White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1925-08-14
"HAWK of The NORTH"
British navy-hang EN- at the yard
arm, or call out the firing-squad?
BY KENNETH GILBERT
Copyright 1925, by Action Stories Magazine.

arm, or call out the firing-squad?"
Barclay was silent; l could see that
the color in his face had become
splotchy, for like most florid men he
could not fully turn pale. He was
thinking, and thinking hard, and if he
had been thinking aloud the workings
of his mind could not have been plain
er. The issue he faced was clear-cut.
If, indeed, he was The Hawk, he must
admit it.; if not, he must reveal the
identity Of the pirate. Certainly,
Jimmy was in no trifling mood.
"Well?" asked Mulvane.
Instead Of replying, the man reach
ed for his cigarette case, and opened
it with trembling hand, as though
| seeking solace and inspiration in the
weed. He made his choice with great
est care, rolling the cigarette he final
ly selected, in his fingers. His feat
ures suddenly had become strained.
Then, with quick movement, he
clapped the cigarette to his mouth,
but before his lips could close on it,
Mulvane had snatched it away.
Barclay, baffled, glared his hatred.
"a hell of a way to go west mani"
exclaimed Jimmy. Are you really SO
frightened that you'd rather swallow
poison than tell?" The Englishman
was like a cornered animal; defiant
desperate.
tits death either way" He spoke as
though to himself Barclay wasn't
The Hawk; it was The Hawk whom
he feared, as much as he did the fate
that the British authorities would
mete out.
Yet he seemed to be considering
Possibly it occurred to him that he
did have a fighting chance to escape
the vengeance of The Hawk. There
was no hope if he was brought to an
swer the murder charge. With The
Hawk behind bars, or dead, the men
ace of retribution was removed
Enthusiastically, however, he want
ed to dicker; to make sure of the bar
gain. you'll let me go if l tell?" he
ventured.
"I'll not turn you in now, at any
rate promised Jimmy. Later, I may
even give you a running start. I'm
after bigger game than you, Barclay
But you'll have to come clean"
The man pondered this.
'I'll tell you what I can," he sale
with sudden determination. "The-'
Mulvane sprang to his feet with ;
silencing gesture, tiptQed to the door
softly slid back the catch, and the1
threw the panel open. But ere thu
knob turned l heard the sound of fee
hurrying down the corridor. Jimm,
} dashed out, and l went after him, Bal
| clay forgotten for the moment.
Ahead of me Mulvane vanishe
around a corner in the hallway, and
heard him stop. I found him at tn
: head of circular flight Of stairs.
l Must have slid down the baniste
e whoever he was" declared Jimm.
!. Then, in reproach: what became {
5 Barclay?"
+ could have kicked myself for m
forgetfulness.
"Bet a dollar he's gone!" exclaime
: Jimmy.
: But he wasn't. He still sat in. tn
9 chair where we had left him. Yet hi
:, head rested over the back of it; eye
j staring horribly at the ceiling; hand
!, hanging Imply at his sides. Agains
4 his coat over the heart rested the hi
t of bone-handled knife. On the clea
9 white of his shirt front a reddene
n finger had traced the letter "K"!
(To Be Continued)
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