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ABOUT
Have you made up
your mind to take a
look at land where
One Crop Pays fir a Fail
0
The homeeeekers that acoompui
ied our Mr. Elliott on thelait
excursion returned enthusiastic
over the future prospects in -
Thomas Comity. Kansas
They are now advising their
friends to join our next excursion
TOM, OCTOBER 1st, 11
This is the time of the year when
you can leave, so get ready and
A go along with a good jolly crowd
and convince yourself that we
are trying to make you money
Phone, Write or Call
ELLIOTT, SPIKE aCOMPiST
Postoffice Block, Columbus, Nebr.
MB HAMPTON
f PLACER
miutmmmTtUMKm
TrnKiUKGE
Continued from laat week.
""Wen, Bin?," was Hampton's friend
ly greetlag, rare they keeping yon fair
ly buy with wars and ramors of
van' these dsysr
"Nethia' tola' just now.- was the
cheerful reply. "Everything goto ter
Cheyenne. The Iajaas are gitttn
themselves bottled ap la the Big Hon
country. '
"Ok, thafs It? Tkea maybe yoa
saaaga to rask a message
for aw to Fort A. Lincoln
wttkont diecommodiag Uacle Sam?
aad Hsmptoa placed a coin upon the
rough tabled
-Bare; writ It oat"
"Here It Is; now get It of early, my
lad, aad Bring tke answer to me orer
attkekotaL There'n be another yet
boy waiting whea yoa come."
Tke reply arrived soma two koars
L Iineou. Jnw XL
UMBcmia:
eraatn gone west; probably Yeltow-
Brant with then. ICurpfey. ot-
at Cheyenne waiting or
BITTON, Coaaiandina.
Ha erasked the paper la bis hmad,
tklnldng thinking of tke past, tke
atcseat, the future. Ha aad borne
smack la these last years, mack mis
representation, mack kmellaess of
soaL To ran this' Murphy to cover
remalaed bis final kope for retrieving
tkose dead, dark years. Ay, and there
was Nalda! Her future, scarcely less
tkaa kla own. kang trembllag la the
balance. Tke sudden lashing of that
asms Into bis brain was like an elec
tric shock.. He cursed his inactivity.
Great God! had he become a child
again, to tremble before, imagined evil,
a mere bobgoblin of the mind? He
aad already wasted time enough; apw
he mast wring from tke lips of that
mtoshapom savage tke last vestige of
kla secret
He dressed for the road; for hard,
saarMag service, buckling his loaded
cartridge belt outside his rough coat
aad testing his revolvers with unusual
ears. He spoke a few parting words
of Jastractioa to Mrs. Guffy and went
aufotlyout Tea minutes later he was
la the saddle, galloping down the dusty
stage road toward Cheyenne.
CHAPTER XXVII.
- The Trail of ajjoat Murphy.
Dr PRICES
CifTjim f, -
ksmV--T aamBTm. m.V rwaV MWMSMmr-W
ay . JhmaBruBjsmlmimwmmmiK' .mt ms aw Btssmam Mmhr km mta if mu dome whisper. It was he who tod the - .... v .. V
. ' - .1-- .- .. .- ... mlowlv Bnlmaal rtwmrt tk akallmr :. . T I . . "XBU U m A wum. mot a no
c-. t-r .-. same mm . mm -m- - . -. " -" vvu' aww .".. .. "" WT ZTZ BomsBosj loom ime nseny ox SMsnssg . , i,t,,- COOflurilCtlorL.
i -w armaw wmmmagegw warn wuraam wmsaummai sossewmat nvoaale. Kvem Iadiaa-ecoex- we monaera mmxw. amor , fc,w - - M n-mi - - .
$r mi-5 SlllraM, Ul UK WOfM . Kt imjmmlmammmmm tretehed a broad ptote, tke s-r- JnfjKaffsUtm kelrmltefmnte T ow ttTa toagh," retorted Hamp-
t i Jv . Jl " " uiwmiiBjiwiiB . . . .. t - . - . warn, nam arove we una nun auavsa , u aHaat. rnniT nia
V y- i'' at toot au w. .mM -tHmtomtTfllr flBM rocky aad amavaa, the mor therm w i.v. - - v . som, wxm esawsarsiasg coofuess. ma sb-j.-. v .
