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FOURTEEN
FLAME IN THE FOREST
by HAROLD TITUS
© By Harold Titus
Illustrations by Irwin Myers
CHAPTER XV—Continued
•— 16
Tip’s tongue was frantic against
his closed lids; Tip’s breath hot
in his own nostrils. Consciousness
came back with a nauseating surge.
“ Oh, G od!” he moaned, getting
his knees somehow beneath him.
“ Oh . . . It’s gone . . . T ip ! It was
West . . . It was . . . And he’s got
it
Fighting down sickness, shaking
his head against blindness, he
searched. The money was gone.
The money was gone!
Tears
coursed his cheeks as he shouted
that at Tip and then stopped, lean­
ing close to see better as the re­
triever licked savagely at his thigh.
“ Oh 1” he gasped. “ And he al­
most got y o u !’’ With his good right
hand he touched the creature’s leg.
“ Broken!” he muttered as Tip
winced. “ The two of us. . . . And
he’s making his get - away with
Nan’s money!”
A great and godly rage shook
him, lifted him above pain, above
dizziness for the moment.
“ Tip, it's up to u s!
Shy an
arm, shy a leg. . . . Which way,
Tip?” — reaching for his gun and
sobbing. “ Which way? Come. . . .
Hie. . . . H ere!”
Footprints in the muck gave him
a lead. He walked bent over, fol­
lowing the sign in the soft forest
mould, dog on three legs, whimper­
ing with hurt, at his heels.
“ Up to us . . .” he panted. “ . . .
us cripples. . . . Hie on, T ip !”
The dog looked into his face
and, with a moan, dropped his muz­
zle to the ground, sniffling.
He
reeled as he lurched along; his
tongue lolled but he was trailing
and his tall was u p !
Young began to laugh, a bit craz­
ily.
“ The old dauber’s u p !” he gasped.
“It’s still up. . . . He can’t beat
us, chum! Not on your life.”
He reeled along after the dog.
Now and then he could see the
trail himself; at other times sick­
ness engulfed him, the trees swung
and tilted crazily, he could scarcely
see Tip. But he kept on, up a
gentle rise, out onto a limestone
ridge. . . .
Tip was snuffling wildly, there,
tall motionless.
Then he found
what he was following again. With
a whimper, half of pain, half of
delight, he staggered forward, his
master, dragging the rifle by its
muzzle, close behind.
Kerry walked that way for a
month, a year, a generation. He
fell and cut his lips. He bumped
into a tree with his wounded shoul­
der and screamed from the pain.
Tip looked back and stopped and
waited. When the man got up to
him again he went on, trailing like
a hound!
Time and distance and pain
meant nothing . . . until they came
to a stop. Perhaps it was the re­
spite from the effort of movement,
perhaps the imperative demand for
alertness from deep in him that
brought Kerry slowly out of that
numb state. . . . Anyhow, he saw
that they had come to a clearing
and he was halted on Its edge, Tip,
nose uplifted, before him. A build­
ing was swimming before his eyes,
like a moving mirage. . . .
He
laughed and cut the laughter short
because that was Townline cabin
and through the open door he could
see movement that was no trick of
his vagrant senses.
A man in there was flinging
things to the floor, dropping to his
knees beside them, making wild,
extravagant motions as he crammed
articles into a pack sack. Young
closed one eye tightly to concen­
trate on recognition. The man was
unmistakably Tod West.
Kerry staggered on a few steps,
trying to get the rifle to his shoul­
der with one arm. He could not do
1L The thing was a tremendous
r
WNU Servies
and unwieldy weight. He needed
a rest for the barrel. . . . Yonder
was a rock and he lurched toward
it. An upstanding slab of lime­
stone, it was, split by frost with
a crack into which he could have
laid his arm.
But he did not try to lay his arm
there. He laid the rifle barrel in
the opening and stretched himself
laboriously on his belly.
Carefully he sighted on the door­
way and worked his tongue in his
parched mouth, striving to conjure
moisture there so his speech might
be good.
“ Put up your hands!” he croaked.
