Nebraska Newspapers

    THE 8EMI.WEEKLY TRIDUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
The Yukon
By WILLIAM MACLEOD
CHAPTER XXI Continued.
12
Whllo thoy ate, the party went Into
cemmlttcc of the whole to dccldo wlint
was best to bo dono. Gordon noticed
that in all the tentative suggestions
raade by Holt and Swiftwater the
comfort of Sbeba was the first thing
Im mind.
, The ffrl, too, noticed it and smil
ingly protested, her soft hand lying
for the moment on tho gnarled one of
the old miner.
"It doesn't matter about roc. Wo
frnre to think of what will be best for
Mr. Ilolt, of how to get him to tho
proper caro. My comfort can wnit"
Tho plan at laBt decided upon was
that Gordon should make a dash for
Smith's Crossing on snowshocs, whero
ho was to arrange for a relief party to
come out for tho Injured man and Mrs.
Olson. Ho was to return at onco with
out waiting for tho rescuers. Next
morning, ho and Shcba would start
with Holt's dog team for Kusiak.
Macdonald had taught Shcba how to
uso snowshocs and sho had been an
apt pupil. From her suitcase sho got
ut her moccasins and put them on.
She borrowed tho snowshocs of Ilolt,
wrapped herself In her parka, and an
nounced that sho was going with El
liot part of tho way.
Gordon thought her movements a
mlraclo of supplo lightness. Her lines
bad tho swelling roundness of vital
youth, her eyes were nllvo with tho
agcrness that tlmo dulls in most
faces. They spoko little as thoy swept
forward over tho whlto snow wastes.
Tho spell of tho great North was over
her. Its mystery was stirring in her
heart, just as it had been when her
Hps had turned to his at tho sunrise.
'As for him, lovo ran through his veins
ltko old wine. But ho allowed his feel
lngs no expression. For though she
had como to him of her own accord for
that one blessed minute at dawn, ho
could not bo sure what had moved her
so deeply. Sho was treading n world
primeval, tho wonder of it still In Jior
soft eyes. Would sho waken to lovo
or to disillusion? '
Ho took caro to seo that sho did
not tire. Presently he stopped and
held out his hand to say good-by.
"Will you come back this way?" sho
sked.
"Yes. I ought to got hero soon after
ttark. Will you meet mo?"
Sho gave him a quick, shy little nod,
Iturned without shaking hands, and
struck out for tho cabin. All through
lhe day happiness flooded her heart.
iWitlo sho watted on Holt or helped
Mrs. Olson cook or watched Swlftwa-
ter whllo ho put up tho tent in tho leo
of tho cabin, little snatches of song
bubbled from her lips. Sometimes
they were bits of old Irish ballads that
popped into her mind. Once, whllo
eho was preparing somo coffee for her
patient, it was a stanza from Burns:
Till a' tha itai ran? dir. my dear.
And the rocki melt wl' the tuns .
X will lovo tliet still, my dear, '
WhIU th undi o' llfo shall run.
She caught old Gideon looking nt
her with a queer little smlio on his
weather-tanned face and sho felt tho
color beat Into her chcoks.
"I haven't bought a wedding present
for twenty years," ho told her pres
ently, apropos of nothing that had
been said. "I won't know what's tho
proper thing to got, Miss Sheba."
"If you talk nonsonso like that I'll
so out and talk to Mr. Swiftwater
Fete," she threatened, blushing.
Old Gld folded his hands meekly.
"Til. bo good honest I will. Let's see.
I got to moko safe and sane convcrsa
tton, havo 17 Hm I Wonder when that
Ut,y, long-legged, good-for-nothing
Rornotiiiei ana noiaup mat cans him'
self Gordon Elliot will get back to
eamp."
Shcba looked into his twinkling eyes
suspiciously as sho handed him his
coffee. For a moment she bit her lip
to keep back a smile, then said with
Mock severity:
"Now, I am going' to leavo you to
Mrs. Olson."
i When sunset camo it found Shcba
mi tho trail. Swiftwater Fcto had of
tercd to go with her, but sho had been
relieved of his well-meant kindness by
me demand of Holt.
