Show T he man ian JL rom r by HAROLD TITUS copyright 1923 1934 harold titus service I 1 CHAPTER XI continued IS 15 when a man loves a girl that girl cant lot let herself love him can she when ashes under a cloud herself she cant bring a mans children into the world and have them whispered about RI as the grandchildren of 0 a murderer dawn I 1 dawn girl dont think that I 1 why its but its so ablee abbel I 1 dont wa want to talk about it all I 1 can do for ben now Is to let him know how weak I 1 was to doubt him and to use any influence I 1 may have to protect him from this terrible danger I 1 will do that I 1 must do that because it Is duty but it must stop thera it cant go on you eee not while I 1 hove have walling nothing more than just my falth faith in my mv fathers good able the wise man that lie he was did not cot force the argument ue he brought his team to a halt before the hoot owl office gave the reins to dawn and stepped out martin the bookkeeper was the only occupant of the place wheres pen ben lie he asked the bearded man looked over his shoulder recognized able and then his gaze went past the man to the waltin waiting cutter where dawn sat hes it seemed as though martins voice failed after that word ile he halt half started from his chair and the pen dropped from flexed fingers rolled across the ledger sheet ue he made a faint sound and in his eyes appeared en an expression that startled able wrong martin he be asked in alarm stepping quickly into the room sick no all right now the other said bald as if with great effort ben in ill the mill I 1 think 11 he picked up his pen then and bent over his work able crossed the mill yard looking for ben and as he went martin rose cautiously from his chair moved quietly to be in line with the window and stared for a ton long interval at the girl huddled in the robes ills hands worked and his breath was uneven dawn Is here to see you able said simply as he encountered ben she had me bring her out so she could talk to you ashes waiting over by the office elliott stood hesitant for an instant then turned and walked swiftly along the pond able watched him go but did not follow what was to be said by the girl was not for his ears he knew ben gave no sl sign n of recognition as he be approached the cutter made no salutation as he came near the girl who sat eat watching him so steadily ile he only spoke her name when he was at her side she gave him a small gloved hand band and smiled wanly 1 I have come to say many things ben she began in a strange strained voice to beg forgiveness to beg other things perhaps to explain a little A week ago toni tonight glit struggling ming I 1 now to hold her voice steady 1 I ran out of the dance hall and on home thinking that that woman was honest the time since then until noon today has been a DI nightmare ht mare lydia came to my house at noon she bhe explained everything aunt em brought her aunt em went to her house and convinced her that she had bad done a terrible thing to you and that an explanation to me was the only way to right the wrong lydia told me everything it was mr crandon brandon who thought out the plan and forced her to do it under threats of 0 some sort site she tell us what the threats were but left our house for the train and Is gone from tincup forever and ive come to tell you how miserable I 1 feel to think that I 1 was weak enough to act as mr brandon seemed to be sure I 1 would act it relief was singing through elliott El llott relief and a great joy lifting him bin above rage for brandon oh rm fro bladt he said earnestly ive why it completely knocked me cie olt off my pins I 1 dawn its been terrible tor for you but but this makes me so happy tin im happy because you are happy she said but something in her tone and expression dampened ills his enthusiasm checked his soaring spirits she was so calm so BO steady so restrained her mood was not at all that of one who comes comas joyously to wipe out heartbreaking misunderstanding and ill never forgive myself tor for for tailing falling into the trap aral that was set tor for me cen I 1 why you any girl would have felt as you did cut but its explained pla ined now lets forget it and ie gin where we left off and flod find peace arid and the sharp shake of her head and the quick withdrawal of her hand cut him off there are sterner things to think of first quite different things ben that Is why I 1 came out here to talk to you about bart delaney Pe laney able has told me what happened yesterday you dont take it seriously enough keep safe until youre certain that the danger Is past hide and skulk while other men protect me A man cant do that dawn I 1 ill be on my guard of course cut but I 1 cant run away awa from rom anybody who Is trying to strike from behind what would these boys hero here on the job think of me if I 1 lid did this man delaney may be a hobgoblin for the ret rest of the country but I 1 cant lot him be for me it if I 1 do the safe thing and think of my own skin some of our workers will tumble to the tact fact that ive no more courage than most of them less than plenty I 1 cant let I 1 them hem down you see sec and still keep my standing in their eye eyes it worth it beat its my job my property youre taking these risks for it fair to me met I 1 1 I can argue that im not