TBlli 111 UMsY"" Irrifl - mSiHmtt'9""" iter, .kmsmrmt by rldga. ef higher ZJmSSl iW-a - -' ' "i TfpiWllSJ
ti' TZLmT llr aJLTdTuZl m Z-?&P r Bat -mddealy there waa tke taint ? Marphy aramptiy twhla TSTwm TmZSm?LX iaat wte aaato, If a g to be doae. I UmSi '
zP ;tJst fifftCfif fiamy WJlat aaw JCsBrJ waaj apm cerarmawe! IssV " arartrlrmt aT hramch te Tmla toft ami korse the ssur. siever oae giaBmg -. imfsra. I waa aetiaar ma asasaraf hmaw yoa far too weU to take ckaaces VWBBB"7
12? - r "&. MW - :----r ,,7,Tmtoilfi la;,wmlla the other hmkstod ale TjgE g amyomrgaa. fcaallmher." 1C17 FarmassSt Ommkm
M I
'
-.
The young Ihfanfrymair who had
been detailed for the Important serv
ice of telegraph operator sat In the
Cheyenne office, his feet on the rude
table, bis face burled behind a mews
paper. "Could yoa Inform ma wkere I
might find Silent Murphy, a govern
ment scout?" '
The voice had the unmistakable ring
of military authority, and tke soldier
operator instinctively dropped kla fast
to the floor.
"Well, my lad, yoa are not damb,
are you?"
The telegrapher's momeatary kest
tatloa vanished; his ambition to be
come a martyr to the strict laws of
service secrecy was not sufficiently
strong to cause him to take the doubt
ful chances of a lie. "He was here,
but has gone."
"Where?"
"The devil knows. He rode, aorta,
carrying dispatches for Custer."
"When?"
"Oh, three or four hours ago."
Hampton swore softly but fervent
ly, behind his clinched teeth.
"Where Is Custer?"
"Don't know exactly. Supposed to
be with Terry and Gibbons, some
where near the mouth of the Powder,
although he may have left there by
this time, moving down the Yellow
stone. Murphy's orders were to Inter
cept his column somewhere between
the Rosebud and the Big Horn. No
other scout along this border would
take such a detail. But that old devU
of a Murphy Just enjoys such a trip?
He started off as happy as aver I sea
him."
"How. far win he have to ride?"
"Oh, 'bout 300 miles as the crow
flies, a little west of aorta, and the
better part of the distance, they tell
me, it's almighty rough country for
night work. Bat then Marshy, ka
knows the way all right Sorry yoa
didn't come along a little earlier," be
said, genially. "Bo yoa know Mar
phyr
Tm not quite certain. Did yoa
happen to notice a peculiar black sear
on tke back of bis right hand?"
"Sure; looks like tke naif of a pear.
He said it was powder under the skin."
A new look of reviving determine
IT?
O -' - maHssaiBt environments many times V dowm the bank, the four horses .--- tkta T ,,. j,, --. mmtT' . . . .
Hon swept
eyes beyoad doubt tkla mi
be kla
"How
dldhekave?r
"DM yoa overhear him as;
definite aboat.kJa plans for tke trip?"
"What, aim? He never talks, that
fellow. He catdo aothiag bat spat
ter If he.tries. .But I wrote oat kla or-
aad they give him to the Xth to
the Big Horn. Touwssnt
to strike oat after aim.
yoar
"I migkt risk it if I oaly tkoagkt I
could overtake klm witkla two days;
say haslBoai la of soma Importaaee."
"Wall, stranger. I should reckon yon
might do that witk a dog-gome good
outfit Murphy's' sure to take things
pretty easy today, aad he's almost
certain to follow the old mining trail
aa far aa the ford over the Bella
Vomicae, aad that's plain eaoagk to
traveL Beyoad that point tke devil
oaly knows where ke win go, for tkea
la wham ate hard ridin begins."
The moment the operator mentioned
that odd sear cm Murphy's head, every
vestige of hesitation vanished. Be
yoad amy possibiUty of doubt he was
cm tke right scent this time. Murphy
waa riding north upon a mission as
desperate as ever man was caUed
apoa to perform. The chance of his
coming forth alive from that Indian
haunted mad was, aa the operator
truthfully said, barely oae out of a
hundred. To the end., to the death If
meed were, ha would follow!
