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Speaker 1: Justice in the Foothills by Clement White. Starr and Collins

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were apathetic throughout their brief, dramatic trial. Following the jury's

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verdict of first degree murder, their sullen demeanor became an

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integral part of their being. They did not show a

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motion when the sheriff and deputies prepared them for the

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trip to the state's prison to await execution. Heavily manacled

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Star's left wrist chained to Colin's right, they huddled in

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the automobile ready for the journey to Mills Junction, where

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the officers planned to take a through train to the penitentiary.

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The weather matched the prisoner's mood. A drizzle dampened the

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car and its occupants, while great fog banks shrouded the hills.

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As the car nosed its way along the trail, the

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mists gradually turned to rain. The sheriff was nervous, the

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roads getting slippery. We'd best put on chains, he told

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the deputy. I'd hate to skid over one of these cliffs.

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It'd be a finish I reckon inspection of the tool

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box showed the chains we're missing. We must have left

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them in the garage, apologized the driver. The trail ahead

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isn't any worse than the part we have come over.

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It's as safe to go forward as to return. Go slow,

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then replied the sheriff, I don't fancy this trip. I'd

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forgotten how ornery this road is. The cars were from

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side to side in spite of the driver's efforts. He

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was slowing up for a steep descent. When the heavy

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machine left the trail, it spun suddenly like a thing bewitched,

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hurling its occupants over the side of the chasm while

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it rolled over and over on its way to the

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destruction in the bowlder studded bottom. The sheriff and deputies

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followed the car to the canyon bottom, where Star and

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Collins would have joined them. Only as they dropped over

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the canyon wall, they passed on opposite sides of a

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stunted cedar. The chain which bound them together held securely,

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and they were suspended in the air, kicking desperately, almost

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tearing the tree from its precarious roothold Star hooked a

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toe over a jutting rock. Inch by inch, they worked

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their way up to the canyon's rim and were back

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on the trail when darkness fell Star was panting, but

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was not nearly so winded as Collins. He set the

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pace through the gloom, heading for the foothills to the north.

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They reasoned that hours would pass before their escape was discovered. Moreover,

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pursuing posses would be at a disadvantage among the trackless foothills.

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The following night, they crowded a small stream at a

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gravel bar and spied a dead lying on the bank.

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Throwing themselves flat on their stomachs, they devoured it in

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great bites, for with the exception of a rabbit which

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a surprised bobcat had dropped, this was their first meal

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since their escape. Because of the chain that linked them together,

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they formed a close partnership. Neither could lie down, sit down,

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or arise without the consent of the other. Bitterly they

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cursed the lynks of steel, which turned their waking hours

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into a series of mishaps. So far, posses had not

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appeared on their trail. This was not strange, considering the

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wide expanse of sparsely settled country which must be searched.

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The fugitives were in little dread of men, but waking

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or sleeping, they could not rid their minds of the

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thought of avenging dogs. The anticipation of bloodhounds caused a

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cold sweat to dampen Starr's clothes, while Collins gritted his

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teeth and lunged forward with desperate steps. Both men knew

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of the dogs, half bloodhound half mastiff, that were owned

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by a wrencher near Mills Junction. It was the boast

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of the county that these terrible dogs seldom lost a trail,

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and when loosed unmuzzled, had been known to rend fugitives

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limb from limb. Starr and Collins had one hope. Some

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years ago, Starr had spent several weeks with a renegade

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hermit who had a shack in the woods beyond the foothills.

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If they could reach his shack, he would remove their manacles.

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He might be dead, or he might have moved, but

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the fugitives hoped against hope that he would be ready

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to aid and hide them. The knights were cool in

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the foothills, but the days were hot. Berries were abundant,

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hanging dead ripe on countless bushes, providing food. When they

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stopped to rest, they worked persistently at their manacles. If

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they could sever the chain which bound them risks to wrist.

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Their progress would be easier and safer. This much accomplished,

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they might devise a way to remove the handcuffs. They

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dragged the chain back and forth over flint rocks. They

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worked and strained and pulled, but the stout lynx refused

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to yield. After each trial, Star and Collins arose, cursing,

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and continued their flight toward the north. Early one morning,

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both men paused, simultaneously, holding their breath while they listened.

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From the south floated a faint echo, which froze the

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blood in their veins. Again, the sound echoed. It was

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the baying of a hound. The baying increased in loudness

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as the pursuit grew easier. Star and Collins crashed through

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the brush to a small rock pile, Gasping and moaning.

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They dragged their weary bodies to the top of the

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rocks and saw the hounds lope through the brush into

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an open space. The great dogs were unmuzzled as the

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fugitives cringed before the attack. The triumphant baying of the

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hounds gave place to a plaintive whimper. The great dogs

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paused in their tracks, the hair bristling on their backs

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while their tails sank between their legs. Their brute instinct

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had warned them of apparel which tearing fangs would not

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guard against. A wolf had emerged from the brush to

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the north of Star and Collins, and its bared fangs

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and feted slaver streaming from its jaw. The eye staring

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balefully and the dull upstanding hair showed that the wolf

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was mad. The dogs fled from its approach, but the

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men were in the path of the frenzied animal. They

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tried to leap away from the dripping jaws, which slashed them,

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but were bitten in several places before a kick disabled

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the animal. Hope fled from the hearts of the fugitives.