anxious to be put out of the lie picture bet ct a while ill keep my eyes open ive already made the move that should stop delaney from trying me again able and the file others have gotten you all in a flutter dawn dont worry im coming to tincup and im going to appear to be thinking about nothing but the errands I 1 have to do avery second ill be on oil the watch tor for a crooked move from anybody I 1 promise you that and when ive shown myself to people ill come to sie see you and talk you into the same wily way of looking at this situation dont she begged but I 1 cant keep away from you now that this other mess has been explained espial I 1 she shook her head im asking two things of you the first Is to stay here the other oilier Is not to come to see me Pi please ensel 1 she put a hand on his with that thai plen plea and he frowned 1 I can understand your being a little timid about having me arouni aroun 1 town but I 1 can convince you that im right its brandon or me now you see it if I 1 run he wins nut hut this other dawn dont you want rue rap to see you the girls lips worked no she said ever so BO faintly no oh please dont argue with me gen ben I 1 please dont come to see me you dont understand you may never understand but bill pm im beg begging ing you from the bottom of my heart not to come and see me again P 1 no I 1 dont understand its why it s lie ile laughed aloud at his own bewilderment and able in the near distance mistook that laugh born of distress for one of relief and came toward them well have you two got matters cleared cupl up he asked dawn nodded silently some things are cleared up elliott SYNOPSIS ben elliott from yonder arrives at a the lumbering town of 0 tincup with don stuart old very sick man whom he has befriended nicholas brandon the towns leading citizen resents stuarts presence trying to force him to leave and elliott El llott resenting the act knocks him down judge able arm flags hires hire him to run the one lumber camp the hoot owl that brandon has not been abl abla to grab erab this belongs to down dawn mcmanus whose father has disappeared with a murder charge hanging over his head brandon sends duval to beat up ben and n d ben throws him out of camp don stuart dies leaving a letter for elliott to be used when the going becomes too tough ben refuses to open th the 0 letter believing he can win the fight by his own efforts fire breaks out in t tho he rn mill 11 ben when the flames are subdued discovers it was started with gasoline elliott pets gets an otter offer tor for logo loes that will provide money to tide him over but a definite nito time Is set ben discovers dawn Mcl McI lanus Is not a child as he had supposed but a beautiful young woman the railroad bridge over which the hoot owl lumber must pass Is blown up by superhuman efforts ben builds a new bridge and himself drives the train over the rickety structure to tincup making the delivery with only a few minutes to spare brandon compels a woman known no as lydia Ly dla who Is in his power to accuse elliott of misconduct with a girl at a dance to which elliott escorts dawn lydia clydla makes public her charges overwhelmed elliott can only make a feeble dental denial dawn apparently believing him guilty leaves the dance without waiting for him while in the woods elliott elleott to Is fired on and drops seemingly dead but his tall fall has been a ruse to make his enemy believe him dead the would be killer Is proved to be red kod bart delaney delancy notorious desperado aunt emma dawns closest friend prevails on the woman lydia to acknowledge the falsity of her accusation said but there are others 0 dawn woul wont you explain the gari turned her face to able im ready to go home now she said weakly CHAPTER XII teams drove from the hoot 0 owl wl toward town through the falling snow that evening first went ben ell El elleott lott llott alone and sending his drivers at a 8 spanking trot wondering and at odds with himself why was dawn dan so obdurate in tills this matter of having him see her why that odd repression as though she struggled to keep from saying the things that were bursting her heart ills inability to answer those questions drove him into a dogged mood ue he felt like blaming Brin brandon for this as well as other troubles A half hour behind him came a team from camp driven by birdeye bird eye blaine A figure ahead stepped our of the ruts and awaited his approach town the man cried yup tup hello martin I 1 whoa blaine elaine lifted the heavy robes for or the bookkeeper and then clucked his team on meisther Mis ther elliott gone in he asked ile he has eh nd Alls mesther ther red lied bart delanoy still th tb country with ills his pre presence since nce lockely lol koly kely ah th ill b by Y th ill byl y III martin proved to be uncommunicative however and they drove much of the way in silence ben turned his team into inlo an aa alley hitched and blanketed them and then made ills viny iny between buildings building to the towns principal thoroughfare which was lighted by glaring store fronts ile he purchased some articles in a clothing store and did not see dawn mcmanus SIcil anus enter observe him and then withdraw when he went out again he did not notice that thai the girl followed him waited outside while he bargained for a months supply for