THE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA,
A Tale of Adventures on
An Indian Reservation
CHAPTER XX Continued.
11
Mumbling nn npology, Dupont has
tlly unfolded tho deed, skimmed
through it, nnd grasped the fact that
It purported to convey to him n full
hnlMntercst In the mine. Ho had
Bturtcd to read It over more carefully
when nn oath from Vnndervyn caused
him to look up.
The younger rnnn pointed along tho
coulee hank to where tho road topped
tho spur rldgo of the buttc.
"Tho dcvlll" ho exclaimed "What
brings him back here?"
"Cap I It Hiiro Is Oapl" muttered
Dupont. "Nom d'un chlen I You don't
think he's got on to tho game, do you?"
"Wouldn't do him any good If he
bad."
"Then why d'you think ho's "
"To onter tho contest 1" divined
Vnndervyn. "Tlioro's tlmo enough to
wire Washington nnd have him put mi
ller arrest for disobeying orders."
"Ilold on I" cautioned Dupont. "What
If ho does try his luck? In tho moun
tains tliero ain't no horse nor mare
neither can break up your pinto com
bine." Vandervyn's face cleared. "You
ought to know. I'll chnnco It If "
"Ain't no chanco to It," put In Du
pont. "It's n dead cinch."
"He'll think ho's going to do me," ex
alted Vnndervyn. "Let him register.
Ho's como back for tho mine first;
then Mnrle. I don't wnnt her to see ,
blm or to know ho has como back
Sou havo your deed. Suppose you
Itnrt at once."
"If sho'B willing. I'll see," qualified
Dupont "Look out you don't slip up.
I'll tend to my end. So long good
luck I"
Ho rodo off down tho butto sldo of
tho coulee.
Vnndervyn cantered ntralght ncross,
And met Hnrdy a few ynrds below tho
tent of tho commissioners.
"Good day, captain," he spoko in
livll greeting. "I am surprised to sco
ou back here. Ilnvo your orders been
tountennanded?"
"No," replied Hnrdy with equal cl
rlllty. "I havo resigned."
Vnndervyn could not conccnl his
Olank astonishment. "Not not ro
llgned from tho nrmy?"
"Yes. I telegraphed tho war depart
Aiont, received nil answer, nnd mailed
toy resignation and application for
lonvo of nbsenco to my commanding
Dfllcor nt Vnncouver barracks. As an
sHlcer It was not proper for mo to en
tor tho contest."
"Ah I" Vnndorvyn's smllo gnvo placo
to a look of pained surprise. "So you
Intend to enter tho contest. Hut do
fou think that qulto honorable, cap
tain, in tbo circumstances?"
"I do not enro to discuss questions
jf honor with you, Mr. Vnndorvyn,"
replied nardy with utmost coolness.
"That I can well understand," coun
tered Vnndorvyn. "Knowing that wo
ean mako no protest, you Intend per
lonally to tako ndvnntngo of tho lnfor-
Emtlon that you pledged yourself to
eep socrot."
Hardy dismounted without roplylng,
And placed himself nt tho end of tho
Una of registering ontrymon. Tho sun
"The Dcvlll What Brlnos Him Bnck
Hero?"
M-aa far down In tho sky when ho enmo
boforo tho secretary's table, at tho
bnd of tho line. Vnndorvyn roso from
bis easy seat to tako a position behind
klin. Tho secretary hesitated nnd
looked Inquiringly at Vondervyn. Ho
(set with a nod to proceed.
"You wish to reglBter?" ennio tho
curt question of tho chairman.
"Yes," replied Hardy with equal
curtness.
"Is an army ofllcer entitled to enter
tho contest?" questioned tho smallest
commissioner.
"You need not dobato tho matter,"
Mid Hardy. "I havo resigned my com
mission."
Again Vnndorvyn nodded, and thuro
were no further objections raised.
ttardy and ho signed tho register, and
Wttdo their thumb prints, nnd wcro
Holy described In writing by tho boc-
Wary.
Hnrdy at once mounted his maro,
fend rod3 away up tho coulco. Ho did
jj jjjffi jygg IF5
imiMiULiuiiiinJHifU,M,iiiiuuiiiii iw luaMUlinamB lagaaamamiaM
not return until Vnndervyn and tho
commissioners hnd left for tho agency.
