Show black lalack box B ox by E PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM from the motion picture drama of the cime name produced by br the U universal niver sp film ba M a v I 1 i copyright ittu 1916 by bt oil otis 9 WC 04 thirteenth installment TONGUES OF FLAME CHAPTER from the shado shadows wili of tho the trees on the farther eldo side pf the river cragg viv strained eyes watched quests struggle ile saw him reach lepora watched him struggle to tho the ath her waited wafted until he had lifted ler ter on to hie his horae horse then he turned around and faced the one coun try in the world orld where freedom wan war still till possible poss ible for him lie ile looked into the aall all of darkness only at one spot by a little blazo blaze of light slowly with ith his arm through the liddle of hia his horse he limped towards it 11 As A ho he drew near and discovered O 0 U source ho hesitated the mine came through tuo the rin a done dos of a saloon three long yellow lifts illuminating the stunted shrubs and sandy place places craig kept in the shadow between them and drew a little nearer from inside lie could hear the thumping of a worn orn piano the twanging of a guitar the rattle of glasses the shout ing of men ibo the shrill laughter of aomen tho the tired men and the fame aa tome etolo atole reluctantly a attle nearer craig listened once more wearily it was vas honio home he longed ive to much and rest the very thought of tho the pace vace sickened eich ened him even when be he reached the door bo be hesitated and instead of entering stood back amongst tho shadows if it only he could find uy say other sort of shel terl inside the scene was ordinary ordin arv chough there was a leng bar agal which were lounging half halt a dozen typical 51 extern there was as a email small apace cleared for dancing it the farther c kjof which two performers wore ware ingling weird but ve lement music three girls 11 weno danci ag 49 with cowboys cow boye not ungracefully ton aldering the state of the floor and the frequent discords in tho the music one of them thern th prett prettiest Lest stopped abruptly and pushed her he partner away i from her you have drunk too much josel I 1 she he exclaimed you cannot dance you tread on my feet and you lean lea n against me I 1 do not hue like it I 1 will ince with you another r night when are sober bober go away please her cavalier swayed sayed for a moment S his ble feet i so you will not danco dance any longer gitil fth joao joset ho he muttered very well YOU hall drink with him then we vill till sit together at one tables listen you ahall shall drink wine wined 1 I do not want to drink wine with TOIL L all that I 1 w ash la in io to bo be left the girl insisted Inal atod 14 4 aly perhaps Fer hapa this Is wham aba 0 o want be cried ried as RG he stooped dowl to kiss she swung hor her right hand round 1 track him on the face he ile stag tred back for a moment 1 here wa was arod red flush which showed through the U ua 0 of his cheek then badrow he drow a lit it tl 04 nearer to her and bafo before re ahe she could had hia his lone long arm round her body ho no drew bar to the lair placed b by the th aide side 0 oa tha tho till rill ie left eft hard played with the knife 1 3 l his belt arta little sweet sweetheart awe etheart heaxt he bild lid y you must pay for that mow to w dont bo be afraid be he went on he drw the knifa knife across hia his leath P breeches A little scratch acress mr check cheek lot 01 ol it la to but the brand bt f your in master aster a lore love token from ta ale etaf st now TIOW little ma ibbe girl violently but was euch such brawls were anon and abow of the company no ho noticed at it all merely laughed at e futile struggles gloa glos josaas ann arm as waleed with iba lbs knife in 18 hand when a blow brought 11 yell 1 of 0 pain to ills lire the knafo clattering to tho tile floor ho ile sprang D hia his yea yes red with fury A man 4 int d the door from behind t vas 8 standing within a few feet J bitt 4 mail with long pale vale 10 w oyes travel trav 01 taa ana ang the r of ft A flood of incoherent ill sart aimed from togus lips he coded tor for tho knife marta threw pm rael t upon him tho two cowboy cowboys po ob hid 44 been won dancing suddenly ud donly inter later ded tho 1 girl screamed acrea nied it was wa angos faulie eho she cried kofl H a aall mad ad he would have killed craig faced them courage all with sudden a u adden As n 1 I cairn came in le that tha t man had his knife explained the girl raised to stab you dont allow ilow a 0 of thing do that sort you here TI th tha two tuo cowboys linked their throan arms the door joiy JOL 6 and led him off toward the strangers stra igers right jose them one of 0 f insisted you up in company cant carve a girl the girl clutched at craigs sit S it dow do n here please arm walt wait she begged she disappeared for a moment and came caine back aith ath a glaas 1 full of or wine which she set down on all the table drink drini this ehe she invited and thank you for saving me craig emptied the glass eagerly 1 11 I juat just happened to bo be the birst to seo 8 eo hirn him he said they aren arent t quite wild enough to now that here are aro they quien sabo the girl do not liko like me the men do not care she de dared clued jose took me by surprise