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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1918)
JErfh''? ' ' ' ''''W! grea m wftrtt wwwy Wiwffnf wnsnMna M , i i x BED OLOBD., N.EBEASKA, OHIEF mA f M ,v'? w fir I Infill V H 'TT1 H An Alaskan Love I Tlfoe i.uakoira. 1 raaJl , . . ss . I II Copyright, William Macleod Ratnc By William M&cleOCi RaUlO MACDONALD WINS FIRST MOVE IN BATTLE WITH ELLIOT FOR SHEBA'S FAVOR Synopsis. As a representative of tho government Gordon Elliot Is on bis way to Alaska to Investigate coal claims. On the boat ho meets and becomes Interested In a fellow passenger whom ho learns Is Bhcbn O'Neill, also "going In." Colby Macdonnld, nctlvo head of tho land grabbing syndlcato undf r Investigation, comes aboard. Elliot and Mac donald become in a measuro friendly. Landing at Kuslak, Elliot finds that old friends of his, Mr. nnd Mrs. Paget, nro the pcoplo whom Sheba has como to visit Mrs. Pngot Is Shcba's cousin. At dinner Elliot reveals to Mncdonald tho object of his coming to Alaska. Tho two men, naturally antagonistic, now also become rivals for tho hand of Shebn. Macdonnld, foreseeing fatluro of his financial plans If Elliot learns tho facts, sends Sclfrldge, his right-hand man, to Kama tl ah to arrange mnt tors so thut Elliot will bo deceived ns to tho trua sltuntloh. Elliot ulso leaves for Kamntlnh nnd, wandering from tho trull, believes that ho faced death. Sclfrldge, on his arrival at Kamatlah, has his agents abduct Gideon Ilolt, old-time miner, who knows too much about Mncdonnld's activities. Elliot wanders Into tho camp whero Holt Is held a prisoner. Tho two men, overpowering tho kidnapers, return to Kamatlah, whero Billot learns tho truth about tho coal land deals. CHAPTER X Continued. ' Billot glanced at the woman behind h wnose SKiriS WO youngaivr woo inn ing. "She's not bad looking, It that's what too mean." ho Bald after they h had taken up tho trail again. "You ain't tho only white man that it. urns uiuugui uiuif iiwiicu Mi vi w mImam InnlAnanlv "Nor Gordon had learned to let .Bolt tell things at his leisure. It usu ally took less tlmo than to try to hurry "Name of the kid mean anything ? to yout" l MTU no If .1M "H'ml Named for bis dad. First syllable of each of his names." The land Inspector stopped in his stride and wheeled upon Holt "You don't bean Oolby Macdonald?" "Why don't I?" But Good Lord, he isn't a squaw man, Is hot" "Not In the usual meaning of the word. She never cooked i and kept house for him. Just the same, little Oolmac is his kid. Couldn't you see It sticking out all over him? Ho's the pit 'n' Image of his dad." "I see it now you've pointed It out I I was trying to think who he reminded M of. Of course It was Macdonald." "Mac met up with Metectse when he first scouted this country for coal five rears ago. So far's I know he was square enough with the girl. She never claimed he made any promises or anything like that He sends a check down once a quarter to the trader hero for her nnd tho kid." But young Elliot was not thinking about Metcetse. His mind's eye saw another picture the girl at Kuslak, listening spellbound to tho talcs of a man whoso actions translated romance Into llfo for -her, a girl Bwopt from tho quiet backwaters of an Irish village. to thlB land of the midnight sun with Its amazing contrasts. And all the way up on tho boat she continued to fill bis mind. The slow ness of tho steamer fretted him. Some times the Jealousy in his heart flamed up like a pralrlo flro when It comes to a brush heap. The outrage of It set him blazing with Indignation. It was no less than u conspiracy. What Elliot Glanced at the Woman. could an Innocent young girl lllco Sheba know of such a man as Colby . Ificdonald) Her Imagination con ceived, no doubt, an Idealized vision of ilm. But the real man was clear out side her ken. ' Gordon set bis Jaw grimly. Ho would have Jt out with Diane. He "would let her sea she was not going n have it all her own way. By