The memory of his old plain craft
would mot permit any neglect of the
few necessaries for the trip. He
bought without haggling over prices,
but insisted on the best So it was
four In the afternoon when he finally
struck Into the trail leading north
ward. He rode a mettlesome, half
brokem bronco, a wicked-eyed brute,
which required to be conquered twice
within the first hoar of travel; a sec
oad aad more quiet animal trailed be
hind at the end of a lariat, bearing the
necessary equipment
He had, by persistent questloalag,
acquired considerable Information, dur
ing that busy hoar spent In Cheyenne,
regarding the antracked regions lying
before him, as weU as the character
and disposition of the man he pur
sued. Both by instinct and training
he waa able to comprehend those brief
hints that must prove of vast benefit
la the pathless wilderness. -
The night waa already' dark, but
stars were gleaming brilllaatly over
head, and tke trail remained easily
traceable. It became terribly lonely
cm that wflderness stretching away
for unknown leagues la every direc
tion, yet Hampton scarcely noted this,
so watchful was he lest he miss the
trail. To his Judgment Murphy would
aot be likely to ride during the night
until after he had crossed the Fourche.
There was no reason to suspect that
there were any hostile Indians south
of that stream, and probably therefore
the old scout would endeavor to con
serve his own strength and that of his
horses, for the mora perilous travel
beyoad.
About midnight the tran becoming
obscure, tke rider made camp, confi
dent he must have already gained
heavily cm tke man he pursued. He
lariated his horses and flinging him
self down on some soft turf, almost
immediately dropped asleep.- Ha was
up again before daylight aad, after
a hasty meal, pressed on. The nature
of the country had changed consider
ably, becoming more broken, the view
circumscribed by towering cliffs and
deep ravines.
lAto in the afternoon he reined ap
his horse aad gased forward into a
broad vaUey, bounded with precipi
tous bluffs. Tke trail tod directly
dowa toward where a considerable
stream of water shone silvery In the
sun, half concealed behind a fringe of
willows. And yonder, close in against
those distant willows, some black dots
were moving. Hampton glued bis
anxious eyas to the glass. The leveled
tubes dearly revealed a man on horse
back, leading another horse. The ani
mals were walking. There could be
little doubt .that this, was Silent Mar-
phy.
Hampton lariated his tired horses
behind the bluff and returned to the
summit lying flat upon the ground;
with the field-glass at his eyas. The
dlstamt figures passed slowly forward
Into the midst of the'wtilows. and for
half am hear the patieat watcher
scanned the surface of the stream be
yond, but there was no sign of at
tempted passage. The sun sank lower
and finally disappeared behind those
desolate ridges to the westward.
Hampton's knowledge of phtinscraft
readered Murphy's actions sufficiently'
clear. This was the Fourche; beyoad
those waters lay the terrible peril of
Indian raiders. Further advance mast
be made by swift secret alght riding,
and never-ceasing vigilance. This was
what Murphy had been saving himself
and bis horses for. Beyond conjec
ture, he was resting now within the
shadows of those willows, studying
the opposite shore and making ready
for the dash northward. Hampton be
Ueved he would linger thus 'for some
time after dark, to see If Indian fires
would afford any guidance. Confident
of this, he passed back to his horses,
rubbed them dowa with grass, aad
them ate his lonely supper, not ventur
ing to light a fire, certain that Mur
phy's eyes were scanning every lack
of skyline.
Darkness came rapidly, while Hamp
ton sat planning again tke details of
his nlgkfrwork. Then, with the two
aalmals traUlag cautiously behind, he
felt sis-slow way on foot down tke
steep bluff, lato the denser blackness
of tke vaUey.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Haunting of a Crime.
Murphy rested on his back in the
midst of a thicket of willows, wide
awake, yet not quite ready to ford tke
Fourche and. plunge Into the dense
shadows shrouding the northern shore.
Crouched behind a log, he had so far
yielded unto temptatiom aa to light his
Pipe.
Jast
amvtroamemte many times
groom
voTferal hi, UT TlsMeaaAasosa.
asHarsliut readme m the grass,
some scowling coyote, probably; theft
his .tease mascles kmmailaOly re
laxed, sad he euraed hanvsstf far being
so startled, yet km 'csattasid to grasp
the "4i" la hie right mama. Ma eyes
alert
"Marshy!
