The Coolidge examiner., 1936-07-24
CHAPTER xV-Continued

Ills closed lids; Tips breath hot
in his own nOstrils. Consciousness
came back with a nauseating surge.
"Oh, Cod" he moaned, getting
his knees somehow beneath him.
-'Oh . It's gone >. Tip! 1t was
itm
Fighting down sickness, shaking
his head against blindness, he
searched. The money was gone.
The money was gone! Tears
coursed his cheeks as he shouted
that at Tip and then stopped, lean
ing close to see better as the re-
triever licked savagely at his thigh
"Oh?' he gasped. "And he al
most got your With his good right
hand he touched the creatures leg.
Broken!" he muttered.
A great and godly rage shook
him, lifted him above pain, above
dizziness for the moment.
Tip, it's up to us! Shy an
arm, shy leg. Which way,
Tip" - reaching for his gun and
sobbing. (Which way? Come.
HE. Herer'
Footprints in the muck gave him
a lead. He walked bent over, fol
lowing the sign In the soft forest
mould, dog on three legs, whimper-
ing with hurt, at his heels.
up to us >. :" he painted. -.
us cripples. HE on, Tip!"
The dog looked into his face
and, with a moan. dropped his muz-
zle to the ground, sniffling.
He reeled along after the dog.
Now and then he could see the
trail himself; at other times sick
ness engulfed him, the trees swung
and tilted crafty, he could scarcely
see Tip. But he kept on, up a
gentle rise, out onto a limestone
Tip was snuffling wildly, there,
tail mOtionless. Then he found
what he was following again. With
a whimper, half of pain, half of
delight, he staggered forward. his
master, dragging the rifle by it's
muZZle, close behind.
Time and distance and pain
meant nothing . until they came
to a stop. Perhaps It was the re-
spite from the effort of movement,
perhaps the imperative demand for
alertneSS from deep in him that
brought Kerry slowly out of that
numb state. Anyhow, he saw
that they had come to a clearing
and he was halted on it's edge, Tip,
nose uplifted, before him. A build
ing was swimming before his eyes.
like moving mirage. He
laughed and cut the laughter short
because that was Townline cabin
and through the open door he could
see movement That was no trick of
his vagrant senses
A man in there Was flinging
things to the floor, droppfhz to his
knees beside them, making wild,
extravagant motions as he crammetl
articles into a pack sack. Young
closed one eye tightly to concen-
trate on recognition. The man was
Enthusiastically Tod West.
Kerry staggered on a few steps,
trying to get the rifle to his shoul-
der with one arm. He could not do
it. The thing was a tremendous
and unwieldy weight. He needed
Il rest for the barrel. YOnder
was rock and he lurched toward
1T.
Carefully he sighted on the door
way and worked his tongue in his
parched mouth, striving to conjure
moisture there so his speech might
be good.
Put up your hands," he croaked.
1--WE got you covered and"
West reared on his knees, rigid.
YOung's finger was on the trigger,
ready to thwart any move.
And then his man was out of sight,
throwing himself sideways along
the floor.
Kerry fired and the shock of re-
coil sent fresh agonies through his
body. He saw leg of the table. on
the far side of the room and oppo-
site the doorway, splinter. Then
silence.
When he rallied the strength, he
c9lled:
Come out, West! I'll give you
one chance"
No response.
Come out!' he tried to shout,
out his voice broke.
On that West spoke:
ITO hell with you, Young"
Kerry drew great breath which
tore at his wound. So that was
it. West had confidence. Desper-
ate, he would be defiant. The only
means of exit were on this side
the door and the one window. So
long as he could remain In this
position and keep his eyes and
mind clear, West could not emerge.
. But how long would that be?
Tod West spoke again.
I'll wait you out, Youngw he
taunted. when you've bled
snOugh, I'll finish the job"
Ne GhEt his teeth and tried to