Show THE FREE JIM PATHWAY SYNOPSIS Leo SYNOPSIS SYr o Le Le on on RoY RoY- Rey al 1 Canadian Mount Mounted d Police Pollee sergeant ser ser- ser cant geant Is Bent ent to t Stony range e to t arrest a man named Pelly for tor murder r tie lIe II Is also Instructed to look after atter Jim reputed head he-ad of ot the Free Traders Illicit liquor runners runner At Little LIttI Falls he finds ands Pelly Is 19 credited with having found a gold cold mint mine and andIs andis andIs Is missing At the th hotel appears appe rs a i girl cirl obviously out ot of o place In Inthe inthe Inthe the rou rough h surroundings surrounding A halt half halfbreed half breed breed Pierre and a companion Shorty annoy the girl eirl An- An Anderson Anderson derson An-derson derson Interferes In her behalf behal The girl eirl sets ea out for tor Lake whIch Is 19 also Anderson Andersons Anderson's objective tive He ne overtakes her and the two men with whom he had lind trou- trou trouble trouble trou trouble ble the tir night nh-ht before She Sho Sh Is sus- sus suspicious sui of It him and the tir two men menar are hostile Pierre and Shorty ride on Anderson and the tho girl following In the hill hills the tir road roddIs Is blown up before b for and behind the two Anderson with hIs horse le Is I hurled down the tir moun moun- mountain mountain tain lain sIde std senseless Recovering Anderson finds ands the girl lias III disappeared but he concludes she ehe Is alive e and probably probably probably ably In the tir power of ot Pierre and Shorty On foot toot he Ir makes his Va to Lake Lak CHAPTER Continued V-Continued V Continued 4 3 Satisfying ln himself that there was noway no way of ot approach except b by water un- un unless un unless le less I there existed some sonic trail trull across the swamps which there was no time tu to find end Lee waded Into the lake then swam warn The current ran sl strong rong the shock or of the lc Icy water nt at first numbed then invigorated In hIm liliu It cleared the doubts and nd fears of ot night from his brain Swimming dla diagonally a against the cur cur- current current r rent nl In a B few tew minutes Lee had reached the flit flat t terrain at the th base bas of ot the promontory lIe He waded ashore ashor shaking himself hike a dog On the terrain were wore heaped great mounds of ot waste was and garbage from the encampment above l plies piles ot of disintegrating cans rotting cases In- In Innumerable In Innumerable numerable bottles partly covered ered with the silt slit and protruding from frum It the of ot a long period Looking through the mist Lee Ice per per- perceived ed cel a n small York boat of ot the kind used universally between Hudsons Hudson's bay and the Mackenzie riding moored against the rocky edge of the promontory promontory tor tory some distance away awny The elevation long low and Oat flat formed an nn Ideal fortress with the only approach apparently by water It was evident that It would woul be a 8 formidable formidable able proposition for tor or nay any all bod body of ot the police to a attack In the event e of ot der de- de defense tense Lee Lle began bean to make hIs Ills way wa across the terrain keeping ke under the lie shelter ot of the cliff to escape observation from the huts above It was growing crowing light Tight now and lie he could see sec the surround surround- surroundings surroundings ings clearl clearly lIe He reached readied the end ot of the lie patch of ot ground without comIng coining uP 1 ap any place by which It ml might ht be possible to ascend to the tir summit ot of the promontory lIe He hurried back doubling on his tracks examining the cliff In the other direction II He lie reached the other sIde of the lie flat Oat terrain only to Aid nd mid that the elevation Ie presented the same insurmountable Insurmountable mountable flank to him everywhere e But th then lien n of ot a sudden he realized that the Hie York boat bont must be drawn up at et JI t the point of ot entrance And It was with this that lie he must make his flight with the girl beaching the tir lie boat bont across the water somewhere taking to the forests And without hesitation he Ir took to the water again and swam with steady ste-ady strokes toward It In two or three minutes he had gained Its sIde tide I ITlie The kidnapers must hn have e left lert their at some refuge refuge or rendezvous In the forest and brought the girl by boat to Siston lake Inke And It was evident p that they thel could have not have arrived so much as In an hour before bet r The York boat was moored opposite S1 a cleft In the great reat dome donne of ot the prom prom- promontory promontory promontory which lIch offered easy access to the summit Lee waded ashore once more Rut Hut before attempting the ascent as ascent us- us cent he drew Ills his automatic from Its holster and examined It The holster was lined with waterproof and only tI a few drops glistened lIsten d upon the surface of t the weapon alon Scrambling up the time acclivity Lee Jee saw the two huts lUts among the trees Ira Ira- Im Immediately mediately overhead lie scrambled up the low wall of ot rocks un and was about t to step on to the he ll ele elevation when of ot a sudden a man noun carne came out of or the farther r rhut hut but and made his way toward the one ronI