Tkat sJagM ward, kartod tkaa maex-
sBBBmnsraBii"raesBmwsaasiBSs f
sUbSZsk-
E3mnnnsvmvr9FT
9&aMKmsw
"Hampton Glued Hie Anxleos Cyse to
tHeGlaos.-
pectedlyoutof the black alght startled
him more tham would a volley of rifles.
Ha sprang half erect them as swiftly
crouched behind a willow, utterly ma
able to articulate. For the Instant his
very blood ram cold; ka appeared to
shrivel up.
"Oh, come, Marphy; speak up, mam;
I know you're In here."
That terror of the makmowm instaat
ly vanished. This was the famUiar
language of the world, and, however
the fellow came to be there, It waa
assuredly a man who spoke.
."Who the hoU are ye?", ha blurt
ed out
The visitor laughed, the buakea
rustling aa he pushed toward the
sound of "the voice. Ifa an right old,
boy. Gave ye quite a scare, I reckon."
Murphy could now dimly perceive
the other advancing through the Inter
vening willows, and his Colt shot ap
to the level. "Stop! ye take another
step an m let drive. Te teU me
first who ye be."
The lavader paused, but. he realised
the aervous finger pressing the trigger
and made haste to answer. "It's nil
right I ten ye. Fm one o Terry's,
scouts."
"Te are? Jlst the same Tve heard
yer voice afore."
"Likely 'nough. I saw service In the
Seventh."
Murphy was still a trifle suspicious.
"Howd ye git yere? How'd ye come
. ter know whar I wua?"
The man laughed agata. "Sorter
hurts yer perfesstousl feelins, don't It
old feller, to be dropped in on In this
unceremonious way? Bat It was dead
easy, old man! Te see I happened
thro Cheyenne only a couple o' hours
behind ye, with a bunch o papers far
the Yellowstone. The trail's plain
enough out this far, aad I toped toag
at a pretty fair hickory, so thet I was
ap on the bluff yonder, and saw ye go
into camp yere Just afore dark. Tom
was a-keepln' yer eyes skinned across
the Fourche. and' aaturally dlda't ex
pect mo esHers from them hiDs be
hind. The rest was nuthin", aa' hero I
am. Ifa a darn' sight ptoassnter ter
her company traveUn', ter my aotioa.
Now kla I cum On?"
Murphy reluctantly lowered his Colt
every movement betraying annoyance.
"I reckon. But I'd a damn sight
rather risk lt-ratone."
The stranger came forward without
further hesitation. The night was far
too dark to reveal features, but to
Murphy's strained vision the new
comer appeared somewhst slender In
build, and of good height
"Whar'd ye say ye wus bound?"
"Mouth o' the Powder. We kin ride
tergether fer a night or two."
"Te kin do as ye please, but I
ain't a huntin' no company, an' I'm
a goto' 'cross now."
He advanced a few strides toward
his horses. Then suddenly he gave
vent to a smothered cry, so startling
as to cause the stranger to spring
hastily after him.
"Oh! My God! Oh! Look there!"
"What to It man?"
"There! there!- The picture! Domt
you see?"
"Naw; I domt see nuthin. Te ain't
gone cracked, kev ye'? Whose pic
ture ?"
It's there! O Lord! it's there!
My God? can't ye see? An' it's, his
face ail a-gleamln' with green flames
Holy Mary an' I ain't seen it
afore in 15 year!"
He seemed suddenly to collapse, aad
the stranger permitted him -to drop
limp to the earth.
"Dara If I Ua see anythin', old
man, but IT1 scout 'round thar a bit
Jest tor ease yer mind, aa' see what I
kin skeer up."
He kad kardly taken a half dozen
steps before Murphy caUed after him:
"Don't don't go an' leave me it's
not there now thet's queer!"
The other returned and stood gazing
down upon kls kuddled figure. "You're
a fine scout! afeard o spooks. Do ye
take these yere turns often? Fer If
ye do, I reckon as how I'd sooner be
'ridin' atone."
Murphy struggled to his feet aad
gripped the other's ana. "Never bed
nuthin' like It afore. Bat but It was
thar an creepy am' greenain't seem
thet face la is year."
