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Show i 1 . FLAME FLAMEIN LAMEi % IN THEj THE . FOREST 1 \ \ " HAROLD HARbiJ ; r/s r s / 1 T71 T71Illuftrattonr TflTUS I , Illuftrattonr IlluftrattonrP IHuJ-tfa IHuJ tfa - ioMJ- ioMJ ioMJJ , - " P J IlluftrattonrIRWiN "y y " { IRWIN MYERSW AVfEIW MYERS AVfEIWk e k W wNU-se-n-vicenJ/ wNU se n vicenJ N U - . $ E - f2.VI f2VI . - C / ; ( DYtloroJd , T TJJ JJ V - t ' CHAPTER IX IX-Contlnutd IX Contlnutd IX-Continued Continued IXContlnutdI - Continued Continuedr r , ' " ' -10- 10 --10- - - - IXContlnutd10 IXContinued10 10"Yyes 10"Yyes t - n - _ I , "Y-yes "Y Y yes " " * * Y-yes Y yes - - , , Tod 1 i . . . , yon you see seeTve , 'l've lve ' ye a 11 chance to sell two sectlons sections sectlons.t sectionsif sectionsat .t t if . a very fine tine figure . Under our ouragreement ouragreement onragreement agreement- agreement agreement"You - " . \ Jr , , "You You " can't cant cnn't cnnt ' sell seU a damn ' foot of ofland ofland ofland land ! " he cut In " "No No " , Miss Nan Nanpowner Nanpowner NanDowner powner , , you can't cant &n't nt ctn't ctnt & ' sell one damn damn'foot damnfoot ' foot of ground I ! " He drove a n fistInto fist fistInto fistinto Into the other palm vindictively vindictively"You vindictivelyYou . " 'You You ' Yon had your chance once I g1\ g1 glt g1e g1JOu gheyon \ e eyon JOu yon your chance a week ago . . , .But But . But what'd whatd ' you d07 do ? Tried to wham whamme whamme whamme me with an oar , that's thats ' what you youdId youdid youdid dId ! 1 , ( [ "You You " L.DOW LDOW know . , well's wells weU's weUs ' I do , wh where wherewe wherewe ( > re rewe we stand You're Youre ' right up ag In In'foreclosure Inforeclosure ' foreclosure ( this minute You can't cant can'tBell can'tMil cantMil ' Bell ell an acre until YOU\ YOU you're youre YOUe ' \ e comeIcrost comeacrost come Icrost acrost crost with the principal payment , most 'most ' a year overdue . . . " She retreited retre1ted retreated around the corner cornerof cornerof cornerof of her desk . as he advanced ad\anced ad anced adtanced \ . . , ' "And And 'And " 3 } ou don't dont ' like lIhe It , , eh 7 ? Don't Dont Don'tUke Don'tlike Don'tlike Dontlike ' Uke like doln doin ' ' business buslnes'3 buslnes3 ' thit th1t that way ! You Youcan Youcan Youcan can be high and mighty mlght might3 to me oneday one onei oneday i day y , and then e expect ect favors the thenext theoexI next ex ( J ! Well , ' I'll Ill ' show you my myheart's myheart's myheart's myhearts heart's hearts ' ! In n the right place ' I 111 11 ii 11show iishow how show you a contract's contracts ' a contr1ct contract contrict'111 contrict111 ' I'Yl IYl [ ' 11 ' show slow you that I 111 I11 11 see you bust busted busted busted ed and smashed and on the road roadwithout roadwithout roadwithout without a roof , before we- we we"Tod we"Tod we - - " "Tod Tod " I ! Don't Dont ' Tod ' ' Ple'1se- Ple'1se Ple1se Please- Please - " Ple'1seHe PleaseHe Pleise Pleise"He ' - "He He " He had cro crowded " ded her 11er against the thewall thewall thewall wall Rigidity went from him and andi I strange sound , half halfl-iugh halfl iugh hugh laugh - , half halfsob halfsob halfsob sob , came from deep In his throat throat"Hurt throat"Hurt throat"Hurt throatHurt "Hurt Hurt " iou Sou ou ? Hurt you , little Nan7 Nan ? . , . God , , ' I'm Im ' sorry for the thingsthat've things thlng thingshat've < ; hat've hatve that've thatve ' ' happened s ' " ' He stepped steppedbacl steppedback stepped3acL bacl back . a pace or two unsteadily uncteadlly : . Con Confusion Confusion Confusion fusion lay In his eyes He hadcome had hadcome hadcome come to gloat , but now . . , . "I I " * 1 1 meant that , up the river the theother theother theother other day , " he Slid s11d husLIIy hushl1y huskily , . "I I "Imeant "Imeant "Imeant Imeant " meant all I said " . ' I want yon you , I Ineed Ineed Ineed need you , , little \ Nan 1\an 1 an Ian t ' ' I'll Ill ' ' make makefOU makeyou makepou fOU you a good 