Lee ducked d lib his head down Just In time to escape detection and through the Interstices between the he 11 watched the man until he hurl hud en entered terell the lie hut but Immediately nho above him He lie looked about forty yours years of ot age lie He was shorter than thon Lee Leo but apparently apparently of ot great re-nt re strength th lie He had an untrimmed black heard beard he lie wanted wi with th hunched d shoulders shoulder and n there was a n look of singular ferocity and cunning on hi his face A dangerous 11 customer iee I p thought withIn within When he lie had disappeared the hut but Lee stood up Craning o C over overDie r the rocks he could ju Just t catch melt n a glimpse of ot the interior lie He saw the moan standing over o what looked liken like n camp led bed on which he could dis dis- distinguish t the head and shoulders of ot n girl 1 lying perfectly still l Lees Lee's L es e's e leaped He lie gripped hIs Ills l IL ILA It A single shot ahot hot from where he lie stood well a aimed would bo be b And at that moment instinct and de de- desire desIre de desire sire struggled with discipline as never before with the maxim Inculcated dur dur- durIn during In ing his Ills eight t years en of ot sr never to take life lite except when life lito Is In Im- Im Immediate Im Immediate mediate danger dancer Then discipline won Leo Lee let the lie muzzle drop And at nt that moment ho lio heard henr the th growling voice of ot tho the man and the an answer of ot a third person Inside the hut hut- hut huta a n woman The words were Inaudible and now hesitating no longer Lee Lei scrambled over o the lie rocky ridge and made his Ills Wn way toward the door obliquely ao so as to ro- ro romain re remain main concealed from the sight of ot those within The mans man's voice rose rosi In a n falsetto snarl What do I mean menn to do with her What would I do with her She's mine aint she And what about me Low lAw as the voice was restrained yet passionate something about It sent a sudden shiver er through Lee Ie and for tor a n few mo mo- moments mo- mo moments moments ments he could only remain a help help- helpless helpless helpless less listener You 7 he lie laughed You can stay on heres here's long os as a you want to I guess Theres There's Pierre and Short Shorty It if you ou wanta want n a moan moan- man You coward I 1 Her lIer voice was vi- vi vibrant vi vibrant brant with Indignation I tell you youve you've ou e made a mistake In bringing lint gIrl here You'll regret It t That mIne doesn't exist And when she finds youve you've ou e fooled her what are you ou goIng to doT dory do So were we're Jealous are we VeIl Ive I've been tired of ot you for tor a long time he Jeered JIm Jim There was desperate plead plead- pleadIng pleading ing In the womans woman's tones I tone I gave up all for you JOU Let her lier go Dont Don't cast me off ff I love lo you Jim Jim- Jim And now Lee knew A mist trembled before his eyes and gripping his auto auto- automatic automatic matic he sprang forward to the door lie He must have ha shouted though he was unconscious of ot everything e but the desIre to get by the throat Wheeling heeling Hathway swore s and then hedle heedless s of ot Lees Lee's pistol leaped lint Hut In the moment before they closed Lee Leo saw caw the womans woman's face and ond knew her for or hIs Ills dead love lo who had broken his life and changed It utterly Estelle Estelle Lee did not shoot Instinctively he obeyed that unwritten law of ot the po- po police police po police lice tradition not to take life lite save sa In Inthe Inthe Inthe the last extremity But the sight of ot this sinister figure the lie wholly Incredible presence there thereof ot of Estelle E the woman who had hod wrecked his life and anil the girl lying un unconscious conscious on the bed In this mans man's power powel aroused In Lees Lee's heart a n sleep sleep- sleeping sleeping In ing devil of ot whose existence he lie hind had hardly been aware at nt any time in his life before He lIe was conscious only of ot a n mad de- de desire de desire Ie sire to kill but to kill with natures nature's own weapons In obedience to mans man's man Instinctive e law Clubbing hIs hi automatic Lee leaped to meet Hathway's char charge and breast to breast they met rebounding like balls of ot rubber Pathways Pathway's hand liand shot out and grasped Lees Lee's wrist before the weapon descended Then Interlocked they stood almost motionless matched so evenly that neither budged Jed an Inch before the other for tor a full minute Pathways Pathway's sneering face was up- up upturned upturned up upturned turned to Lees Lee's Malice and hate gleamed from his bloodshot eyes eye Be ne Beside Beside side them stood with her hands I 1 v d dA A Single Shot From Where He Stood Well Aimed Would Be B Sufficient 11 Iel In the gesture that th t she sh hud hurl made mide at nt the moment nt of ot Lees Lee's Inter Intervention struck dum dumb and motionless vi Ii Ii III and amid amazement a a was proving 1110 himself the stun r r Malice h und mind hate liate becu became trl- trl trl tri much li derish n Lees Lee's Lee pistol hand was being tnt nit hack back Lee adapted himself willi Instinct to the discovery en Ir be 11 way va wa the weaker In aim aiu and muscles es As uy's hoel body l Ilo asi n