Show 1 i iThe j The Valley of Voices II By GEORGE MARSH Au Author tho of MARSHI I Toll 0 of f the I h Trail Tall Th The Whelp of the Wolf I m N U Service I Copyright by the tha Penn rena Co Co- I 1 I CHAPTER XVI Continued XVI Continued 25 At length by u a supreme effort the I under man readied reached the lie knife beneath his back with the he hand of a pinioned arm With a n heave the lie hand WitS was free and the blade turned Into the lie bOdy above him Hut But In a flash the lie rIght hand of the shifted from the throat to the menacing wrist There was n a wrench wrench-n wrench a groan ns the bone snapped and the knife slipped to the snow Again like Ilke the lie fans fangs fangs of a wolf the long thelong fingers of Michel lIchel clamped on tile the I throat of the lie man In whose bulging eyes shone the fear of the death Ileath which DJs DIs for her heri I snarled the head headman man as us lie he struck truck with his free hand the purpled purple face fae Dees ces ees for mel meland I and he lie struck again Slowly the bloodshot e eyes es of the assassin who had so confidently shot from the ambush milled limed for the lie last Ins time line his mouth gaped wide for or or theair the air Ir denied him by the lie else lse Ise on his with throat with a quiver he lie relaxed cu CD the snow Picking up his Ills rifle ride rIfle and slipping hIs hands into the skin rabbit mittens which hun hung from his neck neel by thongs Michel bent Jent and closely scrutinized the knotted feature of hi his enemy Satisfied with with his lils work worl lie he rasped jo Bo Lo jo Tete fete You are arc poor shot 1 I You mak rank no more trouble een Ills valley and started for camp lie found his friends at nt breakfast lie he accepted the dipper of steaming tea and the tho heaped plate of fried moose and be beans beads U s and und began to eat cat Well what luck Michel Are Arc Ar they I leaving asked Steele when hIs eyes suddenly focused on tile the lie shoulder shoulder der of Michels Michel's capote capute you rou get that tear The face of oC the was wood wooden en I meet ol old frien frieu een de bush Ah rah t Curious Steele rose and examIned his friends friend's shoulder Wh Why theres there's caked blood here You have been shut shot nt at l I he cried Take orT off that coat l 1 I Wen I de moose and bean laughed the stole stoic gun gun shake wen he fire To his lils relief Steele found that the lie bullet hind grazed the shoulder blade of his Ills friend barely breaking the lie I skin When the scratch was dressed gave gaye him the story of the nm- nm ani nm bush With the sting of the lie bullet across his shoulder tile Hie lie cool Indian n ha hind sensed that he lie was not badly hurt and made the Hie only move moe that would check heck a swift second shot from froma a concealed foe dropped foe dropped as If killed or mortally hurt Sprawled on hl face a knee drawn up to hive give Ive pur pur- pur- pur purchase purchase chase chuse for n lunge he lie had waited walled for forthe forthe the thc man lp In ambush to approach within reach Had lad there two wo It would have been n a knife fight with the odds heavily against the lie he man compelled to start from front the lie soft snow Cool old Michel applauded Steele as the Iroquois finished They cant can't heat beat you ou lie le was aas scared when he tired Had you ever seen this hits Indian before l hels hel's black eyes es snapped as lie played on Ills his chiefs chief's al he look lal Ink lak man I see one onet t lam am Traded c once at Walling Wailing River Ulyer you ou mean Ali rah he come to de post 1 am 1 lie He was dere dis summer lie He got e leg lal Ink lak bow how 0 ov snowshoe Ilces e eye e look 1001 lak Ink de mink lie lie- He You mean mean- mean an- an food nud Lord It Ii wasn't want Tet fete BouIe o oi i crl cried dv the Hie il e surprised I A Anier- Anier Amer American mer lean ican Ah All hah rah I the lie hend hod man hi wing a n cloud of smoke from Ills his mouth I l ct et was Us fete Boulc I tInk Charlotte be happ happy now lie found your our t trail rail leading to the lake nail anil took a n chance you PIU would backtrack which you dido did Delight Delightedly edl eddy edly Steele shook tile the Viand hand of the Itie In- In In Indian dian dlin until the sore shoulder pro pro- protested lest tested d Tomorrow night ve we go to de pos I Yes s 's agreed Steele Stele Ills Ids l-eS l ryes eyes re- re rei rc i the lie jo Joy of victory hard liard won Send one of ot the boys boy's for fur David OI rt at once CHAPTER Behind the tile Inh counter la ha the Hie he trade trade- roum at O ole a man nian sut silt at al a table le On the table uble stood n II glass lIne roil two t one bottles s-olle s one empty For hours the rhe hind not nol moved except to lil ull II I arid I drain tune the lie gli s Although ll It was I ha barely t three a o'clock candle IHIl dhul dimly lit ill the room ruma for fur the sun had dl led 1 In cloud dOlHI hunks bunks and th the hind failed early In the air outside there would be betil was Ils snow sno and the nIght til Me the yelping elpin of dogs dos arouse arouse- aroused I t Use lime h tuna from G om Ills Ilia bitter thoughts Tire The door of the room opened a u bulky lisure 1 red nit The