THE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
The Yukon Trail
By WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE
I
ELLIOT AND SHEBA FIND THEY HAVE MUTUAL FRIENDS
HE AND MACDONALD BECOME RIVALS
8ynoptli. As a representative of tho government Gordon Elliot Is
on his way to Alaska to Investigate coal claims. On the boat ho meets
and becomes Interested In n fellow passenger whom ho learns Is Sheba
O'Neill, also "going In." Colby Macdonald, nctlvo head of tho land
grabbing syndlcato under investigation, comes aboard. Macdonald is
attacked by mine laborers whom ho had discharged, and tho nctlvo
intervention of Elliot probably saves his life. Elliot and Macdonald
become In a measure friendly, though tho latter does not know that
Billot Is on a mission which threatens to Bpoll plans of Macdonald to
acqulro millions of dollars through tho unlawful exploitation of Im
mensely vnluablo coal fields. Elliot also "gets a lino" on tho position
occupied by Wnlly Sclfrldgo, Mncdonnid's right-hand man, who Is re
turning from n 7lstt to "tho Statea," where ho had gono In an effort to
convince the authorities that thcro was nothing wrong In Macdonaid's
mothods. Elliot socurcs an Introduction to Miss O'Neill and while tho
boat la taking on freight tho pair set out to climb a locally famous
mountain. They venture too high and reach a position from which It
la Impossible for Miss O'Neill to go forward or turn back. Elliot
leaves Sheba and at Imminent peril of his llfo goes for assistance. IIo
meets Macdonald, who had become alarmed for their safety, and they
roturn and rescue Shebn.
CHAPTER IV Continued.
About a mile below tho falls ho met
two men. Ono of them was Colby Mac
flonald. lie carried a coll of rope over
ne Bhoulder. Tho big Alaskan ex
fclalnod thnt ho had not been able to
got it out of his head that porhaps
the climbers who had waved at his
party had been in difficulties. So ho
Bad got a ropo from tho cabin of an
old miner and was on his way back
to tho falls.
Tho throo Climbed to the falls,
crossed tho brldgo and reached tho top
ef the cliff.
"You know the lay of tho land down
there, Mr. Elliot. We'll lower you," do
elded Macdonald, who took command
bo a matter of course.
Gordon presently stood beside Sheba
en tho llttlo plateau. Sho had qulto
recovered from tho touch of hysteria
gjt had attacked her courage. "You
weren't long," was all sho eald.
"I met them coming," he answered
as ho dropped tho loop of tho ropo over
her head and arranged It under her
shoulders.
Ho showed her How to rellovo part
ef the strain of tho ropo on her flesh
by using her hands to lift.
"AU ready?" Macdonald called from
above.
"All ready, Elliot answered. To
f heba ho said, "Hold tight."
The girl was swung from tho ledge
and rose jerkily In the nlr. Sho
laughed gayly down at her friend bo-
lew.
"It's fun."
Gordon followed her a couple of mln
fetes later. She was waiting to gtvo
fclra a hand over tho edgo of tho cliff.
"Bliss O'Neill, this Is Mr. Macdon
ald," ho said, as soon as ho had ff?od
Blmself from tho ropo. "You are fcl
leW passengers on tho Hannah."
Macdonald was looking at her
fcraight and hard. "Your father's
ame was it Farrell O'Neill?" ho
flaked bluntly.
"Yen."
T know him."
The girl's eyes lit. 'Tin glad, Mr.
Macdonald. That's ono reason I want-
ty una From the Ledge and Rose Jerk
ily In the Air.
at to come to AlaBka to hear about
My father's llfo hero. Will you tell
ttr ...
'Some time, wo must uo going now
M catch tho boat after I've had a
took at tho cliff this young man
trawled across."
He turned away, abruptly, It struck
Wot, and climbed down tho natural
italrway up which the young man had
ome. Presently ho rojolned those
jbove. Macdonald looked nt Elliot
!tb a new respect , '
'You're la luck; my, friend, that
wo'ro not carrying you from tho foot
of the cliff," ho said dryly. "I wouldn't
cross thnt rock wall for a hundred
thousand dollars In cold cash."