10\ 10 lo\er lo er 10er loser \ er . , , . . ' I'll Ill ' make youl yona youa yon you a good husbind husb'lnd husblnd husb'lndI husband ' I ' " " " 'Perhaps Perhaps ' ( Perhaps It was the loithing lo\thtng lo thtng loathtng ' \ In Inber Inher Inher ber her face , , touched to life by histioarsc his hishoarse hishoarse hoarse , unsteady voice , whichsUrred whichstirred which Urred sUrred stirred afresh the hell In his heart heartAnyhow heartAnyhow heartAnyhow Anyhow , he threw his arms"ide arms \\"ide "ide ide wide ' \ " wideflats , dsts fists clencned"Wlll clencned'Will clencned clencned"Will ' "Will Will "Wlll Wlll 'Will " you have ha.e hae . me7 me ? ' he crIed cried'Will cried"Will criedWill 'W1l1 W1l1 'Will Will ' " ' you have me , or 've ve 'ye ye ' I got to totake totake totake take you7 you ? B Because cause 111 I11 have you youlust , just ust as sure as hell hen Itself Itsel ! ! ' I'm Im ' ' des desperate desperate desperate perate and 1- 1 1Nan I - " " Nan had opened her lips to crv cry crvont cryout crvoat ont out , , , when a white fury tlung flung tlungthrough flungthrough flungthrough through the doorway Her cry was waslost \ waslost as aslost lost In that ga gasp < ; p of or breath which whichburst whichburst whichImrst burst from Tod'S TodS Tod ' ? ' throat as a hand handCaught handwight aught Caught ( one of ot the outstretched outstretcheds outstretchedinns s , as be he was spun about and andStuart's andtuart's andBtuart's andBtuarts Stuart's Stuarts tuart's tuarts ' fist bashed Into his lips r lipsr ( 1 1The ) ' The 'I'he Ihe boy struck hard . , strucL struck . with withl withll | l 11 his bJs weight coming In , , and when whene | e had struck struch he squared for tor an anber anher anIjtber ber her blow . | | But Tod Ted West was not too drunh drunk drunhr drunkr drunLpr | r action He dropped his heael head headKnd , nd fended off oft the flailing fist He Hewung Hewung Hewung | wung forward and charged and andapped andapped andprappcd apped his great arms about aboutolt's aboutolt's aboutpoll's aboutpolls olt's olts ' slender body bolly , s sleeping sweeping " eeplng him himom himom himrom himB himBalnst | om hi hl hit ; ! $ feet , crishing cr1shlng crashing with him himlnst himlnst alnst lnst the door casing , fa1l1ng falling fa1l1nglth fallingIth fallingrith lth Ith him to the floor . .The The . lad was no match m'ltch mltch ' for tor that thatnacrous thatnderous thatanderous nacrous nderous strength . . He was over overelmed overelmed overadmed elmed , smothered , made mnde helplesskicked helplesskicked helpless | kicked and writhed , but Westid West Westd d one arm pinned beneath a aee ae ae aice e " ee e , the other secured In his ironp Iron asp p and his fist raised to do Its Itsel itsel Itspel el work on drat hat at defenselessce defenselessceo defenseless ; ceo ce . . . . . [ And d then Nan screamed The Theamy Theallty Thelallty amy allty ot of o It , the shrillness shrlllness , the theor theor thegrror or , , struck through West's Wests ' In- In Innt In In-fat In fat - . - nt at , , made him hesltite heslt'lte hesltlte hesitate ' In thaitant that thattant thattant tant Holt freed a hand ; ; be he was waser waser waser er from his back to one Bide sIde BideCiting , Citing ettlng etting We West , > t , ; grappling JrappUng for the then's theU's thein's theins n's ns U's Us ' knee , throwing him off olr bal balce . ce and floundering free free.Tan's free.Tans freeTans . . . Tan's Tans an's ans ' cry had brought others otherst otherset t sounded Munded on the steps ; and be- be bee bee b&e be - & - e West could charge charJe ; again and and1m andim am1m 1m im and batter , he was surroundfby surround surroundby surroundby by a dozen people peoplewo peopleIwo peopleCwo Iwo wo men had Holt Dolt Anotliei Another Anotherod Anotherod Anotlieiod od before West , blocking the the'I theto thy ( 'I I ' to the boy , should he attempt attemptance attemptante attempranee Breathf ance ante But he did not . . . Breathheavlly Breath