“I’ve got you covered and—”
West reared on his knees, rigid.
Young’s finger was on the trigger,
ready to thwart any move. . . .
And then his man was out of sight,
throwing himself sideways along
the floor.
Kerry fired and the shock of re­
coil sent fresh agonies through his
body. He saw a leg of the table, on
the far side of the room and oppo­
site the doorway, splinter. . . . Then
silence.
When he rallied the strength, he
called:
“ Come out, West! I’ll give you
one chance!”
No response.
“ Come out!” he tried to shout,
but his voice broke. . . .
On that West spoke:
“ To hell with you, Young!”
Kerry drew a great breath which
tore at his wound. So that was
it. West had confidence. Desper­
ate, he would be defiant The only
means of exit were on this side:
the door and the one window. So
long as he could remain in this
position and keep his eyes and
mind clear, West could not emerge.
. . . But how long would that be?
Tod West spoke again.
“I’ll wait you out, Young!” he
taunted.
“ When
you’ve
bled
enough, 1*11 finish the jo b !”
He shut his teeth and tried to
pray because he could feel a re­
newed trickle of blood down his
side.
“ Oh, God,” he began, mumbling,
“give me strength to scotch this
snake! Oh, God, let me hold out
to save for Nan what’s hers! . . .
Please, G od !”
Tip, beside him, moaned and
trembled and began licking at his
leg again.
Thereafter was no speech, no
movement for a long interval. The
shadows shifted beneath the march
of the sun. A fly droned about his
head. His tongue was so parched
that it seemed it would crack.
Then suddenly he was aware of
faint stirrings within the cabin and
something flashed across the door­
way. West had crossed to the win­
dow end of the cabin and Kerry
fired again, aimlessly.
“ Still awake, eh?” West Jeered.
“Look your last. . . . Or, I’ll trade
with you. Throw your rifle into
the clearing and I’ll give you my
word I’ll not come near—”
Kerry fired again and a window
pane pulverized. He heard the oth­
er cursing sharply and knew he
had not been wrong: the sugges­
tion of a shadow against the glass
had been West, cautiously peering
out. . . .
It was agony to pump In another
cartridge. His left arm lay cold
and lifeless beside him but his
shoulder burned and throbbed. He
got a box of shells out of his
pocket somehow and stuffed the
magazine full. Blackness hovered
over him for a moment.
He tried to reason things out.
He could not last much longer.
Loading his gun had started the
blood again.
When the bleeding
sapped him low enough, or when
night fell, West could slip out and
be gone forever. . . .
What was it Nan had said about
West and the country beyond? . . .
Oh yes? West knew It like a book.
He was the only one who knew
it. Once in it, then, the Downer
accouut against him, both in blood
and money, might well be written
10 L K
off. except to the northwest. We’re
organizing a posse now to work
that way. . . . No. . . . I’ m sorry,
sir. Yes, sir; If he’s gotten Into
that country It’ll be tough going
for us. . . . I’m sorry, sir.” flush­
ing. “ How he got the tip off, we
don’t know. Yea, sir. I’ ve got the
best trailers In the country. What?
We re nearly ready to start.
Yes, sir. . . . Of course. . . .**
lie hung up, the flush caused by
rebuke still staining his cheeks.
“ Now, coroner.” he began as he
rose, and stopped.
lie bent to stare through the
window.
“ What’s the matter with that
dog?” lie muttered.
He hud come a long ways; he
had come slowly.
His one leg
drugged behind him, now. Ills eyes
were glazed and his lips caked with
nnid where he had licked wet earth
from the ruts.
Ezra shoved up his spectacles.
“ I declare!” he said.
“ I de
clare, officer, that’s Young’s d o g !”
The sergeant of police was out
side with long strides.
Others were running toward Tip.
collapsed In the road, now. Jim
If he only had help. If Nan or
Ezra or any of them only knew
where he was. But they did not.
All they knew was that he was
hunting* a bee tree. He was alone
he and Tip were alone. . . .
