Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-04-26
CHAPTER xlIl-continued

sound. raised his head In an inefec'
tual effort TO see through the thick
growth before him.
"Not hurtr he cried. mot
hurt !"
The rifle crashed. A bullet tore
through the screen of boughs to
his right.
Then silence once more.
A woman, a woman who knew
him. had given warning. -. What
woman7
"Ellen7" he shouted.
Her answer came from the close
confines Of the fur room: John.
John, are you all right?"
Right !" be yelled, raising him.
self a bit so his voice would carry
better. SIS 1t you. Ellenl Where
are your"
Again the rife, shooting savage
ly, aimlessly now. Six times, shot
after shot until echoes came ring
ing back.
"Rightp be shouted again.
"Where are your"
fur room. At the east
end. Stay safe" she called.
"He has q world of ammunition
and is shooting at you through the
window |"
Another voice then, a muffled
snarl of warning.
And on the sound John hunched
to his knees, rose to a nearly up
right position. pistol In his hand.
He could see now. through the up
per branches; he saw a movement
within. a shadowy. indistInct move
ment. and fired. A pane of glass
pulverized. the figure in there Shift
ed quickly he shot again and his
ball tore through the other of the
two windows be could see.
He dropped for shelter and cried
out:
-Stay back, Gorbeli I'll drill you,
s'help me-"
He pressed his body against the
stump. but the man inside did not
reply. with words or gunfire.
All name of impulses. of hopes,
Of fears. a vast array of miscel
laneous and conflicting emotions.
surged through John. Ellen.
here, with Gorbell Ellen. under
the same roof with a nan who had
nothing TO lose but his liberty now
Why had she come? Why had Cor.
bel borne so straight for this place?
"Ellen |" he called, suddenly fran
tic. @You all right?"
"Righti |" Her voice was fainter
How, husked with tears.
The rifle spoke again. six bark.
ing shots. and on the last John
leaped up. Two small windows
fIanked the cabin door on this. the
western exposure.
He ran for the end of the build
ing, sinking deeply, foundering and
strainlng until he threw himself fiat
In the great drift al the corner. He
wriggled close against the log wall.
holding the pistol at ready. holding
his breath. listening. No sound
came TO indicate that Gorbel had
seen him close In.
John removed the snowshoes ana
crept along the wall. movements 81
lent In the new snow. duckIng low
as be passed the near window
coming to a halt beside the door.
"TwoI !" he counted as the rifle
crashed ono more. After an
ether wait he could whisper
Three" And then "Fouri"
Five and six shots. then. and
spruce branches were clipped of
and dropped and feet sounded on
the cabin door. And then John
Belknap had his left hand on the
latch, his shoulder TO the stout
door, was swinging II open.
No turning back. now he showed
with all his strength and the legs
OF the table which GOrbel mad set
across the entry rumbled on the
planks as John pushed II sIdewaya
He had a look al a drawn and
haggard face, stamped with terror
and cruelty as Corbel. rife In une
hand, the other outstretched for
cartridges scattered on The cot,
swung to face this intrusion.
drop Ill" snapped Belknap
drop that gum"
He could have fired then and
felled Gorbel In his tracks but he
did not. He was no killer; not
when the weapon In the others
band was empty.
But an empty rifle Is a weapon
nevertheless. He saw the quick
bracing of Gorbels feet, observed
the short, sharp gesture with which
he hurled the gun. de ducked.
quite sure of himself. too sure OF
himself. The butt of the rifle
missed his head as 1t sailed towards
him, but the barrel, trailing. drop
ping as II came, raped him across
the skull.
IL was q heavy blow. His cap
was protection enough to turn 1t
from a stunning shock to simple
bewilderment for a second or
q fractional second.
He fred as Gorbel rushed. He
Aired quickly. with intent 10 Kill