too.
Nothing doing! We did always what
it planned for us to do-in the end
like nOwl
Like now! I'm not doing this" he
protested with a touch of self-pity in
his voice, mot myself! Nor this
thing here" he said, indicating Haig
once more, NOR anybody in the world.
This is the doing-the act of this
thing that's got us all. It's big-it's
cunning. It's got us all, ending us!
It's always done exactly what it want
ed. I've overheard it too, plotting and
planning several times lately" he stat
ed, plotting, planning! Coming
around, speaking to itself-in my bed
room nights-when it thought I was
asleep!
But" he said, now rather boast
ingly-speaking in the manner of a
man who talks a great and terrible
secret finally out loud, in spite of who
or what may hear it, there's some
thing else in this now. It's had us,
always. But now I've got it, too!
When we're gone,' he cried out bold
ly, when this is all over-it will be
gone itself! In fifteen seconds, now,
the Gorgam Trust will be dead-dead
as we are!"
Stanford Gorgam, standing rigidly
like a soldier at attention, could see
quite clearly that the end had come
whatever it was to be. The end of the
lecture on his own shortcomings, the
speakers wrongs and the diabolical
Vaccinations of the Gorgam Trust was
now at hand-in action. And still the
uncertainty in the muzzle of the re-
volver which he had hoped and
watched for had not yet appeared.
There was nothing now but action!
But at that time an unexpected hap
pening interviewed. Suddenly, without
any intimation of life, the body of the
girl behind his opponent raised itself
from the floor and staggered, uncer-
tainly, but with a surprising rapidity,
the hall door from behind
which still came the whispers of peo-
Die and the growing of the dog.
An acute change in the situation
had been created by this act.
"Stop!" called Hasbrouck Ruther-
ford.
It was a confusing development to
mind not exactly in condition for
quick decision-after t%wenty-four hours
If persistent drinking. If he turned to
ire at her, he exposed himself to the
enemy in front.
"Stop =" he cried, but still the OBJ
'tinate little fool of a girl went on
.oward the locked door regardless-to
ct in that crowd outside and the dog.
She staggered but did not falter. 1t
vas necessary to do something. Has
,rouck Rutherford fired one shot
For before he turned, the
,ther man was on him. He had only
ime to turn again and shoot him some 7
in the body when the door was {
'pened and that crowd and that id /,
log was in! The situation was now I
reversed. :
It had been the intention of Has 7
rouck Rutherford at least to turn to
up his work on the man now s
ying just before him IN the floor. But {
his, he now saw, would be impos- '
ible. 7
Like a brown %projectile the dog was r
n him. It was an ugly thing-vicious, {
TRY it must have weighed seventy q
We pounds. He tired and missed it. n
fortunately, though, the brute itself q
Kissed its aim in a way. It caught h
lstead of flesh the breadth of the n
upon his shoulder, too lightly to