Part 15 (2/2)
”To- I told them to follow about four hours behind, and not to run in on us till we had finished They'll camp a few et but three, eh?”
”That's all I could find ould agree to give up half”
”Can we count on therunted ”They worked with ainst three, not counting the girl and the Lieutenant,”
Stark mused ”Well, that will do it” He outlined his plan, then the two returned to the cabin to find Lee cooking supper Poleon was there with the others, but, except for his silence, he showed no sign of what had taken place that afternoon
Stark developed a loquacioushireat interest He was an engaging talker, with a peculiar knack of suggestion in story-telling--an unconscious halting and elusiveness that toldhis West so well, he fascinated the girl, who hung upon his tales with flattering eagerness
Poleon had finished several pipes, and now sat in the shadows in the open doorway, apparently tired and dejected, though his eyes shone like diamonds and roved fro:
”This girl was about your size, but not so dark However, you remind me of her in some ways--that's why it puts her in e at the tihteen yet,” said Necia
”Well, she was a fine woman, anyhow, the best that ever set foot in Chandon, and there was a great deal of talk when she chose young Bennett over the gaylordsecond best froht it was settled between her and the other one However, they were married quietly”
The story did not interest the Canadian; his itation to care for dead tales; his heart burned within hireat a desire to put his hands to work As he watched Burrell and Runnion bend over the table looking at a little can of gold-dust that Lee had taken frorew red and bloodshot beneath his hat-brim Which one of the tould it be, he wondered From the corner of his eye he saw Gale rise from Lee's bed, where he had stretched himself to smoke, and take his six-shooter from his belt, then rein to clean the gun, his head bowed over it earnestly, his face in the shadow He had ever been a careful and o to sleep with his fire-araylord would cause trouble,” Stark was saying, ”for he didn't seem to be a jealous sort, just stupid and kind of heavy-witted; but one night he took advantage of Bennett's absence and sneaked up to the house” The story-teller paused, and Necia, as under the spell of his recital, urged him on:
”Yes, yes What happened then? Go on” But Stark stared gloomily at his hands, and held his silence for a fullto have awakenedinterest in his that ever happened in those parts,”
he continued ”Bennett caone”
”Oh!” said the girl, in a shocked voice
”Yes, there was the deuce of a time The town rose up in a body, and we--you see, I happened to be there--we followed the man for weeks We trailed him and the kid clear over into the Nevada desert where we lost them”
”Poor man!”
”Poor hed sinisterly ”I don't see where that coht him?”
”No Not yet”
”He died of thirst in the desert, ht at the time, but I don't believe it now”
”How so?”