The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-14

mprison both his arms. Kirby
stepped forward, dragging the girl
with him; he raised that wicked ar
tifcial left hand and brought it
sweeping downward, and for a Sec
ond time that day the steel shaft met
f'csl, and bone. His victim spun
upon his heels, then, with Quitting
arms and an expression of shocked
amazcmcn: still upon his face, he
crashed backward to the floor.
Kirby strobe to him; before other
hands could come to Roulctta's as
>istancc and bear him out Of reach
he twice buried his heavy hobnailed
boot in the PROSTATE figure. He pre-
scntcd a terrible exhibition Of ami
NAL ferocity, for he was growing
oa,hs deep in his throat and in his
eyes was the light OF murder. lie
fought ior liberty with which, to
finish his task. and those who re-
strained him found that somehow
he had managed to draw an ivory
handled x-shootcr from some place
OF concealn,cnt. Nor could they
wrench the weapon away from him.
"Hc insultsd my kid-Ilny cir!
Lctty!' Kirby r,uttcred, hoarsely.
When the fallen man had been
lifted to his feet and hurried out of
the saloon old Sam tried his best to
follow. but his captors held him fast.
They pleaded with him, they argued,
they pacifcd him as we'll as they
could. 1t was long time, however,
before they dared trust him alone
with Roulctta, and even then they
turned watchful eyes i'll his direction.
Il didn't want anything to hap
pen The girl spoke listlessly.
Kirby began to rumble again. but
she interrupted him. 1T wasn't the
mars fault. 1t was perfectly nat
ural mistake OH his part. and I've
learned to expect such things. l.
I'm sick, dad. You must find place.
for me, quick"
Sam agreed readily enough. The
biting cold of the wind met them at
the door. Koulctta summoning
what strength she could, trudged
along at his side. 1t did not take
them long to canvass the town and
10 discover that there were no lodg-
ings to be had. Rouletta halted
finally, explaining through teeth that
chartered:
lin frozen! Take me back
where there's stovc-back to the
saloon-anywherc. Only do it
quickly"
"Pshaw! 1t isn't cold" Kirby pro-
tested, mildly.
The nature OF this remark showed
more plainly than anything he had
said or done during the evening that
the speaker was NOT himself It sig
ni6cd such dreadful change in him,
it marked so surely the extent Of his
metamorpl,osis, that Roulctta's tears
came.
Looks like we'd have to make the
best Of it and stay awake till morn
ing the father went on, duly.
NO. no! I'm too SICK" the girl
sobbcd, "and too cold. Leave me
where l can keep warm; then go
find the Countess and-ask her to
put me up"
Returning to their starting point,
Kirby saw to his daughters comfort
DIS DcSt nc COuiu, I1teT WHICH ne wan.
dered out in the night once more.
His intentions were good, but he
was not little out of patience with
Lefty and still very angry with the
man who had affronted her; rage
at the insult glowed within his dis
ordered brain and he determined,
before lie had gone very far, that
hrs first duty was to right that wrong.
Probably the miscrcant was some
where around. or, if not, he would
soon make his appearance. Sam
decided to postpone his GRAND long
enough to look through tho other
drinking places and to settle the
score.
No one. on seeing him thus, would
have suspected that he was drunk
he walked straight, his tongtie was
obedient. and he was master of his
physical powers to deceptive de-
gree; only in his abnorfnaily alert
and fevcrish eyes was thereIa sign
that his brain was completely crazed.
Rouletta waited for long while,
and steadily her condition grew