"Nor I again," admitted Gordon with
a laugh. "But wo had cither to home
stead that plateau or vacato it I pre
ferred tho latter."
Miss O'Neill's deep eyes looked at
him. Sho was about to epeak, then
changed her mind.
CHAPTER V.
Sheba Sings and Two Men Listen.
Elliot did not see Miss O'Neill next
morning until sho appeared In tho din
ing room for breakfast Ho timed him
self to get through so as to Join her
when she left. They strolled out to
tho deck together.
Ho camo abruptly to what was on
his mind. "I have an apology to make,
Miss O'Neill. If I made light of your
danger yesterday, It was becauso I was
afraid you might break down. I had
to seem unsympathetic rather than
risk that"
Sho smiled forgiveness. "All you
eald was that I might havo sprained
my wrist. It was truo too. I might
havo and I did." Sheba showed a
whlto linen bandage tied tightly
around her wrist.
"Your wholo weight camo on It with
a wrench. No wonder it hurt"
Sheba noticed that tho Hannah was
drawing up to n wharf and the pas
sengers wcro lining up with their be
longings. "Is this whero wo change?"
"Those of us going to Kuslak truns
fer here. But there's uo hurry. Wo
wait at this landing two hours."
Gordon helped Sheba move her bag'
gage to tho Other boat and Joined her
on deck. They were both strangers
In tho land. Their only common ac
quaintance was Macdonald and ho was
letting Mrs. Mnllory absorb his atten
tlon Just now. Left to their own re
sources, tho two young peoplo nntu
rally drifted together n good deal.
This suited Elliot. Ho found his
companion wholly delightful, not tho
less becauso sho was so different from
tho girls ho know nt homo. Sho could
bo frank, and oven shyly audacious on
occasion, but sho held a little noto of
rcservo ho felt bound to respect.
Macdonald left tho boat twenty miles
below Kuslak with Mrs. Mallory and
tho Selfrldg.es. A chauffeur with a
motorcar was waiting on tho wharf to
run them to town, but he gave tho
wheel to Macdonald and took tho scat
beside tho driver.
"Are you going to tho hotel or direct
to your cousin's?" Gordon asked Miss
O'Neill.
"To my cousin's. I fancy she's down
hero to meet me. It was arrauged that
I come on this bont."
Elliot caught a gllmpso of tho only
peoplo In Kuslak ho had known beforo
coming In, but though ho waved to
them ho saw they did not recognize
him. After tho usual delay about get
ting ashore ho walked down the gang
way carrying tho suitcase of tho Irish
girl. Sheba followed at his heels. On
tho wharf ho camo face to face with
a slender, well-dressed young woman.
"Diane I" ho cried.
8ho stared at him. "You I What In
heaven's namo are you doing hero, Gor-
don Elliot?" she demanded, and before
ho could answer hnd seized' both hands
and turned excitedly to call a stocky
man near. "Peter Peter I Guess
who's hero?"
"nollo, Paget I" grinned Gordon, and
ho shook hands with tho husband of
Dlnno.
Elliot turned to Introduce his friend.
out she anticipated him.
"Cousin DInne," sho sold dryly,
"don t you know mo?"
Mrs. Paget swooped down upon tho
girl and smothered her In her em
brace.
This is Sheba llttlo Shebn that I
havo told you bo often nbout, Peter,"
she cried. "Glory be, I'm glud to seo
you, child." And DIano kissed her
again warmly, "You two mot on tho
samo bont, of course, coming In. I
hopo you didn't let her get lonesome,
Gordon. Look after Sheba's suitcases.
Peter. You'll come to dinner tonight,
Gordon nt seven."
"I'm in tho kind hands of my coun
trywoman," laughed Gordon. "I'll cer
tainly bo on hand."
"But what In tho world aro you do
ing hero? You'ro the last man I'd
havo expected to see."
"I'm In tho service of tho govern
ment, and I've been sent in on busi
ness." "Well, I'm going to say something
orlglnul, dear people," Mrs. Paget re
plied. "It's a small world, Isn't It?"
