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Show - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - f 4 i 4i I CAUGHT IN THE WILDCopyright WILD WILDI WILDY { ROBERT AMES MMES BENNET RENNET RENNETCAUGHT By Bennet BennetSYNtr Y CopyrJ Copyright bt by Robert Ames Amea 'WNU WNU SYNtr ' ServiceCopyrJ Service I I ' . SYNOPSIS SYNOPSISAs As M Alxn Alan Garth , . prospector . , Is le pre- pre preparIng preparing pre-.pirlnr pre.pirlnr pre .pirlnr pirlnr - . parIng to leave for tor hia his minlne mining claimt claim ! t . the Far North Nortb , . a IL plane lands at athe athe atthe he alrwaya airways cmerBency emergency nation station etation Int In Int InIt t are Burton Ramlll RamlU Itamtll . , millionaire mln- mln mitt- mitt mlnlag mitt1Log rnln-Iss rnln Iss - ! lag 1Log maenate magnate ; : his bl . daushter daughter . , LIllth Lilith Lllith ; : and 'and land ' Vivian Huxby , , pilot and miningengineer mining mlnloa miningnslneer ' nslneer engineer . Belle-Tins Belle Tins Believing - him to be onl only ) " an anItcnorant anIgnorant anitcrnorant Ignorant - proipector prospector , , . the men otter offer tomak to tolI1ake tomake Itc-norant Itc norant ( ( lI1ake make an air all ' trip to Garth't Gartht Garth's Garths Garth'a Gartha ' claim , al- al although although al-.thouffh al.thouffh al .thouffh thouffh - . though they refer to his br . aample uroplu samples . * ot of oflatinumbearing offfila.tlnuni-bei.rlnr offfilatlnunibei.rlnr offfila.tlnuni offfilatlnuni bei.rlnr beirlnr \ ) latinUm-bearln latinUm bearln latinum-bearing bearing . - . ore as nearly 'worth- 'worth worth "worth- "worth "worthless "worth-lies "worth worth lies " 'worths ' - . " , Litlth Lilith Lllith of o ( the thejuc thejazs the'Jftzc theJftzc ! ! less s * . riamlll Rj\rofll Rj rofll Itpmlll \ , product ' ' - ber cont contempt contemptfor contempttor mpt mpttor juc jazs ace age , plat plainly platnl iy ) " howa-her howa her ahow9-per ahow9 per ahow tor for Oanbi Garth Oal'tb Oaltb Oanb ' i , - CHAPTER I-Continued I Continued I - - Continued IContinued2 -2- 2 - 2r 2i - - f r i The girl stopped sropped In the entrance to topeer topeer topeer ( peer around the cubbyhole kitchen ktrchen , her with dig- dig dls- dls dlsst digJCUst dis-east dis east - , tcarlet cariet C4rlet smeared lips curled JCUst everythingt st . . Though soap clean , . everythlng everything everythingthe eTerythIngla everythlng'tA t 'tA tA ' the place looked crude crudc . The nr airiwas air airwas [ iwas was as choky from the smell of ot cheap cheapfDacon cheapbacon cheapIbacon fDacon bacon . . I IHuxby i Huxby sp sprang ng up to place the chaIr chairbut chairAt but t the near end of the table tnble . He Be lifted liftedthe liftedthe lifted"the liftedthe " the boiling bo1llng teapot from the stove store and andstarted andfitarted started ! | Btarted to fill fiU a tin cuplth cup \ with \\lth lth the black blackfrcw blackbrew blacktrew frcw brew ) . "Pardon Pardon " our notaltlng not ' \ waiting \\altlng altlng waltlng , . LIllth l.111th l111th , " , " be beapologized beapologized he"apologized heapologized " , apologized ; apologized . . "I I " did not wish wlsh to wRhen waken wakenyou .ou ou , . ou with the refueling reCuettng . Planned to doIt doItt do doIt /It It Itt / It white while rohllo YOU vrtli breaI.fasted breaIfasted breakfasted ht-nnk ht nnk - . faSted " . " - " "Quite Quite " thoughtful of ot . : you . , darling darling.But darlingBut . But you need Deed not think I'll Ill I'1l I1l ' ' dnnk drmk drink ths this thisUye [ ye or eat any of ot the these thei > e beistly be'1.stJy be1.stJy be1stJy beastly ' . messes messesNot messesjNot messesNot /Not Not jNot / [ for me . You can have your steer stcer- stcer steer- stcere steericge steerage - icge age e garbigc gnrb'lge gnrblge garbage ' . . ' ril I'll Ill ' keep to cabin tareII fare's fares fare'sShe fare tare II " IIShe ' She faced about and nnd went back back'through backthrough backthrough 'through through ' the