Evening star., 1928-05-07
The Inn of the
Hawk and Raven
BY
George Barr
McCutcheon
ceuytra. ,sss Dy Metropolitan Newspaper Service.

would sooner be dead chieftain than
q living nobody"
There was q dead silence. Then
Rroadaxe stepped forth.
"You may count rue as loyal friend,
5oflifer," ne said. eff there are others
here. let them stand forth, that we may
see how many are willing to die for
Jonifer Davos. At the same time, Jan
Melby, you may count the number OF
friends you have TO kill
Seven men promptly joined Broadaxe.
There was no hesitation. These men
and all the others, for that matter
were not afraid of death. But the seven
held their heads little higher than the
rest. Peter was one of them. Jonifer's
voice rang out.
There Is one more thing ! have to
saw to all Of you, including these men
who are here beside me. II has been
stated that 1t Is In my mind TO have
Gavan Starcourt take my place, when
my DAYS are done You are saying that
my daughters husband is to succeed
me. Nothing could be farther from the
truth. You want the truth. Well, you
shall have it. It Ia my wish and always
has been--and we'll you know-that one
day my daughter shall go out into the
world and take her place among its
people. She is not one OF US at heart.
She does not belong here with us. look
forward TO the day when she may go
forth as the wife Of an honest gentle
man. That day may be far off-years
away. have no doubt. OF one thing
you may be sure, as shall be sure, my
self~-Col. Starcourt will never leave this
place until he gives his word OF honor
not to betray us-or his wife. And, II
he gives his word of honor, / shall ac-
cept II, We give our word OF honor
never to betray each other. and we have
died rather than violate 1t. His word
Is as good as ours. / bring you mes
sage from him. If 1t is your will to
have him come before you and repeat
IL, / will send for him. Not half an hour
ago he told me to tell you that no power
on earth is strong enough TO make a
robber and an outlaw Of him. There
you have it--in his own words. And
now you shall have my decision. My
daughter and Gavan Starcourt are to
become man and wife on the 18th of
March. Now we understand each other.
am either Jonifer the Hawk or JON
ifcr the Worm"
"Yes!" shouted Jan Melby. Now we
understand each other. Jonifer Dayos.
II, by tomorrow at this time, you still
refuse to abide by the will of the ma
iority, we shall come for Starcourt, and
we will not go away without him. You
can save his life-and perhaps your
own, for we would not do you harm
and can save his life by turning him
over to us. We will agree to spare his
life. We pledge that very thing. But
after tomorrow he earns his bread by
toiling in the fields and forest. as our
prisoner, not yours, and he will never
speak to your daughter again, except as
slave "
"Once more I say to you that I am
either Jonifer the Hawk or Jonifer the
Worm," shouted the chieftain, and
strode away.
He heard the mutterings, the shouts,
the execrations. but he did not turn his
head. On entering the house, he said to
Starcourt:
you viii spend the night in this
house. colonel"
And from the grim. terse injunction
they gathered volumes
"They have defied you, father?"
Gerane asked tremulously.
ION the contrary, have defied
them" said he, casting aside his coat
and cap.
What is 1t they demand, Jonifer?"
This from Starcourt.
They want you, Starcourt." replied
other.
"Ta--to kill?" cried Gerane, horrifled