While ho was dressing for dinner
later In tho day, Elliot recalled early
memories of the Pagets. Ho had
known Diane ever since they had been
youngsters together nt school. Ho
remembered her as n restless, wiry
llttlo thing, ken nB a knlfc-blnde. Al
ways popular socially, she had sur
prised everybody by refusing tho catch
of the town to marry a young mining
engineer without a penny. Gordon was
In college at tho time, but during tho
next long vacation he had fraternized
a good deal with tho Peter Pagets. Tho
young married peoplo had been very
much In love with each other, but not
too preoccupied to tnko tho college boy
Into their happiness as a comrade.
Then tho Arctic goldflelds had claimed 1
Paget and his bride. That had been '
more, than ten years niro. and until
today Gordon had not seen them since.
While Elliot was brushing his dinner
coat beforo tho open window of the
room assigned to him at tho hotel
somebody camo out to the porch below.
The volco of a Woman floated faintly
to him.
"Seen Diane's Irish beauty yet,
Ned?"
"Yes," a man answered.
The woman laughed softly. "Mrs.
Mallory came up on the same boat
with her." The Inflection suggested
that tho words were meant not to tell
a fact, but somo less obvious Infer
ence. "She's wonderfully pretty, and of
course Diane will, mnke the most of
her. But Mrs. Mallory Is n woman
among ten thousand."
"I'd choose the girl If It wcro me,"
said the man.
"But it Isn't you. We'll see what
we'll see."
They wcro moving un the street and
Gordon heard no more. What he had
heard was not clear to him. Why
should any lmportnnco attach to tho
fact that Mrs. Mallory and Sheba
O'Neill had como up tho river on the
samo boat? Yet ho was vaguely dis
turbed by the Insinuation that In some
way Diane was entering her cousin a8
n rival of the older woman. Ho re
sented the Idea that tho fine, young
personality of tho Irish girl was being
cheapened by management on tho part
of DIano Paget
Elliot was not tho only dinner guest
nt tho Paget home that evening, no
found Colby Macdonald sitting In tho
living room with Shebn. She came
quickly forward to meet tho newly ar
rived guest
"Mr. Macdonald has been telling mo
about my father. Ho knew him on
Frenchman creek whero" they both
worked claims," explained the glrL
Tho big mining man made no com
ment and added nothing to what sho
said. Thcro wcro times when his faco
was about as expressive as a stono
wall.
Tho dinner went oft very well. Diane
and Peter had a great many questions
to ask Gordon about old friends. By
tho tlmo these had been answered Mac
donald was chatting easily with Sheba.
Sho listened with glowing eyes to tho
strange tales this man of magnificent
horizons had to tell. Never beforo had
sho como Into contact with anyone like
him.
raget was superintendent of tho
Lucky Strike, a mlno owned princi
pally by Mncdonnld. Tho two talked
business for a few minutes over their
cigars, but DIano Interrupted gayly to
bring them back Into the circle.
Adroitly she started Macdonald on tho
account of n rescue of two men lost
In a blizzard the year before, no had
tho gift of dramatizing his story, of
selecting only effective details. There
was no suggestion of boasting. If ho
happened to be tho hero of any of his
Btorles the fact was of no lmportanco
to him. It wns merely a detail of tho
plcturo ho was sketching.
Gordon Interrupted with n question
n story ho was telling of n light ho had
seen between two bull moose.
"Did you sny that was whllo you
wcro on tho way over to Inspect tho
Kamatlah coal fields for the first
tlmo?"
Tho eyes of tho young man were
Quick with Interest
"Yes."
"Four years ago last spring?"
Macdonald looked at htm with n
wary steadiness. Homo doubt had
found lodgment In his mind. Before
ho could voice It, If, Indeed, ho had
any such Intention, Elliot broke In
awlftly
"Don't answer that question. I
nsked It without proper thought. I am
a special ageut of tho general land
ofllco sent up to Investigate tho Mac
donald coal claims and kindred In
terests."
Slowly tho rigor of tho big Scots
man's steely eyes relaxed to a smile
that was genial and disarming. If this
news hit him hard bo gave no sign
j4n
Alaskan
Love Story
Copyright, William Maclcod Ilalnc.
of It And that It was nn unexpected
blow there could bo no doubt.
