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Show J 'j " - - 1 ' '. THE BINGHAM NEWS u '. - t - ' TT O tfTJSJ ' ' tl Author of ElTTlirOO II !T3lf "AMan to His Mate" j i By J. ALLAN DUNN . , if tea 3 y r I CHAPTER XX . 19 Molly Mine. Sandy, replacing the blanket on Wyatt's face, examined bis guns and started climbing up to the big bowl-der. Soon he discovered the narrow opening and proceeded cautiously. To Sandy's right was perpendicu-lar rock, to his left the curve of the blocking bowlder with the skelefon tree topping It, withered In the cleft that had first nourished, then denied It nourishment. It gleamed silver gray, attracting his attention. As he gazed his sharp ears caught the tiny crack of a brittle branch. Instantly he dropped to all fours as a spurt of flame showed from the tree and a bullet whined over him, to smack against the rock and fall flattened. Sandy did not move. He knew that, to the man firing, his fall might have seemed a hit, that he had beaten the missile by the space of a wink. He heard more broken boughs, as If his assailant were clumsily, assuredly, clambering out of ambush, and he shifted silently Into position, rifle set on the table, the blood marks where Pllmsoll's veins had sprinkled and Grit had stained the floor. He found, too, a button of horn with a fragment of black and white check, torn from Molly's riding coat in the struggle. Sandy's anger crystallzed Into one am-bition beyond the finding of Molly, and that was to kill PUmsoll, If pos-sible with his hands. He pictured the struggle between the gambler and the girl, desperate on one side, brutal on the other, and, whether the stake hud been won or lost, he resolved that I'limsoll should die for that attack. Now his. hope hung on Grit He took the collies head on his lap and examined the blow made by the butt of Pllmsoll's gun. It had laid bare the bone but he did not think It either splintered or fractured. Sandy knew that dog or wolf or coyote will He In a torpor after being badly wound-ed and often recover slowly, waking from the recuperating sleep revital-ized. But, If he could bring Grit back, he must make fresh demands on hlra. He washed the wound on the head and poured iodine Into it. He did the same with the hole in the leg, hand, flicking friction with his nail, an old trick. The match caught and began to blaze Instantly la the still air. Low down, and to the right, there showed a stab of flame, the roar of an exploding cartridge, the reek of d gas seemed to fill the cavern. The bullet passed through Sandy's coat sleeve. If he had held the match In front of him he would have been shot through heart or lungs. His right-han- d gun barked from his hip, straight for where the flame had showed, then to right of It, to left, above, his left-han- d gun Join-ing In the merciless probe. No sec-ond shot came In answer. Sandy lit another match. Its flare showed hlra a sandy floor, slightly sloping, moist in one place, a charred stick almost at his feet. It was a pine knot, half burned, and he light-ed It easily, advancing toward the spot where he had flung the shots he knew had silenced whoever had flred at the first match. He found Huhn, crumpled up, shot through the right arm and a thigh, besides the other wound In his shoulder. Sandy turned him over, brought Molly mounted, and Sandy set Grit on the saddle In front of her. "Where's Pronto r she asked. He told her.' "I flgger Sam an' the boys'll be g soon," he said. "They may meet up with Pronto. Anyway, they'll like-ly bring Goldle fo' me. She's op. An' Pronto'U be too tired fo' what I want hhn to do ternlght." She sensed the change in his voice, Intuitively guessed but, womanlike, asked: "What do you mean, Sandy? Aren't you coming home with me to Three Star? If it wasn't so far I'd love to go back Just like this, without meet-ing anybody." 