heaven, he would put a spoke in her He was on fire to como to bis Jour ney's end. No sooner had bo reached bis hotel than ho called up Mrs. Paget, Quite clearly she understood that he CBBbw Yet sbo hesitated. "My 'phono can't bo working well," Gordon told her gayly. "You must havo asked mo to dinner, but I didn't just hear it Never mind. I'll bo there. Seven o'clock, did you say?" Dlano laughed. "You're Just as much a boy as yon were ten years ago, Gord. All right Como along. But you'ro to leave at ten." "No, I can't hear that My 'phone has gono bad again. And If I had heard, I shouldn't think of doing any thing so ridiculous as leaving at that hour. It would be an Insult to your hospitality. I know when I'm well off." "Then I'll havo to withdraw my In vitation. Perhaps some other day " "I'll leave at ten," promised Elliot meekly. ' He could almost hear tho smile in her voice as she answered. "Very well. Seven sharp. I'll explain -about the curfew limit somo time." Macdonald was with Miss O'Neill in the living room when Gordon arrived at the Paget home. Sheba came forward to greet the new guest The welcome in her eyes was very genuine. "Yon and' Mr. Macdonald know each other, of course," she said after her handshake. The Scotsman nodded his lean, griz zled head, looking straight into the eyes of the field agent "Yes, I know Mr. Billot now. I'm not suro that ho knows me yet" ' "I'm beginning to know you rather well, Mr. Macdonald," answered Gor don quietly. If tho Alaskan wanted to declare war ho was ready for it Tho field agent knew that Selfrldge had kept re ports detailing what had happened at Kamatlah. Up to data Macdonald had offered him tho velvet glove. Ho won dered if the time had como when the fist of Bteel was to be doubled. "Old you havo a successful trip, Mr. Elliot?" asked Sheba Innocently. Paget grinned behind his hand. The girl's question waB like a match to powder, and everyone in tho room know it but Bhe. Tho engineer's in terests nnd his convictions wero on the sldo of Macdonald, but ho recognized that Elliot hnd been sent in to gather facts for tho government and not to 'glvo ndvlco to it.' "Did you, Gordon?" echoed his host ess. "I think so," ho answered quietly. "I hear you put up with old Gideon Holt. Is ho as cracked as ho used to be?" asked Macdonald. "Was ho cracked when you used to know him on Frenchman creek?" coun tered tho young mnn. Macdonald shot n quick, slant look at him. Tho old uum had been talk ing, had ho? "Ho wus cracked nnd broko, too," laughed tho initio owner hardily, "Cracked when ho came, broko when ho loft." "Yes, that was ono of tho stories ho told me." Gordon turned to Sheba. "You should meet tho old man, Miss O'Neill. Ho know your father at Daw son nnd on Bonanza." Tho girl was all eagerness. "I'd llko to. Docs ho ever como to Ku Blak?" "Nonsense I" cut In Dlano sharply. Sho flashed Gordon a look of annoy ance. "He's nothing but a daft old Idiot, my, dear." Tho dinner had started wrong, and though Paget steered tho conversation to safer ground, it did not go very well. Gordon was ashamed of himself. Ho could not qulto havo told what were tho Impulses that had moved him to carry tho war into tho camp of tho enemy. Perhaps, moro than anything else, It had been a certain look of quiet nssuruueo In the eyes of his rlvnl when ho looked at Sheba. Ho roso promptly nt ten. "Must you go so soon?" Dlano asked. Sho was smiling at blui with bland mockery. "I really must," answered Elliot His hostess followed him Into the hall. Sho watched him get into his coat beforo saying what was on her rolnd. "What did you mean by telling Sheba wanted an Invitation to dinner. that old Holt know her father? What Is ho to tell her If they meet that her father died of pneumonia brought on by drink? Is thnt what you want?" "I supposo I wanted Holt to tell her that Macdonald robbed her father nnd indirectly was tho cause of his death." "Absurd I" exploded Diane. "You'ro so slmplo that you accept ns