"What facer
"A a fallow I knew oace. He
no's dead."
The other grunted disdainfully. "Bad
lack tar sea thesa sort" ha volun
teered, solemnly. "Blame glad It
warm't ae aa sea It am I domt know
aa I keer mack right aow 'boat keep
la company witk ye fer very toag.
However, I reckom if either of us cal
culates cm doia' muck ridin' teralgkt
we better stop fooUm' with ghosts, am'
go ter saddlln' ap."
They made rapid work of tt, the
proviag somewhat loqua
cious, yet holding his voice to a Judi
cious whisper. It was he who tod the
way dowa the beak, the four .horses
slowly sptoahfag tkrougk tke shallow
water to the mortkerm shore. Before
stretched a broad plain, tke sur-
rocky aad mmevem, the
by ridges of
Murphy promptly fare kla
tke saur
tm ,
wkfle the other
They rode' ssteetly. The way; he-
4lmTAamaaTaaamrwm alSnsBBa flmsafl nVmaTsaTsk mmu' fjmssrV
scared the sUrs. yet through the rifts
tkey caught fleeting glimpses aum
damt to kokt them to their course.
And the' aacroacklag affle swept te
pocket yet aver
Finally they attained te the steep
bank of a ebmsMorable stream, found
the water of aafltotomt depth to compel
swimming, aad crept ap the opposite
shore dripping aad miserable, yet wkh
ammunition dry. Marphy stood swear
ing dtsjofatodly, wiping tke blood from
a wound la kla forehead where the
Jagged edge of a rock had broken the
skin, kut suddealy stopped witk a
quick Intake of breath that toft him
panting. The other mam crept toward
him, loading ale horse.
"What to It mow?" ke asked, graflty.
"HeV ye got em agin?"
The daaed old scout stared, pout
lap directly across the other's shoul
der, his arm shaking desperately.
"It's tkar! am' It's kls face! On,
God! I know K IS year."
The mam gmmead Backward mto.th
Bttem darkness, hat without moving
kla body.
-there's aathin out there, leas tt s
a awsfly," he taaiaTea, sa a tome or
tempt "Toafre plum crasy,
the sight's got cm yer
to tt ye think ye seer
"His face. I toll ye! Domt I know?
If s all green and ghastly, with snaky
flames playim' abomt tt! But I know;
If years, am' I ain't f ergot"
He sank down feebly sank until he
waa on his knees, kto head craned for
ward. The mam watching touched the
miserable, hunched-up figure compas
sionately, aad tt shook beneath his
hand, endeavoring to' skrimk away.
"My God! was' thet yoa? I thought
it waa him a-reachia' fer me. Here,
let me take yer kaad. Oh, Lord! Am'
cant ye see? If s Just tkere beyoad
them horses an greea, crawlla', dev
ilishbut It's him."
"Whor
"Brant! Bramt IS year!"
"Brant? Flfteem years? Da yoa
meaa MaJ. Bramt the one Noma killed
over at Betkuner
"He ke didn't"
The old mam heaved forward, mis
head rocking from aide to aide; them
suddealy he toppled over cm his face,
gasping for breath. Hto compamlom
caught him aad ripped open the heavy
flannel Shirt Them he strode savage
ry across In front of hto skriakiag horse.
tore down the flarlag picture, aad
hastily thrust it Into hto pocket, the
light of the phosphorous with which It
had beea rubbed being reflected for a
moment am his features.
"A dirty, miserable, tow-dowa trick,"
ke muUered.- "Poor old devil! Tet
I've go to do It for the little glri."
He stumbled back tkrougk the dark
ness, kto kat filled witk water, and
dasked It lato Murphy's face. "Come
am, Marphy! Taste's one good tking
'bout spooks; they don t hang 'round
fer toag at a time. Likely es not this
'am to gome by mow. Brace ap. man,
for you am' I have got tar get oat o
here afore morula'."
Then Murphy grasped kto arm aad
drew himself slowly to hto feet
- "Tkmt see aathia' mow; do yer
"No. Where's my korser
The' other silently reached him the
loose rein, marking aa he did so the
quick, nervous peering this way aad
that the starting at the slightest
sound.