'TllmsoU's makta fo' Nipple peaks an' he's likely to gtt clear. Me, I aim to head him off an' settle the ac-count." "Sandy." There was a plea In her voice that plucked at his heart strings. "He didn't harm me, Sandy." "He tried to." ner hand slipped to his shoulder, touched his cheek. She reined In Blaze. Sandy stood beside her, tralcht and stern, his eves lmplac-- able. "He ain't fit to live," he went on. "I w'udn't be fit to go back to Three Star where yore daddy lies an' know he was there In his grave while I let that coyote go loose. What w"ud you think of me If I let him slider "I know," she answered. A horse whinnied from down the ravine. Blaze answered. "That'll be Sam an' the boys, Mol-ly." ne cupped hands and sounded a "Yahoo 1" The answer came back clear through the evening, multiplied by the rocks about them. "I'm afraid," she said. "Afraid r "I know. I never was before. But . . ." She broke off, leaned swiftly down from the saddle and kUsed him. Sandy Did Not Move. Ha Knew That, to the Man Firing, His Fall Mlflht Have Seemed a Hit cleansing it from the dried blood and hair. It had stopped bleeding. He disinfected It, stitched It, closed It, bound It with adhesive tape and strengthened It with a bandage as expertly as any surgeon could have done. He pried open the Jaws with but little resistance and let the tongue slip back before he poured In a measure of Scotch and water between the canine and Incisor teeth. For a moment there was no response, then Grit coughed, choked, swal-lowed. Sandy repeated the dose with less water. It went down naturally. Almost Immediately he felt the heart stroke strengthen. Grit sneezed, opened his eyes and feebly thumped his tail as he licked Sandy's hand. "Grit, ol' pardner," said Sandy seri-ously, the dog's head between his hands, "yo're sure mussed up a heap an' I bate to do It, but I got to call on you, son. Mebbe it won't be such a long trick, but I can't git by with-out yore nose, Grit It's worth more'n all I've got. An' I know yo're game." Grit wagged his tall more vigorous-ly and tried to get on his feet, but Sandy prevented hlra until the third dose was administered. Then he car-ried the dog outside to save him every foot of unnecessary progress, and set him down. The collie stood up, wan- - Keith's flask Into play. Hahn looked up at him and essayed a grin. "Yo're game all right, Hahn," said Sandy. "You ain't the man I was lookln' fo', but you flred flrst I see I wasn't the flrst to plug you. Meb-be I can fix you up a bit?" Hahn shook his head. "'Twouldn't be a mite of use," he said huskily. "No grudge against you, Sandy. I thought you one of Brandon's gang. They got Butch and me an' they're chasln' Jim PUmsoll to hell and gone over Nipple peaks if he beats 'em to Spur rock he'll fool 'em on the black I couldn't ride he left me here with the girl but the case Is empty and the bank's bu'sted cashing In time and no chips." He was wandering in his mind, speaking without control, but Sandy's mouth tightened at the mention of Nipple Peaks, relaxed again on the word "girl." He gave Hahn the last few drops of whisky. The dealer coughed violently, collapsed, shud-dered, writhed a little and was still before he could answer Sandy's eager Question about Molly. He found her without much search-ing, rolled down a little slope beyond the crevice. Under the light of the torch her eyes looked up at him. Her "Come back to me soon, Sandy,' she said. CHAPTER XXI The End of the Rope. Pronto had chosen his own trail and gait back to the Three Star. It was Goldle that Sandy rode under the stars toward Nipple peaks. He was alone, refusing any company ot Sum or the riders. Molly's last kiss hair was In disorder, her raiment torn, her slender body wound about by the lariat rope, her mouth and chin hidden by the tightly drawn ban-danna, but her gaze, reflecting the flnre of the pine knot, held so much of welcome, of faith, of pride and courage, all sourced In something deeper, far more wonderful, moving beneath the surface like a well spring, that Sandy's heart swelled with glad emotion, knowing she was unharmed, knowing that his coming was no surprise, however welcome. He found himself trembling as he untied her bonds and took away the gug from the mouth that lifted to his. She snuggled into bis arms and, as the torch sputtered out, leaving thera In the darkness, save for the luminous had been the key that turned In the lock of his heart