That evening he drew up the legal
notices required In tho posting of u
mining claim, and pnld three or four
of tho older prospectors to check them
for errors. To all who hundred, ho
described tho trail by which he had
gone Into the-mountains, and frankly
stated that ho knew of none other
tlmt led to tho nearest of tho four
prominent peaks which had been
named ns tho corners of tho mineral
land boundary.
Tho rest of tho evening nnd most of
the following day he spent In groom
ing his in a re. He gave her no grass
and little water, but n good allowance
of onts. lioth morning and nfternoon
he took hor out for short rides up the
coulee, and each tlmo repeatedly
climbed nnd descended the bnnk. He
did not cross over to the reservation
Hide, much less go to the agency.
The day set for the opening dnwned
still nnd clear, with tho promise of
burning heat by noon.
After breakfast tho more uneasy
spirits began wandering about tliu
camp or lldgetlng with their packs.
Nearly all tho older and more experi
enced men gnvo their ponies a feed of
oats, and stretched out to loungo in
tho shade of their tents.
Two hours boforo tho tlmo set for
tho start Vnndervyn nppenred, and
crossed over to tho camp. Ho was
"ng ms pinio nnu icnmng a puck
JMIIJ. i UUU 11117 U1U i UOytUJi O D(1T
his heavy pick and shovel nnd large,
poorly lashed pack of food and bed
ding, they crncked many dry Jokes on
tho grand chances of tho tenderfoot.
Their own picks and shovels were ns
light as such tools could bo mndo with
out Impairing their clllclency, nnd
their packs woro as lean as Vnndcr
vyn's pack was swollon.
Hardy nlono divined tho deceptive
mockery of his rival's cumbersome dis
play. Hut ho was bound by his word
and could say nothing. It was he, and
not Vnndorvyn, who wns looked upon
with suspicion by tho crowd. Soon
tliero was n gathering of a mobllko
group, that rumbled awhile, and ended
by presenting Itself before Hurdy us
a commltteo of Inquiry.
"You been ngent nt this hero reser
vation," explained their spokesman.
"Wo wnnt to know If you'vo got a
frame-up to havo somo feller meet you
with your pack animals over in tho
mountains."
"No," replied Hardy. "Thero aro
four days' rations in my saddlebugs.
A poncho is nil ono needs in Bleeping
before u flro this tlmo of yenr."
"You ain't got no tools," criticized a
rnnn who had been drinking.
"Tho snmo is truo of soverul among
you," Hnrdy rojolncd.
Ono of tho cowboys who was Includ
ed in this remark called back resonant
ly: "You'vo been Into tho mountains.
I hot you a bluo chip you've got n good
prospect spotted, rendy for branding."
"I nm not malting any bets," said
Hardy. "You havo heard all I know
nbout tho trnll. Mr. Vnndervyn hns
mndo tho trip several times. Ho was
with mo during tho ono trip I made
I hnvo no objection to your qucstonlng
him nbout it."
Thero wns somo muttering over tills.
But Hardy's manner was so cool and
quiet that tho lnclplont mob left him,
nnd straggled over to whero Vnnder
vyn had hired nn expert to throw tho
diamond hitch on his ridiculous pack
Hardy turned his bnck on them, nnd
set to grooming tho satiny coat of his
mare. Ills unconcern was well found
ed. Whatovor mcuns Vnndorvyn used,
thoy woro sulllclcnt to Batlsfy tho
crowd. Tho muttering soon censed,
nnd tho men dispersed.
CHAPTER XXI.
Tho Rnce.
Tho commissioners camo down
from tho ngoncy barely in tlmo to
mako their Identification of tho
contcstnnts. Lust of all Hardy
and Vnndervyn Identified them
solves and hurried over to tho end of
tho waiting line. Thero wns n sennt
flvo minutes remaining. Vnndervyn
wns u-qulvcr with cnger excltemcut
nnd mndo no attempt to conceal tho
fact, no smiled nnd waved his hand
to tho commissioners, and looked about
with snorkling oyes. Thoro wns no
anxiety or envy or innllco In his look,
Nover had ho appeared handsomer or
more boyish.
Tho other commissioners had
climbed Into tho touring cur. Ono of
thom held up his watch. Another com
missioner aroso, thrust a small pistol
above his head with a melodramatic
llourlsh, nml fired.
