THE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
1 he Y ukon 1 rail
By WILLIAM MACLEOD
GENEVIEVE MALLORY, SEEING MACDONALD SLIPPING
FROM HER GRASP, TAKES A HAND IN THE GAME
Synopslo. An o representative of tho government Gordon Elliot la
on hla way to Alaska to Investigate coal claims. On tho boat he meets
and becomes Interested In a follow passenger whom ho learns Is Sheba
O'NefTL tfso "going In." Colby Macdonuld, active head of tho land
grnbMftg syndicate under Investigation, comes aboard. Elliot and Mac
ilald becomo in n rnensuro friendly. Landing nt Kusluk, Elliot finds
that old friends of his, Mr. nnd Mrs. Paget, nro the people whom Sheba
fins como to visit. Mrs. Paget In Sheba's cousin. At dinner Elliot
revenls to Mncdonnld tho object of his coming to Alaska. Tho two men,
naturally antagonistic, now also becomo rivals for tho hand of Shebn.
MacdoTatd, foreseeing failure of his financial plans If Elliot learns tho
facts. :nds Selfrldge, hla right-hund man, to Kamatlah to arrange mat
ton rn that Elliot will bo deceived aH to tho true situation. Elliot also
ler for Kamatlah nnd, wandering from the trail, believes thut ho
fes death. Selfrldge, on his nrrlval nt Kamatlah, Iiuh his agents ab
duct Gideon Holt, old-tlmo miner, who knows too much about Mac
flonnld's activities. Elliot wnnders Into tho camp where llolt Is held a
prisoner. Tho two men, overpowering tho kidnapers, return to Kamat
lah, whero Elliot learns tho truth about tho conl land deals. On tho
wojr back to Kuslak, Elliot meets n squaw, Metcctse, with her child
wUo, Elliot learns, Is Mncdonnid's son. Soon nftcr his return, Elliot
lctfrns that Macdonald and Sheba havo becomo engaged.
CHAPTER Xl. Continued.
Presently ho spoko thickly. "I sup-
pso you havo heard that ho was a
uniaw man."
"That's ridiculous. Don't bo nbsurd,
Gordon."
"It's the truth. I've Been tho woman.
Bho was pointed out to mo"
"By old Gideon Holt, likely," cho
usncd.
"Ono could get ovldcnco nnd show It
lo Miss O'Neill," ho Bald aloud, to him
wlf rather than to hor.
Dlano put her point of view beforo
Mm with heated, candor. "Tom mnldn't.
nobody but a cad would rako up- old
tcandals about tho man who has bent-
hi him fairly for a woman's love."
"You bos tho question. Has ho won
winy?"
"Of courso ho has. Bo a cood snort.
Gordon. Don't kick on tho umplro'a
decision. i'ay tho game."
"That's rtl very well. But what
bout her? Am I to sit quiet whllo
sho Is sacrificed to a codo of honor
that sccmr to mo rooted In dishonor?"
"Sho Is Hot belnir snerlfleed. T'm
xcr cousin. I'm very fond of her. And
ra trust nor with Colby Macdonald."
"Piny fair, Dlano. Toll her tho truth
fcbout this Indian womnn nnd lot your
ceusln decldo for herself. You can't
no less, can you?"
Mrs. Paget was distinctly annoyed.
"You ought to bo ashamed of yourself,
Uoraon Ell ot Yon tnko nil tho iron
Mp of n crack-brained old Idiot for
fospci truth Just becauso you want
o bellovo tho worst nbout Mr. Mac
donald. Colby Macdonald Is too big
nu too nggresslvo not to havo wndo
hundreds of enemies. Ills lifo hns been
tfircatcncd dozens of times. But ho
Bays no nttentlon to it goes right on
building tip this country. Yet you'd
think ho had n cloven hoof to hear
omo pcoplo talk. I'vo no patlcnco
with them."
"Tho woman's namo Is Metcctso,"
Gordon said In an oven voice, Just as
Ifho were answering a question. "Sho
Is young nnd good-looking for an In
Hlnn. Her boy Is four or flvo years old.