truth tho gossip of every crack-brained idiot when It BUlts your purpose" Ho smiled, boyishly, cngngingly, ns ho held out his hand. "Don't lot's qunrrcl, Dl. I admit I forgot myself." "All right Wo won't But don't believe ull tho catty talk you hear, Gordon." "I'll try to believe only tho truth." Ho smiled, a llttlo ruefully. "And It Isn't necessary for you to explain why tho curfew law applies to mo and not to Macdonnld." Sho was on her dignity at once. "You'ro qulto right It Isn't ncccssnry. But I'm going to tell you, anyhow. Mr. Macdonald Is going nwny tomorrow for two or three days, and ho has somo business he wants to talk over with Sheba. Ho had made an appointment with her, and I didn't think it fair to let your coming lnterfero with it." Gordon took this facer with his smllo Btlll working. "I've got a llttlo business I want to talk over with you, Dl." Sho had always been a young woman of rather a hard finish. Now sho met hlra fairly, eyo to eye. "Any time you like, Gordon." Elliot carried away with him one very definite impression. Diane In tended Sheba to marry Macdonald if she could bring it about Sho had 'as good as served notico on him that the gtrl was spoken for. The young man set his square Jaw. Diane was used to having her own way. So was Macdonald. Well, the Elliots had a will of their own, too. CHAPTER XI. Sheba Says "Perhaps." Obeying the orders of the general in command, Peter took himself to his den with the excuso that ho had blue prints to work over. Presently Diane Bald she thought she heard one of the children crying and left to investigate. The Scotsman strode to the fireplace and stood looking down Into the glow ing coals. He seemed in no hurry to break the silence and Sheba glanced at his strong brooding face a little ap prehensively. She knew of only one subject that would call for so formal a private talk between her and Mac donald, and any discussion of this sho would very much have liked to post pone. He turned from tho fire to Sheba. It was characteristic of him that he plunged straight at what be wanted to say. "I've asked to see you alone, Miss O'Neill, because I want to make a con fession and 'restitution to begin with," ho told her abruptly. Sho had a sense of suddenly stilled pulses. "That sounds very serious." The young woman smiled faintly. His face of chiseled granite masked nil emotion. It kept under lock and key the insurgent Impulses thnt moved him when he looked Into the sloo eyes chnrged with reserve. Back of them, ho felt, was the mystery of purity, of maidenhood. Ho longed to know her better, to find out nnd to appropriate for himself tho woman that lay behind tho fine veil of flesh. Sho seemed to him delicate' as a llamo and as vivid. Thcro would como a day when her in nocent, passional nature would re spond to the love of n man ns n wait ing harp docs to skillful Angers. "My story goes nwuy back to tho Klondike, dnys. I told you thnt I knew your fatlicr on Frenchman creek. but I didn't sny much about knowing him on Bonanza." "Mr. Strong has told mo something about tho dnys'on Bonanza, and I knew you would tell mo moro some duy when you wanted to speak ubout It." "Your father was among tho first of those who stampeded to Bonanza. Uo nnd Strong took a claim together. I bought out tho interest of your fa ther." "You told mo that" Ills masterful eyes fustcned to hers. "I didn't tell you that I took advan tage of him. no was not well. I used that against him In tho bargain ing. Ho wanted ready Money, and I tempted him." "Do you mean that you wronged him?" "Yes. I cheated him." Ho resolved to gloss over nothing, to offer no ex cuses. "I didn't know thcro was gold In tho claim, but I had what wo call a hunch, x took tho claim without giving vuluo received." "But I don't understand." Her bravo, Btcady eyes looked directly into thoso of Macdonald, "It ho felt you had dono him a wrong why did ho como to you when ho was 111?" "Ho was coming to demand Jastlco of me. On tho way