He held his eyes on the cabin
and kept the rifle butt to his good
shoulder with his chin. His right
hand went out to Tip, caressing
the short, curly hair, and the dog
whined; not from pain; it was an
inquiring, concerned whine and he
stared hard into his master s face.
“Tip! You’ve got it . . . to d o!”
Kerry whispered. “Tough, with
that leg. but it’s her only chance.
Maybe . . . my only chance. . . .
You’ve got It to do for Nan! Un­
derstand? For Nan!”
The dog’s nose began to quirk
and his tail moved slightly.
“ Hear me, Tip? (God, I can’t
tell whether I’m yelling or whis­
pering!) Hear me?”—gripping the
coat and shaking the dog a little.
“Go to Nan, Tip! Go to Nan! . . .
Hie on! To Nan . . . Nan!”
He shoved at the wounded ani­
mal and Tip rose painfully to his
feet, staring incredulously at his
master.
“ Nan?” he seemed to be asking.
“Go away, with you in a Jam like
this? Not on your life, chum!”
Again Young spoke: “ Hie on!
Nan, I said!” The savagery in his
voice made the dog’s ears drop
meekly.
He had raised himself to his el­
bow, thriving his face close to the
dog, snarling the words.
'V
Surprised and shocked Tip slunk
away. He licked his chops and
waggled his tail apologetically.
Never before in his life had he
been addressed so. At a little dis­
tance he halted as though expect­
ing to have Kerry relent.
“ Nan, I said! Go to Nan!” His
eyes were glowing with fever, now.
“Hie! Go on! Go find Nan, I tell
you!”
He picked up a pebble and clum­
sily shied it at Tip, groaning from
the pain it gave.
With a protesting little whimper,
Her Lip« Were Living Warmth
that one leg dragging uselessly, the
on Hia Cheek.
ragged bone ends biting into raw
flesh at every move, the dog made Hinkle was there, chattering In ex­
his way slowly through the brush. citement
Shortly he came out to the road
“ Wlia’s matter, Tip? Wha’s mat­
he had traveled before. He stood ter?”
there and gave a long look back
“ Mad!’’ someone warned.
‘ Stay
ward.
Then he limped gingerly back ! Look ou t!”
across the first rut and, pantina
Jim and the others did draw
from the effort, set out to do his back. It would not do to get too
master’s bidding. . . .
close to those clicking teeth, those
blazing eyes.
CHAPTER XVI
“ Why, he’s hurt! Let’s see.” —
Ezra Adams trying, now, but «the
A ND now a man fights to retain dog drove him back, too.
* * consciousness.
He fights to
Advice, warnings, speculation;
keep his eyes open, to stifle the contusion. And then Nan Downer
buzzing In his head, to down the pushed through the circle.
nausea which grips his vitals.
“ What's wrong? . . . O h ! T ip !
He shouts a warning; he shoots Why, lip. . .
The tall flopped
again; he hears a harsh laugh. . . . heavily, the dirt smeared tongue
Something strange about the win lolled; the dog panted and whined.
dow, now; something moves there. The girl dropped to her knees be­
Or are his eyes up to tricks again? side him and he put his nose In her
No, something coming across the lap. . . The eyes closed and Tip
sill, poking out. long and dull.
drew a quivering sigh.
He had
A rifle barrel, thrusting toward him! come to Nan at last.
and the sill beneath it splinters as
Now he could be touched; now
he squeezes the trigger of his own the hurt could be examined.
weapon.
“ Broken!” gasped Ezra. “ And . . .
The other gun Is hastily drawn*
Good Lord, sergeant, this dog’s
West curses breathlessly.
been shot!”
“You can't last, Young!” West
‘He was with Kerry!” Nan cried.
calls. “ Will you trade?”
He
was with Kerry. . . . Ezra!
“ To hell with you !” he cries, try­
Where
is Kerry? Where Is . . ."
ing to put strong scorn into the
I
tiat,
snapped the policeman,
words, but Tod West laughs.
is
what
we’ve
got to find out!
“ Your voice is a whimper!” he
Come
on,
you
trailers!
Look! You
says. “ I give you another half hour
can
see
every
step
he
took
in thl*.
