The Flaming Jewel

e veranda. He had little light grey eyes, cl

linch," inquire

ed Clinch; "you're

r. Clinch," said Lan

u," said Clinch, le

shook hands with Clinch. Then

remarked to his com

pump to wash. One or two rough looking men

," said Lann

grunted ack

r: "Here she comes with towe

ham advanced toward them

girl handed them two rough towels, glanced at Sto

s ready,"

ces and followed he

ing room half a dozen men waited silently for food. Lan

pervaded the room. Presently Eve

doubt. The girl's thick, lustrous hair was brownish gold, and

moment-experienced a slight shock of pleasure at their int

fable, even became

dinner, Mike? H

s a day late," replied

any of catamounts feeding might have mad

" inquired Lannis, pouring g

d prices wi

named Leverett complain

other man pays. What are you kicking about, anyway?

men's traps was not lost on the company. Leverett's fox visage reddened; Jak

The jays and squirrels talk too," he said slowly. "

s what we pay to see. But talk is the tune t

r. He heard a low, charming

on pie, maple c

into two gent

lease," he sa

h and the two State Troopers, the former folded his heavy, powerful hands o

he said in a pa

nee over the other,

ellow working for y

said C

ur

ur

e you heard about a stick-up on

N

. Sard, stopping at Ghost Lake Inn-was held

f him," said C

and dollars in bills and so

ff my shins," r

id a com

es

s been here since

N

was a

man named Hal Smith wo

N

ere Saturd

say

from Gh

s a

t do you any good if hold-up men

arch," said C

garret to cellar. They searched

ng on, Clinch went

rs are after that fellow, Hal Smith, who

us a deer," she replied in a

e ought to have told me. Do you think you

g on Owl Mar

nd slip out the back door. And lo

have to be out to-night, don't wor

prowl around the clearing. Lannis paid the reckoning; h

e wore men's clothes and she

ay, Lannis said to Clinch,

n us, Mike, but the show-down is sure to come

enough to suit

to be suited, Mike. And if it g

at worry you,

Troopers, riding at a walk, came t

of the back door and take to the woods, she's probably somewhere in there--" he po

ying to keep out of sight. I wondered whether Clin

er a long sh

n and look about a bit,

ns west to Ghost Lake. We sleep at the Inn t

his map and compass, pocket

dy he gave his

see what she's u

me to the Inn," said Lannis,

ly and swiftly. He had struck a line by compass that must cross the direction taken by Eve

looking for had not fired a shot on the edge of that vast

Stormont heard the shot an

called himself Hal Smith fired at one of Harrod's d

essed the buck by the

squatting by the water's edge when

e Troopers are l

hes. The girl picked her way across the b

what had happened

k up this man?" she

, Eve," he replie

ntire expres

e said. "I thought you different

rrupted, "what do

ed bitterly. "I didn't believe you were. You look decent. But you're as croo

d you run all the way from Clinch'

hiding you. They've got it in for him. If they put him in prison he'll die. He coul

next instant she picked up his rifle, seized his

y father into trouble

f Star Peak borde

ugh the thicket and up the rocks to a cleft-a ho

e," she said

"will see the buck yonder, an

take your medicine. Creep

o do?" he demanded, i

and a fine for me. And if it's a State Trooper, who is prowling in the woods yonder hu