and opened up to reality the garden of his dreams where the two of them would walk together, work together all their days. It could have meant nothing else. And she had been afraid for him. PUmsoll living was a blot upon the fair page of happiness. Though Molly, thank God, had come through unharmed, to Sandy the touch of PUmsoll was a defilement thnt could only be wiped out by his death. As he rode over the finny ridge of Elk mountain and saw the Nipple peaks gleaming above the black pine across the valley, with Elk river gleaming In the middle, he reullzed that he had said nothing to Molly of Keith, of the shutting down of the mine and his own action In her name. While she had asked nothing of young Donald. For the time It had been as If the rest of the world had been fenced off from them and their own Intimate aflalrs. He compressed his knees and the mare answered In a lope thnt stretched Into a gallop, fast and fast-er as she reached the levels and sped toward Elk river. Sandy was not go-ing to waste time looking for a ford The mare could swim. He scanned the mountain toward the peaks, passed over the dark Impenetrable pines, surveyed the stretch of gently rising ground between the Elk and the trees and shifted bis guns In their scab, bards. His rifle he had left with Sam. Either PUmsoll had not passed the (teaks, was In the woods, or he had come and gone. Something told Snndy this last hnd not occurred. ' Travel beyond the peaks must have been hard and slow and roundabout for PUmsoll while he had tnngented fast for the cut-of- f. (TO BE CONTINUED.) down, both guns ready. There came a strange thrashing sound, a groan of mortal anguish, silence. If this was a trick, It was a crude one. Sandy waited. That groan, half sigh, half rattle, could not be mistaken. He half circled the bowlder, gliding up a flattened traverse, and saw, lying out-spread over a low bough of the with-ered tree, face to the moon, gun away from the curling hand, Butch Parsons. With ready gun Sandy reached him, bent, turned him on his side. A bullet had ranged through both hips, battering them. The spine must have been Injured. There were pud-dles of blood that told the Injury was some hours old. Butch had lain there paralyzed, passed by Brandon's men as dead, lingering like the traditional snake until sunset to see and recog-nize Sandy coming through the gap. to use his last remnant of life to pull trigger and bo to die, the Injured ver-tebrae giving away to the effort, the spark of life pinched out. Sandy left him and returned to the gap. He could still read sign, plain as It was on every side. He found the side-gulc- saw the cabin, saw nahn's saddle horse grazing free. Blaze In the corral, the cabin door open with the moon streaming In. He had pieced out the puzzle to his own satisfaction. Brandon and his men had arrived and, In Hereford, they had run across Wyatt. procuring horses there and saving themselves the trip to Three Star. Hutch's body was evidence that they had not been unsuccessful, Wyatt's that the fight had not been all one-side- the sur-prise not perfect And, If PUmsoll had been warned, what had become of Molly? He got an answer that made his fieart stand still, then pound In a rush of action. On the floor, In the beam nf h mnnn lav the luck-niec- a few bly on one foot but able to stand, looking eagerly at Sandy, commencing to snuff the air. Sandy let him smell the coin, the strnnd of hair, the piece of cloth and, with his keenest sense stimulated with the perfume thnt stood to Grit for love, the dog wrin-kled his nose and cast around. But he led direct to Blaze and stood by the horse uncertain while Blaze nosed down at hi in. "Carried out of the cabin, son," said Sandy. "We'll guess at PUmsoll. He's got clear of the locality. Blnze knows but he can't tell. We've got to cast nbout." He picked up the dog again, puzzled, and looked about him In the gulch, suffused with moonlight. "There sh'ud be soft dirt under those asps, let's give a look-se- e there." They had not gone five feet Into the trees before man and dog made a sim-ultaneous discovery. For Sandy it was a heel-mar- k left by