At tho signal tho lino of contestants
wavered and plunged forwnrd Into tho
shallow stream. Thero woro, however,
qulto enough hasty ones to ralso a
wild splashing and turmoil, ns, whoop
Ing nnd yelling, thoy spurred their po
nlos through tho wntor nnd whirled
away at n gallop. Somo wheeled up
tho coulco; a few rodo straight across
at tho steep bank. Vnndervyn, wild'
est and noisiest of all, headed down
stream for tho road, spurring his
pinto. Ho was followed-by a largo
bunch.
By
Hardy started uftcr these last, hold
ing his maro to her usual steady trot.
When ho camo up the road to the head
of the gulley, those who had gono bo
foro him were nil qulto n dlstnnco
ahead, with Vnndervyn still in tho.
lend. MIdwny between the mouth of
the valley and the agency, tho long
striding mnre began to pass ponies
whoso riders had thought better of
their whirlwind stnrt. Others were
still loping In swift pursuit of Vnnder
vyn. Hardy walked tho mare up tho slopo
of the agency terrace. Ho saw noth
ing of Dupont or Mnrle, and tho In
dians hnd moved nway with their to
pees. Hut In the rear of tho ware
house ho cnught n gllmpso of two In
dian policemen removing the load frcjtn
loaded. Ho put tho mnre Into n gal
lop.
All the way to tho head of tho val
ley Hardy held to a steady cnllop. Ono
ftor another, he passed the remaining
lenders. Tho best of tho ponies were
no match In speed with tho big thor
oughbred. At last only Vnndervyn was abend.
As Hardy overhauled and forged past
Vnndorvyn, tho young fellow turned
and met his gnzo with a look of mock
ing hate. Hnrdy glanced back sev
eral times, prepnrcd to fling himself
flat alongside tho pommel of his sad
dle. Ills uneasiness did not lessen
when a few minutes later Vandervyn
halted, and scrambled down from tho
trnll to get n drink out of tho creek.
Tho crcaso In Hardy's forehead deep
ened.
Ahead, the walls of tho canyon woro
sloping bnck Into tho widened vullcy
whero had been tho first Indian enmp.
Dogs, Indians nnd tepees, all wero
gone. Only n brush-wnllcd dance
lodge remained to tnnrk tho camp site.
As tho maro pounded pnst, she curved
her outstretched neck toward tho
lodge and whinnied. Hnrdy heard no
answer to tho call, but his frown sud
denly deepened.
Ho reached forward and stroked
the mare's sleek neck. Hot as had
been tho raco from tho agency, sho
had not turned n hair. His frown ro-
lnxed. Yet his tight lips showed tlmt
ho wns still uneasy. Ho balanced him
self In his stirrups, and begnn to ride
as. lightly ns possible.
Ascending tho mountnlnslde, ho was
compelled to content himself with tho
mure's nervous, long-strlded wnlk.
Hut whenever tho trnll was not too
steep or rough, ho put her into n trot,
and varied tho pace with an occasional
short gnllop.
An hour passed. Ho was already
well Into tho mountnlns. Ho camo to
a succession of steep climbs nnd de
scents that held tho maro down to a
walk, Presently ho thought ho heard
hoofbeats behind him. Ho listened.
Ho hnd not been mistaken. Au un
shod horso wns coming up with him nt
n steady Jog trot.
It seemed lmposslblo thnt Vander
vyn's pinto could havo so rccupcruted
from thnt whirlwind heading of the
rush as to bo ablo to tako this steep
trail at a trot. Hardy gazed back, ex
pecting to see ono of tbo cowboys. As
ho went down over n rldgo crest, tho
rider cumo up thu rldgo back ncross
tho Intervening gulch. Tho man
snatched off his broad-brimmed hat to
wavo a salute. Tho sun glinted with a
golden sheen on tho unmistakable
blond head of Vnndorvyn.
At tho first small break In tho do-
scent Hnrdy dismounted, unsaddled,
nnd sponged out tho mnro's mouth nnd
nostrils with water from his canteen
Ho then shook out nnd refolded his
Nuvajo saddle blanket, and started to
resnddlo. Hut beforo ho buckled tho
clnch-strnp ho shifted tho pistol from
his breast to n frout pocket In his rid
lug breeches.
