Show d I S 'S 2 he rHE THE SALT LAKE TELEGRAM M TRAIL Continued from last Jut Sunday Th The ri same rifle shots that brought d bad Breams to Bill h had d a much more more lua lucid i meaning for tor Joe Robinson and p Pete te the Breed the two Indians that were Fe occupying Harolds Harold's cabin Four shots Pete said at last signal That means means big big doin's doln's Joo Joe pronounced pronounced pro pro- gravely We Ve go Then they put on their snowshoes and awa away There was no nervous waiting at nt the lie apo appointed meeting place place place-a a spring a half haIt mile from Bills Bill's cabin Harold Lounsbury was already there A stranger to this land might h have he e thought that Harold was drunk Unfamiliar Un Un- familiar little fires tires glittered gUttered and glowed In his eyes his features were drawn drown J The e breeds waited patiently for tor him to speak Where Wheres Sindy he lie asked at last Buckshot Dan's Dans just Dans just where you Pou said Joe replied Of ot ot course Buckshot took her back i The Indians ns nodded Well WelI Im I'm going I him keep her Ive I've got a white squaw squaw now now and and soon Im I'm going out with her to the Outside But theres there's II things to do first t. t Bill has found the them m mine The others nodded gravely ely And nd Bill is as blind as a mole mole got got caught in a cabin full of green wood smoke Hell He'll be able to see again In Ina Ina ina a day I y or two So I sent for you right away The breeds nodded again a trifle less phlegmatically j The mines mine's worth millions more millions more I money than you OU can can dream of at Each of ot you get a sixth third sixth third one divided between you ou As soon as weve we've finIshed fin fin- what Ive I've planned well we'll tear down his claim notices and put up our own then go down to the recorder and record the claim Harold went on Then its it's ours No ono one will ever gt guess ess No onell make any trouble Both of at you are to come to the cabin Just after dark You'll tell me m I you have hae been over Bald Peak way and andare Are hitting back toward the Tuga vII vII- la lawe ere I Bring along a quart of booze may booze may may- be ibe two quarts would be better And sometime in the early evening give o Bill BUl wh what's ls l's coming to him Do him off oft oft- ol 1 Joe asked stolidly i Make It look liko like a fight tight Harold Went on Insult better him better still get fin In-a In n a quarrel among yourselves ourselves Hell itell you OU to shut up and one of you OU klame lame up at him Then strike the life Ute lout of him before he knows what hes lies about abo t. t Hes He's blind and he ho cant can't tight fight What you want us to use Pete Basked asked ked This 1 He Indicated the thin blade at his thigh Maybe use rifle Harolds Harold's eyes looked drowsy when he answered Something like a lust swept over over him this question of ot Petes Pete's moved d him hini in dark and evil ways His fathers father's blood was In the full tull ascendancy ascendancy ascend ascend- anc ancy at last Theres an old pick in the cabin- cabin Bill had it prospecting he said I Bills Bill's eyes were considerably better when he wakened wakened full full in the daylight daylight day day- dayi i light The warm wet cloths had taken I p part part- of the inflammation out of them and when he strained to open the lids he was aware of ot a little dim glean gleam of ot light He He Ie couldn't make out objects however how how- I ever eer and except for a fleeting shadow hOW I ho lie could not discern the hand that he swept before his face Several days and perhaps weeks would pass before the tha full strength th of ot his sight returned HIs HIs- His greatest greatest hope at present was that I he could grope his way about the cabIn cabIn cabin cab- cab In and build a fire tire for Virginia Building the fire tire however was a grievous task He felt it Incumbent upon him to move with utmost caution cau can tion so that Virginia would not waken By groping about the walls he I ter ter d cl the stove Feeling told him that hot coals were were- still till glowing In the ashes Then he heu I u 7 iI i- i I b You and I will take turns pulling the sled Bill will hang on to the Gee- Gee pole fumbled about the floor for such fuel fue as Harold had provided He found a piece at last and soon soona a cheery crackle told him that It had ignited He grinned with delight But Bui Buthis Buthis his Joy was a trifle premature At that Instant he tripped over a piece of firewood firewood firewood fire fire- wood and his hands crashed against the logs Oh blast my clumsiness he whis whis- pored Virginia stirred behind her cur cur- tain tam Is that you Harold 1 she asked She was wide awal awake e. e No o Its It's Bill Well what are you doing up Did Harold Harold Harold-do do you mean to say you ou built the fire yourself me lady lady lady- Then you must have your your our sight again The girl snatched aside the curtain and peered into his face No such luck Coals were still glowing all I had to do was to put In Ina Ina ina a piece of firewood But im i'm Im I'm all well otherwise as far as I can tell How about you ou 1 The girl stretched up her arms A little stiff and stiff and now now now-I I want you OU to tell me Just how this blindness of yours ours Is Is going to affect