PUmsoll, trending heavily under his burden, a slight depression enough, but plain to Sandy. Grit began to struggle In his arms. Molly's hair or body must have brushed against lower boughs at the same height that Sandy carried the wounded Grit and the scent still clung. "They c'udn't go fur In this direc-tion by the looks of the place, Grit," said Sandy. "See what you can make of It." He put hlra down by the heel-prin- t. Grit uttered a low growl deep back In his throat, his ruff lifted. lie aturted off, hobbling along, leading truly over rock or sand, Into the cove where the split rock lay, Its crevice black, the vine curving down Into It like a serpent. Where PUmsoll bad laid her down Grit halted and rained his head, his tongue playing In and out of his Jaws In his triumphant ex-citement, his eyes luminous, his tall waving like the plume of a knight Snndy gently putted him, pressed him tmtyWrk' xw links of gold chain attached to the coin. Stooping for it he brushed a strand of brown hair. Then he saw Grit's body beneath the table. Fury boiled in him, chilled to Icy wrath and determination. He put away the coin and hauled out the dog's body Into the moonlight. It was limber and still warm. Snndy rose from his squat and swiftly examined the cabin. He discovered a lantern with oil In It which he lit. He had no fear of In-terruption. Before very long Snm snd the Three Star riders would be along. The sight of Blnze suggested thnt Moliy was not far away. If she hnd gone, fty force, or her own free will, the probability wns that iter own mount and saddle would have been requisitioned. He found warm water In a kettle; he had the first nld kit with Its band- Btres, lo'Hne, lint. And, aliovp nil. he ' had Keiths silver flask, half full. He lid not fall to note the empty bottle down to a croucn. "Down charge, Grit." he whispered In his ear. "You've got It. You stay here." Sandy had left his rifle at the cabin when he carried Grit out. now he spun the two cylinders of his Colts, lowered himself Into the split, holding on to the vine, looking straight Into Grita lambent eyes. "Stay here, son," he said softly, and Grit licked the face now on a level with his own. "I'll be hack." Sandy had adventured more dan-gerous chances than this. He felt bis lees dangle Into spare and his hiimls found a curving loop In the vine trunk thnt sagged slightly under his weight. Extended at full lem.-th- , his ts touched bottom. I.e. tint; go, he dropped lightly and stood In black-ness, the crevice above him showing Sr!p of nzure light. There was only the sound of lii- - pln' water. lie ventured a match, holding it at ?nn' nlh In his left "8andy. I Knew You'd Come In Time," She Whispered. beams that stole down from where Grit whimpered in Joyous Impatience, her hair showered down over both of them. "Sandy. I knew you'd come In time!" she whispered. He held her close and hard for a tense moment that gave all his world to his embrace. jlnlly girl." he snld brokenly, his voice broken with passion. Her hand crept up and a soft palm cupped about his chin. lie kissed the edge of If. II" rose easily, still holding her and lifted her high to where she could reach the vine, swinging up after her, Crlt dancing n three legged reel of Joy as they came up into the free air and the moonlight. Uluze greeted thera In the corral. Sure Relief FOR INDIGESTION - TjfadWj Hot water Sure Relief 254 AND 75fc PACKAGES EVERYWHERE y After fe lEyeryMeal Have a packet In your : pocket for ever-read- y i refreshment : Aids digestion. ; ; . 