Ho wns vigorously grooming tho
mnro when Vnndervyn enmo Jogging
down through tho thickets of tall brush
that grew closo on each sldo of tho
trail. Ho did not pauso In his rub
bing until tho nimble-footed unshod
pony nmbled Into view, less than n
dozen yards up tho trull. Then ho
glanced about, straightened, nnd stood
stnrlng. Tho pony wns a pinto.
Vnndervyn, smiling with Insolont ex
ultnnco, rodo down to him, Ids right
hand Jauntily poised on his hip, over
tho hilt of his rovolvor. Uls oyes
challenged his rlvnl with nn nudnelous,
provoking stnro. Hut nardy looked
only nt tho pinto. Thero wns no sign
of sweat lather on his rough coat, no
weariness In his gait. Ho was fresh
"Lots of come-back to n bronco,
captain," purred Vnndervyn. "Sorry
to rco thnt you've stovo up your mare.
She's too highbred for a rocky road
llko this. But you might tnko off her
shoos and travel light, tho way I've
done."
Tho pony wns now ambling down
tho slopo past tho mare. Hardy looked
at tho unshod hoofs. Thoy woro cov
ered with a coating of clny mire from
tho bottom of tho last gulch, and tho
beast's shudllng pnqo did not expose
tho uuder surfaco of tho hoofs. Whoth
or tho pony hnd or had not been re
cently unshod could not bo seen.
"Groat horse, my llttlo old pluto,
eh?" mocked Vnndervyn. "By-byl I'll
toll Mnrlo you'll be nlong later."
Hnrdy perceived In n Hush why ho
had seen neither tho girl nor her fa
ther at tho agency. Swiftly he wheeled
nbout to mount. Stnrtlcd by tbo quick
notion, Vnndorvyn spurred his pony,
nnd went down tho steep descent nt a
gait far from ensy on even n moun-tuln-brcd
horse's knees. Hurdy fol
lowed nt n wnlk. The opposite rise
was gradual. Ho let the mare take It
nt n slow trot. At the top wns u fair
ly level stretch of trull. Vandervyn
was fur nhend. Hnrdy put tho maro
Into n fast gullop. A few minutes
brought her up so close behind the lop
ing pluto thnt Vundcrvyn spurred his
beast to sprinting speed. Hnrdy fol
lowed nt an easier yet swift puce thut
ngaiu brought him near, as the pluto
slackened to n lope.
A steep ridge mude n brenk la the
gutne. The pinto crossed it at u jog
trot. Tho mare had to walk. Beyond
wns a long stretch of broken eouutry
Hint fnvorcd the pinto. Ho could Jog
over ground thut held the mure to a
wulk, nnd ennter whero she could no
moro than trot. On such a trail ho
wns fully equal to traveling nt these
puces for twelve hours nt u stretch, nil
the time In the lead of the mare. Of
this Hardy wns ns well nwnro ns wns
Vandervyn.
Though he steadily lost ground, ho
kept on In pursuit, coolly studying the
landmarks nhend nnd "lifting" his
mnro ulong over tho heurtbrenklng
trnll. To have given way to the
Impatience that betrayed Itself In his
Hashing eyes would Inevitably havo
lost him tho race by overstraining the
mare. Ho held himself grimly in hand,
nnd wised tho going for his eager
mount with consummate horseman
ship. When they reached better ground,
Vnndervyn wns nguln far uhead. But
Hardy had his reword for his restraint
In tho resilient stride of the mnre us
sho swung Into u full gnllop. Up nnd
down the long, easy slopes, around a
curving mountainside, nnd nlong tho
lovel bench of u stream bank, sho held
to tho cross-country ruclng pace thut
rnpldly rolled up mile nfter mile of
the trnll.
In less than half an hour she
brought her rider nround a sharp
bend only n few hundred ynrds behind
tho pinto. Vnndervyn, over-conlldent,
was Jogging nlong tho level when the
sound of the approaching hoofbeats
throw him Into a half-panic. Thero
wns still n long stretch of easy trail
abend. Ho put his pony into n gallop.
Tho long-legged thoroughbred, still
running ns smoothly ns clockwork,
continued to gain. Vnndervyn began
to swing his spurs.