f ; heavily heavlly , he glowered for a mo mo- mont mont - - nt at at Stuart and then , seehlng seeking t ' face , nodded heavily heavlly . All : right , " he said "I I " said my myF . . And that , I guess , will 'W1I1 W1I1 ' bo be all all"Ie allIe . " e turned for tor the entry and none nonecked noneeked noneeked cked eked his departure departure.Bzra departureBzra . . na rra Adams Ad'lms Adlms ' , returnln returning to Nan's Nans Nan'ser Nan'ser Nan'scr Nanscr ' er an hour In Jim Hinkle s home home.ne homene . , e first Into tho the excited group roup groupthe roupthe the big room , was told what hadpened hadpened had pened pencdaaLed , nshed asked Nan'shereabouts Nan's Nans ' \\hereabouts hereabouts whereabouts whereaboutswent \ whereaboutsI went \ ' went ent , . without knocking , Intooffice intoomce Into office omce . "hey hey " stood close to together ethcr , theholding theholding the 1 holding both Holt's Holts ' hands bands Inlooking In 8 , looking up Into his face IntIy intly In Intly tly tIy . The old physician , strucl struck struckthe struckthe , . tho the apparent significance of ol olIr ofIr Ir postures potures ' ) , hesitated aa as ! It f to t ( todraw hdraw draw . Come In > } ? , . zral I l ' ' , zra .zra < Nan said and ands andw am s w then to Holt nolt , with "Ith Ith " a little shake sh'lke shlke ' of ofhis ofhis ofhis his hands h\nds h nds hinds ' \ : " "And And " so you will w111 be becareful becareful becareful careful , , Holt dear de1r deir ? ' ' Stuart Stunrt withdrev wIthdrc\t wIthdrc t withdre \ ' his hands from fromhers fromhers fromhers hers and turned , going abruptly abruptly.not abruptlynot . , not looking loohlng at AdamsWhen AdamsWhen Adams AdamsWhen When he " was "as as gone and Nan had hadclosed hadclosed hadclosed closed the door , she swung toward towardthe towardthe towardthe the old man with tears In her eyes"Oh eyes"Oh eyes eyes"Oh "Oh Oh " , Ezra ! ' ' she moaned "Oh Oh " , Ifanything If Ifanvthlng Ifanything anvthlng anything should happen to Holt i l ' ! ' 'I I ' I heard he'1rd he1rd ' about what " went "ent ent on on.Don't on.Dont onDont . . . Don't Dont ' fear . . We Well 11 watch to see seenothm seenothin seenothin nothm nothin ' does happen 1 I " "Tod Tod 'Tod ' "Tods Tods " s so say sa\age sa age sa \ age , so brutal ! And AndI AndI I feel teel such a responsibility responslblUty for forHolt forHolt forHolt Holt He's Hes ' ' such . , . . . such an emo emotIonal emotional emotlonal tIonal boy boyl 1 I It I If ! Tod harms him , , I'll Ill I'llfeel I'llfeel ' I'llfeel Illfeel ' feel ' I'm Im ' to blame and . . , . Don'tyou Dontyou Don't Dont Don'tyou Don'tyou ' you see-beseechlngly see beseechlngly seep-beseechingly seep beseechingly sec ' ' ' " ' - beseechlngly . "Oh Oh " , , why whymust whymust whymust must things like 1II.e 1IIe . this come up to tobe tobe tobe be faced just when . . , . just when whenlove whenlove whenlove love comes , Ezra ? ' Though her words had given him hima hima a sort of shock the old man downed downedhis downedhis downedhis his curiosity and the questions th1t that th1tthey thatthey thatthey they provoked provohed , and demoted deoted denoted de\ de \ oted all his hisI hisresources hisresources hisresources resources to comforting her . . He Hestroked Hestroked Hestroked I stroked her hair and patted her herI hershoulders hershoulders hershoulders shoulders until untll her emotions were wereunder wereunder wereunder I , under control Then she asked ashed him himto himto to go'It's go ' ' " "I I "Ican "Ican Ican " 1 1can 'It's Its It's Its my problem , she said can think thlnh better alone ' I'm Im ' so 80 glad gladyou gladyou gladyou you were here to let me be fe female female female male and ' weak 'Weak for a moment moment- moment momentwiping 1- 1 1wiping ' " " - [ wiping her eyes and smiUng smiling smiUngI smiUngbravelv smilingbravely smilingbravely smilingbravelyHe I bravelv bravely bravelyHe . He left her then . , with a deal to tothlnh tothink tothink thlnh