passage Huxby stood stoodIi stoodhesitating { Ii csltat1ng esirating . Mr . Ramlll Ramill motioned hIm hImto himto himto to sit sU alt down . "You You " stacked stJcI.ed stJcIed stoked . the cabin with enough enoughv.ines enoughwines enoughwines v.ines vines wines . and delicatessen dellcatesscn to last several several'days severaldays several'days severaldays 'days days ( ' days , . Finish rInish flnlsh your mealII meal II " IIThe The mining mlnlng engineer shot a glanceat glanceat glance glancet at t Garth . . "I've Ive "I\e "I I e "I'se Ise " ' ' \ had enough . oats CY.lts CYlts tolounder totfounder to tofounder tfounder { founder lounder a Scotch cow . Mayas May as wenaee welltee well wen aee tee ee to the refueling " Tobin rose stiffly sUmy and followed foUowed Hux Bux flux- flux Huxby fluxby . - by Into the storeroom Mr . Ram Ramlll Ram11l ! ! ! took tookft tooka tooka ft a last sip of at the boiled bolted tea , favored favoredGarth favoredGarth favoredGarth Garth with a patronizing smile smUe , andopened andopened and | opened his gold mounted cigar CIg9f case to tooffer tooffer tooffer offer one of the choice choke HavnnasOarth HavanasGarth Havanas Havnnas HavanasGarth Garth Oarth declined decltned 'I I * ' I ne\ ne never neer \ er smoke . . It Itdeadens Itdeadens Itdeadens deadens the nose . " . " "Deadens-What's "Deadens Deadens What's Whats "Deadens Deadens " - What's Whats ' tha7 that [ ? ' "Though Though " man has the sense of smell smellcompared , compared with dogs he lacks lachs the abil abU- abU abUity abil- abil ability ability - - ity to scent . Yet even a trace of ot It Itmay Itmay Itmay may be of use In the bush . " . " The Investor's Investors ' portly body quIvered quiveredto to his chuckle churkle "I've Ive " ' ' heard of nosIng nosIngout nosingout nosingout out prospects I ! First time , though . , it's its it'sbeen it'sbeen It'sbeen Itsbeen ' been done to my knowledge " ITe He ITecaught Hecaught Hecaught caught himself hlmselC bimseif up . "At At " least least , , , Mr Mr.Huxby MrHuxby . Hu.by Huby Tluvby , . considers It possible your dis dis- discovery dis- dis discovery discovery - - covery may be worth an 5n examination . . That Fliat * hat leaves only the question que.tlon quetlon : . of terms termsIn , In case we find the mine promIsIng promIsIngenough promisingenough promisingenough enough for me to make maI.e maIe . an offer . " Garth spared an Inquiring 1nqulrlng glance glance.EThe glanceEThe . he The portly portIy gentleman gave gll\e gll e gale \ him a abland abland abland bland smile"I smile smlle smile"I "I I " 1 believe In encouraging cncouraging prospectors prospectors.They prospectorsThey . rhey They ! find new districts . . With that in inview Inview Inview view , I buy numbers of undeveloped undevelopedprospects undevelopedprospects undevelopedprospects prospects , taking th the risk rls1 . of heavy heavylosses heavylosses heavylosses losses . Though I drop thousands on onsome onsome oneome some mines , I have made mlde : a fortune fortunetrom fortunefrom fortunefrom trom from others . . But the average nverage pros prospector prospector prospector pector , like lII.e lIIe ilke . yourself , stakes stnhes his hls alL alLiNlnety all alkNinety . iNlnety Ninety nine times Umes In a hundred , he iscleaned Is Iscleaned Iscleaned cleaned out our by total failure . If It your yourlode yourlode yourlode lode looks 100I.s 100Is . at all possible , ' I'll Ill ' pay you youup youup youcp up to a thousand dollars doUars cash for ! It It t . . " "I'm Im " ' ' not selling selHng , " Garth said "I I " lII.e lIIe like lII.eto liketo liketo . to play ptay a game g:1me g1me : through to the end endwin , wIn or lose " The Investor's Investors ' eyes hardened "What's Whats "What's70ur "What'syour "What'ayour Whatayour " ' 70ur your Idea 7 ? ' "One One " year's years ' lease , and sixty slxty per percent percent percent cent of or the gross returns to me . . " Mr . Ramlll nam1U blinked bUnked " " . "Slity Slity "Su.ty Su.ty Suty "Silty Silty per cent centof centof centof of gross I Y You're Youre ou're oure ' crazy 1 I l " "Like Like " a fox . . Same . kind L.lnd Llnd of ot nose nose"It noseIt " It was Garth's Garths ' turn to srnlle sinlle smile , "Not Not " so sokeen sokeen I keen . , though , for tor galena . Better for forscentIng foreceating foreccnting scentIng eceating out allovs allos alloys ) of gold , . lrldluw iridium iridiumandplatinum Irldlumand ' and-platinum and platinum - platinum " The last word knocked the benevo benevo- benevolent benevolent benevolent - - lent speechless encourager enCOUrlger : of prospectors speech speech- - less . . Yet Yet . , after a moment of blank blankstaring blankstaring blankBlaring Inglook Ingloolt pityinglook staring , be managed a half pltj pitying pit ; Ing loolt look . . , "Daft Daft "Dafti Dafti " " I t " . he " muttered "That That "Tbat Tbat mus must mustbe musrbe : be It It . . These prospectors , alone In tn the thewilds thewilds wilds thewilds tor for months at a time Ume tlme ! " He HeraLced Heraised Heraised raLced raised ; his voice ' "Too Too " 'foo foo roo ' bad , young man man.If manIf . U If you'd youd ' make mnke It gold and silver slIver , I ImIght Imight Imight mIght have hnvc been able nble to swallow sW:1lIow sW1lIow : the theb9.1t thebait thebait b9.1t b91t bait . . . But platinum platmum 1 I ! That's Thats ' a bit too toothIck toothick toothick thIck . Platinum Is found In quanUty quantity quanUtyonly quantityonly quantityonly only ! In n Russia nUSSlll Very Yery little lItUe any anywher anywhereelse her " else . . , Only a minute quantity quanUty ! In n l-.orth l.orth l .orth orth Forth ForthAmerica l.orthAmerica - . NorthAmerica America , . " ' He ro rose e as If It to go . Garth Gnrth gave ga'fe gafe ' him himII hima hima II a regretful rf'grettul rfgrettul ' look"resroo look"Yestoo look look"Yes "res-roo "res res roo "Yes-too "Yes Yes too " "Yes Yes " - - too bad bnd , sir . Now FU ru have haveto haveto haveto to go out out&Ide outIde outside & lde I may even have b:1ve b1ve : to towalt towait towait walt wait until the Ice goes out nest next year ) enr enrbefore before searbefore yearbefore takingthat I can dupe a gull guU Into takIng that leas lease . . " " Mr , . Ramlll namlU left the kitchen wIthoutseeming withoutBeeming without withouteeming eeming seeming Beeming to heed beed this thl5 plilnc phlnr plaint . , . When WhenOarth WhenGarth WhenGarth Oarth Garth followed him Into the storeroom storeroomhe , he be ' was 'Was quieting some dispute dlspute between betweenHuxby betweenHuxby Huxby uxby and nnt1 Tobin The visitors put puton puton puton on their headncts headnets and walked down to tothe tothe tothe the wharf w1larf . Garth went Into the bunkroonL bunhroom bunkroom . . Be Betore Betore Beore tore ( long Tobin came to open the door doorR doora doort a t handbreadth b ndbreadth lie Be chuckled"Uhlad chuckled chuckle chuckled"Dh "Uh-lad "Uh Uh lad "Dh Dh " - lad , you got ; ) sour your our hook In their theirgm theirgills theirellls gm gills . Pilot's Pilots ' Unl tinkering er1Dg with the motor . Changed motor.Changed motorChanged the oil 011 , but no move to reo re- re reofgel refuel re-ueL re ueL - - I fgel fuel ( . Ain't Aint Aln't Alnt ' ' rushin rushln * . ' to flop nop off " " " ' I Garth kept on lathering his hs [ beard When Whcn he came out out . , . , his cartridge belt beltwas beltwas beltwas was buckled about nbout his waist . . It hel1 held hel1his heldlils hel-1his hel 1his - his lils sheath . knife J.nltc Jnltc and belt ax alt . . . In one onehand onehand onehand hand he carried his rifle rUle . . , In the other otherthe otherthe otherthe the rest of his small smaU outfit , strapped strappedon on his pack pach board . . Down on the wh wharf rt ! Mr fr . nam1tl Ramlll nam1tlputfed Ramlllpuffed Ramlllpuffed putfed puffed cigar smoke through his head- head headnet head.net headnet . - net while be he watched Huxby's