he suffered ex posure and caught pneumonia. Tho word reached us, and Strong and I brought hlra to our cabla" "You fuccd a blizzard to bring him In. Mr. Strong told mo how you risked your llfo by carrying him through tho storm how you wouldn't give up and leave hito, though you wore weak and staggering yourself. Ho says It was a mlruclo you ever got through." "I'm not heartless," Bald Macdonald Impatiently. "Of cpurso I did thnt I had 'to do It I couldn't do less." "Nor more," sho suggested. "You may hnvo made a hard bargain with him, but youvwlped that out later." "That's Just what I didn't do. Don't think my conscience is troubling me. I'm not such a mush-bralncd fool. If It hnd not been for you I would never have thought of it again. But you nro his daughter. What I cheated him out of belongs to you and you nro my friend." "Don't uso thnt word about what you did, please. He wasn't a child. If you got tho best of him in a bargain, I don't think father would think of it that way." The difficulty was that ho could not tell her the truth about her father's "It Belongs to Yeu and You're Going to Take It" weakness for drink and how he had played upon It He bridged all expla nations and passed to the thing be meent-to do in reparation. "The money I cleaned up from that dalm belongs to you, Miss O'Neill. You will oblige me by taking it" From bis pocket he took a folded paper and handed It to her. Sheba opened It doubtfully. The paper con tained a typewritten statement nnd to It was attached a check by means of n clip. The check was made out to her and signed by Colby Macdonald. Tho amount it called for was $183,431. "Oh, I couldn't take this, Mr. Mac douald I couldn't It doesn't belong to me," she cried. "It belongs to yon and yon're going to take It" "I wouldn't know what to do with so much." "Tho bank will take caro of it for you until you decide. So that's set tled." He passed definitely from tho subject "There's something elso I want to say to you, Miss O'Neill." Somo change In his volco warned her. Tho girl slanted a quick, shy glance nt him. "I want to know if you'll marry me, Miss O'Neill," ho shot nt her abruptly. Then, without giving her tlmo to an swer, Jio pushed on : "I'm older than you by twenty-flvo years. Always I'vo lived on tho frontiers. I'vo had to tnko tho world by tho throat nnd shako from it what I wanted. So I've grown hard nnd willful. All tho sweet, lino things of llfo I'vo missed. But with you bcsldo me, I'm not too' old to find them yet if youUl show mo tho way, Shebn." ' A wavo of color swept Into her face, but her eyes never faltered from his. "I'm, not qulto sure," 8ho snld In a low voice. "You mean whether you love mo?" Sho nodded. "I admire you moro than any man I over met You nro 'a great man, strong nnd powerful nnd I nm so Insignificant bcsldo you. I am drawn to you so much. But I am not sure." Tm going nwny for two days. Per haps when I como back you will know, Sheba. Tnke your time. Marriage is serious business. I want you to re member that my llfo has been very different from yours. You'll hear nil sorts of things about me. Somo of them aro true. Thcro Is this difference- between n man nnd a good worn nn. Ho fights nnd falls and fights again and wins. But a good woman is finer. Sho has never known tho failure that drags ono through sllmo and mud. Her goodness is born In her; eho doesn't havo to fight for it" Tho girl smiled a llttlo tremulously. "Doesn't eho? Wo'ro n all nngels, you know," "I hope you'ro not Tncro win need to bo a lot of tho human in you to m'ako allowances for Colby Macdon ald," ho replied with an answering smile. When he said good-by It wns with a Wttnn, strong handshake. . "I'll be buck In two dnys. , Perhaps you'll havo good news for mo then," ho suggested. The dark, silken lashes of her eyes lifted shyly to meet his. "Perhaps," sho said. During tho nbsenco of Mncdonald tho field agent saw less of Shebn than ho had expected, and when ho did seo her she had nn