"No, you don't, Pete. You nln
k-gotn' off galllvantin' wltli no young
Uuy.. You'ro a-goln' to stay hero and
tx my game leg for me. What do you
reckon Miss Shcba wants with a fat
top-sided lummox like you along with
tr?"
Peto grow purple with embarrass
cnt. Ho had not Intended anything
oro than civility and ho wanted this
Sndcrstood.
-limp; Ain't you got no sense
it-tall, Old? If Miss Shcba's bent on
coin' to meet Elliot, I allowed somo ono
ought to go along and keep tho dark
affen her. 'Courso there ain't nothln'
going to harm her, unless sho goes and
gets lost"
Shcba's smile cooled tho heat of tho
stage driver. "Which she isn't going
to uo. Good of you to offer to go with
e. Don't mind Mr. nolt. Everybody
known ho doesn't mean half of what
fce Buys. I'd bo glad to havo you como
nlth me. but it isn't necessary at all
-so I'M not trouble you,"
Darkness fell aulckly. but Sheba still
eld tt the trail. There was bo sign
of Elliot, but she felt sure ho would
come soon. Mcanwhllo sho followed
tcadlly the tracks ho had mado ear--
Her in tho day.
Sho stopped at last. It was getting
much colder. Sho was miles from the
camp. Keiuctnntiy biio ucciuea iu re
turn. Then, out of the darkness, no
camo nbruptiy upon ncr, mo man
whom sho had como out to meet.
Under tho magic of tho Northern
stars they found themselves again in
each other's arms for that brief mo
ment of joyful surprise. Then, na it
hod been in tho morning, Shcba drew
herself shyly away.
"Thoy aro waiting supppr for us,"
she told him Irrelevantly.
He did not shout out his happiness
and tell her to let them wait. For
Gordon, too, felt awed at this wonder
ful adventure of lovo that had befal
len them. It was enough for him that
they were moving sldo by side, alono
in the deep snows and th biting cold,
that waves of emotion crashed through
his pulses when his swinging hand
touched hers.
They were acutely conscious of each
other. Excitement burned In the eyes
that turned to swift, reluctant
meetings. Sho was a woman, nnd he
was her lover. Neither of them dared
quite accept tho fact yet, but It filled
tho background of all their thoughts
with delight.
Shcba did not want to talk of this
new, amazing thing that had como Into
her life. It was too sacred a subject
to discuss Just yet even with him. So
sho began to tell him odd fancies from
childhood that lingered in her Celtic
heart, talcs of tho "little folk" that
were half memories and half Imagin
ings, stirred to llfo by somo old asso
ciation of sky and stars. Sho laughed
softly at herself as sho told them, but
Gordon did not laugh at her.
Everything sho did was for him dl-
vlnoly done. Even when his eyes were
on tho dark trail ahead ho saw only
tho dusky loveliness of curved check,
tho face luminous with a radlanco
somo women aro never privileged to
know, tho rhythm of head and body
nnd slender legs1 Unit was part of her
individual heaven-sent charm.
Tho rest finished supper beforo Gor
don and Sheba reached camp, but Mrs.
Olson had a hot meal waiting for them.
"I fixed up tho tent for tho women
folks stove, sleeping bags, plenty of
wood. Touch a match to tho firo and
It'll bo snug as a bug in a rug," ex
plained Swiftwater to Gordon.
Elliot and Shcba wero to start early
for Kusiak and later tho rescue party
would arrlvo to take caro of Holt and
Mrs. Olson.
"Tlmo to turn in," Holt advised.
"You better light that stove, Elliot"
Tho young man was still In the tent
arranging tho sleeping bags when She
ba entered. He tried to walk out with
out touching Iter, intending to call
back his good-night But ho could not
do it. There was something flatney
about her tonight that went to his
head. Her tender, tremulous little
smllo and tho turn of her buoyant
little hcud stirred in him a lover's
rhapsody,
"It's to bo a long trail wo cover to
morrow, Sheba. You must sleep. Good
night."