Dolmnc, they call him, and ho looks
Just llko Mncdonald."
'Teoplo nro always tracing resem
blances. Thoro's nothing to that. But
wpposo his lifo was irregular years
ngo. This Isn't Boston. It used to bo
Uie frlngo of civilization. Men did ns
Jhey pleased In tho early days."
"This wasn't In tho early days. It
was flvo yenrs ago, when Macdonald
wan examining tho Kamatlah coal Hold.
I'm told ho sends a check down tho
river otico a month for tho woman."
"All tho moro credit to him if ho
4oes." Dlano roso and looked storm
lly down at hor friend. "You'ro nbout
an broad as n clam, Gordon. Can't you
ea that oven If It's truo, all thut la
dono with? It Is a part of bis past
Jnd It's finished trodden underfoot,
t hasn't a thing to do with Sheba."
"I don't acrca with voti. A. mnn
lail't cut loose entirely from hln mint.
n is n part ot mm and Macdonnld's
rt Isn't good enough for Sheba
O'Neill."
DInno tapped her llttlo foot Impa
tiently on tho floor. "Do you kuow
pinny men whoso pasta aro good
tenough for their wives? Colby Mac
jtonald Is good enough for any woman
)Uvo If ho loves her enough."
"You don't know him."
1 "I know him fiu better than you do.
JHe is tho biggest man I know, and now
that ho la in lovo with a good woman
fce'll rlso to his chance."
"Sho ought to bo told tho truth
)bout Metcctso and her boy," ho in-
rsted doggedly.
Mrs. Paget lost her temper complete
ly. "Does tho government puy you
jto mind other peoplo'a business, Gor
don?" Bho snapped.
"I wouldn't bo working for tho gov
ernment then, but for Sheba O'Neill."
"And for Gordon Elliot You'd be
Bolng underhand work for him too.
Don't forget that You can't do It.
You'ro not that kind of a man. It
Isn't In you to go muckraking In tho
past of too mun Sheba Is going to
Barry." f
3-
Elliot roso and looked ncross ot the
blue-ribbed mountains. Ills squaro
Jaw was set when ho turned It back
toward Diane.
"Sho Isn't going to marry him If I
can ncip it," no said ou otlv.
Do walked out of tho gato and down
tno wane toward his hotel.
A messogo was waiting for him there
from his chief In Senttle. It called him
down tho river on business.
CHAPTER XII.
Genevieve Mallorv Takes a Hand.
Insldo of an hour tho news of thn
engagement of Macdonald was all over
Kusioic. It was through n telephone
receiver that tho gossip was buzzed
to Mrs. Mallory by a friend who owed
her n llttlo stab. Tho voice of Geno
vlovo Mallory registered faint amuse
ment, Dut as soon ns sho had hung up,
nor raco fell into hnccnrd linns. Sim
had staked a. year of her waning youth
on winning tno big mining mnn of
Kuslnk, together with nil thn mnnnw
that sho hnd been nblo to scrapo up
lor tno campaign outfit Moreover, sho
hkcu mm.
Mrs. Mnllory sat down in tho hall
bcsldo tho telephone her fingers laced
about ono crossed knee. Sho know
Hint If Sheba O'Neill had not como on
tho scene, Macdonald would havo
osiceu nor to marry him. Ho had been
moving Blowly toward hor for mnnllio
Thoy understood ench other and wcro
at caso together. Between thorn was n
strong physical nfllnlty.
alien Dlano Facet had bronchi in thin
slim, young cousin of hers and Colby
lum-iiumiiu nau oceii rnselnated by tho
mystery of hor lnnnoent vm,ti.
Mallory was llko Btcol beneath tho soft
ami indolent surface. Swiftly sho
mnppcd her plan of nttnek.
kan could not bo moved, but it might
uu jiussiDio to stnrtlo tho girl Into
breaking tho engagement
But beforo Bho nindn
1 u uita,
Mallory Intended to bo suro of her
fncts. It was llko hor to go to head
quarters for Information. Sho got
Macdonald on tho wire.
