The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Murphy struggled to his foot sad (ripped the gthor's sm. “Never bod nuthin' like itâ€"storo. Butâ€"but it was distâ€"s11 creepyâ€"43' greenâ€"sun seal that fleeâ€"in 15 you.” “Wlut nos?” “Aâ€"s follow I knowâ€"out. 30- las's and.” Tbs other stunted W. “I“ bet ter see them sort."lio volit- tssrod. solemnly. "ma0 (M it 'm'tmsosseeltu' Idnu'tkm u I tool- much right how 'bout Rasp- b’ compsny with ys (a vary but. However. I reckon if m d as osl- enistes on doln' much ridiQ' mun we better stop toolin’ with M u‘ no tar ssddlin‘ up." Bob qupfipn of placer The! nude rnpid work 0! It. tho newcomer proving comm loop:- clous. yet holding his votes to n in!“- cgous whisper. It was he who led the way down the bank. the tour boron slowly spluhing throuth tho mum water no the northern lion. Before them stretched a broad mm. the unr- tnce rocky and uneven. mo northgtn lure obscured by rid.“ 01131350! land. Murphy promptly ave hie horse the spur, never once Ilium behind. while 'the other Wed HI example. holding ml mind well In check. being opparently the better They rode silently. Tho fly ho- cune more broken and rough as they “mood. musing than 10.01pm!!! pester caution. Flying clouds ob- ‘ bound the stars, yet through the rifts they caught fleeting glimpses sum- 1 cient to hold them to their course. And the encroaching hills swept in closer upon either hsnd, lesvinz than [roping their way between'ss in s pocket. yet ever “niacin: north; ' Flnhlly they Attained, to the M hunk of s considernble stream. “tend the water of sumdeutvfiepth to compel swimming. and cren‘h‘fi) the opposite shore dripping md thi'serabie,‘yet with nmmunition dry. Murphy stood swar- ln; disjointedly, wiping the blood from s wound in his forehead where the jsgsed edge of a rock had broken tho skin. but suddenly stopped with a. quick intake of breath that left him panting. The other man crept towstd him, leading his horse. ' _“‘_'What :3 “it now?” he and, grimy. "Hev’ ye got 'em win!" ’The 'aaz'ed old aboutvsmbd; Mat» ins directly across the mm. Hamil,- der, his arm shaking desperfmaly. ‘- “It‘s thar!â€"an’ If! his (900! Oh, God2â€"I know itâ€"IB year.” The man glanced backward Into the pitch darkneia, but without moving his body. ' “There‘s nuthln' out there, 'leu W: t firefly," he insisted. in a tone of con» tempt. “You’re plum Crazy, Murphy; the night’s got on yer nerves. What in it ye think yo lee?" "His face, I tell ya! Don’t I know? It's :11 green and ghastly, with snaky names playln' about it! Int I know; 16 yet", an' I ain't terset." ‘ He sunk down teenyâ€"amt until he was on his knock, his head craned for- ward. The man watching touched the miserable, hunched-up figure, compu- sionttely, and' it shook beneath Ill hand. endeavorlng to shrink away. "My God! was that you! I thought 2: won him n-reachln' (or me. Here. let me take yer hand. 01:. Lord! An’ can’t ye see? ‘It's just there beyond them horsesâ€"All green. cnwun‘. dov- lllshâ€"but lt’l bun.” (Continua (rum page 2) “Hoâ€"In didn'tâ€"v" Tho old mu hand tomrd. his haul tooth; tron dde to side; then sud-sly It mind our on MI boo. lupin! hr truth. m- comp-Ion and»: h!- udfinod open the bum “I!!! III“. M h. «rode av“.- lymunutotlummxhom. tore down it. lulu pictur'o, and badly W it into his pocket, the light of tho phosphorous with which it Nuanbbodhhzuflected for: moment on M! features. “A dirty. minnblo. lowdown trick." in muttered. “Poor old devil! Yet I’ve got. in do it for the little girl." no mumbled back thmush the dark- ness. his but tilled with voter. and dated it into Euphr- floor “Gone on. lfirbhy! Thor?