The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-10-22

in torrent uf profanity. Climb
soodrds he shrlleI who's got tho
quits Go tu"
hoTcJ spoke ta him shortly: Desc
men Amt sum max no trouble
m' >iru, With that hc turned bis
back and needless OF the oIamor. be-
gan 90 minister 20 tho bleeding man
Z lie had provided himself with IA bottle
90 lotion. doubtless some antiscptir
snatehed from the canvas drug stora
down the street and with this DO wet
"a handkerchief. then no washed Ne
taskcS's laccratcd hack, A member
OF The committee Joined him In this
work of Mercy soon others came "a
their assistance. and gradually the
crowd began breaking up Some one
handed the sufferer "a drink OF
whisky, which revived him consider.
ably, aud hy the time hr was ready
70 receive his upper garments no was
10 some extent master of himself
Joe NcCaskcy accepted these al.
tention7 without word Of thanks.
without q sign 90 gratitude. Ho ap.
peared TO Dee uumhrd. paralyrcd. by
the nervous shock Dc had undergone
and SET hg was not p1rulyzcd for
his eyes were intensely alive. They
were Wild. haltul his rowing glance
was Ike poison 90 tho mon IL zen
upon
You're due 20 leave camp" no
was told. 'and you're going 90 take
the first boat from pyea. Is there
anything you want 10 say. anything
you want 10 DO. before sou gug"
want something to-eat" Joe
answered. hoaurly I'm hungry"
These wsre the FIRST words he had
uttered. they met with astunIshmcnt.
nevertheless he was led TO the near
est restaurant. Surrounded by a
silent curious group. he crowded
over the board counter and wolted IA
ravcnous meal when no had Tin.
ished he rose. turned. and stared
quesuoniugly az the circle ns hostile
faces; hts eyes sun glitterlng with
that basilisk glare OF hatred and de
fDnce. There was something huge.
diseonceriing, abou, the man. Not
once had he appealed for mercy. not
once had no complained. not once
had no asked about his brother: nc
showed neither curiosity nor concern
over Jlm's fate, and now he betrayed
the utmost indifference TO his own.
He merely shifted that venomous
stare from one face 20 another an II
indelibly to photograph each and
every one Of them upon his mind
But the citizens Of Sheep Camp
were not done with him yet. His
hands were again bound. this time
behind him. a blanket roll was ropcd
upon his shoulders, upon his breast
was hung a staring placard which
read.
Il arm a thief Spit on mo and
send me along"
Thus decorated, no met his crown
ing iudignity. Extending from the
steps Of the restaurant far down the
street twin rows Of men had formed. /
and this gauntlet Joe McCaskcy wa.
forced 70 run, iIc bore this ordeal
as he had borne the other. Men
ieercd at him. they flung handouts
Of wet moss and mud at him. they
spat upon him. some even struck
him. bound as he was.
sickened at the sight. Pierce PHI.
bps witnessed the final chapter OF
this tragedy into which tho winds Of
chance had blown him. For one
instant only did his eyes meet those
OF hts former terminate, but during
that brief glance the latter made
plain his undying hatred. McCaSkey'a
gaze intensified. his upper liz drew /
back IN a grimacs similar 10 that
which he had lifted 20 the sky when
agony ran thru his veins Ike fire: he |
seemed 70 concentrate the last ounce |
Of his souls energy In the sending Of
some wOrdloss message. Helllsh fury. |
a threat too baneful. too luminous. /
for expression dwelt in that stare 1
then a splatter Of miro struck him in I
tho face and blotted Il out.
When the last jeer had died away. |
when tho figure OF Joe McCaskcy |
had disappeared into tho misty twl-
light. Phillips drew a deep breath. |
What day this had been, what n 1
tumult he had lived thru, what nm
experience he had undergone! This I
was an adventure Ho had lived. no 1
had made an enemy. Life had come |
his way, and tho consciousness OF /
that fact caused him to Jingle. This
would be something TO talk about. 1
what would the folks back home say |
to this? And the Countess-that 4
wonderful woman Of ice and fire, .
That superwoman who could sway |
tho minds OF men, whose wit was |
quicker than Light. Well. sho Ind f,
saved him. saved HIS good name. II /
not his neck, and his life was hers. /
Who was she7 what mission brought !
her here? What hurry crowded on
her heels? What Idle chance had
flung them into each others arms?
Or was II idle chance? Was there
such a thing as chance, after all? /
We're not mems random fortunes all /
laid out in conformity with some
S"'D pui pV3e y" iVIHn part OF
somo intricate design? Dust he wns.
dust blown upon the breath Of the
North, as were these other human
atoms which had been borno thither
from tho farthest quarters Of the
earth; but when that dust had settled
would II not arrange itself into pat.
terms mapped out Mt the hour OF birth
or long before? Somehow no believed
that such would be the case.
As for tho Countess, his way was
herr. her wnY wna hla. he cnnld moi