"I'vo Just heard ROmethftlr- ntrtn
about you. Do toll mo it's trim"
said, her volco warm with sympathy.
juiicuuuniu inugncu with almost boy
ish embarrassment. "It's true, I
reckon."
"I'm SO clad. She's n Inrolw Mrt
Tho sweetest thing that over lived!
I'm suro you'll bo hn Ilv. T nlivnva 11.1
think you would mnko n perfect hus
band. Of courso, I'm simply green
with envy of her."
ner llttlo rinnlo of lnuehter wns .nw
and care-free. Tho man nt tho other
end of tho lino novcr hud liked her bet
ter. SIlO Was a CHIllO Httln ntinrt lm
told hllnself approvingly. It appealed
io mm immensely thnt sho could take
such a facer and como up smiling.
There were no signs of worry wrin
kles on her fnco when tho maid ad
mitted a caller half an hour later.
Oliver Dustln wns tho nnmo on tho
card, no was a remtttnnco man, n
tnmo llttlo parlor pet whoso vocation
wns to fetch and enrrv for nrottv wnm.
en, nnd by somo odd trick of fato ho
nau sirteu into tho Northland. Mrs.
Mallory had tolerated him rnthnr
scornfully, but today Bho smiled upon
mm.
Dustln helned himself to it pfpnrnHn
and mado himself comfortable.
Sho set herself to win him. tt too a
Immensely fluttered nt her nwukened
interest. When sho called him by hla
first name, ho wagged all over llko a
pleased puppy.
It enmo to him after n tlm.. thnt hn
wns considering him for a confidential
mission, no assured hor cncerlv thnt
thcro was no troublo too great for him
to tako If ho could bo of nnv snrvlnn
to her. Their heads wcro closo In
whispered talk for-a few minutes, at
tho end of which Dustln loft thn
with his chin In tho air. Ho was n
Knight errnnt in tho employ of tho
most nttraetlVO womnn nnrlh nt flftv.
thrco.
When Elliot took thn rfnurn.rlvnr
boat ho found Oliver Dustln was a fel
low passenger. Tho llttl man smoked
RAINE
an occasional cigar with tho land agent
and aired his views on politics and af
fairs social. Do left tho boat nt tho
big bend.
Not till a week later did Elliot re
turn up tho river. IIo wns asleep at
tho time tho Sarah passed tho big
bend, but next morning he discovered
thnt Selfrldgo and Dustln had como
aboard during tho night. In tho after
noon ho enmo upon n real surprise
when ho found Metcctso nnd her llttlo
boy Coltnac seated upon n box on tho
tower uecK where freight for local
jioinis wns stored.
Ills guess was that they were local
passengers, but wharf after wharf
slipped behind them and the two still
remnlncd on hoard. Th nv ntinnnrnii
to know nobody else on the Snrah,
tuougn onco uordon met Dustln Just ns
ho was hurrying uwny from tho Indian
wuinun.
Metcctso transferred with the other
Kusinir passengers nt tho river lnnf
tlon. Tho Held agent was not tho only
ono on bonrd who wondered where
she was solng. Sclfrldeo wns ron
sumed with curiosity, nnd whnn shn
and the boy got off at Kuslak, he could
restrain himself no longer. Gordon
SUW Wally talking with hor. Mntnntsn
showed him nn envclopo which evl-
ucntiy nau nn address written upon it,
for tho little mnn pointed out to her
me direction in which sho must no.
Since lcavlne Kuslnlc nnnrlv twn
weens ucrore, no word hnd reached
Gordon of Shebn. As soon ns ho hnd
finished dinner nt tho hotel, ho wnlked
out to tho Paget house and sent In
ins caru.
Sheba camo Into tho hnll to mpnt
him from the living room where she
i . . . ...
una oeen sitting with tno mnn sho ex
pected to marry next week. Sho gavo
a uttio murmur of nleosuro nt slcht of
mm anu neiu out both hands.
"I wns afraid you weren't irnlni tn
gee dock m time. I'm so glad," Bho
toia mm warmly.
IIo mnnnced to nehtevn n umlln.
"When Is tho great day?"