"Did ye say. Murphy, aa how it
wasnt Nolan after an who plugged
the major?"
Tm damned If I did. Who else
wasitr
"Why, I dunno. Sorter Warned odd
though, thet ghost should he a-hauat-la'
ye. Dara If it alat creepy 'nough
ter make a feller believe moat amy
thin'.", '
Murphy drew himself up heavily
lato his saddle. Them an at oace ke
shoved the muzzle of a "45" lato the
other's face. "Te say anther word
'bout thet am' in make a ghost outer
ye blame lively. Now. ye shet ap if
ye ride with me."
They moved forward at a walk and
reached a' higher level, across which
the night wind swept bearing-a touch
of cold la Its breath as though coming
from the snow-capped mountnins to
the west There was reaowed life la
this invigorating air and Marphy
spurred forward, nia companioa pi
lag steadfly after.
Whea the first signs of
day appeared la the east the two toft
their horses In a aarrow canyon, aad
crept to the summit of a ridge. Below
lay the broad valley of the
Them Murphy turned hto head
looked back latoxtke other's face,
CHAPTER XXIX.
The Verge of Cenfasslsa,
Murphy uttered oae sputteriag cry
of surprise, Singing his head Instinct
ively to his hip, but attempted mo
more. Hampton's ready weapoa waa
thrusting Its muzzle into tke astound
ed face, aad the gray eyes gleaming
along the polished barrel held the fal
low motioaloss.
"Hands ap! Not a move. Marphy!
I have the drop!" The voice waa tow,
but storm, aad tke old frontiersman
obeyed mechanically, although his
face waa fairly distorted with
"Tom! Duma yoa! I thought
h t voice."
"Yes, I am here an right
odd place forms to meet tent It? Bat,
you see, you've had the advantage an
these years; yoa knew wkom yoa
were running away from, wkile I waa
compelled to plod along tm tke dark.
Bat rve caught up Just the same. If It
has beea a toag race." '
"What do ye waat me ferr The
took la the face was cunning.
"Hold your hands quiet higher,
fool! Thaf a tt. Now. domt play
Witk bm. I koaestiy dldat know for
certain I did waat yoa. Murphy, wham
I first started oat cm this. trip. I
merely suspected tkat 1 might
things I
took the Hberty of
atanr sack te a poker-roam at
drove the kaifs kat
by mistake, I eaaaeed to
ef the
a sear am tt.
I
PUBLIC
At my turn ooe-hIf mile
OityNebrmskmon .
Thurs., Odotor 10, 1907
Sale to commence at 1 o'clock p. ml
SI Had PM Ota lass
30 tors i IS GUIs
m Sows with biters by their side, four of the titters are sired to
" ALLERTON CHIEF 29187, my her boar. Ha weigaa
800 poaads im breediBs; condition, and is oae of the heat hunliai
boars u the state of BIG SMOOTH PIGS. The hoan am the
tot that I have erer had the pleasure to oier to the public. Theyare
large amd groathy Ibr their age. They have had the ram ofaaaatare
aad will be ofereil im jast mice breedimg eoaditioa.
There will be four fall boars sired by DELIGHTFUL 37lw,
and two of them are good enough to head a good pure bleed hsrd.
There will be 26 spring boars sired by Allertum Chief aad there an
some herd headers amomg thesa.
The gilts are aot quite as large as the boars, but they arm a mice
evem tot una wui mwge mae onood sows, faraes tl
that bought laat year, please bring pedigree with yea.
Tp?mB-0" year's
mfJriUfJ $20.00 aad
er giviag approved security.
Cattle Sale
O. E.
COL. T. H. CALLAHAN, Auctioaeer.
RALPH STANLEY, Clerk.
ben aaeTjaa? as rturaed fhe corner of
the old powder-house "there came n
sudden lash, a report, a sharp cry. I
sprang forward oaly to fall headlpag
over a dead body; but la that dash I
had seem the hand grasping the re
volver, aad there was a scar oa the
back of it a very peculiar scar. It
chanced I had the evening previous
slightly quarreled with the ofscer who
was killed; I was the oaly person
known to be near at the time he was
shot; certain other circumstantial evi
dence was dug up, while Slavin and
oae other no, it was not you gave
some dsmaglsg. manufactured testi
mony against me. As a result I was
held guilty of murder la the second
degree, dismissed from the army la
disgrace, aad sentenced to tea years
Imprlsoameat So, yoa see. It was aot
exactly you I have beea haatmg.