"Good night Gordon."
There was a llttlo flash of audacity
In tho whimsical twist of her mouth
it was tno urst tlmo sho had over
called him by his given name.
Elliot threw away prudenco and
caught her by tho hands.
"My dear my dear 1" ho cried.
She trembled to his kiss, cavo her
self to his embrace with Innocent pas
Hlon. Tendrils of hair, flno as silk,
brushed his checks and sent strange
thrills through him.
They talked the incoherent languago
of lovers that is compounded of mur
murs and silences and the tpuch of
lips nnd tho meetings of eyes. There
wero to bo other nights In their lives
as rich in memories us this, 'but never
another with quite Wio snmo delight
Presently Shebn reminded him with
a smllo of the long troll ho had men
tlonod. Mrs. Olson bustled Into the tent,
and her presence stressed tho point.
"Good night, neighbors," Gordon
called back from outsldo tho tent.
Hhcna's "uoou night" echoed softly
back to him.
Tho girl fell nsleop to tho Bound of
tho light breeze slapping tho tent and
to tho doleful howling of tho huskies.
CHAPTER XXII.
A Message From the Dead.
Macdonald drove his team Into tho
teoth of tho storm. Tho wind camo In
gusts. Spmctlmes tho gale was so stiff
that tho dogs could scarcely .crawl for
ward against it ; again there wero mo-
mcnts of comparative stillness, fol
lowed by squalls that slapped tho
driver in the faco like tho whipping of
a looso sail on a catbont.
nigh drifts mado tho trail difficult
Not onco but fifty times Macdonald
loft tho gee-polo to break a way
through snow-waves for tha sled. The
best ho could got out of his dogs was
thrco miles an hour, and ho knew that
there was not another team or driver
in the North could havo dono so well
It wns closo to noon when ho reached
a division of tho road known as the
Fork. Ono trail ran down to tho river
rail
RAINE
and up It to tho distant creeks. Tho
other led across the divide, struck the
Yukon, and pointed n wuy to the coast
Whlto drifts had long since blotted out
tho track of the sled that had pre
ceded him. Had tho fugitives gono up
the river to tho creeks with Intent to
holo themselves up for the winter? Or
was It their purpose to cross tho dlvldo
and go out over tho Ice to the const?
Tho pursuer knew that Gld Ilolt was
wlso as a weasel. Ho could follow
blindfolded tho pnths that led to every
creek In the gold-fields. , It might bo
taken us a certainty that he had not
plunged Into such n desperate venture
without having n plnn well worked out
beforehand. Elliot had a high grade
of intelligence. Would they try to
reach the const and mnko their get
away to Seattle? Or would they dig
themselves In till tho heavy snows
wero past and como hack to civiliza
tion with tho story of n lucky strike to
account for tho gold they brought with
them? Neither gold dust nor nuggets
could bo identified. There would be
no way of proving tho story false. The
nly evldcnco ngalnst them would be
that they had left at Knslnk and this
was merely of a corroborative kind.
There would bo no chance of convict
ing them upon it.
To strike for Scnttlo was to throw
away all pretense of Innocence. Fugi
tives from Justice, they would have to
disappear from Bight in order to es
cape. The hunt for them would con
tinue until at last they wero unearthed.
Ono fork of tho rond led to compara
tive safety ; tho other went by devious
windings to tho penitentiary and per
haps tho gallows. The Scotsman put
himself in the plnce of the men he was
trailing. Given tho same conditions,
ho knew which path ho would follow.
Macdonald took the trail that led
down to tho river, to tho distant gold
creeks which offered a refugo from
man-hunters in many a deserted cabin
marooned by tho deep snows.
