The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-06-10


for burning their bunk-house. Star
buck can either fight, or come out and
talk. If he fights, there won't be any
talk-not so far as l know. If he
doesn't come out he'll be burnt out.
If he fights, he-and the rest of you
will get the rope"
He turned away without waiting for
an answer. Bull Page had unbarred
and knocked the rim lock off the
fiimsy back door, and opened it. Par
daloe, waiting impatiently in the
dark, and itching to train the big
shotgun on somebody, doomed up in
the doorway.
They're here" he said to Selwood
significantly. He looked enviously; at
Selwood's victim, standing with his
face to the wall-he offered so tempt
ing a cushion for a handful of buck
shOt-but was appeased when Sell
wood seriously put on him the respon-
sibility Of taking the three refugees
through the burnt district to the
barn.
Christie, listening eagerly to all the
words passed, edged up so she could
ask Selwood question apart. "You
are not coming?"
He hesitated as she spoke, and
looked at her almost curiously. The
old fever in his blood rose at the
sight of her. But pride ruled his will
and Christie. looking questioningly up
at him as If he, too, longed to say
and to hear more. saw nothing of
what was hidden behind the unbend-
ing expression. "Not yet" was all he
said when he answered. But you
oughtn't to lose minute-follow
Pardaloe and keep close to him."
Pardaloe himself seemed in haste.
"Dont lose no time, Christie" he
urged; "come alongr'
She could not be hurried. "Then
surely" she faltered to- SelwOod, II
shall see you again tonight-to-to
say something-to thank you for"
Selwood held on to his words as If
they were diamonds. "Glad to do it,"
he murmured, stubbornly laconic.
His sgaze was so steady that her
eyes fell. However, she would not
give up-and when she looked at him.
again her eyes were glistening a lit
tie. 81 know / hurt you terribly"
she began. He offered nothing to help
her out II did not want to-" she per-
sisted, resolved to soften him. Cant
you-come with us nova"
1t was his turn to squirm. He did
not risk his eyes directly on hers
only repeated, almost mechanically,
mot yet"
"Are you going toto fight?" She
could hardly breathe the hateful
word between her reluctant lips.
II may have to-" Without looking
at her, he raised his hand toward the
open door. "Follow Pardaloe."
She made her last appeal-save,
perhaps, that deepest appeal that
until now had lain unspoken in her
eyes. But Christie could say things,
too. AS she stepped toward the door
her eyes flashed back at him. "If l
didn't fear eendangering your life
I'd stay anyway"
The suddenness, the surprise, the
intimate defiance, brought the care
free old laugh for moment to Sell
woods lips-the laugh of the sum-
mer auction days, the laugh that
Christie remembered and had missed
so long. But without giving him time
for a word she stepped out into the
night. 1t was not till then that he
imagined he heard in the darkness
something like suppressed sob.
With Christie on the way to safety
and Lefever's men at his call, Sell
wood started Barbanet back to Star
buck.
But Barbanet had only disappeared
when Selwood heard a woman's
scream. Christie had but just crossed
the other threshold-it was her voice.
He sprang out of the open back
door and ran around to the front. In
the street, lighted by the gray CLEAN
of daybreak, he saw little group
Of struggling figures. To his left, out
of the wide-open doors of Bartoe's
pidCc, SldTUuCh lueH were GROWING.
What Selwood feared had happened:
door guard, freeing himself, had
given the alarm. AS they ran out they
were met with the gun-fire Of Le-
fever's men, and in what seemed no
more than second the two parties
were at grips with clubs and guns.
Before Selwood could dash across
the sidewalk, the group in the street
was surrounded by crowd of yelling
men. In the thick of it Selwood made
out Pardaloe, whirling about like a
bear and furiously shaking off a man
who chung to his back; a second man.
gun In hand. jumped around the two,
evidently trying to shoot the mule
boss without hitting his assailant;
Christie, screaming, her father. and
Bull Page urging her away, stood by,
wringing her hands. And at that mo-
ment an active man, dashing out of
Bartoe's and brandishing revolver,
ran between Christie and her protec-
tors and caught her up with his free
arm.