The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-01
No {! O :! OMEN
ephi 1916 BY Ton Gin kN~N ~
oaMwtdbyM viking Evm Syndicate $5E2cHAJ tAlM CHI

after their long climb, led then
around to the back of the dwell
ling, and taking off their saddles
turned them loose to Craze on tn,
sparse grass OF the clearing
Lighting a cigarette. he sat dow
in the shade of a palm.
The immediate danger of pur
suit was behind him. but he knew
that the real peril was still to b.
met-ahead of him lay the men
ace of Madison's jealousy, ant
that could not be avoided fol
long. The very pattern O.
Madison's vindictive nature woult
drive him to some swift act O
vengeance, no matter how des
perate. no matter, as Janet hat
said. if he wrecked himself.
What form that vengeanc,
might take, Cliff did not even TT.
to guess, but he. could not ignor,
the fact that any further delay
in his work meant only one thing
he would be- done. Even nov
Casey must be wondering abou
his a~bsence-the men would los,
precious time searching for him
and time was the one thing the,
couldn't afford to lose. A week
a Few days even, meant the diff
ference between success and fail
IRE.
He was so deeply sunk in hi,
thoughts that ne did not hea,
Janet until she stood by his side
"You ran away from me-" sh'
said.
"'You didn't really need me.
He saw that her cheeks we're wet
but her eyes were shining. ane
for the first time that day h
smiled. You're happy now
aren't you?"
81 think I'm too afraid to b,
happy. I keep telling myself tina
all this really happened-that he
alive and I'm here. But it's too
She stopped. and he gently said
ITS all really happened, Janet
Your fathers alive"
But what's ahead for him
Cliff? Will he always have 10 hid
away like a hunted animal?"
81 don't know any more thai
you, darling. Hasn't he told 20
why he came here in the frs
place."
Eve hardly talked at all. I jus
held him-and cried. I know wha
they mean now when they talk {
crying from h%appiness."
A footstep sounded on the patti
and Norman came toward then
He was as visibly moved as Jane
when he shook Cliffs hand.
81 told you once that Janet wa
not to know about me-" he sale
"but I was wrong. You were RICH
to bring her here"
81 had to bring her." Cliff ar
swered. ''The soldiers"
eyes, I know about them.
have sent a man back to war
us if they find your trail. Their
is little chance of that, but a me
senger is leaving to tell Vicent
to gather our riders. In the NEAR
while, there's something you bot
must know, and perhaps ne
much time to tell it in"
Seating himself between them
Norman studied lifts face, an
his gray eyes were smiling.
Gone of the things I liked 400,
you the first day we met WE
your bluntness," he began. "Ye
told me I was a cold-bloode
father to let Janet go Oh b
lieving me dead. I want to tie
you why I had no choice-I ha
to do it."
He laid his hand on Janet's an
went On 81 suppose everyor
thinks his own lire work is tn
most important thing in Il
world. I know I did. I came hel
over twenty years ago
Claribel's invitation to stamp o,
malaria among the river peopl
There was scarcely a health
man or woman in all the lowe
country those days, and at fir;
it wasn't easy to help them. The
were suspicious and unfriendly-
they wanted to be left alone.
took years to get their confidenc,
but when I did, when they final
learned that my only purpos
here was to help them. I foun
them the kindliest people in tn
world. They brought me thei
problems, they came to me fo
help in sorrow, until I was MOI
a priest to them than a doctor
my main obstacle was Mad
son. He disliked me from tn
start; he resented Claribel's trus
in me, and years later he began
his bullying tactics against thu