a forward fonward tilt lilt his I r- r miter lit I of lit gravity Lee Iee sude dray I his knee Into the back of way way wa mum IIII suiting ln ing the man to stumble for for- forwar war ward The Impetus of or the body holly pro pro- projected pro against him sent the lie pistol 11 ii lly-Ing lly In au nf of Lees Lee's hand but Lee Ice In the moment of Hath U II loss of ot equipoise drove e his Ills that home Into his lilu face split split- splitting ting split ting hIs Ills lips 1118 and sending tending him him reeling i Sin 1 I In an Instant the were together again delivering and ond receiving a more rao- By Victor Rousseau Copyright C hl by hy W 0 Chapm Chapman n NU Service cession of ot pile driver blows that fell like Halls upon each euch others other's faces and bodies They clinched rebounded clinched again then of ot a sudden Path Hath Pathway way got ot home a n furious kick to the tho groin g that sent Lee Le stumbling For the first time I stello screamed and that aroused Lee to the he conscious consciousness ness that he must finish hIs Ills enemy almost Immediately before aid arrived lie shook awa away the film film that was creep creep- creeping creeping In ing over o his eyes and sick and nau nau- nau- nau nauseated nauseated seated from the kick Ir lie closed with again og They went to the floor ot of the tir hut but together tog and struggled there like liko two dogs In time the dirt There was no longer any attempt at fisticuffs The primitive Instinct to rend and tear tar possessed both of ot them equally They scrambled about the floor of ot the hut clawing at each oth- oth other's oth other's ers er's throats Lee got s beard beardin beardIn In his right hand and with his left lert began smashing mashing at his nose and lips bellowed his hands clos closed d on onLee's onLee's onLee's Lees Lee's throat throat clung cluni there worrying him him like a bulldog Lee felt that tie he was tainting fainting lIe H was slowly forced over o fingers closed on hIs neck The two tightened and the tir walls ot of the tout hut began to waver Leos Leo's trachea flattened his lungs felt as It if they would burst Pathway Hathway grinned din din- dIabolically dia diabolically Into his face tace his lull beard like some foul toul fungus swept wept It Lee flung his arms out Instinctively to breathe One of ot his hands encounter encountered some some- somethIng something something thing It was the pistol Lees Lee's fingers ers closed on It And as asIt asIf asIf It If lie he concentrated all that was left lert ot of himself In his hi left hand he lie raised the weapon and brought It crashing down upon Hathway's skull kull Instantly Pathways Pathway's clutch relaxed hIs eyes glazed as chickens chicken's eyes glaze laze nt at the moment of ot death The mans mons bead hend dropped foolishly forward on onLee's onLee's Lees Lee's breast A t stream of ot curses was cut off oft In foolish mutterings Lee struggled to Ills his te feet t and stood gaspIng for tor breath while Hathway mumbling stupidly swayed to and fro tro upon his knees on the floor of ot the tir hut Suddenly Estelle appeared to be galvanized Into life lICe With a n low v cry she ran to Pathways Pathway's side knelt down by him and put her arms about him She drew his lead head down on her knees and began chafing his hands She looked at Lee In n bitter hate IIa ent you done mo me wrong enough In the past that you should come lu here hereto hereto re to kill my man 1 she cried Do Vo you think you can con arrest him You couldn't get Jet a Ii mile from here before you Jou would lie be captured But nut Lee Iee without paying any atten atten- attention attention tion to her hurried to the bedside and looked down at the captured gIrl She lay Iny there an unconscious huddled heap one knee bent under her Her IIer Lace tace was deathly white and there was wasn wasa wasa n a scalp wound at the tir lie hack of or her heRd head whIch had been ble bleeding freely treely She breathed faintly Her IIer hair was cut short and Jagged about her head hend making makini her look more than ever like a boy Estelle laid Pathway Hathway gently down and came toward Lee Lc with sudden comprehensIon It Its for tor her herr she whispered earnestly laying her hand upon his arm You came here to rescue her her She read the tir answer In his eyes Oh Ill I'll help you JOU Ill I'll help you then 1 she cried wildly take her I Trust Trost me then and listen to me time There Theres no time for tor explanations explanations now Its It's only a miracle of ot luck you found him alone Some Somo men are due at any moment In the motor boat Two Iwo more mor hn have ve gone to meet met them with a message They're coming from down the lake Inke There may be just time to escape them You must take the York boat You cant can't pull It Il alone against the tir stream Keep to the left channel past the flue Island then run ashore and you'll be lie safe sate In the forest wherever where you are going oln Hurry hurry 1 l Lee Le made mad no audible reply but lids his mInd automatically registered telles telle's Es Es- Es Estelle's telles telle's Instructions He lie bent over o the tho girl again raised raided her In his lull arms so tint her face tace rested against hits his shoulder and carried her out of ot the hut As lie he turned at the |