Tho pinto stnrted to pull nhead.
Hardy held the mnro to tho snmo
speed as before. It was a speed that
ho know sho could mnlntnln for miles,
Ho could see thnt the pinto was being
forced to a killing pnee n paco that
must strain If not break him before
thoy camo to the next rough ground.
On up tho vnlloy rushed tho pursued,
now barely holding his own. Tho cruel
spurring nnd whlp-slnshlng could not
sting tho falling beast to greater ox
ertlons. Ho wus blowing hnrd; his
rough coat was lathered with sweat
Ho began to lose.
At last tho trail mado a sharp turn,
and started to zigzag up tho mountain
side. Tho pinto wns staggering when
ho renched tho foot of tho uscent. The
quicker and longer strldo of tho maro
soon brought them up nt Vnndorvyn's
heels. Tho pitch of tho mouutnln was
too precipitous for Hardy to risk
passing on tho lower sldo of the nnr
row trnll with the mare, and Van
dervyn kept tho pinto closo to the
upper side.
"You huvo no right to block tho
trull," said Hurdy. "Allow mo to
pass."
Vandervyn looked over his shoulder
with un lusolcnt sneer. "Go on jmd
puss, If you'ro In a hurry. You'vo
got all outdoors to do It In. If there's
not room enough, shoot mo In the buck
nnd tnko tho trnll. I'll not get out
of It for you."
Hardy did not reply nor did ho at
tempt to force n passage. At last
twelve miles from the goal of tho
heartbreaking race, cume tho opportu
nlty for which ho hnd boon waiting,
Tho trnll smoothed out In unother
easy stretch. For this ho had boon
holding tho mnro In baud. Ho started
nt n ennter, nnd gradually lot her
strlko Into her long, swift gullop. Van
dervyn suw them coming, nnd at onco
put spurs to his luckloss pony. As
before, Hardy held tho mnro down to
hor host loifg-dlstnnco speed. Tho
mnro enmo up nlongsldo tho pluto nnd
forged abend.
Hardy eyed Vandervyn with utmost
wnrlness. And, us before, nt the hend
of tho cuuyon of Sioux crook, Vnndor
vyn turned In tho Bnddlo, nnd looked
full nt him with a hateful, mocking
smile. Ho pulled In his stnggorlug
pony to a wnlk tho moment Hnrdy
swung into tho trail ahead.
At onco Hardy cased down tho mnro
to n trot. Though ho saw no third
pinto waiting In tho thickets, his oyes
grow hard and cold with grim dotor
mluntlon. Ho was examining his rifle
when n turn of the trnll suddenly gnvo
1 him his ilrst view of the brokon-topped i
I mountain and tho rldee-slde where I
Hedbeur hnd made the second attempt
to assassinate him. As ho looked nt
the shattered summit, his hazel eyes
flashed. He thrust the rifle bHck Into
Its shonth, and drew the mare down
to n wnlk.
Behind him he heard n muffled drum
ming of unshod hoofs. Vnndervyn wus
coming up nt n gnllop.
When the mocking trickster cumo
up behind Hnrdy, ho reined In to u
og trot, nnd, as before, rode pust him
with his hnnd on his hip.
There were marked differences be
tween tho third pinto, nnd tho two first.
He wus tnller nnd lenner, nnd one of
Ids feet wns white. But Hurdy np
penrcd to bo too dejected to heed the
fnct. As the pinto nmbled nwny In
tho lead, Vandervyn smiled, nnd
looked bnck at his rival with all tho
hate gono from his fnce. "By-by again,
old man," ho buntcred. "Sorry I can't
stny to keep you compnny. The lady
Is wultlng nnd tho mine. It mny also
please you to hear that I have a duly
signed uud witnessed contract with
tho tribe, giving rac n fee of 20 per
cent on all moneys npproprlnted In
pnyment to the tribe for their mln
crnl lunds. Let's henr you congrutu
Into me. Show you'ro gumel"
But Hurdy did not rnlse his eyes.
As soon ns Vnndervyn wns out of
sight around tho cnstelluted rocks nt
tho top of tho ridge, Hurdy stopped
tho mnre nnd dropped from the saddle,
His shapely mouth wus curved In a
resolute smile, nnd his hand was rap
idly transferring from tbo snddlebngs
to his pockets a pocket ax, a hundful
of pistol cartridges and tho legal no
tlces for posting a mining claim.