"Glad you'vo come, Mr. Elliot. Wo
ask nothing but fair play. The men
who own the Macdonald group of
claims havo nothing to conccnl. I'll
answer that question. I meant to say
two years ago last spring."
His voice was easy and his gazo un
wavering as ho made tho correction,
yet everybody in tho room except Sheba
knew ho was deliberately lying to
cover the slip. For tho admission that
ho had Inspected the Knmatlah field
Just beforo his dummies had filed upon
It would at least tend to aggravate sus
picion that the entries were not bona
fide.
It wns rather an awkward moment
Shebn unconsciously relieved the situ
ation. "But what about the big moose, Mr.
Macdonald? What did It do then?"
The Alaskan went back to his story.
IIo wub talking for Shebn alone, for
tho young girl, with eager, fascinated
eyes which flashed with sympathy as
"Don't Answer That Question."
they devoured selected glimpses of his
wild, turbulent career. She saw him
with other eyes than Elliot's. Tho gov
ernment official admired him tremen
dously. Macdonald was an empire
builder. He blazed trails for others
to follow In safety. But Gordon could
guess how callously his path was
strewn with brutality, with tho effects
of an ethical color-blindness largely
selfish, though even he did not know
that tho man's prlmltlvo Junglo code
of wolf eat wolf had played havoc with
Sheba's young life many years before,
Diane, satisfied that Macdonald had
scored, called upon Sheba
"I want you to sing for us, dear, If
you will."
Sheba accompanied herself. Tho
voice of tho girl had no unusual range,
but it was singularly sweet and full of
tho poignant feeling that expresses
the haunting pathos of her race.
It's well I know ye. Shove Cross,
To weary, stony hill.
An' I'm tired, ooh, I'm tired to bo
looking on yo still.
For hero I llvo the near sldo
an' ha Is on the far.
An' all your heights and hollows are
between us, so they are.
Och aneel
Gordon, ns he listened, felt the
strange hunger of that homesick cry
steal through his blood. Ho saw his
own emotions reflectod In tho face of
tho Scotch-Canadian, who was watch
Ing with a tenso Interest tho slim
young flguro at tho plnno, tho girl
whoso eyes were Boft and dewy- with
tho mysticism of her people, were still
luminous with the poetry of tho child
In spite of tho years that heralded her
a woman.
Elliot Intercepted the triumphant
sweep of DInne's glance from Mncdon
nld to her husband. In n flash It lit
, up for him tho words ho had heard on
the hotel porch. Diane, an Inveterate
matchmaker, Intended her cousin to
mnrry Colby Macdonnld. No doubt sho
thought sho was doing a fine thing for
the girl. He wns a millionaire, the
biggest figure In tho Northwest His
Iron will ran tho town and district
ns though the people were chattels of
his. Back of him were somo of tho
biggest financial Interests In tho United
States.
But the gorge of Elliot rose. Tho
man, after all, was a lawbreaker, a
menace to civilization. He was a sur
vivor, by reason of his strength, from
tho prlmltlvo wait-pack. Tho very
look of his hard, gray eyes was domi
nant and masterful. Ho would win,
no matter how. It camo to Gordon's'
rebel heart that If Mncdonnld wanted
this lovely Irish girl and tho young
man never doubted thnt tho Scotsman
would want her ho would rench out
and gather In Sheba Just as If she
wcro a coal mlno or a placer prospect.
All this surged through tho mind of
tho young man whllo tho singer was
on the first lino of tho second stanza.
vim
'
But if t was only Shove Cross
To cllrab from foot to crown,
I'd soon bo up nn" over that,
I'd soon bo runnla down.
Then sure tho greal ould sea Itself
la there bcyont the bar,
An' all the windy wathera aro
Between us, so they arc
Och aneet
Tho rich, soft, young volco with Us
Irish brogue died away. The llttlo nu
dlenco pnld tho singer tho tribute of
silence. Sho herself wns tho first to
speak,
"'Divided' is tho namo of It A
namesake of mine, Molrn O'Neill, wrote
It," sho explained.
"It's n beautiful song, and I thank
yo for singing It," Macdonald said sim
ply. "It minds mo of my own barefoot
days by the Toy."
