The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-11-03

I hadn't stepped in on them she'd
 have stayed loneer. ri take care
 of her for you. and for that simpy
 Asper raised up from his bench
 and his hands trembled under the
 ropes. "You wouldn't dare touch
 her. he fumod, afire with anger.
 "ehe'ii know Q real man. one
 who tried to save her old man from
 roasting in c log cabin" ewergin
 % Asper cienchsd his fists fmpotentl
 ly and clump6d down in his chair.
 He was dealing with Q man who
 had gone completely mad.
 sWorRin paced over to the wi1-
 dow ana looked out. He seemed to
 be expecting someone. or was wait
 ing for a given time. Asper strug.
 gied to think calmly. to be steady
 and seek out c ray of hope, but
 there seemed nc hope for him and
 he was sure swergin would ride
 into camp with a wild story.
 dTt seemed impossible now that he
 could have blamed all the killings
 and dirty work on Ball. Dona had
 showed much better judgment. If u8 uH0 HLuItgU AgE WVAhoAA R aAA-
 stInct he would have saved them
 ail from q lot of grief. Asper
 caught himself wondering where Baii was. There was bare chance that the cowboy would find the cabin. He had said that he was go-
 ing to shoot 1t out with Swergin. Had Asper known Stan Balls
 plans for the day his heart would have been swept clean of every hope, for Stan had decided that morning to ride over and straighten up his affairs at Blind River before having 1t out with swergin. The old timber man decided to make one final attempt to break through the madness of his fore- man. "You ought to think of my daughter and her husband. They are on their honeymoon" Asper spoke almost pleadingly.
 Swergin faced about from the window and his face was twisted into . leer. That puppy has been riding over to see a little Spanish girl every day. They'll be borrow ing your gals car and hiking out any day now, if they hain't already gone" Seeing a look of disbelief spread over Asper's face Swergin went on, eager to tell everything. T trailed him the other day to make sure he was harmless and got an earful." Swergin scowled as he remembered the scene.
 the past week. He was sure, when he had checked all the little things that had happened, that the timber boss was telling the truth. He had been Q fool not to do little in- vestigating himself.
 swergin pulled a huge silver watch from his pocket and looked at 1t. He seemed to be ready to finish his plan. and stamped out
 Asper could hear him breaking limbs and tossing brush against the side of the cabin. He seemed to be going some distance for the materials to start the fire, and ap. parentiy wanted a large supply. Swergin finished his piling of wood and branches and re-entered the cabin. He did not look at Asper but began piling the cowboy togs in the center of the floor. Asper cast about desperately for some. thing to delay the tragic climax. How did you manage about the
 horses?' he demanded.
 Swergln paused and looked
 across at him as though considering the advisability of answering any thing so simple. T got place | where can hide out a whole herd.
 and l got men can trust to have
 that black mare ready"
 I A I Al. ...tt 1z ,esvIa l He was at the end of his resources | up from the pile of clothes and walked to the door. He did not | glance back as he went out and did 1 not stop until he was well around
 the building. He had piled the branches and | limbs in row we'll back and lead | ing up to the cabin. It was his plan | to start the fire and let the smart breeze from down the slope carry It | to the log walls. That would make | the fire look as though 1t had be- gun away from. the cabin.
 He bent and struck match. | Shielding the flame, he. held 1t under a little pile of dry grass. The tiny blaze funneled upward and caught eagerly at q pile of twigs Two spirals of smoke rose. follow | ed by e tongue of flame.
 Swergin backed off and watched l the flames leap higher. He tested 1 the wind and found 1t just right. Then he turned, and without a
 glance behind him. mounted his l horse and rode away.
 He headed down the slope to- ] ward the camp at Three Rivers. He | was sure that Dona. would be there. He did not worry about her
 being i'll. He had gone mad with i power and he believed he could have anything he wanted. He did l not even give Dudley Winters q | thought. He knew the young mans | plans from listening in several
 times on his meetings with the lit- tie senorita.
 Dudley was to slip the car out and go after little Rosa. Swergin ! grinned. The whole bunch were | fools who played into his hands. | Even Ball was a fool for he had loft when he had them in bad
 way, and all because Q woman ask l cd him to. It was funny. but 1t
 made everything easy for him. Ball
 was the one man to be reckoned | with.
 l Swergin had only one, thing to | give him any concern. He would | have to take care of Malloy If the | corral boss was around. Malloy | x,aa . not tn Ina frt,afad ana ha was