Even tho Iron frame nnd steel
muscles of the Scotch-Canodlnn pro
tested against tho task ho had 'set them
that day. It was a time to sit snugly
Inside by a stovo and listen to the
howling of tho wind as it hurled itself
down from the divide. But from day
light till dark Colby Macdonald fought
with drifts and breasted tho storm. He
got Into the harness with the dogs, no
broko trail for them, cheered them,
soothed, comforted, punished. Long
after night had fallen ho staggered into
tho hut of two prospectors, his parka
so stiff with frozen snow that it had
to be beaten with n hammer beforo tho
coat could be removed.
"How long 8lnco n dog team passed
seven huskies and two men?" was
his first question.
"No dog team has passed for four
days," ono of the men answered.
"You mean you haven't seen1 one,"
Macdonald corrected.
"I mean none has passed unless. It
went by in tho night while wo Blent
And even then our dogs would have
warned us."
Macdonnld flung his ice-coated gloves
to a tablo and stooped to tako off his
roukluks. His face was blue with tho
cold, but tho bleak look in the eyes
Slowly Macdonald Moved Toward It
camo from within. Ho said nothing
more until he was frco of his wet
clothes. Thou ho sat down heavily and
passed a hand over his frozen eye
brows. "Get mo something to eat and tako
cure of my dogs. There Is food for
them on tho Bled," ho Bald.
Whllo he ato he told them of tho
bank robbery and tho murder. Their
resentment against tho men who hud
done it was quite genuine. There
could be no doubt they told tho truth
when they said no sled had preceded
his. They wero honest, reliable pros
pectors. lie knew them both well.
Tho weary man slept llko u log. no
opened his eyes next morning to find
ono of his hosts shaking him.
uin
Alaskan
Love Story
Copyright, Wllllnm Maclcod Ralnc.
"Six o'clock, Mr. Macdonald. Your
breakfast Is ready. Jim is looking .out
for the huskies."
Half an hour Inter tho Scotsman
gave the order, "Mush I" Ho was off
again, this time on tho back trail ns
fur as tho Narrows, from which point
ho meant to strike across to intersect
the fork of tho road leading to the di
vide. The storm had passed nnd when the
late sun rose It wns In a bluo sky. Flno
enough the day was overhead, but tho
slushy boow, whero it wns worn thin
on tho river by tho swep of tho wind,
made heavy travel for the dogs. Mac
donald was glad enough to reach tho
Narrow, where he could turn from the
river nnd cut across to hit the trail of
tho men he was following. He had
about five miles to go before ho would
rench tho Smith Crossing rond and
every foot of it he would have to
break trail for tho dogs. This wns slow
business, since ho had no partner nt
the cec-pole. Back and forth, bnck
nnd forth heltmdgod, beating down the
looso snow for the runners. It was a
hill trail, and the drifts were in most
places not very deep. But the Scots
man was doing tho work of two, and
at a killing pace.
Over a ridge tho team plunged down
Into a llttlo park where tho snow was
deeper. Macdonnld, brenklng troll
across the mountain valley, found his
feet weighted with packed Ice slush so
that he could hardly move them. When
at Inst ho had beaten down a path for
His dogs no stood breathing deep nt tho
summit of the slope. Beforo them lay
tho ninln road to Smith's Crossing,
senrco fifty yards away. He gavo a
deep whoop of triumph, for along it
ran the wavering tracks left by a sled.
Ho was on tho heels of his enemy at
last
As ho turned back to his Siberian
hounds, the eyes of Macdonald camo
to abrupt attention. On tho hillside,
not ten yards from him, something
stuck out of tho snow like a signpost.
It was the foot of a man.
Slowly Macdonald moved toward it
Ho knew -well enough what he had
stumbled across ono of the tragedies
that in the North are likely to be found
in tho wake of every widespread bliz-.
zard. Some unfortunate traveler, blind
ed by tho white swirl, had wandered
from the trail and had staggered up a
draw to his death.