He glanced up the slope, nnd, seeing
no sign of Vnndervyn, stripped off the
mare's bridle, sponged out her nostrils
uud mouth with the lust wnter In his
ennteen.
Hardy took the steep slopo nt nn un
hurried pace. Ho reached tho place
where ho had found the bloody trnll
of Bedbear. Up the cleft the climbing
wns not stiff. Ho cumo out on tho
valley slope, extremely hot nnd dry
but not out of brenth. Drawing nn
airline ncross to the opposite moun
tulnside, where, ho hnd seen tbo light
of TI-own-konzn's enmpflre through the
darkness, lie stnrted down into tho
vnlley nt n Jo'g ns brisk us thnt of tho
third pinto. He wns almost spent ns
ho tottered through the pines up tho
last slope. The camp was gono, but
ho know tho neurest way to tho spring,
He rested two or three minutes, re
peutedly cooling his hend in the spring
and rinsing out his mouth, but drink
Ing only n very few sips. Again re
freshed, he half filled his canteen, und
sturted on up tho eusy mountuln slopo
nt a steudy jog,
Ten minutes brought him over the
summit to the sharp pitch above the
mine. Ho stared down at tho terraco
several moments, however, beforo he
mnde out the figures of n rnnn and
woman waiting nt tho first turn of
the trnll. Thero could bo no doubt
thut the two were Mnrle nnd her fa
ther.
It wns no less certnln that Vander
vyn had not yet arrived. Even had ho
suspected his opponent's stratagem, he
scarcely could havo covered tho seven
miles of trail In ns short a tlmo ns
Hardy hnd taken to make tho three
miles across eouutry,
Tho two watchers never thought to
look about and up the mountain. They
hnd not yet looked nbout when ho
cumo down upon the crest of tho spur
A lurge, newly cut stuko gnvo him n
hint whero ono of tho upper corners
of the clnlm should be locnted. Ho
cut his own stake, drove it, nnd tacked
on one of his lcgnl notices. Another
stnko lndlcnted the other upper corner.
nnd ho swiftly repented the making
of his own stake and posting of tho
notice,
At the curb of the mine shaft ho
posted unother notice. Ho was now In
plain view from the cabin, but out of
sight of tho wntchers down on tho
trnll. On the terrnce, ns ho wns work
ing the third stnkc Into n bed of loose
rocks, ho henrd nu nngry exclumatlon
over near tho cabin. Dupont and Ma
rio had como nround tho end of tho
building, nnd wero staring nt him. In
a frenzy of dlsnppolnted avarice, tho
trader reached for his revolver. Still
moro Bwlftly Murle flung herself upon
him.
"No I no I you shnll not I" sho cried,
"Leuvo It to him ho Is so nearl Lot
them piny out tho gnmol"
Hnrdy run ncross to cut his last
stake. Between tho nx-blows could bo
heard tho hoofbeats of a galloping
horso. He tneked tho notlco on
chopped u smnll hole with his ax in
the hard soil, und set It up. The inlno
was his own.
CHAPTER XXII.
The Owner of the Mine.
At that moment Vnndorvyn loped up
ovor tho odgo of the terrace, waving
his lint to Mnrle. Then ho cnught sight
of nardy, over beyond the girl, and
tho exultant yell died on his Hps. Ho
put tho curb on his pony, nnd sprang
off beside Dupont and the girl, his face
frightful with rage.
Ills volcowas high-pitched and light,
nlmost airy: "So ho cut across afoot!
Ho thought to do mol"
"Has, you ineunl" snarled Dupont.
"Got his notices posted. That's his
last stake."
Vnndorvyn whirled nnd snatched his
rifle from Its saddle shoath. Mario
cnught hor father's arm to drag him
aside; but ho was already backing
away, his eyes fixed apprehensively
on nnrdy. It was tlmo for bullets to
como strenmlng from tho automatic
pistol, nnrdy could havo drawn and
opened flro whilo Vundcrvyn was free
ing his rifle.
To the astonishment of ntl three,
Hnrdy mnde no attempt to "get tho
drop" on his opponent. Instead, he
started to advance upon Vnndorvyn
nt n quick, deliberate pace, his hands
hanging empty ut his sldoe, his fnco
calm and stem.