though or I 1 would oud havy have killed him out but who are you and where here did lid you come from 1 I have I 1 crossed the border he replied she nodded understandingly were they after you I 1 yee yes with a warrant for my ar resta she patted his hand you aro are safe now she whispered 0 0 0 hack back in the camp cami ft a spirit of devilry j pad entered into long jim and bis his mates A tactless tact les remark on the part rf oni outs of the deputies had bad set alight the smoldering fire of resentment tho the cowboys cobos bad had all the time felt against them at a word tram long lon jim they were verv liken by surprise and rind tied to the aagon ahe crud with alth rage and tear hot rained ed abou about them and the canvas of the agon WAS riddled suddenly they all paused to listen the sound of a horses slow footfall was as heard close at hand presently quest appeared out of the shadows sh ados carrying lenora in bid his arms laura rushed fo forward rivard lenora lenoral she cried Is she hurt quest laid her tenderly upon the ground we had a spill at the bridge he exp explained bained quickly 1 I dont kno whether hether craig loosened tle supports he lie got oi ocr er all right but it went dova down n under lenora who he was following and I 1 had to get her out of the river where s the professor the professor came ambling from the tent here be he had been lying lie stooped a at once over lenoraa still unconscious c cri torn form tear mel me he exclaimed dear mel met come come he lie passed hia band hand over her side and made a brief briet examination tour ribs broken ho he pronounced it will be a week at any rate before we are able to move ber nothing more inore serious so far as I 1 can see mr quest but she lie 11 need rest and all the comfort we can give her say too bad 1 long jim de dared it youve got to suy stay around for a time though you can have the tents we bo a can double up any where or bunk on the ground right aint it itt be added turning around to the cowboys CHAPTER the girl drew a liw stool over to craigs aide side he lie wae waa sitting in a rough chair tilted back against 1 the adobe wall of the saloon As tired as ever ehe she asked lay ins ing her hand upon his for a moment lie turned his head and looked at ner tier always tired he answered list I 1 she mado made a little grimace dut but you are so strange ahe she protested over the hills there are the steam care cars they would take you to some of our beautiful cities where all ie is light and gayety gaiety you are safe here whatever your troubles may have been you eoy may that you have money moneys and if it you are lonely she added dropping her voice 1 YOU need not ja alone lie no patted her band effect iona tel jr but there was something a little forced bout the action child he eald said it Is 00 hard to make you understand I 1 liht t lose myself for a few tow minutes it Is true over yonder even he added 9 you might help me to forget and then there would be the awakening auak ening that la Is always the same at night I 1 sleep and woon when I 1 sleep bleep t rest and when my eyes are MO op opened boned id the morning the weight eight cornea comes back and bits upon my heart and the strength seems to paea pass from my limbs and the will from my brain her eyes were soft and her voice took a little as ahe she leaned towards bin hint something in hie his helplessness had kindled tho protective spirit in her ollas life been so terrible for you she whispered have you left be bind hind but nol not you never could have been really wicked you are not very my rid ell are youl why do you not stand up ur and be a man it you have done arong rong then very likely people have done wrong things to you why should you brood over thee thes memories why what are you looking at who are these people the professor with quest and long J jim 1 I 1 11 suddenly appeared round tha corner of the building they walked towards tot tarda craig he shrank bach back in his place if these are your enemies the girl cried fi fierce ercol remember that ftp tapi cannot touch ou here I 1 P have the boya boys out in a minute nil nute if they dare to try it craig struggled to hia his feet he ile made no answer ilia ills eyes ere fixed upon the pro fea the girl passed her arm through his ard dragged him into the saborn they passed jose in the doorway dooray he ile scoffed at them uy the boss boas will fire you marta alarta if you waste yaste all dour our time ith that yankee he muttered marta drew the red rose from the bosom of her dresa dress and placed it in craigs buttonhole Ts T en she led bin hirr without a word mord to a beat seat if it th de men try any tricks tn in here she said there 11 be trouble at oat at that moment they all three entered long jim nodded to craig in friendly fashion its it a all right cookie he told them don dont t you ou look so scared seared this ie la just a bit of business buel nesa that a all ahe I 1 he professor held out a 0 paper he ile handed it over to craig craig he anno announced thia this ft to a dispatch N which aich I 1 found in allguer with ith my letters it Is adar addressed essed to ou but under the circumstances you yott mill scarcely nonder onder that I 1 opened it lou oi had better read it craig accepted the cable form and read it through to himself to john craig care