With a llttlo digging tho Alaskan
uncovered a leg. The man had died
where ho had fallen, face down. Mac
donnld scooped away the snow and
found a pack strapped to the back of
the burled man. He cut tho thongs
nnd tried to ease it away. But tho
gunnysack had frozen to the parka.
When ho pulled, tho rotten sacking
gavo way under the Btraln. The con
tents of tho, pack spilled out.
Tho eyes in tho grim faco of Mac
donald grew hard and steely. He had
found, by somo strange freak of
chance, much more than he had ex
pected to find. Using his snowshoe as
a shovel, he dug the body free and
turned It over. At sight of the face he
gavo a cry of astonishment
Gordon overslept. His plan had been
to reach Kusiak at tho end of a long
day's travel, but that had meant get
ting on tho trail with the first gleam of
light. When ho opened his eyes Mrs
Olson was calling him to rise.
Ho dressed nnd stopped out Into the
cold, crisp morning. From tho hill
crotch the sun wns already pouring
down a great, fnnllkc shaft of light
ncross tho snow vista. Swiftwater
Peto passed behind him on his way to
the stablo and called a cheerful good
morning in his direction.
Mrs. Olson had put the stove outside
the tent and Gordon lifted it to the
spot whero they did tho cooking.
"Good morning, neighbor," ho called
to Shebn. "Sleep well?"
Tho little rustling sounds within the
tent ceased. A face appeared In tho
doorway, the flaps drawn discreetly
closo beneath the chin.
"Never better. Is my breakfast
ready yet?"
"Como and help mo make it Mrs,
Olson Is waiting on Holt"
"When I'm dressed." Tho smiling
face disappeared. "Dublin Bay" sound
ed in her fresh young voice from the
tent. Gordon joined In tho song as he
lit tho fire and sliced bacon from
frozen slab of it
Tho howling of tho huskies inter
rupted the song. They had evidently
heard something that excited them,
Gordon listened. Was it In his fancy
only that tho breeze carried to him the
fulnt jingle of sleigh-bells? Tho sound
If it was one, died away. Tho cook
turned to his Job.
He stopped sawing at tho meat, knife
and bacon both suspended in the air,
On tho hard snow there had como to
him tho crunch of a foot behind him,
Whoso? Sheba was In the tent, Swift
wnter at tho stable, Mrs. Olson In the
house. Slowly ho turned his head.
What Elliot saw sent tho starch
through his body. He did not move an
Inch, still sat crouched by tho fire, but
every nervo was at tension, every
nuisclo tnut For he was looking at a
rifle lying negligently In brown, steady
hands. They wero very sure Hands,
very competent ones. Ho knew that
because he had seen them in action.
Tho owner of tho hands was Colby
Macdonald.
Tho Scotch-Canadlnn stood nt the
edge of a willow grove, nin faco was
grim as the day of judgment
"Don't move," he ordered.
Elliot lnughed Irritably. Ho wa3 both
annoyed nnd disgusted.
"What do you want?" he snapped.
"You."
"What's worrying yon now? Do yon
think I'm Jumping my bond?"
"You're going bnck to Kusiak wlth
me to give a lifo for the ono you
took."
"What's that?" cried Gordon, sur
prised.
"Just as I'm telling you. I've been
on your heels ever since you left town.
You and Holt ore going back with mo
as my prisoners..
"But whnt for?"
"For robbing tho bonk nnd killing
Robert Milton, as you know well
enough."
"Is this another plnn arranged for
mo by you and Selfrldge?" demanded
Elliot.
Macdonald Ignored the question nnd
lifted his voice. "Come out of that
tent, nolt nnd como with your hands
up unless you want your hend blown
off."
"Holt Isn't in that tent you fUtot If
you wont to know
"Como now, if you expect to como
olive," cut In the Scotsmnn onjlnously.
Ho rnlscd the rifle to his shoulder and
covered the shadow thrown by tho sun
on tho figure within.
