The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, March 07, 1918, Image 2

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I Infill V H 'TT1 H An Alaskan Love
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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
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