The Flaming Jewel

s, filtering through, were tinged with a rosy hue before Jake Kloon, t

ty of their burnt gold; little pools glimmered here and there; patches of amber sphagnum and crimson pitcher-plants became fre

s devious and larcenous way through the w

solid ground; but he lacked the courage of that sinuous little b

Jake Kloon, his narrow, pointed head alert, and every fear-sharpened

lined to bold and ruthless action; but i

nce. In his petty pilfering he died a hundred deaths for every trapped mink or otter he filched; he heard the game prot

ife of fear and live in a city, grossly, replete with the pleasures of satiation, never again to see a tree or a lon

at Jake Kloon's heels, meditating once more that swift, bol

ve head. One shot would blow that skul

r deal, the contents of the packet. For, if Quintana's bribery had dazzled

must contain. And, to make the bribe worth while, Leverett had concluded that only a

lutely safe plunder. But Kloon had turned a deaf ear to his suggestions,-Kloon, who never entertained ambi

nd forever. Ended, too, privation,-the bitter rigour of black winters; scorching days; bodily squalor; ills that such

e trotted on, trying to tell himself that he couldn't miss. No use; always the coward's "if" blocked hi

ts grew thicker; wet woods set with littl

himself on a narrow ridge of hard ground. And Leverett came lightly up and, after nosing the

Kloon, tearing a mouthful from a gnawed tobacco plug a

, Jake, be you a man or be you a poor

turned and glanced at him

a peek at that there packet. I bet you it's thousand-

his knees. Almost imperceptibly he moved it, moved it again, froze stiff as Kloon

ak

got no use for no billion million dollar bills. Ten thousand'll buy me all I cal'late to need till I'm planted. But you're like

hain't nothin' to a

t and filled the cup. Diverted and gratified by the

to the left, shivered, moved it again. Under his soggy

ak

ans

, Ja

not

take a peek a

m of tobacco soiling

I gotta take a pee

's unsteady voice mad

," he said, "what yo

he big, soft-nosed bullet struck him full in the face, spilling his brains and par

rifle from the muzzle of which a delicate stain of vapou

e, suddenly the dead man made a soun

ett, ashy pale, shaking, got to his feet and leaned heavily against an o

fly appeared, buzzing about the dead man. Another zig-zagged through the sunshine, lacing it with streaks of greenish fire. Others appeared, whirling, gyra

e bushy hair on Kloon's head and flutt

ess by the advent of the foreign white-fluttered in airy play over the dead man, drifting away into the woodland

m, squeaking, squealing, chattering his opinion of murder; and Leverett, shaking with the shock, wip

eling a little, then crept slowly out among the pit

; took his bearings; carefully picked his way back ove

side coat pocket, he drew the packet and

n and clutched Kloon's burly ankles, as a man grasp

ail through the wilderness, leaving a redder path than was left by

ind him, the floor of the woods trembled slightly,

, Leverett halted. The water was dark but sca

, slim swamp maple. The sapling was about twenty feet in height. Leverett thrust the butt of it i

ump Kloon into the pool and keep out

t another sapling and pushed the body until

bbles rose, dully iridescent, floated, broke. Str

eaves the spot where Kloon had lain. There were broken ferns,

remembered the packet in his shirt, and he carried the rifle to the li

l's edge, somebody laid

eal death that Leve