- one pod thing 'bout spoon; they don’t Inn; ‘round for 10-: 3t : time. Likely a not this mummw." _ . in on. by 1101.811” up. man. you sn‘ I have got to:- get. out o' Then Murphy grouped his arm and drew himself slowly to his foot. “Don't I00 nuthin' now. do ye?” “No. Where's nayâ€"hone?” The other silently reached him the loan rein, marking n he did no the quick. mom peering this way and tint, the main: It the slightest â€" “Du! ye 'gay. lint-phi. u how it mn‘t Nolan um: In vho plugged the muort’ ' "I‘m dunnth I am. Whoâ€"else m it?" “Why, I dnnho. Bomb blamed odd though. that ghost should be thumb in' yo. Darn it it ain’t creepy 'nough tar make a. Seller believe most any- Hominy drew himself up heavuy into hit fiddle. Thai :11 at once he shoved the muzzle o! n “(5" into the other”! we “Ye ID! anther wordâ€" "bout that. on! I’ll makeâ€"a. ghost outer , , lively. New, ye ahet upâ€"u' $8 , With no." 'Ph'ey moved tomrd It‘e walk and reached I higher level, Icross which the night wind swept, bearing a touch a! cold In Its Mouth on though coming from the mow-capped mountains to thereof. There we: renewed life in thtl invigorating lit and Murphy exported forward, his companion prese- ing Why after. When the ant signs of returning day Ippeared in the east, the two left their horses in I narrow canyon. and creut to the summit of a ridge. Below lay the broad valley of the Powder. Then Murphy turned 11!- head Ind looked back into the other'l taco. CHAPTER XXIX. Tho Vote. of Confusion. numb: uttered one sputtering cry of surprise, mm: hand Instinct- ivon to his hip, “tempted no more Hampton’s mdy weapon was thrusting It: manta into the astound- od toot, ad the my eyes zleamin: along the polished but-rel hold the tol- low motlonlou. “Hands up! Not a move, Murphy! I have the drop!" , The voice was low, but stern. sad the old trontleraman obeyed mechanically, although his seamed ace wu tan-1i distorted with me. “You! Damn youl-I thought I knowâ€"the voice." “You, I am her. all right. Rather odd Due. for III to meet. Isn't It? But. you no. you've had the dynamo on then yous; you know whom you were running any tron. while I to compelled to plod dons tn the dark. But Pu and". up just the nuns. l1 ll. ha been a long me." “Who: do yoâ€"wut no for?" Tho look In tho (too 1“ cmlnt. “Bold your hud- gumâ€"hm. you tool! Thorn it. Now. don't ploy with no. I hohodtly didn’t no! tor com I did mt you. lumhy. when I first It!!!“ out on this trip. 1 manly suspected that 1 night. from non. thlnxl I had been told. Whoa somebody took the llborty o! m at. thy back m h poker-room It Glou- ohld. 1nd drove the hallo Into sum by .nlsuho. I chhncod to catch 3 gllmmotthohndonthohllthhd more was-cum". Am“ your: “tour! was acting .- allot d thomrdomnlchthtmhu. It mohflzhtouflleymm human-tun“ “upward tho old powder-homo there cum 3 sudden flash, o report, n. slurp cry. I sprung torwunl only to an headlong overddead body; butlnthunuhl had seen the hand graph: the r.- volvor, and there was a m on the It. but of it, u very pocullu m. chnnced I ind the evening previou- slixhtly qmrreleq with the oilcer who m-kinod; Iwasmeoniyperm known coho nearntthotimohe vi: M; certain other circumstantial evi dance was dug up, while Slam and (no otherâ€"no, it m not youâ€"{Ive spin. dawns. mmuhctum! toni- “Hands 09!. Not a Move, Muhpryl I Have the Drop!” ' ’mony against 1119.11: : result 1 was held guilty of murder In the second degree, dismissed from the army in disgrace. and sentenced to ten yearl' imprisonment. So, you see. It was not exactly you I have been hunting. Murphy.