Huxbys ' exam exnm- exnm exam- exnmInntlon examlnatlon examination - ination Inntlon lnatlon of ot the tho motor and propeller propeller.Miss propellerMiss . flu Miss ! Ramlll RamUl was not In sight"Right sight sightRight . -Right Right "RIght - " o 0 , Tobin . " ; . " said Garth Gart1l . "Shamming "Sham- "Sham Sham "Shammln " "Sham-mine "Sham Sham mine " - ming mln , It Is la is . . When that bus came dowD down downyou , you never heard a . s\\ s sweeter seeter \ eeter motor- motor motorevery motorevery motor motorevery - - every cylinder hitting hlttIng true . . Wish I Itelt Ifelt Ifelt telt felt as sure of ot that southbound louthbound Bel Bel- Bellance Bel-lanca Bel lanca - . lanca lance . " "Don't Dont " ' ( fash ash yourself 1ourselt , Mr . Garth Garth.She'll Garth.Shell GarthShell rth . Shc'll Shcll She'll Shell ' make Fort Smith on schedule . . " Then o-rhen o rhen "Then - " here goes for my m1 next play play"He playHe . " He went do\\ do down don \ n the slope stope to lay his hispack hispack hispack pack and rifle rIl1e a little \ way ay out from trom the thebase thebase thebase base of ot the wharf harf . After Atter that he hefetcbed hefetched hefetched fetcbed fetched his canoe from the bank . He Heswung Heswung Heswung swung It down donn Into the shallow water waterwIthin waterwithin waterwithin wIthin close reach of the packMr packMr pack packMr Mr . Ramlll Rnm11I Ramill came shoreward shore\\nrd shore nrd \ llther rather lltherhurrIedly ratherhurriedly ' : ratherhurriedly hurrIedly for tor so dignified a n gentleman gentleman"One gentleman"One gentleman"One gentlemanOne "One One " moment , ; . Garth Gnrth Fve rve rye consulted consulted"lth consultedwith consultedwith "lth lth with " my engineer partner . He sUII still sUIIthnl stillthink stillthinks thnl think ( It may be worth our while tl to toinsestlgate toInvestigate > 1m insestlgate estlgnte iour your ) our prospect . " "What What " ! ! In view of at my terms1 terms terms"They're termsTheyre "They're Theyre " ' outrageous I t ! Still StilI , ! It t Is Isjust ! IsJust s sjust just possible the-er-mlne the er mlne the-er-mine mine the - - er - mlne might jusIli Jus Juslmimm 'I I Ili ' l/mimm- l mimm ' / tl II I I II- II IIf - . ' r : . II f . t . - . 4 'If If ' ' I Ir I Ita ta . r . I Ir r J 1/ 1 / 11 1 / 1 1r 1He r " 'His His 4His ' He Lifted His Pack Up lip Again on onthe onthe onthe the Wharf , and Swing SW1.ng SW1ng SwLng . the tho Canoe CanoeOver CanoeOver CanooOver Over His Hl Head . tify tIry them The least we can do Is toInspect to toInspect toinspect Inspect the lode . I make mahe no deats deals deatssight dealssight dealssight sight unseen " ? . Garth spoke spohe as If it to himself hlmseIr : "An An "Anair "Anair "Anair Anair " air ride , free , and only a few rew hours ' | delay dehy ' lime 'lIme enough to make mahe the trip tripout tripout tripout out before tho the freeze up , . " i iHe He lifted his pack paclt up again on the thewharf thewharf thewharf wharf , and swung the canoe over hl'i hli his hl'ihead hishead hishead ' head to take It back to Its previous previousposItion previousposition previousposition posItion , bottom up , on the bank When Whenhe Whenhe Whenhe he returned he lie carried his park pnrk and andrlne andtitle andrifle rlne title out to the airplane arplane [ From Prom rrom the theca thecabin thecabin ca cabin In came the rhythmic dissonance ot of ota ofa ofa a jazz Jazz dance d:1Dce d1Dce : tune . . ' Ihe 1.he 1he 'lhe lhe plane evident evidently . ly was equipped equpped [ with ssith Ith a long longdistanceradio dIstance dIstanceradio distanceradio radio receiver . Through the wire Ire gauze of the bIg bIgrenr bigrear bigrear renr rear renrvlndow \ window \vlndow vlndow he sa saw w Miss Ils Ramlll namlU re reelining redining redining elining dining on the heaped pillows p11l0\\ p11l0 p11l0s \ s of an un- un unmade unmade un unmade - made berth The slielf shelt shelf at nt her elbow elbowi elbowheld elbowheld |