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Proven directions are on each package. Physicians recommend it The genuine bears signature of A FEELING OF SECURITY You naturally feel secure whn you know that the medicine yoa ere about to take la absolutely pure and oontains no harmful or habit producing drugs. Such a medicine is Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Roo- t, kidney, liver and bladder remedy. The mme standard of purity, strength and excellence la maintained in every bot-tle of Swamp Root. It la scientifically compounded from vegetable herba. It Se not a stimulant and is taken In teaspoonful dose. It is not recommended for everything. It ia nature's great helper in relieving and overcoming kidney, liver and bladder troubles.. A sworn statement of purity is with every bottle of Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Roo- t. If you need a medicine, you should have the best. On sale at all drug stores in bottles of two aires, medium and large. However, if you wiah first to try this great preparation send ten cents to Dr. Kilmer k Co., Binahamton, N. Y., for a ample bottle. When writing be sure and mention this paper. Advertisement. Cuticura Soap for the Complexion. Nothing better than Cuticura Soap dully and Ointment now and then as needed to make the complexion clear, acalp clean and bands soft and white. Add to this the fascinating, fragrant Cuticura Talcum, and you have the Cuticura Toilet Trio. Advertisement cj(!lu rlfilUillHMgO Hall's Catarrh Medicine 31- - rid your syttcm of Catarrh or Deafness caused by Catarrh. Sold by drutt u' fo mt 40 yen F. J. CHENEY fit CO., Toledo, Ohio tft-Zr2- HAltt BALSAM SVl Kwlor., Color .ad ty-','.- ' j yrwi-v- chi-i-- wm.i'trH"f iif.w.t. ItirttDERCCRNS Imim-B-, tin., glo alt m)Oi rnui" rmnfurt to fU funk wnlklnar rai-v- . Idu. by mail or kt h lilKus l'booi Work. M. I 7(1 MZGLSr aim-- .l ye!Ma or other i Irritations. You will f n ooi hln !"! 'f" 'JCf ,,v , MITCHSLL CjT E SALVE- - dr'iwfc'"1 t n Destructive Hot Wind. The name "hanuattan" has been given to a dry, hot wind which period-ically blows from the interior of Af-rica toward the Atlantic during De-cember, January and February. Often within an hour after the: harmattan begins to blow green grass In Its course Is dry enough to burn. If we could see ourselves as others see us we wouldn't believe quite all ' we see. " Electricity In North Lands. Scandinavia, as a group of three different countries, has for many years been working on the problem of trans-ferring electrical energy from Norway and Sweden to Denmark. An Im-portant report is now ready and three national commissions have it in hand. The next report will go to the three governments. It is understood that projected plans can easily be carried out both technically and commercially but at the same time there will be needed an Immense sum of money. A Business "Blind." Office Boy The boss can't see any one today. Caller Oh, well, tell hlra I hope bis blindness Is only temporary. Snake Farms Bring Profit The breeding of snakes has become a recognized Industry. The skin of the snake is used in ranking many leather novelties, while the fat of the snake's carenss yields an oil which Is valued In the treatment of muscular rheuma-tism. Even for the snake's venom there Is a market, since It has a rec-ognized medicinal value and finds a ready sale among physicians and chemists. Good Comparison. "Gratitude Is measured out same ai I do meal In do restaurant," said Uncle Eben "le bigger de tip, de louder de 'tlinnk you.' " I But few men appreciate revenge un-til they get it. One Shrine. Alice "Gladys has no reverence for anything." Virginia "Ob, but you should hear her tulk about herself I" Uncle Ebe-- i, "A busy tnun," said Uncle Eben, "Is liable to he unpopular, becnuse every Ion for regards him ns set tin' a bid example." Probably He Didn't. Hotel Clerk "Twenty-fiv- e dolin .3, please." GuoKt "Do I get the hotel as security for the loan?" Poor Picking. Al Wright went West last summer to seek his fortune as a farm hand. But the fortune was ruther elusive und Al wns back home In a few months- - us soon as the weather began to get cold. "Well, how did everything go around home here this full?"' Al asked a friend. "Awful !" the fiimd exclaimed. "I couldn't make no money at nolliln'i Why. this fall I had to shuck com fur ns little ns five cents a bushel !" "Kuy, you're lucky!" Al told him. "That wonld-- been big money out where I wan this fall. Out there the corn crop was so this we had to slunk by the mile to make unythln rt nil!" Kansas City Star. Weight cf Million In Cold. One million dollar of gold mln weighs .tylSj pounds avoirdupois und of silver coin weighs 53.. 1)20.9 pound avolvdupol. |