A Pagan of the Hills

xt?" inquired

n Halloway, somewhat haltingly. "But their disappearance would prove a sort of warning and they m

message went. He'd begu

rstood the portent of the message but I know the fe

ank cashier live?

led the Titan. Suddenly through the baffled perplexity of his eyes br

e they may do it again," he exclaimed. "At al

ing that may come over." Brent's tone was unenthusiastic. "It's logi

is doleful uncertainty. Plans were

host of suspicion. I'm ready to take my turn now, though I hate the damned inactivity. I am a presumed illiterate

shall I

ther or not Alexander has actually started. Have Lute watched and see with whom he talks. Get together a dozen men we can trust

s face

," he objected, "how in God's

bt that he'd give his life for that girl. He can also keep his mouth tight. Tell him the whole

ogether by the instinct for companionship and to tha

seeming of casualness, led his man into a quieter

hopeless passion, and when Brent swiftly narrated all that he and Halloway had learned, the secretiveness of guise fell away from the lis

're all got ter make ther same journey," was his first comment, but after a moment he shook his head. "Howsomever, I reckon thet they don't aim ter h

h dependable men for an i

ye jest narrated that I'd be liable ter stand hitche

n' ef them fellers undertakes ter harm her, afore God, th

wn and put his terse question as to whether Alexand

time of my leaving," the banker repli

ss office, and in helter-skelter disarray lay a litter of uncalled-for plow-shares and such articles a

meared window glasses between its interior and the dispirited grayness of the outer skies. The dust-covered papers a

he door, Wicks glanced up, and nodd

anything," he

tor as he settled indolently into a chair w

emblance of conversation, but between these inter

long familiarity had made hateful to him. His expression was moody

his chest and soon his heavy breathi

ad between twisted painfully over ridge and through gorge. It was on an infrequently used freight spur but it boasted communication with the world by

much awake. This was no official message paying toll, but a private conversation between operators bent on whiling away dull moments. Moreover it was evid

at's big money, but the more men that split it the less

ng finger, and when the answer came it was, in contrast, labored and ragged. It was a

y tongues make talk. Jess will have the boys ready at the

ed something tangible. He knew now however beyond a doubt that both operators were conspirators and he had gleaned one comforting assurance-the plans c

of boredom, settled back in his chair on

ed out of his slumber

ire broke up my rest last night." With which comment he slouched, still sl

here was not an eye in the number that was not hawk-clear; or a figure that was not nail-hard. These were fellows cut to a pat

gray-blue eyes, to spot him as a man of Irish blood. O'Keefe had need to look up to meet the glance of the giant, but that was for him

manner had fallen into the stillness of one chafing ag

, and by now the west wa

ussion of the results of their several investigations. Yet that was impossible, since for Halloway to tell his story to both would mean revealing his knowledge of telegraphy. So while he and Brent ta

ave of Halloway's eavesdropp

've got ther men ready, an' thet I seed Lute

rough to Viper and eavesdrop on the telegraph key, and that the others should loaf about Coal City watching the suspects and gleaning what informati

feet and his jaw dropped in amazement. There striding down the bank to the boom, with a

Into her eyes came something like a smoulder as though in resentment of unwarranted trespassing, then s

reaction of unexpected relief from driving anxiety

ought it a matter of life and death." Her nonplussed expression was sufficiently full of interrogation

white teeth. She stood very straight and indignant, and the men acknowledged

de prompt answer. "Yes, and ye mighty nigh walked right into th'ar dead-fa

looked," she said. "I wanted ter mek sure that I could get a daybreak start in the morn

rrupted him with a curt explanation. "Thet shack war leakin' like a sieve. I didn

kesman but the young woman stood silent and absorbed; a delicate pucker between her brows, and the violet pools of her eyes cloud-riffled. At last she announced firm

nt observed as she turned away, "You c

ked the unfamiliar compli

not distinguish, brought him lazily around. As he stood when the first view of Alexander broke on his vision, so he remained-immovable. The low

his steady and unmoving fixity of eye, the rest of him moved as upon an axis. Into the gray-blue irises came a live ki

n her home over yonder across the broken ridges her father might be lying, anxiety ridden-or he might be already dead. An obses

man who smilingly accosted her and halted in her path. It was Jase Mallows and she confront

but I owes ye wages fer ther wuck ye done on them rafts. Com

ffed was galling enough. To be relegated to a servile status was u

" he assured her evenly. "Any time'll do-any

e gone on but he fell into step with her and dropped his voice into

ws ye're mad at me but yore paw an' me dwells neigh

igid. "Go ahead. Everybody'

thet's hangin' around him's a pretty desperate sort too, by ther repute folks gives him. When ye settled up accounts with thet outfit,

But in the gathering dusk, the wet desolation about her seemed to creep into Alexander's heart. With so many charges of foul play floating about, of whom could she feel certain? Then the answer came. There

ft him I wasn't no ways sure I'd ever lay eyes on his livin' face ergin. I ain't sure now." Her voice thre

ably. "Yes, I knows full well-an' I

no grudge atween us. Ye says ye seeks ter make amends. Ye knows

knows th

sayin' I believes hit; I reckon hit's sheer slander-but--" All unconsciously a note of pathos crept into her voice, the

his informants had excluded him from a part of their consultations. An

t me 'twell

r hev a blood-hatred erginst-an' yit, so long es

w unsteady. "Ye're ther only man hyar I kin plum, teetotally depend on. When the bank opens termorrer, I wants ye ter be thar. I don't

man kin do hit--" he swore in an em

hired mule, with the money in her saddle-bags. She would tolerate no escort, because one person could travel secretly where several could not. However when she had progress

emed the logical place for a holdup. She consented that her assembled body-guard should, if they insisted, push on and mobilize at Viper, where if suspicious circumstances warranted, t

own saddle-bags over his arm, as if he too contemplated a journey. Brent, in order to avoid the appearanc

that it could not be speedily loosened. They also watched as, with no pretense of concealment, she stuffed into her saddle-hags a parcel done up in heavy brown paper, and ma

om the door of the bank, was gloo