muscles of his lils hooded faCt face disfigured by n 10 long scar sar In Ills hIs eyes ces eye was ear ear I 1 found hIm gasped the bl hI big man manI I to ID Pi rent Ii hu rl fur for h lie he h had I cared the Ir lI dusk to lo tile the lie puck post Choked 1 Not a n mark on his hIm him his tongue out nD and his eyes tes bulging like a n pikes pike's you OU squeeze In your OUr hand Ambushed 1 So they got him too nodded La La Jo chin on chest Its no good I tell telI you whined Antoine his voice olce vibrant with panIc That makes nIne nIne-nine nine nine who have gone out it'll be our turn next To To- To Tonight night To-night nIght I leave for tine the lie Rouge Image The hard eyes ees of the thc trader lIned by h worry and red from drink lit III with contempt Youve gone like the lie rest didn't you run away wIth HOe Itose Want to desert sut sixty thousand dollars worth of fur fur hir do you The heavy henvy features of the other filled with blood at nt the taunt lIe Ile leaned and struck the table with his fist overturning the lie bottles Soft am aunt J I lie be sn snarled because I leave this hell helI before they close In Inand and take us rang us hang us from from the rafters here or cut our throats you ou call me soft I I tell you OU were we're done I They caught Pierre and the he whole valleys valley's after us The They're re out there now no wait wait- waiting waiting ing He lie pointed a n shaking fin finger er to- to toward toward to toward ward the lie forest It may be tonight tonight- tonight they hey come Ruined by the m the mystery mystery the ster menace or of the lie Inscrutable forest from which no man lUan returned which for weeks had ringed ed time the post sapping the be nerve of his people until they led Oed In the night sat numb with despair Slowly the lie whisky from the he overturned I hottle dripped to the floor door Then he heI I said That Thal tale tule Tete- Tete Tete Tete-Loule ule brought from river down was true The men mene men c e e sent to the lie to stop JIm him lied Antoine nodded Steele Stele got through and came bae bacton on the Hie snow now continued the lie trailer The police pollee are not Ip In this They'd come straight here This Steele cl PIerre himself added time the lie other When the lie Indians learned lion liw we hind hall fooled them they took the lie I rail The whole valley was ours until ours until he lie got the Sad Sud- SudI Ud- Ud I deny tire tile speaker faced raced time the door lis- lis lis listening Is- Is hats 1 that As the two watched the door ap- ap ap apprehensively It opened to admit n a breed half with sodden drink face What hat you OU eat tonight 1 The dull eyes ees of the cook cool shifted un- un uneasily un uneasily easily from Antoine to his Ills chief You here still Philippe sneered I thought you ou and Jean would lilt hit the lie Rouge Houge river riser trail when It got dark All the lie rats ruts have haye left The 11 hang liang on while the whIsky lasts muttered Antoine You find Ond Tete Loulu Tete-BouleT Tete The face ot of the cook gray mottled In the die half light turned to the man who had gone out that morning on the trail over oyer which none hind returned lIe He found with hIm him with hIs lils tongue out Laflamme laughed bitterly rn make ke a n pretty picture Phil Phil- PhilIppe Ippo Ippe hanging haning from that hook with your our throat cut You'd bleed straight Scotch youve you've oue lived on it for months The stark terror tenor In the eyes ees of the breed half breed seemed to appease iris Ills chief who rent went on Well ell have bacon hacon and potatoes potatoes-If If the they give gl us time to eat them hens Bring tha that t jug The Time Jug was vas placed on the table be- be between be between twe tween n the lie two men and the cook cool mut mut- mut- mut muttering muttering terin Incoherently shuffled to the thedoor thedoor door Two left out of the lie lot and they stay for far the lie whIsky commented La- La La filling tilling a n glass and shoving the ju Jug across the table My I friend nd Ill I'll g give e you OU a toast he lie adde added as ns the shattered shattered nerve Antoine gulped down Iris hIs drink Ink May Ia that lint d-d d d d rot In I li-I li ll I glass was at his lips when n 1 chorus of howls rose from the lie clearing Tire fhe startled eyes es of the men met across the Hie Ire talle table that Ie- Ie demanded de demanded the Ihie lie trader slow slowly I lowering his glass untouched The do hear dogs dogs hear s-hear hear out out there Tile The hoarse voice olce of the Hie other quavered cd as he lie went to tile the tic door rom l the lie III minu II rk k the lie whimpering of the awed 11 hu huskies Ies reached rt d the strain strain- straining straining In ing ears cars of rf tile the lie two Iwo lit at n the door who sonI tood nerves nel strung with suspense one une In their brains Then from the Invisible forest Ile- Ile beyond be beyond yond rose a wall wall wall blood blood- blood frt freezing tIle the I lie voice lIke of no clawed crea eren creature ture tire of rf the lie night to to die awa away Into silence The they have luve conic cornel I warned Antoine seizing the of Iris his chief Quick Quid I 1 ss the dogs dugs while I 1 Igel gel CI the Ilie fur mid