think about He carried his ne news newsto newsto " s , to Kerry later the same evening'Looks evening'Looks evening Looks 'Looks ' like Stuart's Stuarts ' finally finallv got gotwhat gotwhat gotwhat what he seems to want most , " h he hesaid hasaid said , and did not notice that his hisI hiscompanion hiscompanion hiscompanion I companion appeared to stop even evenhis evenhis . his breathing to listen Ilsten "She's Shes " ' aw awful awful awful ful upset because she's shes ' afraid some some'thlng'll something'11 something'll somethingll 'thlng'll thlngll thing'11 thing11 ' ' happen h\ppen h ppen ' \ to him And she's shes she'sIin she'sIn she'sIn shesIn ' Iin In love , . too , which doesn t make makefor makefor makefor for calm thinking thlnhlng . . "Tod Tod " 11 ha\ ha has ha\e ha e hae \ e him on his list now nowand , and Tod Tods s got a long memory when whenhe whenhe whenbes he s been angered Course , he wasdrunk was wasdrunk wasdrunk drunk ' Young Yonng did not hear he'lr helr ' this last He Hewas Hewas Hewas was concerned at the moment only onlywIth onlywith onlywith wIth one thing thmg ' which 'Which : Eyra Crrl Drra : had h1d had h1dto hadto hadto to tell Dismay DlsmlV Dismiv filled him as he hereallzed herealized herealized reallzed realized the emotion that th'1t th1t ' had been beenfermenting beenfermenting beenfermenting fermenting In his heart for days dayswhich dayswhich dayswhich which had almost crystallized crystalllzed Into IntorecognlZ'lble intorecognizable Intorecognizable recognlZ'lble recognlZlble recognizable ' thought 'this this ' this after afternoon afternoon afternoon noon ' . that finally fin'llly finllly flnally ' his heart he'lrt helrt ' had hadI hadtaken hadtaken I tahen taken root ! He \ was as In love to his hisI hiseus hisears hisears I eus ears with Nan Do Downer " ner and yet yethere yethere yethere here ' was 'Was old Ezra Erra . , bringing WOl word wordof woidof d dof of her love lo\'e lo 'e e \ ' for another His Bis heart hearthad hearthad hearthad had dlsco\ dlsco discovered dlscoered discolered \ ered a home , only to tofind tofind tofind ' ' find It already occupied West was sober enough when anhour an anhour anhour hour later he stood in the shadow shadowof shadowof shadowof of Bluejay's Bluejays ' ' rattletrap flivver tllvver not notfar notfar notfar far from Mel Iel Knight's Knights ' store at the theLanding theLanding theLanding Landing and talked talhed rapidly , jab jabbing jabbang jabbing bing bang a finger now and again againagainst againagainst againagainst against the 'breed's breeds ' ' chest . . " " ' . . . . . . And he hes 8 made m1de you a joke jokehere , here , knockin hnochln ' you Into the tIle rIver rIverthat riverthat riverthat that way 'Wav Wav ' , , Frank rranh ! Hell He n drive you youout youout youout out of the country If It he stays and . , . . and I ' want 'Want him gone because becausehe becauselie becausehe he lie tried to frame meIt me " ' , It " ItThe The 'breed breed 'breeds breeds ' 8 s eyes w " were "ere ere ere fixed on onthe onthe onthe the ' white 'WhIte man's mans m'lD'S mlDS ' ' ' fate"How face"low face fate face"How "How How "low low " much ? ' he ashed"Well asked"Well asked ashed asked"Well " "Well Well " , not much It's Its ' your fight fightI . . I can get along ; ' I'd Id ' rather nther have havehim havehim havehim him gone , but I can get along You Youthough , though . , . , . And there 11 be no nochance nochance nochance chance , yon you see , out there on Town TownUne Townline Townline Une line It- It if- if It'How ifI If - - " " ' I ' 'How How How much much"TJnair muchTJnair ? " Unat.r Unatr Unat . r his Insistence West paused"Ten paused"Ten paused paused"Ten "Ten Ten " dollars " "Huh Huh "nuh nuh " ! ! You do your own job jobTod jobTod jobTod Tod Westi West 1 " He turned to his car . "Hold Hold " ongrasplng on -grasplng grasplng l-grasping l grasping ! " - grasping a sleeve sleeve"Money's sleeve"Money's sleeveMoneys " : ' " Money's Moneys "Money's scarce |