Part 7 (1/2)
Evidently this ave him instructions, but bossed the creho handled his merchandise, and Meade Burrell concluded that he rub-staked the desperado to prospect in the hills back of Flambeau As the two came up past him he saw that he was mistaken--this man was no more of a tenderfoot than Runnion; on the contrary, he had the bearing of one to whos all his life There was a hint of theanimal about him; his nose was keen and hawk-like, his walk and movements those of the predatory beast, and as he passed by, Burrell observed that his eyes were of a peculiar cruelty that ith his thin lips He was older by far than Runnion, but, while the latter was er's manner was noticeable for its repression
I about the man, the Lieutenant loitered after Runnion and his coreet ”No Creek” Lee, the prospector, who had come into town for more food Both men spoke with quiet restraint
”Nine years since I saw you, Stark,” said the s,” replied Stark, as Lee addressed the stranger
”Mining now?”
”No, sa a few men, as usual One of theood as they say it is”
”This here's a good place for you”
Stark laughed noiselessly and withouthere”
”Never et in now on the quiet There's so” His one sharp eye detected the Lieutenant close by, so he drew his friend aside and began talking to him earnestly and with such evident effect as to alter Stark's plans on the moment; for when Runnion entered the store shortly Stark spoke to hi which they both hurried back to the steaht and baggage From the volume and variety of this merchandise, it was evident that Mr Stark would in no wise be a burden to the community
Burrell was not sufficiently versed in the ways of e of policyin the air he knew from the mysterious manner of ”No Creek”
Lee and from the suppressed exciteot the better of hi about the stranger by way of an opening
”That's Ben Stark I knew him back in the Cassiar country,” said Lee
”Is he aman?”
”Well, sureyhound couldn't leap over in the raft He run one of the biggest places in the Northwest for years”
”Saloon, eh?”
”Saloon and variety house--seven bartenders, that's all He's the feller that killed the gold-coain”
”How do youas a sickbill before he went into that country, and when he put the commissioner away them Canadian officials went after him like they was killin' snakes, and it cost hiet clear If it had happened across the line, the coroner's jury would have freed him, 'cause the coht in Stark's saloon, and you know Canucks is stronger than vitriol for law and order Not bein' his first offence, it went hard with him”
”He looks like a killer,” said Burrell
”Yes, but he ain't the coin, and therefore he ain't never done tiued the Lieutenant, ”if it were the other man who invariably shot first, Stark would have been killed long ago”
”I don't care what WOULD have happened, it 'AIN'T happened, and he's got notches on his gun till it looks like a cub bear had chawed it If you was a Western man you'd knohat they say about him”
”'The bullet 'ain't been run to kill hirin, there's many a better man than you believes it”
”Who is it that the bullet hasn't been run to kill?” said the trader's deep voice behind them He had finished with his duties, and now sauntered forward
”Ben Stark,” said Lee, turning ”You know him, John?”