â€"lt was a scar." I Mfirfihy’s face was distorted into I hideous grin. "I notioe you bear exactly that kind or a scar, my man, and you spoke last night as it you had tome recollection of the case." The mocking grin expanded; Into the husky voice crept n mrl' of de- fiance, tor now Murphy’s courage had come- backâ€"he wan fronting flesh and blood. "0h, stop preachlnhâ€"nn' shoot â€"-nn' be damned ter ye!" "You do me n grave anustico. Mur- phy. Your slashing at me down In Glencald hasn't hit so much as a sting behind. It'lvwmpletely blotted out. forgotten. I hsvon't the slightest desire to kill you. non; but I do want to clear my name of the own or thut crime. I want you to tell the whole truth nbout that night's work It Be- mm m tut you an. Am. IO. ”110.310. [’11 uvuluahsua you; you out go when you Neg..." "Bumâ€"n m’: not lo M moâ€"‘sldu. the cue u M ain't be opened Inn-ob: In.” “You dam! I'd be pot-teeth Justi- fied in killing you." new Hump- ton. Inna-01y. ‘ . lamb} m 1t hill numdly. the cunning of and”: “an": In his 030:. “h’ vprâ€"do yo expectâ€"me ter 331â€"“! um. porvldln'. 0! course â€"l m M. W! do It?“ A “Up‘yondorvbo‘lfore Custer m the once" of the Month. when '0 tot ”They'd nab .eâ€"iikeiy." “Now. see have. you fly it in impot nihie for them to much you, because the one is cloud lowly. But I've m to suitor to: your crime. uuwhy. tutor for 13 yet". ten of them behind none welll: N there In other- who has unloved mm. It he cost me love. home. 1.!) the! 1 run hold- deer. The m but” cm do in ordinary decency it to gel! the truth now. u will not hurt you. ht it will iii: no out at Dell.” -, "You no perfectly right. You of. 4am a War in your way. You would be no good to me dead Murphy. but you might prove fully as nimble mimod. Now Pm playing this game to the limit, M that limit to just obout touched. You unllmber before I count tau. you murderer. or I'll spoil both your lanai!" manâ€"m._.l mllht. Anyhow. 1'!) no orâ€"wuj ye. Klnfi lit up? 1" h. umâ€"lyh' yore.“ . “Unite”. your belt, um throw that our first." ' “1 k110i if! M." retortod Hump- ton. with exupenting coolness. hi: revolvers mun]. held steady: “but. juntthcmmmtobedono. I know you (It too well to an ounces ” your um; 80 number." Notâ€"In no “0h, Iâ€"llflll not. " and Murphy spat conteIhptuounly. “Do ye minke-I'm am 0' whooun’? Ye don't duo -â€"ter I’m In good tor yeâ€"dud.” “Unhmhotv' We the lost coil." , 'Withnonmmmntuncmosd- his mt, dropped it to momma and new: it over townrd Hampton. “Nowu-nowâ€"youaou my- quaâ€"am. kin 1~sit up?" The other W He hnd drawn "the tongs of tho wait, and now that he no longer fem-ed, n sudden. unex- ptolnable feeling of sympathy took possession of him Murphy sputtered end swore. but his victorious compan- ion neither opok‘e nor moved. 'I‘hsro were several distant. smokes out to the northward, now, evidently the In- swering signnin of different bands at savages, while far away, beneath the shadow or the low biufls bordering the stream, numerous black moving dots began to show against the light brown background. Hampton, noticing that Murphy had stopped swearing to gaze, swung forward his field-glasses tor a better View. “They are Indians. right enough, " he said. at last. “Here, take a look. Mur- phy. I could count about 80 in that bunch and they are traveling north. " 7 W'li‘h‘e 'older min adjusted the tubel'to his eyes and looked long and steadily at the Dirty. _- .._V '7‘ “They seemâ€"to be a-closln' in." he dociared. finally, curing uroand Into the other: face, :1] bnndo gone. “There'u snuther lotâ€"bucks. u“ o’ .‘m