"Next Thursday. Of rnnrsn no'rn
aa busy as can be, but Dlano Bays"
A tlXXK nt tho door lnterrnnted her.
Sheba btenned forward nnd lot In nn
inuinn woman with n llttlo bov cl np
Ing to her hnnd.
"You Miss O'Neill?" sho nsked.
,JYes."
From tho folds of her nhnwl cho
dr.ow n letter. Tho girl glanced at tho
auurcss, then opened and rend what
was written. HllO looked nn. nnzzler!
first at tllO COmelv. flnt.fnntnil Tnrllnn
woman and nfterwnrd nt Hio handsome
uttio brown-faced papoose. Sho turned
to uoruon.
"This letter snvs I nm to nslr thin
woman who Is tho fntlior of her hnv
What does It mean?"
uordon knew instnntlv whnt it
meant, though ho could not guess who
nau dealt tho blow. The Impulse to
"What Does It Mean?"
spare her pain wns stronger In him
thnn tho dcslro that sho should know
tho truth.
"Send her nwav." he urced. "Don't
nsk any questions. Sho has been sent
to hurt you."
A fuwnllko fear flashed Into tho stnr-
tlcd eyes. "To hurt me?"
"I am afraid so,"
"But why? I have dono nohndv
any harm." Sho tfeemed to hold oven
her breathing In suspense,
"Porhuns eomo of Macdonnld's one-
mlcs," ho suggested.
And at that thcro enmn n Ntnr.flnu)i
Into tho soft eyes and a lifted tilt nt
Hie chin cut flno ns n cameo. She
turned proudly to tho Indian womnn.
"What la It that you hnv to tell mo
about this boy's father?"
Mctectse began to snenk. At thn
first mention of Mncdonnid's nnmo
Sheba's eves dilated. Her
sweet, glad pleasure at Gordon's 'nrrl-
it
Alaskan
Love Story
Copyright, William Mnclcod Balne. "
vnl, wore already gone llko tho flnmo
of a blown caudlo. Clcnrly her heart
was n-flutter, in fear of sho know not
whnt. When the Indian womnn told
how sho had first crossed tho path of
Macdonald. tho color ilnmed Into thn
checks of the Irish girl, but as the
story progressed, tho blood ebbed
even from her lins.
With a swift movement of her An
gers sho flashed on tho hnll light. Her
gazo searched tho brown, shiny fnco of
the little chap. She read there an af
fidavit of the truth of hlsmothera
talc. It was Impossible to see him
and not recognize Colby Macdonald re
Incarnated. "What is your name?" asked Sheba
suddenly.
Tho youngster hung back shyly
among tho folds of the Indian woman's
skirt. "Colmac," ho said at last softly.
"Come 1" Sheba flung open tho door
of tho living room nnd ushered them
In.
Macdonald, pacing restlessly up and
down the room during her nbsencc,
pulled up In his stride. Ho stood frown
ing nt tho native woman, then his eyes
passed to Elliot and fnstened upon
him. The fnco of the Scotsman wa3
grim aa that of n hanging Judge.
Gordon started to explain, then
stopped with n shrug. What was tho
use? Tho man, would never believe
him In tho world.
"I'll remember this." tho Alaskan
promised his rival. There was a cold
glitter In his oyes, n sudden flare of
the devil that was blood-chilling.
"It's true, then," broke In Shebn.
"You're a squaw man. You belong
to this woman."
"Nothing of tho kind. That's been
ended for years.
"Ended?" Sheba drew Colmac for
ward by tho wrist. "Do you deny that
this la your boy?"
The big Alaskan brushed this asldo
as of no moment. "I dare say ho Is.
Anyhow, I'm paying for his keen. Whnt
of It? That's all finished and dono
with."
"How can. It bo done with when
when she's the mother of your child,
your wife beforo God?" Stnndlng there
strnignt aa an aspen, tho beautiful
bosom rising and fnlllntr nuleltlv while
tho etorm waves beat through her
uiooa, Hiiohii O'Neill had never made
more appeal to tho strong, lawless
man who desired her for hla wife.