abstracted -manner ho did not qulto understand. Sho kept to her own room n good deal, except when sho took long walks Into tho hills back of tho town. Dlnno hnd a shrewd Idea that tho Alaskan hnd put his fortune to the test, nnd she not only let her cousin alono herself, but fended Gor don from her adroitly. Tho third day after tho dinner El liot dropped around to tho Pagets with Intent to get Sheba Into a set' of ten nis. Diane sat on tho porch darning socks. "Sheba Is out walking with Mr. Mac donnld," sho explained In nnswer to a' question as to the whereabouts of her guest. "Oh, he's back, is he?" remarked Gordon moodily.. "Ho cume back this morning. Shebn us gone up with him to see tho Lucky Strike." "Ifou'ro going to mnrry her to that man if you can, nren't you?" ho charged. "If I can, Gordon." She slipped a darning ball Into ono of llttlo Peter's Btocklngs and placidly trimmed the hole. "It's what I call a conspiracy." "Is It?" Diane smiled. Gordon understood her smile to mean ho was Jealous. "Maybo I am. That's not the point" he answered, Just as. if she had made her accusation in words. "Suppose yon tell me what the point is," she suggested. "He Isn't good enough for her. You know that perfectly well." "Good enough 1" Sho shrugged her shoulders. "What man Is good enough for a nice girl, if yon como to that? There are other things besides sugary goodness. Any man who is strong can make himself good enough for the woman he loves." "Generally speaking, yes. But Colby Macdonnld Is different" "Thank heaven be is," Bhe retorted impatiently. Then added after a mo ment: "He isn't a Sunday-school su perintendent If thaf s what you mean." "That isn't what I mean at all. But there's such a' thing as a difference between rlgbt and wrong, isn't there?" "Oh, yes. For instance, Mr. Mac donald is right-about tho need of de veloping Alaska and tho way to do It and you aro wrong." 'Tm not talking about essential right and wrong. Miss O'Neill Is ideal izing Macdonnld. I don't suppose you'vo told her, for instance, that ho made his first money in tho North running a danco hall." "No, I haven't told her any Buch thing, because It Isn't true," sho re plied scornfully. "Ho owned nn opera house nnd brought In a company of players. I daro say they danced. That's very different, as you'd know If yon didn't havo astigmatism of tho mind." "Not tho way tho Btory was told me. But let that pass. Does sho know that Macdonald beat her father out of ono of tho best claims on Bonanza nnd wns Indirectly responsible for his death?" "What's tho uso of talking nonsense, Gordon. You know you can't provo thnt," his friend told him sharply. "I think I enn If It Is necessnry." DInne looked ncross nt him with nn Impudent llttlo tilt of tho chin. "I don't think I llko you ns well ns I used to." ' ' "Sorry, because I'd llko you Just ns well, DInne, 'if you would stop trying to mnnngo your cousin Into a marrlngo that will spoil her llfo," ho answered gravely. "Tho happiness of MIs3 O'Neill is of very great importance to me." "Do you mean ?" Wide-eyed, sho looked her question straight nt him. "That's Just what I mean, Dnnc." Sho darned for a mlnuto In silence. It had occurred to Dlnno beforo that perhaps Gordon might bo in lovo with Sheba, but sho had put tho thought from her bacauso sho did not want to beltovo it "That's different, Gordon. It ex plains nnd In n wny excuses your coming hero and trying to bully me." She stopped her work to flash a ques tion at him. "Don't yon think that maybo It's only a fancy of yours? I remember you used , Ho shook his head. "No chance, Diane. I'm bard lift. She's tho only girl I oyer met that suited me. Every thing sho docs la right Every move 'sho makes is wonderful," Tho eyes with which sho looked at him were softer, ns thoso of women nro wont to bo for tbo true rbmnncc. "You poor boy," eho murmured, nnd let her band for a moment rest on his. "Meaning that I lose?" ho asked aulckly. "I thlnic you ao, I'm not suro." Elliot