Later In tho evening tho two dinner
guests walked back to tho hotel to
gether. They discussed casually the
cost of living In tho North, the rnlslng
of strawberries at Kuslak, and tho best
way to treat tho mosquito nuisance,
but neither of them referred to tho
Macdonald 'coal claims or to Sheba
O'Neill.
CHAPTER VI.
Wally Gets Orders.
Macdonald, from his desk, looked up
at the man In tho doorway. Selfrldge
had como In Jauntily, n cigar In his
mouth, but nt sight of the grim face
of his chief tho grin fled.
"Como In nud shut the door," ordered
tho Scotsman. "I sent for you to con
grntulato you, Wally. You did flno
work outside. You told mo, didn't you,
that It was all settled at last that our
claims aro clear-listed for patent?"
Tho ttibby llttlo man felt tho edgo
of Irony in tho quiet voice. "Sure.
That's what Wlnton told me," ho as
sented nervously.
"Then you'll be Interested to know
thnt a special agent of tho land de
partment sat opposite mo last night
and without batting nn ere came
across with the glad news that he was
hero to Investigate our claims."
Selfrldge bounced un like a rubber
ball from tho chair Into which ho had
Just Bettlod. "Whatl"
"Pleasant surprise. Isn't it? I've
been wondering what you were doing
outside. Of course I know you had
to take In tho shows and cabarets of
New York. But couldn't you edge In
an nour or two once a week to attend
to business?"
Wnlly's collar began to choke him.
The cool, hard words pelted like hall
"Must be bluff, Mac. The muckrake
mngazmes nnve raised such n row
about the Guttenchlld crowd putting
over a big titeal on tho public that the
party leaders are scared stiff."
"I understand thnt. Wally. What
don't get Is how you camo to let them
slip this over on you without even
a guess that It was going to happen."
That phase of the subject Selfrldge
did not want to discuss.
"Bet you a hat I've guessed It right-
Just a grand-stand piny of tho ndmln
istratlon to fool the dear people. This
fellow has got his orders to give us
a clean bill of health. Sure. That
must bo It.
Elliot that
I suppose it's this man
camo up on tho boat
with us."
"Yes."
"Well, that's easy. If he hasn't been
seen we enn see him."
Macdonald looked his man Friday
over with a scarcely veiled contempt.
xou'vo nbout as much vision ns
breed trader. Unless I miss my guess,
Elliot isn't that kind. He'll go through
to a finish. If he sees straight we're
all right, but If he Is n narrow conser
vation fnnntlc ho might go ahead and
queer tho wholo game."
"xoa wouldn't stand for that" The
quick glance of Selfridgo nsked a ques
tion.
Tho Hps of the Scotsman were like
steel traps and his eves nolnts of steel
"We'll cross that bridge if wo come to
u. uur llrst move is to try to win him
to see this thing our way. I'll have a
casual talk with him before he leaves
for Kamatlah and feel him out."
"wnnrs ne doing here at all? If
ne's Investigating the Kamatlah claims
why does he go hundreds of miles out
of his way to como in to Kuslak?"
asked Selfrldge,
Macdonald smiled sardonically. "He's
doing this Job right. Elliot ns good as
torn mo tnat he's on the Job- to look up
my record thoroughly. So he comes to
Kuslnk first. In a fow dnys he'll leave
for Kamatlah. That's where you como
in, wally."
"How do you mean?"
"You're going to start for Kamatlah
tomorrow. You'll orrango the stage
beforo he gets there seo all tho men
and the foremen. Line them un so
they'll como through with tho proper
mis. ir you nave any doubts nbout
whether you con trust someone, don'
take any chnnces. Firo him out of the
I camp. Offer Elliot the company hos
pltnllty. Load him down with favors.
'laKo blm everywhere. Show him cv.
erythlng. But don't let him get nny
proors mat the claims aro being
wurKeu unucr tno samo management."
-liut no il suspect It"
"You can't help his suspicions. Don'
let hlra get proof. Cover nil tho tracks
uiat show company control."
"i can ux that," ho said. "But what
about Holt? You know how bitter he
is ana crazy, no ought to bo locked
uway with tho illtter-mlcc."
"You mustn't let Elliot meet Holt"
"How the deuco can I help It? No
chance to keep them apart In that
iiuio noie. can't bo done."