"You don't understand." Mnedon
nld's big fists were clenched so snv-
agcly that tho knuckles stood out
whlto from the brown tan of tho flesh
"This Is a man's country. It's new
close to nature. What ho wants he
takes If he's strong enouch. I'm ele
mental. I"
"You wnnted her nnd vou took her.
imow you wnnt me and I sunnoso
you'll take mo too." Her scornful
words had the sting of a whinlnsh.
"I'vo lived as all men llvo who have
red blood In them. This woman was
an Incident. I've been nboveboard
Sho can't say I ever promised more
tnnn rvo given. I'vo kept her and tho
uoy. it's been no secret. If vou hnd
nsked, I would have told you tho whole
story."
"Docs that excuse you?"
.IT .1 1 i
i uun i neeu any excuse. I'm a
man. That's excuse enough. Tho ono
big fact you want to set your teeth into
now is thnt I love you. thnt there isn't
another womnn on God's earth for me,
and that thero never will bo ngnin."
Her eyes flashed battle. "Tho one
big fact I'm facing Is that you have
insulted me that you insult me again
wiien you mention lovo with that worn
an and boy In the room. You bolom?
to them go to them nnd leave mo
nlone. I hate the slcht of vou. Whv
don't you go all of you and lenvo
mo in pcace7 '
It was a cry of bruised nrlde and
wounded love. Elliot touched thn Tn.
dlnn woman on tho shoulder. Metcctso
turned stolidly and walked out of thn
room, still leading Colmac by tho hand.
Tho young man followed.
Macdonald closed tho door behind
them, then strode frowning up nnd
down tho room. Tho fenr wns crow.
Ing on him thnt for all his great driv
ing power ho could not shnke. thin
dim girl from the view to which she
cuing, ins relation with Metcctso
had been natural enough. Uo believed
mat ne nau acted very honornblv to
her. Many a man would havo left
her In the lurch to tnko CrtPO fit in
youngster by herself. But he hud ac
knowledged his obllcntion. nn tun
paying his debt scrupulously, nnd be
causo or it tno story had risen to con
front him. ne folt that It was nn un-
lust blow of fato.
Ho knew that he must lustlfv him.
self beforo Sheba or loso her. As ho
stood In tho dusk bo tall and rigid, ho
know her heart was steel to him. Her
finely chiseled fnco had tho look of
race. Never had tho snell of h or honn
moro upon him. Ho crushed back a
keen-edged dcslro to tnko her supplo
young body Into his nrms nnd kiss her
till Hio scarlet ran Into her checks
llko splashes of wine.
"xou haven't tho nroner innt nn
this, Shebn. Alaska Is tho last fron
tier. It'a tho dropping-off place.
You're north of flfty-Uirce."
"AtU I north Of tllO Ten Commnnrl.
ments?" sho domnnded with the lnor.
orablo Judgment of youth. "Dlfl you
leavo the moral code nt homo when
you came In over tho Ice?"
Ho Bmlled a llttlo. "Morality Is tho
average conduct of tho average man
nt a given tlrao nnd place. It Is based
on custom nnd expediency. The rules
mado for Drogheda won't fit Dawson
or .worne. Meteetse does not hold her
self disgraced but honored. She rmtntu
her boy far superior to tho other
youngsters or the village, nnd ho Is
so considered by tho tribe. I nm told
sho lords It over her sisters."
A fnlnt flush of anger crept Into her
cheeks. "Your view of morality puts
US On n level tfltli 41m nnlm.ln T ...111
I- mJ HIIIIIIUIO, x will
not di.4cuss tho fiubject, if you plcnse."
wo must discuss It I must get you
to soo that Metcctso and what Bho
stood for In my life have nothing to
do with tis. They belong to my past
Sho doesn't exist for cither of us
Isn't In any wny n part of my present
or iuiure."
"Sho exists for me." answered Shebn
listlessly. She felt suddenly old nnd
weary, "nut I can't tnlk nbout It.
i'lense go. I want to be nlone."
Again Macdonald paced restlessly
uowa tno room and back. The man
For Answer He Kissed the Red Lips.