our getting out It was a serious question I dont don't see how It can affect us a a great deal he answered I realize you dont don't know one step of ot the way down to and I cant can't see the way but Harold knows It perfectly As If the invocation of his name were a magic summons Harold opened the door and entered He carried Bills Bill's loud mouthed rifle In the hollow of his arm ann I Iann Youve been hunting Virginia cried I Of course I figured we needed meat I carried Bills Bill's rifle because I dont don't trust the sights of at mine They were a yard ard off that day I shot at the caribou Did you see any game Harolds Harold's eyes met hers and narrowed narrowed nar nar- rowed ever BO so o slightly But hi his answer answer an an- was apt I saw a a. caribou caribou- about two miles away There didn't seem a chance In the w w. w d to hit It but considering our scarcity of at meat I took that chance Ot Of course I didn't hit within ten feet of him Bills Bill's gun isn't built such long ranges I shot tour shot four times Bill did not reply p. p He was thinking about those same four shots It was Incomprehensible that they should havo have made such an impression upon him And for all that Bill DIU hasn't got his lIs sight back yet were we're going to start sart down tomorrow Virginia went on in a gay voice She glanced once at Bill Bm but she did not see the world of despair t that at came into his face at tho the delight with which she spoke You and I will take turns pulling the sled Bill will hang on on- the gee And Bill says you you know the the- way Were We're going to dash right through camp out only two nights That afternoon both Bill Dill and Virginia Virginia Virginia Vir Vir- ginia started with amazement at the sound of at tapping knuckles on the I door Harolds Harold's yes were gleaming 4 Harold saw saw fit fit answer the door himself He threw it wide open Virginias Virginia's Virginias Virginia's Virginias Virginia's Vir Vir- ginia's startled could Just make out two swarthy faces singularly dark and unprepossessing We We we mushin over to been over Bald Peak way Joe said stumblIngly know no one noone one was I here Want Vant a bunk here to night Youve got your own blankets I blankets Yes WP Wc got On Oil your way wy home eh eli Well VeIl Ill I'll have havo to ask this lady Harold seemed strangely nervous as ashe ashe ashe he turned to VirginiaA Virginia A couple of ot Indians going home to toward toward toward to- to ward the settlement of he ho ex explained explained explained ex- ex quickly come from over toward Bald Peak and were counting on putting up here tonight That's the woods custom you know know- to stay at anybody's cabin Do you ou I think we can call put em em up cant can't send them Good heavens we on a night like this It is awl awkward ward though though about about food food food- likely got their own food Of course they can stay Bill can sleep on the floor in here here yoU can cantale take tale the two of ot them with you Into the little cabin It will be pretty tight work but we cant can't do anything else Bring Dring em In Harold turned again to the door and In a moment the Indians strode blinking Into the candlelight Virginia shot them a swift and w wis s Instinctively repelled but at once she ascribed the evil savagery of their faces to racial traits Bill Dill sitting against the cabin wall tried to make sense out of a confused Jumble of or thoughts and Impressions and memories that flooded in one wave to his mind I II He Hei He- i had liil assumed at once that the two breeds were Joe and Pete whom he had encountered when he first found Harold Why then had the latter made no sign of recognition He resolved to know the truth Its Joe and Pete isn't it he asked abruptly in the silence Pete Pete Joe Joe Joe answered at last I in a bewildered tone Dont know em Im I'm Black Black hes he's hes Jimmy Jimmy DuBois Except for a little lingering uneasiness uneasiness uneasiness ness Bill was satisfied Virginia went on with her supper preparations and at last the three of 01 them drew chairs around their crude little table The two breeds took took- their lunch from their packs and munched it SItting sitting sitting sit sit- ting beside the stove All at once Joe grunted in the stillness stillness still still- ness and all alI except Bill BilI whirled to look at him He went to his pack and fumbled among the blankets Then a greedy greed light in his eyes he put two dark darl bottles upon the table Virginia was suddenly deeply afraid She looked at Bill Bm forgetting for the tho moment that in his blindness he could not see what was occurring and that In his helplessness she could not de depend depend depend de- de pend on him in a crisis She turned to Harold hoping that he would re refuse refuse refuse re- re fuse this offering at a word And her fear increased when she saw the craving craving cray cray- ing on his face Have a drink Joe invited Bill started then but he made nade no response Harold moved toward vard the table Youre a saver life he replied genially Its a cold night and I dont don't care if I do Virginia pass down the cups Youn drink Joe asked Bill The woodsman's face was grave its it's against the law of this province to give or receive liquor from Indians he replied d gravely I wont won't drink tonight I a p His neck