. . . Put your gun In the clearing
road I”
and you 11 have your chance, same
•
...........................................
as me!”
Midafternoon,
now, and his head
“ No, never!” Kerry cries, and
rolled
drunkenly
as Young fought
knows his words are a weak fal.
off that cloud of darkness.
He
setto. . . .
could not hold It much longer. The
•
• • • • • •
He sat at the telephone In Nan’s cabin, was beyond his range of
vision. . . .
office.
lie had one cartridge left
He
Sergeant I’ arflt, Commissioner,”
remembered
that
For
weeks
It
he said over the long distance wire.
seemed,
his
Intermittent
firing
had
\es, sir; we've got everything cut
kept West within that cabin. He
_ÜÜ, n 'V. JIXY
*-lf
had only one m o r T T ^ ^
bo could not see the V
slKhL That was all
«
other matters; pallJ
U
and ids manner ,,f
**
HI* face drooped helm
the stock. n e wa„
wanted to sleep . . 1° eir*
. . . Just ft second
* IDo"
wink o f respite. ' * ” u°«l
And then he kn<‘*w th.t ,
'o le ..» . Baying over " i U^
“ Here he went!”
n *nd H
onee that the « ..r'.lVtJ,
Just once? “ n,.r„ h
n Ui
went!'
must have been Jlm IIlnl?
tbut.
Jim s voice, saying | njt
»T
now, Just once!
‘ * •
w en t!”
* * * Uer»
And Jim was standing the.
the road, bent over with ,
around him. . . . Anil x an
hunt! on Jim’s shoulder
sound o f glass breaking
Glass breaking! Window .,
breaking before the thrust of
barrel through the pane- Unktl
us it spilled over the sill'
a man with his shoulder
tight against the window
sighting that rifle, and
Tod West, that, taking hj, t
toll. One, two, three. . . jk
drop there in the road befor* '
crash o f Ids repeating weapon..,,
two, three. . . . West in fight,
posed to Young!
Oh, how well Kerry could
now.
lie could see the head of Mi
sight, could see it flash trueigr
that bulky breast and the
did not huri, that time. He
not even think of It . . .He
that other rifle barrel fly up»
Saw
Tod West spin about,
to the window. , . . Saw him
there a moment and then, in I
terrible silence, saw him dUapp.
with
the cr.t^h which loosed d
rents
o f cries and word«
sounds o f running feet . . .
Then Kerry Young put bis chc
down on the cool, moist earth
drew a long breath. . . .
They had him back at Nan’s
an hour. Ezra had the bullet
before sundown. It was mldai
when he opened his eyes.
At first, he thought he was fit
in the room and then realized
fie could not be alone; a nun fi(
cannot have that sweet seaie
peace and permanence and well
Ing which spread over him Uh
mantle. . . .
He moved bis head slightly
saw her sitting there, straight
stiff and expectant, her face
tier than ever beneath the
light.
“ Nan,” he breathed nd sbec
quickly close.
“ Ob, Kerry !’’ The words *«
sob.
“ And you’re . . . ail right.
“ Right I Everything's right:
He closed his eyes.
“ T ip?”
“ Ezra says he’s done the
Job o f bone setting he’s ever
for man or beasL”
Pause.
“ H olt?”
“ Here,” —In a whl«per.
to thank you . . . before be I
He cleared his throat feebly
“ And . . . West?”
“ Already gone,” - gravely
forever.”
He stared hard at the
through a long moment.
“ Nan . . . I gupss - ■ 1
hand
I’ m all right, but a
cad . . . Just tell. There»
thing I’ve . . . got to say..»
off for the . . . right time.,
place. . . . Excuse . » •
groggy. . . "
|
“ But I’ve got to . • • w
••Sh!" Gently «he
fingers against his HP*-
0 - t talk. Toil'll l>e all
swears It But now . . .
say It for you, dear, d ar
1 - 11 say the thing you want^
. . . I love you. . . . 1 IoV(
knew, you see. And
Kerry. . . . Love you, love y
y Her lips were living war®
his cheek.
[THE end ]