Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-27

cleaning trunk. Under the weight OF
his lax body the bonds had sagged so
that his head and shoulders were bent
over and his knees were slightly fexed,
Even while he ran. Cameron noted that
the old mans feet were bare and
marked how the sunlight sparkled on
the sparse, white hair Is the wind
stirred It
Delaney was cursing. steadily and saw
agely, through clenched teeth. but his
hands were gentle Is he lifted the
dangling head Of the old man, and
Cameron fiinched ct the horror Of the
beneath and heaklike nose. The SER
geant stripped the red handkerchief
away from the gagged mouth. II
dropped to the trarnpied grass. and the
eyes Of the rookie. following 1t, marked
q kindred color there.
.sIis feet" he hahhled. his feet" and
his pointing finger trembled.
Tortured him." Delaney replied. out
Of Q corner Of his twisted LIP; tiled him
uD here and"
Very tenderiy he held the ravaged
face Of Iii Meek In his two hands and
peered at Il intently
About the mouth the crumpled Will !,
kers stirred little and the blue-veined
eyelicS tWttcned.
Hes alivel" the sergeant exclaimed.
Cut that rope, steve, while ] hold
him"
But Cameron paid no heed. His head
swayed slightly from side to side IS he
searched the tree-thronsed slope be-
yond
Something moved there" he NUT
tered. II saw It"
he ierked his gun from the holster
"Poplingl" he shouted over hts Shout
der. come on"
Tbs crash Of his charge through the
brush deafened his ears to the COM
mand Delaney yelled behind him. A
limb smote his forehead and knocked on
his hat. He barely felt the sting OF
the blow. He had reached the slope
and was scrambling upward between
the clustering trunks. Through them
he caught single glimpse OF Q blue
overailed figure. who turned and ran.
There was g, nightmare quality U that
prodigies Of effort and gained ground
50 slowly. stones stirred beneath his
feet and stroye 10 trip him, and once
he slipped on q sleek expanse Of moss
and fell hat. As he scrambled TO his
feet he saw the blue oyeralls ahead,
vanishing behind tree trunk, and he
drove his mutinous body upward with
mighty thrusts Of his aching legs. Be-
fore HIM he heard twice the crash ana
rustic Of slipping feet, but he did not
see his quarry again until bits OF sky
shone In the mosaic Of the tree trunks.
and he knew the crest Of the ridge lay
before him. He broke into . wabhllng
run and saw Les fash across Q patch
Of blue and plunge down out OF sight
His gun Numbered and leaped N his
hand. Stones spun from the ridge. and
he realised late that he had fired auto
naticaiiy and missed. Vet Is he stag
gered, gasping. over the crest he saw
the overalled figure. asprawi and strug-
Cling few rods down the farther slope.
POPPING scrambled TO his feet, fell again.
and before he could rise 10 hands and
knees Cameron had Owed on top Of
him and the troopers arms were clutch-
ing for hold about bis neck. To-
gether they slid forward and rolled
over. There was brief furry OF Strtig.
gle. and than Cameron found strange
grip and clamped 10 home.
You're under arrest" he painted In
the hairy ear close to his face. found
the lanyard Of his dangling revolver,
and ran his free hand along u b Its
butt. He released his captive. who
gasped and ciucked for breath. and
volver tremhltn dangerously In his
grasp,
.det ups he ordered.
Les Popling scrambled 10 q sitting
position and wiped black leaf mold from
his scratched face.
s,My ankles twisted. he whined. II
amt done nothin'. IN have"
Get upis Cameron commanded.
And popling, after ter
rified glance at the quivering mouth Of
the revolver. obeyed. HIS red-rimnied !
eyes searched the hillside.
= dropped my shotEun sornewheres."
Cameron stepped backward. kicked |
other s beckwsrd stsp 80, scr CO. 4 thrust |
his pistol into his holster, bent swiftly |
and retrieved 4. He broke the run. |
glanced ct the hreech. mapped Il shut |
again. and raised both ifs hammers. |
POPPING. clinGing 70 . saplinG watched l
him with shtfting. resentfnl eycs
Now marchla the trooper command |
q. bringing the barrels TO bear upon
my ankles twisted" POPPING whinsd
sMarchl. Cameron repeated. and the
oheyed. nmping painfully
md ciutching 81 tEees Tor slrpoyk %
hey progressed slowly over the crest az |
he ridge and down the other ado. Once i
Cameron paused and hawied SCOT
d al" through 3 cupped hand. and De-
aney's distant voice answered indis-
'inctly
twice during the descent Poplhag
shimpered and fell and ench time the /
rooper prodded him uaercilesziy % his
let with the shotgun musxle. pity that
10 might have felt for tho beaten, l
acbhline nsuEs b drove he ~ him IVES