Roy Norton

“ Something moved from behind a bowlder, watchfully intent on the fallen prospector. A man advanced with extreme caution, his rifle ready for instantaneous use, and kicked the fallen man in the ribs to discover signs of life. The body responded but inertly under the impact of the heavy boot. The hands were still lifeless. The man thrust a toe beneath the prospector and rolled him over until Josh lay on his back with his face upturned to the moonlight, and its pallor was accentuated by the dark stream from the temple that altered its course and sought passage through his white, disordered hair. ”

“ The man straightened up, opened the sheets, peered at them in the moonlight, identified the meaning, and chuckled. He slipped the affidavit into his pocket, grinned at the white face, picked up his rifle, and slipped hurriedly away over the mountainside with the adept certainty of the veteran frontiersman. ”

“ He was glad to discover signs of restlessness in Tom on the third evening at the cabin, and to hear the latter admit that he had promised Edith Barnes to call.
“Good!” he declared. “Glad you're goin' in. It'll be company for me. I got to go in myself to-night to see Specimen Jones. I told him I would, so we both got promises outstandin'.”
Which happened to be a lie uttered because he wished to encourage Tom to visit Edith Barnes. Yet it proved that his visit to Specimen was well timed, for scarcely had he entered Shingle when he saw his old friend on the street off guard. ”