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As they examined their wounds, they were haunted with the

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specter of approaching madness. They cursed and fought and strained

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on the chain until their wrists were torn and bleeding.

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They rolled on the ground and wept, then arose and

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continued their efforts with the chain. The presence of each

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became decidedly objectionable to the other. Who would be the

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first victim of rabies? This question drove them to frenzied,

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pulling and straining. The thought upmost in the mind of

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each was a consuming desire to become separate from his companion.

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They fought the chain at intervals through the night, then

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continued their desperate journey. The morning sun stole over the

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brooding hills. Wild animals feasted, gamboled, and basted in the

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golden sunshine. A fissure emerged from a pool with a

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fish in its mouth, saw the fugitives, then fled. Grouse

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went about their affairs undisturbed, and a great eagle sailed

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in a wide circle through the azure air. Peace rested

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over wild things, but in the hearts of the two

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men raged an inferno. They knew they were to die,

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and in a measure they comprehended the manner of their death.

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As they paused to eat berries, they eyed each other sharply,

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kneeling by the bush, scratching their faces with brambles as

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they devoured the watery food. Berries sustained life, but did

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not strengthen them. Their bodies gradually weakened, but this weakness

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did not lessen the feverish vigor of their minds. Each

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knew what the other was thinking. The one who showed

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the first symptoms of rabies would be killed, if possible

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by his companion. One afternoon, they trudged through a thicket

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and approached a bubbling brook. Ours had elapsed since our

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last drink, and Star sank to the ground, eagerly gulping

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the water. His thirst quenched. He glanced at Collins, then

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his body stiffened. Collins was not drinking. His eyes had

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become dull and fixed. A shiver shook his form. As

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they regained their feet, the shaking spells recurred, his spasms

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became more intense. Suddenly he gave gave an unearthly shriek

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and bared his teeth at Star, who leaped aside in fright,

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swinging Collins around and around. His fright aided strength to

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his muscles. Panting and exhausted, they crouched on the ground,

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glaring and whimpering. Another spasm shook Collins as they crossed

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the ridge. He tried to bite and tear Star's arm,

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Remembering a fighting trick he had learned in the lumber camps,

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Star lunged with his left knee extended, striking Collins in

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the stomach. They fell to the ground, Collins, made temporarily

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helpless from the blow, Star again drove his knees into

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the madman's abdomen. Collins raised his head and Starr dashed

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his own head against it, the impact driving Colin's head

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against a sharp stone and rendering him unconscious. A new

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difficulty arose, for Star could not free himself from the

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helpless body. Its weight hindered his progress as he moved

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from bush to bush, greedily devouring berries. When he lay

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down to rest, the madman was beside him. He dare

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not fall asleep, while expecting his companion's return to consciousness

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the next day, The increasing horror of his predicament caused

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him to grow hysterical. He called for help and listened

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in terror to the lonesome echoes. Toward evening, he saw

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that Collins was dying. The approaching darkness caused him to

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stumble and fight through a bush, dragging the burden alongside him.

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He came to a rusted spur of track, abandoned since

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the lumber mills at Rafter had closed. The sight of

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the rusty rails and the warmth of the rising sun

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served to clear his mind. He remembered that the hermit

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Shack was north of this track. As he stumbled along,

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making slow headway, he felt a change creeping over him.

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He was near a brook and passed a pool of

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water and recoiled in fright from its limpid coolness. Spasms

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shook him, and he looked for something to rend and tear.

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During lucid intervals between spasms, he struggled grimly through the bush.

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Each attack was leaving him weaker. When evening came, he

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looked upon imaginary sights, which added to his desperation. His

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mad brain showed foul vampires flapping through the air about him,

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throwing water from their wings and from each side. Hideous

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imps called his name, extending vessels of water and inviting

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him to drink. He sought to slay them, but they

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recoiled with demonic grins, only to renew their torments. He thought.

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Colin arose, gazed at him with cadaverous eyes, and asked

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him to hurry to a pool where they could drink

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and splash and swim with bared teeth. Star showed his

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displeasure at such an invitation. He was panting now, and

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darkness had fallen. His tormentors still offered him water, but

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between spasms he made slow progress until a light appeared

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in the darkness. Gradually, the vague outlines of a cabin

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showed close at hand, Star was more normal. He cried

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with joy at the thought of his relief when the

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hermit had severed the chains which bound him. Once free,

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he would smite his tormentors. He reached the window through

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which the light streamed, thrust his head through the opening,

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and groaned. The hermit was cleaning a pistol, which he

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dropped in fright. As Stars groan reached his ears, he

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saw the face in the window, the lips spread in

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an awful grimace, showing blood stained teeth, and the sunken,

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discolored cheeks and staring, glazing eyes a specter. The hermit screamed.

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His hand reached behind him and grasped a rifle, which

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flew to his shoulder. As the apparition strove to speak,

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The rifle rang, and Star lay down to rest, as

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though soothed by the echoes reverberating among the hills. The

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End of Justice in the Foothills by Clement White