Pagina 383 di 439

Struve turned his sinister face on one and another of them. His

lips were drawn back, so that the wolfish teeth gleamed in the

moonlight. He felt himself being driven into a trap, from which

there was no escape. He dared not let Fraser go with his life,

for he knew that, sooner or later, the ranger would run him to

earth, and drag him back to the punishment that was awaiting him

in the South. Nor did he want to shoulder the responsibility of

murdering this man before five witnesses.

Came the sound of running footsteps.

"What's that?" asked Slim nervously.

"Where are you, Steve?" called a voice.

"Here," the ranger shouted back.

A moment later Dick France burst into the group. "What's doing?"

he panted.