and the grub grubl I vas the lie answer I The Ire nerve ner of had snapped flaring against time the clos dus- dusIng closing ing In of a II rung rIng of i foes n An- An urine tolne caught rind ind harnessed the digs dossAt At the trad trade house e door grub bag grub and the I lie he precious ous pack pad of black blackfox fux ix were thrown on run the Ilie sled sicil Ire rhe cracked at the Ilie head bead of rhe Ilse leads lead lead- lead lead-do clo s III Pete fete ped nii-ped ped tile the and the tenon plunged lI Into collars collar nt nut a u gallop allo Then Ihn the Ihl voice ole of n mm driver dos soul on the lake mall drifted buc Jut back the n lt t Theme so go o the lie last lat of the rhe rats mut mut- mutt mutt- muttered tend Now ow the ship con nn And Illey I hey III bushed the Hie swift dog stY Ilog team out nut to the lake lee Ice Po and through the gloom flail masked Uc the J JU e rh river er trail trull CHAPTER From Prom the blackness of the clearing nt at rose a n low whistle which was answered from the gloom behInd the lie traders trader's quarters where the kitchen en windows shone yellow patches In Inthe intine tine the thick dark Clark night The whistle was repented repeated and simul simultaneously swart faces appeared nt at the windows of or both buildings Eyes Byes l es glIt- glIt glItterIng gilt glit glittering with hate and the pent excite excle excitement ment of the stalk searched the rooms for signs of ot life But they looked on emptiness on on a n table splashed with spilled liquor a n ju jug an untouched glass gluss of whisky on a n stove from which smoked a frying pan with Its burning bacon I knew you would stampede them Michel said Steele looking quizzical quizzIcal- quizzIcally quizzically ly at the happy Iroquois They got out just ahead of ot us You did dill that for David Dald you ou rascal l I Time The hour of ot the man from r on had struck Like a hound bound at leash lensh cash he heI I I yearned earned for the Rouge river trail trall- trail and the man who traveled It Steele gripped the hard hand of his frIend In n silence There was nothing to say say-no say no turning the OJIbway from his hearts heart's desire With a word to Michel David left them tc to get his dogs What What shall we do o with last years hunt ife If we e find he hasn't shipped It queried Steele Give eat to de lie India Indian Dey trade set et at Walling Yes he got most of It with hIs whisky whisky-Ly by fraud It ought to go back to them To time the surprise of the men as they reached the time storing fur-storing loft time the lighted row rosy on row of ot otter and mink lynx and fox marten malten and fisher pelts hanging from the rafters Heres Ills his whole last years year's trade I crIed Steele lies Ilca never ne shipped It I The yellow ellow light of his candle lit eyes ees snapping with delight as ns Michel a at thIs Much here mere for St Onge lIe He be happy man now De pos not close Yes they will Ill trade It at Wn River nl unless unless- unless The Time Indian waited wonderIng at the unless qualification Lascelles refuses to sign a certain pa- pa paper paper pa paper per Ah Bah l I lie not get now her her now I IThe 1 The grave eyes of the Iroquois ques ques- questioned questioned Steeles Steele's Not r If It I can help It I Satisfied the Indian turned to ex- ex examine examine ex examine amine the fur Steele began counting the rows of rich pelts In an nn endeavor to make a rough e estimate of theIr value alue He lie hind reached the ho far end of the tho loft when the dim light of the candle fell on some bulky shapes on onlie tine the floor in a n corner Curious lie he bent over ocr time the lashe lashed bundles On the time cnn cnn- can canvas vas as covering of the nearest there was lettering lie lowered his candle to tl read It U It R F lie he re said aloud then with a gasp Walling ailing River Ither Michell l I lie he 11 called culled I r I rs res Walling River hirer 1 I Well Ill I'll be- be beThe The be-The The packs fur from from the lie lost came can e l ambushed they were for forthe time tile fur Michel knelt beside Steele By y gar I our fur fut I he said peering at the wrappings wrap wrap- wrappings pings his lils voice hoarse with excite excite- excitement excitement ment merit De Dey keel our men at de dc De mile rhe he muscles of ot his lean face knotted But ees dead deul man mannow mannow mannow now Tonight Daveed take his Ills trail They fliey fhe 1011 rolled ell out the packs fur-packs with the eighteen thousand dollars In pelts which had hall left the he post In the spring on only I to vanish yanish on the lower Walling Wailing St SL St Onge be he happ happy man lUan dis eef eer he know dis Hell know It as soon as one of the thebo bo boys s 's can cnn reach him rt replied Steele jubilantly Well We send him him this pres present ent ant in III the morning After the gray dJs days the sun was vas Indeed breaking through She seemed scanned nearer more nearer possible of attainment tIre lucre In the dark fur loft fur loft at nt than thun she had Lt been n for weeks to the man who toiled for her mar In the Steele gathered hIs red henchmen together In the trade trade- trade room room and talked milked to them lichen Ikhel TO DE nE CONTINUED |