Part 38 (2/2)

When the other still kept silent, Gale insisted:

”Didn't you?”

At this Stark flah No woman except her was ever untrue to me--wife or sweetheart”

”You didn't really think--?”

”Think hell! I thought so then, and I think so now She denied it, but--”

”And you knew her so well, too I guess you've had sohts yourself, Bennett, with that always on your mind--”

”I swore I'd have you--”

”--and so you put her blood on my head, and made me an outlaw” After an instant: ”Why did you tell me this, anyhow?”

”It's our last talk, and I wanted you to knoell uess that's all,” said Gale So far they had watched each other with unwavering, unblinking eyes, straining at the leash and taut in every nerve Noever, the trader's fingers tightened on the knife-handle, and his knuckles whitened with the grip, at which Stark's right hand swept to his waist, and sied across the table His blade nickered in the light, and a gun spoke, once--twice--again and again A cry arose outside the cabin, then soht with it, for with his first leap Gale had carried the lamp and the table with him, and the two had clenched in the dark

Burrell had waited an instant too long, for the men's voices had held so steady, their words had been so vital, that the finish found hi the lantern into Poleon's hand, he had backed off a pace and hurled hi his weight in football days, and the barrier burst and splintered before him He fell to his knees inside, and an instant later found hi beasts

The Lieutenant knew Doret h he could not see hiloom over the chaos He was locked desperately with John Gale, who flung hiray wolf, hoary with years and terrible in his rage Burrell had never been so battered and harried and torn; only for the lantern's light Gale would doubtless have sheathed his weapon in his new assailant, but the led, theAs it was, Gale carried the Lieutenant with him and struck over his head at Stark

Poleon had leaped into the room at Burrell's heels, to receive the impact of a heavy body hurled backward into his arms as if by some irresistible force He seized it and tore it away fro that pressed after and bore down upon it with the ferocity of a wild beast

He saw Gale reach over the Lieutenant's head and swing his arm, saw the knife-blade bury itself in what he held, then saw it rip away, and felt a hot strealed with Stark that he fancied for an instant the weapon had wounded both of them for the trader had aimed at his enemy's neck where it joined the shoulder, but, hampered by the soldier, his bloent astray about four inches Doret gli from his knees, his arms about the trader's waist, and the next instant the coed apart

The Lieutenant wrenched the dripping blade froleaers Poleon held Stark's gun, which was eht had not lasted a aushed from him, black in the yellow flicker, and so plentifully that the Frenchman was befouled with it, while Gale, too, was horribly stained, but whether from his own or his enemy's veins it was hard to tell The trader paid no heed to hi Burrell to push hi in and out of his lungs, his eyes fastened on Stark

”I got you, Bennett!” he cried, hoarsely ”Your rizzled s of some wild anied about with his captor, trying to get at his ene curses on them all, but he was like a child in Poleon's arms Gradually he weakened, and suddenly resistance died out of him

”Come away from here,” the Lieutenant ordered Gale

But the old athered himself as if to resume the battle with his bare hands, whereupon the soldier, finding hi physically weak at what he saw, doubted his ability to prevent the encounter, and repeated his command

”Come away!” he shouted, but the words sounded foolishly flat and inane

Then Stark spoke intelligibly for the first tiot to believe what I told you now, Burrell” He poured forth a streae of his first and only defeat ”You'll hang, gaylord! I'll see your neck stretched, damn your heart!” To Poleon he panted, excitedly: ”I followed him for fifteen years, Doret He killed my wife”

”Dat's damn lie!” said the Frenchman

”No, it isn't He's under indictment for it back in California He shot her down in cold blood, then ran off with ht, Lieutenant?”