Gordon flung out n wild protest nnd
throw tho frozen slab of bacon at tho
head of Mncdonnld. With tho snmo mo
tion he Inunchcd his own body ncross
tho stove. A fifth of a second earlier
the tent flap had opened and Sheba
had come out.
Tho sight of her paralyzed Macdon
nld nnd saved her lover's life." It dis
tracted the mine-owner long enough
for him to miss his chance. A bullet
struck tho stovo nnd went off at a
tangent through tho tent canvas not
two feet from where Shcba stood. A
second went speeding toward the sun.
For Gordon had followed the football
player's instinct and dived for the
knees of his enemy.
They went down together. Each
squirming for the upper place, their
rolled over and over. The rifle was
forgotten. Like cave men they fought,
crushing nnd twisting each other's
muscles with tho blind lust of prlmor
dlnls to kill. As. they clinched with
one arm, they struck savagely with tho
other. The impact of smnshlng blows
on nnked flesh sounded horribly cruel
to Sheba.
Sho ran forward, calling on each by
name to stop. Probably neither knew
she was there. Their whole attention
was focused on each other. Not for
an instant did their eyes wander, for
llfo and death hung on the Issue.
Chnnce had lit tho spark of their re
sentment, but long-banked passions
were blazing fiercely now.
They got to their feet and fought toe
to toe. Sledge-hammer blows beat upon
bleeding nnd disfigured faces. No
thought of defense as yet was in the
mind of either. The purpose of each
was to bruise, malm, make helpless the
other. But for the impotent llttlo cries
of Sheba no sound broke tho stillness
save tho crunch of their feet on the
hard snow, the thud of heavy fists on
flesh, and the throaty snarl of their
deep, irregular breathing.
Gid Holt, from tho window of the
cabin, watched tho battlo with shining
eyes. He exulted In every blow" of
Gordon; he suffered with him when
tho smnshlng rights and lefts of Mac
donald got home. He shouted Jeers,
advice, threats, encouragement If ho
had had ten thousand dollars wagered
on tho outcome he could not havo been
moro excited.
Swiftwater Petor, drawn by tho
cries of Sheba, came running from the
stable. As he passed the window, Holt
caught him by the arm.
What aro you olmln' to do, Pete?
Let 'em alone. Let 'em go to it They
got to havo it out. Stop 'em now and
they'll get nt it with guns."
Sheba ran up, wringing her hands.
"Stop them, please. They're kilting
each other."
VNothlng of tho kind, girl. You let
'cm alone, Pete. The kid's there every
minute, ain't ho? Gee, that's a good
one, boy. Seven eleven ninety-two,
Attaboy I"
Macdonald had slipped on the snow
and gono down to his hands and knees.
Swift as a wildcat tho younger mnn
was on top of him. Hampered though
he was by his parka, tho Scotsman
struggled slowly to his feet again. He
was much the heavier man, nnd In
splto of his years tho stronger. The
muscles stood out In knots on his
shoulders arid across his back, whereas
on the body of his more slender oppo
nent they flowed nnd rippled in round
ed symmetry. Active as a heather cat,
Elliot was far the njilckcr of tho two.
Holf-bllnded by the hammering ho
had received, Gordon changed his
method of fighting. He broko away
from tho clinch nnd sidestepped tho
bull-llko rush of his foe, covering up
ns well ns ho could from the onset.
Macdonald pressed the attack and was
beaten back by hard, straight lefts and
rights to the unprotected face.
Tho mine-owner shook tho matted
hair from his swollen eyes and rushed
ngnln. ne caught an uppcrcut flush on
the end of tho chin. It did not oven
stop him. Tho weight of his body wns
in tho blow ho lashed up from his
side.
Tho knees of Elliot doubled up un
der him like tho blodo of a jack-knife,
no Bank .down slowly, turned, got to
his hands nnd knees, nnd tried to
shako off the tons of weight that
seemed to bo holding him down.
Mnpilnnnld seized him about tho
waist nnd flung him to tho ground
Vnon the Inert body tho victor dropped,
his knees clinching tho torso of tho
unconscious man.