was broken like a match I The Tho odds were but two to one I Pete turned with a scowl His Ills thought had already flashed to the white blade at his belt Youre damn particular particular- he began 1 But Dut Joe shook his head restraining him The hour to strike had not yet come They must enjoy their liquor first and engender fresh courage from its fire tire Have a drink Joe asked Virginia Virginia Vir ginia She She- didn't like the tone of his voice He was speaking with entire familiarity and again she expected interference from Harold l Her fiance however was fingering the bottle She saw Bill Bm straighten ever so little and beheld the first signs of rising anger In the tho set of 01 his lips No the girl responded coldly The others poured themselves mighty drinks staggering drinks staggering portions that more than half emptied the first of the quarts Then they drew back their heads and drained the cups A IS little toast toast and and everybody dy stand up Harold getting drunker finally proposed Were ero going to drink to Virginia To my future wife gentlemen the gentlemen the lady who's promised me her hand Look at her there you breed the breed the the most beautiful woman that ever came cameto cameto cameto to the North Drink her down The burning poison poured Into their throats Virginia glanced at her pistol Her face race was no longer merely anxious Bill Bm still sat helpless and blind bUnd against the wall She had not dared to resent aloud the tho bandying of her name the Insult of at their searching eyes eye upon her beauty It seemed to her that she heard a a. ahalt half halt muttered exclamation from Bill BilI but his face belled belied it And in reality the mans man's thoughts were as busy as never nover before Ho He opened his eyes struggling for tor vision But Dut he could not make out tho the farms o of the men at all alI except when they crossed in front of ot the candles The candles themselves were mere points of 01 yellow between his lids The men drank another round emptying the first quart and beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning upon the second Youre a pretty little witch Harold Harold Har liar I old addressed Virginia Youre hard to kiss but your kisses are worth having What you thing about that Joe Arent Aren't I tellin you the truth Joe Bills Bill's first impression had been right after all Virginia heard the name too and her fears tears in in- in creased Joe she repeated You know him then Of course I I. I know Joe Hes He's an anold anold anold old friends Hes He's one that Bill DilI told never navel t to show his face In this part of Clearwater again but again but you dont don't see anything happening to him do you He waited hoping that Bill Bm would make response e. e se But the latter was I U U. U-U. You see ho hasn't anything to say Harold gloated I asked you a question Joe Joe about about Virginia Didn't I 1 tell the truth I dont don't know Joe replied pretty enough But Ive I've never kissed her L' L A. A L lAw HC girl gin tHen caught herself herself herself her her- self a half sob She resolved to make one more appeal Oh Harold Harold please please please be careful what yo you say she pleaded Youre drunk now now but but dont don't forget you were vere a gentleman gentleman once Dont Don't drink any more Dont Don't let those Indians Indians In In- In drink any more either A A gentleman once eh So you dont don't think Im I'm one any more But Bill there there there-he's he's hes one aint he It seems to mo me youve you've been getting kind of bossy hossy around here lately lately and and the tho women of we northern men dont don't behave that way Im not your woman thank God God God- and I ask you to be careful So youre you're not my woman eh No no no I never will vIll be The girls girl's eyes were blazing and she had forgotten her fear In her magnificent magnificent magnificent mag mag- wrath There ensued a moment of strange and menacing silence Pete Peto chuckled already receptive to Joes Joe's thought Harold turned to stare at him Joe Joo put his pipe to his lips Ups then 1 fumbled at his pocket He seemed to search In vain Will you give me a mach please lady he ho asked The tone was strange thick and strained yet Virginias Virginia's heart thrilled with hope Perhaps If these men started to smoke their blood would cool She turned quickly to the shelf above Bills Bill's head and procured half halfa a dozen matches from the box As her back was turned she heard Pete laugh again Instinctively her eyes turned to the wall for a reassuring sight of her pistol It was gone from its place She looked at Joe his evil leering face told her only too plainly that his eager hand had seized and se secreted secreted secreted se- se her pistol Petes Pete's face was drawn too Harold only looked bewildered be be- He was her last hope but In one Instants Instant's scrutiny she saw that this had vanished too Some terrible thought had sobered and engrossed i him What Is it it Virginia Bill Dill asked One of 01 these men men men- she answered brokenly has brokenly has taken my pistol I want him to give it back back back- Joe spoke then a single sentence In the vernacular for Harolds Harold's ears I With rIth one gesture he Indicated Harold himself and Pete In turn then pointed to the girl His face was hideous I with |