Marphy. it was a scar.
Murphy's face was distorted lato a
hideous grin.
I- aotice yoa bear exactly that kind
Of a scar, my man, and you spoke Inst
night aa if you kad some recollection
of the case."
Tke Blocking grin expanded; Into
tke kusky voice crept n snarl of de
nance, for now Murphy's courage had
come back he was fronting flesh and
blood. "Oh, stop preachin' an' shoot
an' be damned ter ye!"
Toe do me a grave injustice. Mur
phy. Tour slashing at me down in
Glencnld hasat toft so much as a
sting behind. It's completely blotted
out forgotten. I haven't the slightest
desire to hill you, man; but I do want
to clear my name of the stain of that
crime. I waat yoa to tell the whole
truth about that night's work at Be
thune, and when you have done so,
yoa cam go. I'll never lay a finger om
yoa; yoa csa go where yoa please.
"Bak! ye ain't got no proof ante.
me 'sides, tke esse is closed tt cut
be opeaed agin by law."
Tom devil! I'd be perfectly jnstJ
fled Im killing you." exclaimed Hamp
ton, savagely.
Murphy stared at him stupidly, the
cunning of incipient Insanity in his
eyes. TBa' whar do ye expect me
ter say all this, pervidln. of
fule 'nough ter do itr
"Hands Up!. Net a Meve, Muftery!
I Have the Drop!"
"Up yonder before Custer aad the
oflcers of the Seventh, when we get
te.-
"They'd nab aw likely."
"Now. ase tere, yoa say it Is Impos
sible for them to touch you, because
tee ease Is closed legally. But rve
to safer for yoar crime. Murphy.
for If years, tea of them behind
walls; aad there are others who
have saCered with me. It has cost ase
love, acme, all tkat a ataa holds dear.
The very toast yoa cam do la ordiaary
decency is to speak the troth aow. it
wffl not hart yoa, but it will lift me
oat of hen."
I might Anyhow.
IT! go om with ye. Kla I sit up?
Im dog tired lyln yere."
"Unbuckle your halt aad throw that
Aw la g! felagfk2
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SALE
ot Bisliic
tisae will be givea oa all suass
overstTperceMiaterestpmrc)
Dec. 12, 1907
WADE
coatempteoueTy.
yo
afeard o
Ta4mt
fer I'm bo good tar
"Tom are perfectly right
Tom arm
quite a plriloaopaer Im
Tom
would be no good te sae
but yoa might prove faUy aa valuable
maimed. Now I'm phyla this
to the ttsstt, aad that Mask to
about reached. Tc
I count tern, yam murderer, er IH aaeil
both yoar hands!"
The mocking.
Murpky's feati
"Unllmber! It'a the toat cafl.'
With a snarl the scout
bia army belt dropped tt to
aad sultoaly kicked It
Hamptoa. "Now aow yoa. yoa gray
eyed devU. klm I att apt"
The other nodded. He had drawm
the fangs of the wolf, aad mow that
he ao longer feared,
plninable feeling of
possessioa of him. Marphy apattewed
aad swore, hut his victorious
loa neither spoke nor msvsj
were several distant amokes oat to
tke northward bow. evidently the an
swering signals of different haada of
savages, while far away, beneath the
shadow of the tow Mumm horderiac the
stream, numerous black, ssovis
began to show against the light
background. Hamptoa, noticing
Murphy hud stopped swearing to
swung forward kla meld glasses far a
better view.
"They are Indians, right eaeuam,"he
suhtntlaat "Here, take a took. Mur
phy. I eomld count about M ha that
bunch aad they are traveling Berth.
The older sum adjusted the tabes to
kto eyes aad
at the party.
"They
declared, anally.
the other'a face, att bravado
I'
"There's uaather let bucks, all e 'em
west
smudge
we wus te a pochst as
ve KnwiHmBBi mie
"WeU. Marphy, yoa are
the
at thla
"Me? Why.
we Ida keep
dark trust ter ban lack am1
'aather dash. Ifa
how.
"Tom,
Underwood
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