Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1933-03-30
Ing my step. If you try me again +.
In narcnp pIaaca ~,

Nhe the uuoI uTHnly, n Paul Go
Del. standing there. eyes on the doc
let a hand lift slowly to his chi,
fingers fumbling with the flesh Their.
He stood so for a long interva
Then swiftly. a bit u~nsteadily. h
crossed the room and locked the doc,
FISTS rammed into pockets, he pace,
the room while moisture prIcked GU
In tiny pearls on his face.
Fear vas riding the man now. feai
and desperation. Not fear of the pos
sfbiiity that John Belknap might BIZ
able TO prove a case against hin
through either Baxter or DeForest.
Another fear gnaWed at him. had
been grinding him for days, and some
thing about John Belknap's attitude
made him feel that the lad was not
thinking wholly of his own safety. He
had had the manner of one who Knows
more than he tells. of one who is wait
Inc. with all confidence, for a ire
mendous moment
And Nat Bradshaw had been a hit
too casual the last time he came. His
eyes q betrayed a flicker of guile
when he talked of the fire in the Rich
ards barn; and another time he had
come he had gone from this office to
the hot-pond where John Belknap
worked
For years Paul Gorbel's conscience
- -
mad not troubled him; be had taken
what ne could take. by fair means or
foul. escaping detection but piling m
Ia his own heart a cumulative burden
fear. He had not admitted thar
even to himself until lately and
then. like q fostering wound. # had
commenced to swell and throb n
would moi let him keep his mind on
affairs during daylight: 1t would
lot let him sleep.
Other nights be had thought that
sounding In his ears was the heavy
eating OF his heart last night It had
cen Ike the fall OF collective feet
hndaIng In awkward measure as men
marched in lock-stepf LAST
isht and young Belknap knew
than he had said
tie halted In mid-room and looked
bout like one trapped. Then he went
MS desk, opened a locked drawer.
slipped the pistol that Law there
Ito his pocket. After a time he I'M
'eked the door and went through the
Of functloning as a manag-
z partner.
And over in Shoestring Ellen Rich
was going through the motions
performing her daily tasks.
Evidence OF strain was heavy upon
q different sort of strain than
at which had racked her when the !
she now knew to be John Belk- !
p came to her employ. Matters had 6
seq In n woods, the Belknap & !
'rDel operation o her railroad had
wed down on log production; her !
l~nsportation facilities had been able
take care OF both Jobs handily. a
or logs was growing In her y
ri. the dark clouds which had how
= over her business affairs were :
ming to lift. !,
things had happened to her +
len robbed this turn OF events of
: Joy; things which Weakened her .
sound sleep with heart racing. r,
p a feeling of having called out In
dreams appealingly to the man ~
D had come into her life and gone
OF 1t again, leaving the Job In or st
but life In chaos. :,
'uring waking hours she knew that
thought OF John Belknap only with III
tempt, but at night. as she slept. "
came to her In dreams. laughter
CLING with the determination in his 10
and she lived again those mo- Az
IT'S In the office at camp when sha
ded impulsively to his arms. when
raised her face hungrily for hin u,
Ba
Seef, the dreams werel Rnf she stf
on Weakening. To surrender nm
heart TO a man who had deceived xUa
VINO had sworn allegiance only in
undermine her worldly posses 90,
was ~unthinkable. And vet that /.
I remained nntractable. Her min sor
naded, argued, ~badgered, even mi,
ned, In certain moments, but when Co
dropped into deep rest that 9
I went its forbidden way no,
-sferday the woman who kent her :
e had declared her i'll This hos
ling the old bookkeeper had eyed !.
over the rims Of his specfa clog GOT
said n word: Peaked I" yor
left his high stool and drew bis nov
iacles down low on his nose con
~ jail
he declared. @Sakes. hnt 49,,
look peaked You better o. -,
an rest "a
49, r. mot
: H. - ~ ~ room him
man who was her worst enemv7 ~
ef To live again and again those q
IBIS which once had been sweet aom
now, even In memory. can,
BED the heat Of humiliation to her as
.s7 u
honel 4 girl can't stay In the c,nt,
er on heart-break when her stra,
MI. =" anu drawn tren