WB8 Ono a'moni ten thousnnd. domi
nant virile, every ounco of him strong
ns tested steel. But ho felt as if all
his energy were caged.
"Why don't you go?" the girl plead
ed. "It's no use to stay."
Ho stopped In front of her. "I'm
going to marry you, Sheba. You'ro
mine."
"No. Never 1" she cried. "I'll tako
the boot and go homo first"
"You've promised to marry me.
You're going to keep your word and
bo glad of It all your life."
She shook her head. "No."
"Yes." Macdonald had always
shown remarkable restrnlnt with her.
He had kissed her seldom, and nlways
with a kind of nwo nt her vouncr nur-
ny. now ho caught her by tho shoul
aers.
Tho color flamed into her face. Sho
looked hot to tho touch, nn active
volcano rendy to erupt. Thero was an
odd feeling in hor mind that this hltr
man was a stranger to her.
"Tnko your hands from me," sho or
dered.
"Do you think I'm coiner to clvo vou
up now now, after I've won you
because of a fool scruple In your
pretty head? You don't know mo. It's
too late! I lovo you and I'm colnc
to protect both, of us from your nrud-
isnness."
nis arms closed on her nnd hn
crushed her to him, looking down hun
grlly into tho dark llttlo face.
"Let mo CO." sho cried fiereelv.
struggling to free herself.
-V
For answer ho kissed tho rod Una.
tho flamlnc checks, the nnirrv evej.
Then, coming to his senses, ho pushed
ner rrom mm, turned, and strode heav
lly from tho room.
CHAPTER XIII.
Gordon Buys a Revolver.
Sclfrldeo was not entrer to meet his
chief, but ho knew ho must report nt
once. Ho stopped at his houso only
lone cnoucn to cot into fresh einthos
nnd from thcro walked down to tho
office.
It had been tho Intention of Mnn.
donald to go direct from Sheba to his
ofllce. but tho explosion broucht nhnnt
by Metcctso had sent him out Into tho
nuis ior a long tramp. 110 was in
a stress of furious emotion, and nntll
ho hnd worked off the edgo of it by
nard mushing, tho cramped civiliza
tion ot tno town stitiea mm.
nours later ho strode Into thn nfTW
of tho company. Wally lay asleep in
a swivel cnnir, ms rat body sagging
and his head fallen sldewnrs In nmh n
way ns to cmphaslzo tho plump folds
of his double chin. His eyes opened.
They took In hla chief slowly. Then,
In a small panic, ho Jumped to hla
feet
"Must 'a been takintr thirty winks."
he explained. "Been ud nichta n cood
denl."
"What doinc?" demanded tho Scots.
mnn hnrshly.
In a hurried attempt to divert tho
anger of Macdonald, his assistant
mndo a mistake. "Snv. Mnet wim
do you think camo up on tho boat
with mo? I wondered If you know.
Meteetso nnd her kid"
no stopped. The blc mnn wns elnr-
lng Bnvngely at him. But Macdonuld
Bnld nothing, no waited, nnd uuuer
the compulsion of his forceful slleaco
Wally stumbled on helplessly.
" They got off here. 'Courso I
didn't know whether you'd sent for
her or not, co I stopped nnd kinder
gnvc her tho glad hand Just to slao
things up."
"Yes."
"Sho'hnd tho nddrcss of Miss O'NcllL
thnt Irish girl staying nt Hio Pagets,
the ono Hint camo In "
"Go on," snapped his chief.
"So I directed her how sho could
get thero nnd "
Wally found himself lifted from th
chair nnd hammered down Into It
ngnin. His soft flesh quaked llko a
Jelly. As ho stared pop-eyed at the
furious face abovo him, tho fat chin
of the llttlo man dropped.
"My God, Mac, don't do thatl" h
whined.
Macdonald wheeled abruptly away,
crossed tho room In long strides, nnd
came back.
"What's tho use?" ho natd aloud.
"You'ro nothing but a spineless put
tercr. Haven't you enough sense oven
to give mo n chanco to decide for
myself? Why didn't you keep tho
woman with you till you could Bend
for me, you daft monkey?"