"Now, Pete, G to him I" urged Holt
wildly.
But beforo Swiftwater could move,
before tho great fist of Macdonald
could smash down upon tho bleeding
face upturned to his, a sharp blow
struck the flesh of tho raised forearm
and for the moment stunned tho mus
cles. The Scotch-Canadian lifted n
countennnco drunk with rngc, passion-'
tossed.
Slowly the light of reason camo back
Into his eyes. Shcba was standing be
foro him, his rifle in her hand. She
had struck him with tho butt of It
"Don't touch him I Don't you dare
touch him I" she challenged.
He looked at her long, then let bJa
eyes fall to the battered faco of' bis
enemy. Drunkenly he got to his feet
and leaned against a willow. HI
Like Cave Men They Fought
forces were spent, his muscles weight
ed ns with lead. But It was not this
alone thnt made his breath como short
and raggedly. .
Sheba had flung herself dpwn beside
her lover. She hod caught him tightly
in her arms so that his disfigured face
lay against her warm bosom. In the
eyes lifted to those of tho mine-owner
wns an unconquerable defiance.
"He's mine mine, you murderer,
sho panted fiercely. "If you kill him,
you must L.ll me first"
The man she had once promised to
marry tvos looking nt a different wom
an from the girl he hat known. Tho
soft, shy youth of her was goqe. Sho
was. a forest mother of the wilds ready
to fight for her young, a wife ready to
go to tho stake for the husband of her
choice. An emotion primitive and
poignant had transformed her.
His eyes burned at her the question '
his parched lips and throat could
scarcely utter. "So you . . . love
him?"
But though it was In form a question
ho knew already tho answer. For the
first time In his life he began to taste
tho bitterness of defeat. Always he
had won what ho coveted by brutal
force or his stark will. But it was be
yond him to compel the lovo of a girl
who had given her heart to another.
"Yes," she answered.
Her hair in two thick braids was
flung across her shoulders, her dark
head thrown back proudly from tho
rounded throat
Macdonald smiled, but there was no
mirth In his Bavago eyes. "Do you
know what I want with him why I
have come to get him?"
"No."
"I've como to tako him back to Ku
siak to be hanged because he mur
dered Milton, tho bank cashier."
Tho eyes of the woman blazed at
him. "Aro you mad?"
"It's tho truth." Macdonald's voice
was curt and narsn. "He and Holt
were robbing tho bank when Milton
camo back from tho dance at tho club.
The cowards shot down the old man
like a dog. They'll hang for it if It
costs mo my last penny, so help mo
God."
"You say it's tho truth," she retorti
ed scornfully. "Do you think I don't
know you now how you twist and dis
tort facts to suit your ends? How long
Is it since your jackal had him arrest
ed for assaulting you when Wally Sel-
frldgo knew and you knew that he
had risked his llfo for you and had
saved yours by bringing you to Diane's
after he had bandaged your wounds?"
"That was different. It was part of
tho gnrao of politics wo were playing."
"You admit that you and your
friends lied then. Is it llko yon could
persuade me that you'ro telling the
truth now?"
The big Alaskan shrugged. "Be
lieve it or not as you like. Anyhow
he's going bnck with mo to Kusiak
and Holt, too, if he's here."
An excited cackle cut into tho con
versation, followed by a drawling an
nouncement from tho window. "Your
old tllllcum is right hero, Mac. What's
tho uso of waiting? Why don't yon
havo your hanging-bee now?"
(TO DB CONTINUED.)
When tho Lion Divides.
Tho capitalist would have you be
llevo that civilization rests on tho ac
cumulation of pounds, shillings and
pence pounds for tho capitalist, shill
ings for tho middlemen, and pence for
tho workers. Sydney Australian
Worker.
Always Lcok Happy.
Why do photographs of woman air-,
piano pilots always show them coaa
pctlng for the record in tho standlaffj
broad grin? Pittsburgh Gazette
Times.