'Tut down that gunl" ho commnnd-
ed.
Vnndervyn wns leveling the rifle, no
took nlm straight between Hnrdy's
eyes, ins linger msseu the trigger.
The slightest twitch would hnvo sent
the bullet crashing through Hnrdy'a
bruin, and the slightest sign of fear
or hesitancy on Hnrdy's pnrt would
have caused that twitch. Ho wns
looking death in the fnce. Vandervyn
wns In u murderous fury.
Yet Hurdy cumo on quick, stendy,
absolutely calm. His gaze passed
above the deadly muzzle, along tho
foreshortened bnrrel, to the nnrrow-
Jldded, bloodshot eyes of Vnndervyn.
Ills voice rung out nguln, clear and
sharp with authority:
"Put down thnt rifle put It down,
slrl"
The muscles of Vnndorvyn's neck
twitched. Along the top of the barrel
he was glaring buck at Hardy glar
ing Into those hnzel eyes that met
his fury with the clear, cool gaze of
The Trader Reached for His Revolver.
nbsoluto courage. The sheer nervo
of that steady approuch to his rifle
muzzle compelled him to puuse. It
disconcerted him; It struck u chill
into the heat of Ids frenzy.
Still Hnrdy ndvnnced, swift nnd
stendy, his gaze never so much ns
flickering. Now his eyes nnd foreheud,
close beyond the foresight of the rifle,
nppenred enormously enlnrged to Vnn-
dervyn's distorted vision. Stendlly
Hnrdy put up his hnnd, took hold of
tho rifle bnrrel, und turned tho muzzle
nsidc.
"Ah-h-hl" gnsped Mnrle.
Hurdy drew the rifle out of Vander
vyn's relaxing grasp.
"Stand nslde, slrl" ho quietly com
manded. "I wish to speak nlono with
Miss Dupont."
Vnndervyn hnd parted with his rlfio
us if duzed. At the sound of Hnrdy's
voice n fresh wnvo of crimson flooded
his face, no stepped back, and Jerked
out his revolver. Hnrdy leaped upon
htm like a panther, and struck tho
wenpon aside. The heavy bullet
whizzed pnst Hnrdy's hend. A moment
Inter, Vnndervyn, though the younger
nnd perhnps tho stronger of the two,
reeled nwny, clutching his lacerated
trigger finger. Hardy stood with tho
revolver in his hand. He turned to
Marie.
"May I ask for a few words nlono
with you?"
"Nol" Vandervyn honrsely forbado
tho girl. "You shall not speak with
him. Jake, you're her futher tell her
sho shall not."
"You know sho don't never mind
what I say," mumbled Dupont. "Any
way, it sort of looks like Cap is run
ning this here shindy."
nardy had not glanced away from
Marie. Throughout tlmt supreme test
of the will power nnd courage of her
two lovers, sho had stood tense nnd
silent, ns If spellbound. She now
looked from ono to tho other,her face
lnscrutnbly cnlm, her black eyes futh
omless. "I will henr what Captain Hardy has
to say," she said.
Hnrdy motioned her father and Van
dervyn toward tho inlno dump. They
obeyed.
"Wo nro nlone," said Marie.
Hardy smiled. "I won the race."
"Was It fair, cutting across coun
try?" "Fair? Then you did not know of
his scheme."
"What scheme? I do not under
stnnd." '
"It docs not now matter. I won tho
race and tho mine."
"Do you expect mo to rejoice with
you?" asked tho girl. "It has cost
my father his half of tho mine."
"How so? Ho is not an entryinan."
"Itegglo gnvo him a deed to a half
Interest." "I see," Bnld Hnrdy. "Quito In keep
ing. Tho deed Is absolutely void, and
would havo been no less so even had
tho grantor been first to reach here."
"You doubt his good faith I" Tho
girl glanced post him toward tho sul
len figure of Vnndervyn on tho mlno
dump with her father. "So you thought
it better to tako it all yourself than
to let him tako It all?"
"Yes," agreed Hardy.
Tho girl's red Hps curved In nn Iron
ical smilo.
"I do not go with tho mine neccs
snrlly." "No. But tho mlno necessarily goes
with you now," replied Hnrdy. . "
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