prof lord aeh ash leigh Yon yonker kerF new york your slater sister eflee riled today her daugh ter W t alls on tuesday to join yo you u tn in new york plea meet her COMPTON solicitor london craig sat for a moment as a though stunned the girl leaned over tow towards ardt him are they trying to take you on a arrant warrant she whispered remember you dont need to go unless you want nant to craig shook his big head this is 1 something quite dif different feren t 11 he explained leave me for a moment marta I 1 must talk to theise people she slipped blipped regretfully away from his side and out into the darkness he ile eat sat with hia his eyes fixed upon the cablegram then he turned toward quest fate seems to be too strong for me ine he admitted leave me alone and I 1 promise you that go at once to new now york settle mary marys a future and then mahe make a full disclosure the professor coughed 1 I am sure craig he declared that ou have decided widely craig looked gloomily away there Is nothing else for me to do he said the child must be mot mat Q and looked after besides I 1 am sick of it all you may as well mell know tho truth why not no now quest aug suggested softly in new york craig replied and land not before quest and the professor exchanged meaning glances very well the former decided turning away I 1 in a week from today craig I 1 shall expect aou a to report at the professors house they left the room together lony long jim lingered by craigs aide side I 1 guys bavo have been scaring you gomo soma I 1 guess he remarked forget em cookie they cant touch you hero here of course if you go to new york ite its your own show 1 I know that craig replied gloom ily one of the girls passed hr her arm arin through long jims just one rue dance she whispered he ile hesitated looking out of the window then ho he shrugged his shoulders 1 I im m tired of those guys he remarked to craig 7 ith a grin guess III I 1 n sta eta here for a bit craig was as left alone for a few minutes suddenly marta glided in and sat by his side her eyes were flash ing with ith anger you know what they said those two a as they passed out she whispered hoarsely 1 I heard them th they ey are going to board the train tomorrow the dare man turned and sald to the other it he ie Is not on that well wed v alt till we find him once we get him in now york hes our ra raan an 6 A little exclamation ot of auger anger broke from craigs lips the girl caught at his arm dont Jont I go 90 she begged dont a eo there are plenty of places near berss who where r e you Y 0 u can bide where we could go together and live quite simply id work for you tako take roe me away from this somewhere over the hills don dont t go to new york they are cruel those men they are hunting you I 1 can see it in their faces craig shook his hi head badly attle girl ho he eald said 1 I should like to go ruh you along that valley and over the hills and forget that I 1 had ever lived in any other world but I 1 cant do il t ly theres heres a child there now on the oct u tri nearer to new now york deverr day my ai bigtra Bi stra own child and no one to meet her and nd there are the other things I 1 have and I 1 must pay my god godl the room suddenly rang with martas shriek ehr lel through the open win low dow by which they were sitti nir an arm wrapped in a scrape had suddenly hovered or them craig in blurting back had JUP escaped the downward blow of od t knife which had buried burled itself in martay marta s rm cm she tell fell back screaming its jose josef I 1 ehe she cried the bautel the beast craig swung to hie his feel feet furious long jim cursing fiercely drew his sun gun at that moment the door of the saloon as thrown open jose came reeling in his scrape over hia his dr a drunken grin on hia his tare fave he lie staggered towards tuv arils them jose you beast 1 the girl called out and fell back fainting there waa was the sound of a revolver shot and jose reeled backwards and tell fell with a cry across tho the sanded floor jefin thrust thru athia hIs smoking gun into this belt and caught craig by the arm say wed ned better get out of this coo cookie klel ho he muttered mu tiered they hustled out Ap apparently parenty jose was unpopular for everyone seemed anly anxious to have them clear away i it get you into the camp quietly long jim muttered you 11 ie ae s eater fer there for jhb night then you can make that in tha morning 0 lenora with her bed dragged to the opening of the tent greeted the he t little party on their return eagerly quest at once came and eat vat by her side heres laura he asked and the Ins inspector pettar slie she smiled ara pointed to the rising ground behind them thern hi in ald faint moonlight two tao fornie forrs were just visible vist trench french haj got it bad be he declared almost almust aa as badly as I 1 have lenora she laughed at him her face wa was a little drawn ith pain but her eyes eye wre ware very soft 1 I wonder if you have it very bad ly she murmured he ile held her her hind for a moment 1 I think you know he said As they talked they beard heard the coyotes barking in the distance presently and the tile inspector ra turned nice sort of a nurse I 1 am the former grumbled ita its all tho the fault of this man he wal arii keep me out there talking rubbish rub blah they eat sat round |