The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-04

are gong TO be dlfferent. we're
going to find a better way of treat
ing the Blacklanders than driving
them from their homes with the
help of my v~aqueros."
Your vaqueros!" He checked
himself, then with an effort to be
calm he asked, who do you think
has really run New Dixie for the
past two years? l have-and l
haven't used gloves. If you do
anything to break the power Of
my vaqueros, there'll be no safety
for you or anyone else in New
Dixie"
Il disagree with you. New Dixie
got along without terrorism be-
fore, and it can get along again.
I'm going to have all that brutal
nonsense stopped, and stopped at
once"
He laughed. "Then you're TAX
ing On quite a job. How are you
going to stop h e soldiers from
hunting down Bob Norman"
by Withdrawing the reward for
him. did that yesterday, and it's
surprising how completely they
lost interest,""
Pale with anger that was rap
idly getting the upper hand, Madi-
son flared back, And what about
the vaqueros he and Vicente
killed."
mot one of them has ever been
Killed. And nobody's going to be
killed. it l can help it. But here's
something you may have to get
used to. From now on, your job
will be in the upper ranges.
There's plenty to do up there, In
the future I'll handle everything
connected with the Blacklanders.
A n d I've already promised Cliff
Bogard there will be no inter-
1erence with his work at the
plantations"
You promised!" Faced with
the l%ntolerable thought of being
stripped of his power, the bonds
OF Madison's s%elf-control snapped
like cotton threads. "You dodder-
ing fool!" With both fists he beat
down on the desk. "Just how
much do you think any promise
OF yours is Worth?" Rage and
whiskey had dashed him into open
rebellion at last. He thrust his
face close to hers. You're just a
f%lgurehead here. and you're t o
dumb to realize it. The only DOVE,
In New Dixie is the vaqueros-
and they're mine, n by God.
they'll stay mine! For ths last
two years everyone in New Dixie
has taken orders from me. I've
been the real boss here-not YOU.
Everybody knows you're sick and
old. You're through, and Just as
long as you don't interfere with
me, things can go on as before.
But if you take M step against
me, I'll show you how little you
really count"
In blank amazement She a
staring at him. Here, if she need.
ed 1t, was the very essence OF
proof that everything Norman had
told nor was true. No longer could
n nope to believe that Madison's
treatment of the Blacklanders had
been other than deliberate per.
secutlon to serve his own ends.
1t had been something wholly
selfish and evil-evil as the hatred
that twisted his face while he
stood before her, daring her to on.
pose him
She half rose, then slowly she
sank back, and for the first time
In his life Madison Florian saw
Tear IN the woman's eyes. Savage
~ he tasted the sweetness CT his
triumph after those years of out
ward submission, thea again he
spoke.
Now you listen to me. I'm go
ing to run Cliff Bogard out of New
Dixie. You wouldn't let me can
Gel his contract, so I'm taking a
more direct way of getting rid of
him. Madison raised a warning
hand. And don't you try to help
him."
She stared up at him. 81 forbid
it," she said, but her voice trem-
bled.
"You forbid it," He laughed in
her face, and slammed the door
behind him.
For a long time she sat drink
ing the bitter dregs OF thoughts
that told her all this was the fruit
o. her own infatuation. In her
lonely life, he had been the one
person she really loved. She had
raised him. All her dreams had
been for him. In the hall a clock
chimed twelve, and YEARLY, as if
against 5 m overwhelming
weight she squared her shoulders
and raised a face that had gone
old and haggard. "I forbid it," she
whispered to the silent room.
Outside Madison h a d mounted
THAT old fool may give us
trouble" he told Sloan. I'm 60
ing to smash Bogard before she
can interfere, so the sooner W e
hold our surprise party, the bet
ter I want you to have every va
oueuo ready to start by day
break"
Star. for wh"re?"
Cliff Bogard's headquarters"
Madison grinned at a sudden rec
objection. Tomorrow ought to be
a coed Gay to wipe that camp out.
It'll he just six months since he
came fere to build it."
TO Be CO 4 nue!)
S%hivering beach folk strolled into