camp in a butcher shop and trailed along behind when he be emerged from place to place he wont went dawn behind him in the flying snow and when she had been following so for halt half an hour flour her eyes alert for others who might be watching elliott Kl llott another fell into the train ahead of her she saw this man step from a store entrance and follow ben she hastened to be close and not until she was abreast of him did she recognize john martin whom she had seen but once before he did not turn his head and she dropped back she had no doubts of tits his loyalty from what ben had told her of his bookkeeper when elliott bent ent into the drug store she stood out of the light from the building and noted that also martin loitered near when ben reap feared martin followed for the file better part of tin an ho hour r tills this double stalking kIng continued while the snow fell thicker and then elliott turned into a side street and ma made de the next turn into the alle where lie he had bad left his team two fig figures tires followed him hastening g a bit as lie he disappeared into the gloom martin follow cd pen ben as dawn trailed both and then as elliott drew close and spoke gruffly to rn ills his horses another shadowy figure appeared it was only a blur in the shadows crouched and stealthy the figure swept forward an arm drew hack bach and upward it struck and ith a muffled grunt ben elliott turned falling sideways and backward under the impact of a blow another voice lifted then in a sharp cry as john martin ran forward and the indistinct figure which was poised over elliott about to strike again turned hesitated whirled and led fled what is it son martin cried as he dropped to his knees beside ben before a reply could come dawn was there moaning his name over and oer knifel knife 1 ben gasped in the neck here 11 john martin unbuttoned alliotts elliotts Ell Elli lotts otts thick jacket ripped open the shirt and his ringers fingers encountered a warm sticky gush as he thrust thern them across the back knifed you all ali son P 1 dawn poured close into the bearded mans face as though far ful of what he might say next nest wee got to get him somewhere right ilay an ay martin muttered got to its bad sly my house is just around the cor tier ner she cried bring him there uh oh hurry I 1 together they lifted hen ben to his feet uis his teeth ground shut to keep buck back the moans lie ile was sick and weak with pain ue he could feel fee blood smearing over his side and back lie ile sagged against martin as the man supported him tough dawn to get you mixed up in a mess if hurry P site she said lies iles so weak I 1 lie was weak eak indeed with their arms about tits ills body for support they aued through the snow elliott lil llott felt dawn close to him film and closed ills eyes almost happily lie he struggled to help Illa himself self ho bo he would not burden her but he stumbled bled and nearly fell and another gush of blood bathed his body after ages of effort and pain a glare seemed to be nil all about warm breath fanned his face and aunt em cm standing in the doorway was saying sharply in here your room dawn ill phone the doctor emory sweet worked rapidly once there deehl he muttered gad what a blow missed the jugular by a hair the wound was only a slender slit silt in the skin but the blade had been driven deep indeed and the blood that flowed from it had drawn file bronze from alliotts elliotts Ell Elli lotts otts face the strength from the splendid muscles that lay relaxed now beneath clear skin now said the physician when ben finally filially lay back on dawns pillow breathing shallowly eyes closed 1 I guess hell be all right in a few days but birt what au an es escape capel he shrugged sweet looked 1 juhn aladin thela tiei the doctors brows browa drew a bit he bf seemed to lean forward and blinked slowly incredulously then martin moved and the other relaxed still his expression was one of startled speculation yes a close shave marrin muttered under his breath but now iles hes in the best possible place in the world the doctor aegan gathering his instruments st martin stood staring at ben in deep thought then his right hand went to the lobe of his left ear ar and tugged slowly in that charac teris tic gesture ile he did not observe emma coburn standing in the doorway ile he Y 1 I IT 1111 knife ben gasped did not look at tier her until the woman gasped it was a light light gasp so light that emory sweet did not hear but martin headd and turned and stood as though frozen in the post posture u re aunt ems eins licad was held rigidly baik L one hand pressed against a check quickly martins finger went il against alast tits his lips in a sealing scaling gesture ile he held so an instant and then slowly ills his head bead a movement of unmistakable warning dawn dann entered the hallway from the living room and those these two relaxed from the rigidity of their strange pantomime em bustled out into the kitchen and martin smoothed the coers of alliotts elliotts Ell Elli lotts otts bed with mill a hand that trem bled sll slightly atly now the boys going to be fill all right the doctor said ill look in ill tomorrow quiet Is going to be essential for a few days yu you two women all right A close observer might have noticed that aunt ems eyes |