"If I had known"
"D'yo think you'vo got senso enough
to tnko n plain, straight message as
far as the hotel? Becauso if you havo,
I've got ono to send." .
Wally caressed tenderly his bruised
flesh. Ho had a childlike desire to
weep, but ho was afraid Macdonald
would kick him out of tho office.
"'Course I'll do whatever you sav.
Mnc," he answered humbly.
The Scotch-Canadian brushed the
swivel chair and Its occunnnt to ono
side, drew up another chnlr In front
or tho desk, nnd faced Selfrldgo
squarely. The eves thnt blazed nt tho
little man were Hio grimmest ho had
ever looked Into.
"Go to the hotel and seo this man
Elliot alone. Tell him he's cono too
far butted Into mv nffnlrs onco too
often. There's not n man alive Pd
stand It from. My orders are for him
to get out on tho next boat. If he's
here after that, I'll kill him on sight"
Tho color ebbed out of the florid
face of Wally. Ho moistened his lips
to speak "Heavens, Mac, you can't
do that. He'll go out and renort "
"Let hlra say what ho likes. Put this
to him straight: that he and I can't
stay In this town and both of us
live."
Wally hnd tanned nn too many hleh-
balla In tho past ten years to relish
this kind of mission. His nerve wns
gone. Ho had not tho punch nnv moro.
Yet Mnc was nlways expecting him to
help out with his rouch stuff, ho re
flected fretfully. Tnko this message,
now. There was no sense In It. Self-
ridge plucked up his courage to say so.
iiiat won't buy us anything but
trouble,, Mac. In tho old days yon
could put ovei? "
Tho llttlo man nevei- cnessed how
closo ho camo to being flung through
tho transom over tho door, but his In
stinct wnrned him to stop. His ob
jection died nway In a. mumble.
O course I'll do whatever you sav."
ho added a second time.
"See you do." advised his chief, nn
ugly look In his eyes. "Tell him ho
gets till tho next hont Tf he's hern
after that, ho'd better go heeled, for
I'll shoot on sight wherever we meet"
Selfrldgo went on his errand with
lagging feet Ho found Elliot sitting
moodily alono on tho porch of tho
hotel.
In Gordon's pocket thero wns a note
to Macdonald explaining that he had
nothing to do with tho coming of Me
teetse. He hnd expected to send It by
tho hotel porter that evening, but tho
curt order to lenvo town filled him
with a chill anger. Tho dictator of
affairs at Kuslak might think what ho
pleased for all tho explanation ho
would get from him.
"Tell your master I don't tako or
ders from him," ho told Wally quietly.
"I'll stay till my work hero Is dono."
They had moved a few yards down thn
street Now Gordon turned, lenn.
lolned nnd active, and trod with crisp,
confident step back to tho hotel. TTn
had said all that was necessary to say.
two men standing on tho porch
nodded a good evening to him. Gor
don, about to pass, glanced at them
again. They were Northrup and Tre
lawnoy, two of tho miners who had had
troublo with Macdonald on Hie boat
On Impulso ho stonDed. "Found
work yet?" ho nsked.
"Found a Job and lost it nrmin
Northrup answered sullenly.
Too bad."
"Macdonald passed tho word nlnm.
that wo weren't to get work. So our
boss fired us,, Tho wholo district Is
closed to us. Wo been blacklisted,"
explained Trelawney.
"And we'ro busted," added hla mato.
Elliot was always free-handed. Per.
haps ho felt Just now unusunllv svm.
pathetic toward theso victims of tho
high-handed methods of Macdonald.
From hla pocket ho took
leather purso and gavo a pleco of gold
to each or them.
"Just as a loan to carry von for a
couplo of day8 till you get something
to do," ho BUggested.
Northrup demurred, but nfter a Httln
pressing accepted tho accommodation.
"i pay you soon back," he promised.
Trelawney lauched recklesslv. tt
had been drinking.
"You bet Mo too."
Elliot finds himself In a serious
predicament as a result of a re
markablo chain of circum
stances which ceem to convict
him. These circumstances aro
related In the next Installment
(TO HE CONTINUED.)