Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-07-19

IL SdA loA it1p-4 III SIlu =
sick man, John Sherwinl" he bab-
bled wildly.
Sherwin thrust him back In his
chair. "You coward" he said Bit
terly. you'll have your chance; I
don't deal blows in secret-as you
dol"
Stenhart groaned. you're crazy
II always said you werel How did
you get here?"
That's no affair Of yoursl I came
to kill you."
Stenhart gripped the arms of his
chair with shaking hands; he was
not well man but he tried to sum-
mon his old courage. "I'n raise the
alarm-why, can settle you in five
minutes, Sherwin!"
Sherwin's eyes glinted like steel.
"Can you? Try It'll"
Stenhart tried again to rise, then
something in the other mans look
held him, he shrank. my God,
what do you mean to do You-you
can't kill me out herein cold
blood"
II can," replied his tormentor,
but mean to let you think about
1t, imagine it, wonder how I mean
to do it. 1t would be too pleasant
If I finished you nowl"
Hope kindled in the others eyes;
he knew way to end this braggart.
"I'm obliged to you for a respite"
he said mockingly; "thank you'll"
But it was Sherwin who laughed,
and the sound Of his mirth sent q
horrible chill through Stenhart.
Il know your plan, Friend Max"
he said coolly, "but it can't save
you. l shall kill you just the same
only a little more quickly"
Stenhart's courage began to rise,
his face Redeemed. you'll not stay
here; I'll make Las Palomas too hot
for you'll You'll see. I can make
any place too hot for you"
Sherwin looked at him steadily for
an instant, then he spoke as stead
lily.
1T wouldn't save you, Stenhart-
nothing will save you-but the soon
er you drop that stuff the longer
you'll live. Get me?"
Stenhart writhed in his chair.
"You can't do it! You don't mean
to do it! You're Threatening me to
TO hush me up!"
Sherwin bent down and, graspins
the arms of his chair, he looked deep
into his eyes. "You know what I've
endured, you know what you dido
you think that I wouldn't kill your"
Stenhart, staring back into those
steel gray eyes, wavered and
blanched. He was still weak from
illness; his limbs shook.
"You-you fiend!" he gasped.
"You call me a fend-what do you
call yourself, you iar?" Sherwin's
voice was low but it was terrible.
He let go the arms of the chair and
Strengthened himself. you're half
sick still. III let you get your
strength first, butt shall kill you
presently"
Stenhart said nothing; he was
shaking now from head to foot.
Something deeper than his fear of
Sherwin shook him. He set his teeth,
but they chartered.
Sherwin, watching him, laughed.
Then he looked toward the house
and saw Fanny Sewen emerge, car
rying tray.
"Your nurse is coming" he said
to the invalid. "Get your strength
quickly; don't care to kill sick
man, Stenhart."
Stenhart leaned back in his chair
and shut his eyes. He was feigning
more weakness than he felt; he was
trying to plan some way to rid him.
self of this peril, for he knew that
Sherwin meant every word he said.
He would kill him! Though his eyes
were closed, he listened keenly and
he heard Sherwin's footsteps re-
treating across the grass; then came
the rustic of woman's skirt and
he looked up and saw Fanny Seweu
coming with her little tray. The
sun was shining on her fair hair and
her serene face, and he tried to think
he had just awakened from night
mare.
Sherwin, passing the young nurse,
went to the house. The door stood
open and he entered, going at once
to Jim's desk. He had promised
Jane to straighten the accounts; me-
Chemically he sat down to his task,
but his mind was full of the scene
under the trees, of Stenhart's aghast
face. He drew a deep breath and his
clenched fist struck the desk sharp
ly, rafting its shabby litter out of
the pigeonholes. He had no pity for
Stenhart's apparent weakness; he
had evidently been near death and
he was glad that he had not died.
If he had died he would have es-
capped.
There was little rustic of paper;
a breeze from the window had got
among the papers that his violence
had shaken out of the pigeonholes.
1t lifted thin tissue covering a fiat
cardboard and rustled it. AS Sher-
win looked down it blew the thin
paper completely away and he saw