lenned forward Impulsively, "Be a good sport, DInne. Let mo have my chance, too. Why do you mnko It easy' for MncdoauM anC bard for me? Isn't It because the glamor of Its millions blinds you?" "He's n big, splendid man, but I don't llko him any the less bocauao ho has tho power to make life easy and comfortnblo for Shebn," gsha de fended sturdily. "Yet you turned down Arthur West thoJbcst catch in your set, to marry Peter, who was tho worst," ho re minded her. "Havo you over been soBry for It?" Sho recurred to tho previous ques tion. "Sheba knows more about' Mr, Mncdonald than you think. And nboUl . how ho got Her father's claim, for In stance sho has iv?ard all that" "You told her?" "No. Colby Macdonnld -told her. Ho snld he practically robbed her father, hnd he gnvo her a check for nearly two hundred thousand to cover tho clean up from tho claim and Interest" "Bully for him." On Iho heel of this ho flung n question at her. "Did Mncdonald ask her to marry him tho night of tho dinner?" A flash of whimsical amusement lit her dainty face. "You'd better ask him that Hero ho comes now." They wero coming down the walk together, Macdonnld and Shebn. The young womnn was absorbed In his talk, nnd sho did not know that her cousin and Elliot wero on the porch until sho was close upon them. But at sight of tho young man her eyes became warm nnd kind. "I'm Borry I wns, out yesterday when you called," she told him. 1 "And you wero out again today. My luck Isn't very good, is It?" Ho Inughed pleasantly, but his heart wns bitter. Hos believed Macdonald had won. "We've had such a good walk," She ba went on quickly. "I wish you could havo heard Air. Macdonald telling mo how ho had a chance to savo a small Eskimo trlbo during a hard winter. He cnrrlcd food five hundred miles to them. It wns a thrilling experience." . "Mr. Mncdonald has had a lot of very interesting experiences. You must get him to tell you about all of them," answered Gordon quietly. The eyes of the two men met The steel-gray ones of the older man an swered tho challenge of his rival with. a long, steady look. There was In it something of triumph, something of scornful insolence. If this young fel low wnnted war, ho did not need to wait long for it. "Tlmo enough for that, man. MIbs O'Neill and 'I huve the whole Arctic winter before us for stories." The muscles in tho lean Jaws of Gor don Elliot Btood out llko steel ropes. Ho turned to Sheba. "Am I to con gratulate Mr. Macdonald?" Tho color In her cheeks grew warm er,, but her shy glance met his fairly. "I think it Is I that am to be congrat ulated, Mr. Elliot" Diane took her cousin In her, arms. "My dear, I wish you all the happi ness in tho world," Bhe said softly. The Irish girl fled into tho house as soon as she could, but not before making an announcement t "We're to bo married soon, very qui etly. If you vare still at Knstnk we want you to be one of the few friends present, Mr. Elliot" Macdonald backed her Invitation with a cool, cynical smile. "Miss O'Neill speaks for us both, of course, Elliot." Tho defeated man bowed. "Thanks very much. Tho chances nro -that ril bo through my business. beforo then." As soon ns his flnncco hnd gono Into tho house, the Scotsman left Gordon SfU.,. Ife' "Am I to Congratulate Mr. Macdon- aid?" sat down In a porch chair and sttrod straight In front of him. Tho sudden ness of tho news had brought bis world tumbling nbout his ears. Ho felt that such a marriage would, bo an outrage' against Shcba's innocenco. Though sho was sorry for him, Diane did not think It best to Bay bo yet ' Genevieve Mallory, seeing Macdonald slipping from her grasp, takes a hand In the game with results not exactly pleas ant for Macdonald. How she pulled the wires from behind the scenes la told In the next In stallment (TO BE CONTINUAL Lsss mPJ fl .jj BsbLm NCp III ri CSsS-s i TjS? 1 1 If, 1 V WIS xKEtKEtL -fc -Mb W rr N V n . j-C wmmmm. ?., .,j)i)(' Wr,AKi' ftjfrfr&iktSfl uii" dtm, VJJ . . VtiBSte.'-
