Part 37 (1/2)
”Where has she gone? When did she go?” He shook her to quicken her reply
”I don' know I don' know Long tione now” She trailed off into Indian words he could not comprehend, so he pushed past her into the house to see for hi Necia's door open and stepped into her chamber Before he had swept the unfaone, and gone hurriedly, for the signs of disorder betrayed a reckless haste Hanging across the back of a chair hat had once been the wondrous dress, Poleon's gift, now a daled ruin, and on the floor were two sodden satin slippers and a pair of wet silk stockings He picked up the lace gown and saw that it was torn froirl to rip her garment thus?
”She take her 'nother dress; the one I make las' su as he stared
”When did she go, Alluna? For God's sake, what does this o, and I don' see her; o”
”Where's Gale? He'll know He's gone after her, eh?”
The upward glow of the lantern heightened the young ain the squaw broke into her sad laone aith the knife of my father I am afraid--I am afraid”
Burrell forced himself to speak calmly; this was no ti time”
”Did he come back here just now?”
”No; he went to the jail-house, and he would not let me follow He don'
co, and Meade cried, angrily:
”Why didn't you give the alars out around the house?”
”He told me to wait,” she said, simply
”Go find Poleon, quick”
”He told me to wait,” she repeated, stoically, and Burrell kneas powerless to reat terror in the woht suddenly becarew fearful, suspecting now that Gale had told him but a part of his story, that all the time he knew Stark's identity, and that his quarry was at hand, ready for the kill; or, if not, he had learned enough while standing behind that partition Where was he now? Where was Necia? What part did she play in this? Stark's parting words struck Burrell again like a blow This life-long feud was drawing swiftly to soic cul, hate-filledtheir scores
All at once a fear for the trader's life careat bond held theether He could not think clearly, because of the dread thing that gripped hiave up trying to think, and fled for Stark's saloon, reasoning that where one was the other must be near, and there would surely be solance over the place showed it eed hi breathlessly:
”Have you seen Gale?”
”Have you seen Stark? Has he been about?”
”Yes, wan hour, o W'y? Wat for you ask?”
”There's the devil to pay Those two have coone?” the Canadian jerked out ”Wat you one to?”
”I don't know--nobody knows God! I' like a leaf”