"Can't It?"
Something In tho quiet volco rang
n bell of alarm In tho timid heart
01 seunuge.
"You mean"
"A man who works for mo as my
lieutenant must havo nerve. Wniii-
Havo you got thnt7 Will you take
orders and go through with them?"
Wnlly nodded. Hla Hps were dry
"Go to It What am I to do?"
'Get Holt out of tho wny whflf f$
Hot is at Kamatlah. It isn't dolni
Holt any good to sit tight clamped tq
that claim of his. Ho needs a changtf,
Besides, I want him away so that wqf
can contest his claim. Run him un
Into tho hills. Or send him across tq
Siberia on a whaler. Or, better still,
havo him arrested for Insanity anq
send him to Nome. I'll get Judgo Lan
dor to hold him nwhllo."
"Lenvo it to me. The old man It
going on n vacation, though ho docsn?
know it yet."
"Good enough, Wnlly. I'll trust yo
But rajnember, this fight has reachef
nn acute stage. No moro mistakes,
Tho devil of it is wo never seem tq
land tho knockout punch. Wo'vd
beaten this bunch of reform idiots be
foro Wlnton, beforo tho secretary oi
tho interior, before tho president anq
beforo congress. Now they're begun
nlng all over again. Whero is it id
end?"
"This is their last kick. Probabli
Guttenchlld agreed to It so as to lei
tho party go beforo tho peoplo at ihf
next election without any apologtca
Entlroly formal Investigation, I shoulf
say."
This might bo true, or It might not
Macdonald knew that Just now tn
American people, always Impulsive lijf
Its thinking, wns supporting strongly,
tho movement for conservation. A
searchlight had been turned upon th
Kamatlah coal fields.
The trouble had originated in a dflk
partment row, but it had spread until
tho Macdonald claims had becomo q
party Issue. Tho officials of the land
office, as well as tho national admin
istratlon, were friendly to tho claim
ants. They had no desire to offend on
of the two largest money groups In th
country. But neither did they want tfl
como to wreck on account of the Gob
tenchllds. They found it impossible tJ
ignore the charge that the entries weri
fraudulent and If consummated would
result in a wholesalo robbery of thi
public domain. Superficial lnvestlg&i
tlons hnd been made and tho claimant!
whitewashed. But the clamor hnd pop
slsted.
Tho facts were simple enough. Mao,
donnld was the original promoter o
the Kamatlah coal field. He had em
gaged dummy entrymcn to tako uj
1G0 acres each under the homestead
act Later he Intended to consolidate
tho claims and turn them over to th
Guttenchllds under an agreement bj
which he was to receive one-eighth of
the stock of the company formed tl
work the mines. The entries had beeq
made, the fee accepted by the land ofl
flee and receipts Issued. In course oi
time Macdonald had applied for pat?
ents..
Before these were issued the mnga'
zlnes began to pour In their broadsides)
and since then tho papers had bepd
held up.
The conscience of Macdonald wa
quite clear. The pioneers In Alaskfl
were building out of tho Arctic wnstl
a new empire for the United Stated
and he held thnt a fair government
could do no less than offer them libera
treatment. To lock up from presenj.
use vast resources needed by Alnskanj
would be a mistaken policy, a narnraf
and perverted application of tho doq
trlno of conservation. The territory
should be thrown open to tho worldj
If capital were Invited In to do Ita
shnre of the building, Immigration
would flow rapidly northward. Within
the lives of the present generation the.
new empire would take shape and
wealth would pour Inevitably Into th
United States from its frozen treasury
house.
Tho view held by Macdonald waf
one common to the whole Pacific coast
Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, werfl
"Get Holt Out of the Way While EW
Hot Is at Kamatlah."
a unit In tho belief that tho govern
mcnt had no right to close the doofl
of Alaska and then put a padloclq
upon It
Femlnlno voices drifted from thf
outer office. Macdonald opened thai
door to let In Mrs. Selfrldge and Mrs.
Mnllory.
On the way to Kamatlah, El
Hot wanders from the trail and
after struggling desperately for
many hours, resigns himself to
death.
(TO lit! CONTINUED.)
If you must prejudge a man, at least
suspend sentence.