The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-27

.ng of g heart thai matched tle
racing rhythm OF his own. hef
arms, moving upward over his
khaki shirt, encircled him; the
palms of her hands pressed INN
| close in a caress that, even while
1t yielded, had all the fierce glad
glory of possession.
JANET" The mass Of coppery
nair lifted as she drew back her
head. Her eyes, luminous beneath
the lamp, were on his eyes; her
lips. half parted, rose nearer al
most touched then suddenly her
eyes changed. and with a cry she
gasped, Cliff! The window-some
ores outside"
He jerked open the door, but the
night lay black and empty, and at
d run he rounded the building, then
stood listening. Were you sure!"
he called.
Il saw a face pressed against
the pane. and then it was gone.
| remember the eyes staring"
Janet stopped. The long drawn
howl of a jaguar came to them
from the darkness.
ITS Plato" Cliff said. and the
same thought flashed across the
minds of both-had it been Lilli at
the window?
But the spell of that moment was
shattered. The shock of intrusion
had thrust itself like a barrier be-
tween them, and Janet looked Up
at him with a tired smile.
I'm dead, Cliff. Mind if l run
along to bed? Too much has hap
pened today"
Il know" He walked with he.
down the path to the door of her
shack, then with both hands he
raised her face and kissed her lips.
Remember this" he whispered.
We can't lose now-you and l."
Up in Claribel's office Madison
sat white-faced and brooding. For
nearly an hour after Janet left him
he did not move, his slate : gray
eyes fixed or the window. Then as
i reaching a decision, he left the
house and rode to the quarters OF
his vacqueros. The smoka-filled,
barracks-like room was crowded
with herdsmen, and Madison
counted them. then beckoned to
Sloan.
The burly leader staggered over.
What goes, Boss? You look kinda
tough"
Madison cut him off. Are these
all the vaqueros you have here?'
"Sure. Some are at the river
camp, but most of 'em are in the
upper ranges. What do you want
done that US boys can't handler"
y want you to crack down on
Cliff Bogard."
Sloaa's eyes widened. "You
mean-?"
81 mean smash his camp and
drive him out"
whats the sudden idea. Boss?
l thought you was waitin' for the
Black1anders to tangle with him
first"
I'm done waiting"
fAin't it kinda risky? Now if We
waited until"
"To heck with all that. I'm fed
Up, understand, fed up! Either he
goes or I go. and this is as good a
time as We'll ever have"
Sloan looked thoughtful. eff
that's the job, I guess we'll need
ali the vacqueros we can rouns
up"
We'll need every men"
Sloan flicked his cigarette across
the floor. "Okay. Well start ;omor-
row.
Madison spat out an oath. We'll
start right now. It's going to take
three Or four days to bring them
in from the upper ranges, even if
we work fast. and I'm going with
you. By midnight we can be at
the river camp. BY dawn We'll be
in the upper range"
Sloan looked into Madison's face
and reached for his spurs. what
ever you say, Boss"
Skirting the village, the two men
rode down the river trail, and an
hour later they were passing
Wade's clearing. where a light in
the window of the main shack
caught Madison's attention.
He refined in his horse. 81
thought Wade and Lilli were living
at the rubber camp"
"They were"
A shadow passed across the win
dow, and Madison recognized Lilli.
He raised his hand for silence, then
leaned toward Sloan.
I'D say she's alone. You stav
out here and keep watch. l want
a word or two with that lady"
Dismounting, Madison walked
toward the shack. Twice he stopped
to listen, then certain that no one
else was within, threw open the
door. At the sound Lilli turned.
and beneath the lamplight he saw
she had been weeping.
Terrified, the girl drew back.
What do VOL want?" Her voice
was trembling.