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Show -------------------------------------------------- ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~====~~==~ll r~======~~~ r-· CAUGHT IN THE WILD WNU Service CHAPTER VIII-Continued . -13- By Robe!t Ames Benntt Copyright by Robert Ames Bennet As he expecte<l, a red-coated constable of the Northwest police was lounging in the old trading post storeroom with one of the Airway pilots. The latter sprang to meet him. "llullo, 'Lan-you cl-n lame duck! HelluHt note, you squattering in the wet. Could've cruised your frozen hell a hundred times in any old crate." Garth gripped han'd s with him. •• 'Lo, Kiwi! I <.lidn't happen to be after airpockets. There are things ~-ou have to ruh your nose against to see." Garth sobE:red to business. ''What news?" .. Your man set his bus down here When the building-topped bluff of Fort Simpson was sighted in the distance, :\1r. Hamill left the cabin and came forward. He stopped before Garth, blnndfaced, shrewd-eyed. "I've just heard, my boy, that you think of stopping orr at this post. I trust it's not on account of any feeling against me or my daughter. You can't blame her for a bit of resentment. She's a woman, and you certainly put her through the mill. As for myself, I called it quits when you pulled me out of the hole this laRt time. What d'you sar?" He h€>lcl out his now firm-muscled three days ago. Hopped off PDQ, with all she could heave up underlw uri. Garth gave it a hearty grip. gas and oil." ".All accounts squared, sir. and no The constable had stood at attenbard feelings against either of you. tion. lie met Garth's glance with .Miss ltamil1 proved herself far more a salute. "All right, sir." plucky and sporting than could have "Good work, Dillon. One question been expected. I wish you both bon -tllo::;e three miners?" VO.Yal!e." " "fll'oke tn·osrleelors, sir. Records, "But fot y(\u to be leaving the far as li:nown, not savory. But none boat my boy! There's no need of of the bunch i · wanted, and they're it. I can arrange for you to ~et not newcomNs from across the borinto the cabin. In fact, I'd like the der. They'll know enough not to inopportunity to talk over matters. terfere \vhen I take my prisoner." We might stilJ get together on those The post factor came hastening terms you offered.'' in to shake hands. "Pardon my ab- "\Ye might," Gartb agreed; but sence, :\1r. <Jarth. Was up to Liard. then hls smile hardened "That side It's a great pleasure to have yon ' of the matter will have to wait. I stop off with us. If ~·ou plan to take shall firsr settle with your friend in dogs, I have a picked team that I:Iuxby.' I'd be honored-" The millionaire frowned. "Thank you, no,'· Garth cut ln. ~ "Don't call that murderous hound "But I •voul<l like a riile, rabbit un, a friend of mine His shooting you dersuit, winter moccasins. gloves, 1s understandablr :\Iy wounding and three pairs of webs." was of cours1 what he claimedHe went into a bunkroom to put sheer accident B ·u t for the scoun- on the rabhlt-fur suit tm•ler his drel to abandon a helple s girl to buckskins. When he came out, a starvation 1 If he was too cowan.lly girl in a plain, ill-fitting gown stood to dare her frenzied threats and talking to the pilot. The pilot forcibly t:-!ke her and me with him glanced towards him. The girl , in the canoe. he could at least have turned quickly. He found himself hno the plnne ('ome for us.· face to face with Lilith Ramill. "If you care for m.r guf'.ss,'' Garth Yet it wm; not the greuse-an'dsaid "he was more interested in pitch marl~ed face of his canoe comyour daughte• as an heiress than as panion Nor was it that deeplined ronged and powdered face a woman,. "No guess about it. A coldblood- with scarlet-smeared lips that had ed rascal who would have murdered sneered at him on Tobin's wharf. you for your claim! I'll run bim It was a face smooth and firm, vivid down and mnke him pay in full for with life ancl vitality. Only the deserting Lilith and me. if it costs blue eyes were hard. · a million.' "Alan Garth,'· she said, "I've "His punishment will cost you learned all about it. You're going nothing, Mr. Ramill. He has been back there--after him!" trapped by his own greed." "Sorry, Mi8S Ramill. It's not re..Trapped?" venge, if that's what you think. I "Before wE- came aboard, word tried to spare you. But, if you must 1 was received by radio that a man have it, he is a thief." named Huxby had recorded a platThe girl's eyes flashed. "Worse I inurn placer claim at Fort Smith; He's a cowardly murderer. That is that be had bought a large airplane, why I too am going to see him taken and flown north with three miners." prisoner." Mr. Ramill looked hls doubts. 1 "You 1" "I've heard nothing of it." ..Yes. I am going to see him "Because I though be~t for you cringe, the sneaky beast! Do you not to." think I',·e forgotten how he crept "You! Do you mean to tell me up and shot you when you weren't that everyone on this steamer kept looking? And what if he didn't Inmum because you, a mere prospec- ten'd to shoot Dad? He left him to tor-" The millionaire pause d. die. If that's not enough, must I "Have 1 been blind? You are not a tell you how he taunted me?" common prospector. There's some"Yet that's no reason why you-" thing about you ... in spite of your "It is! If you refuse I'll tag vagabonding about this North conn- after you in another plane." try!'' Garth studied her gravely. She 1 Garth said: uwe are talking about stared back at him, hotly defiant. He Huxby. I've radioed for a North- pretended to accept her reasons for west pollceman to meet me at Simp- wanting to go: son wlth a plane. The charges are ..You most certainly are a good robbery and assault to murder." hater, Miss Ramill. One thing, 11 Radloed' The skipper told me though. The valley is about to his transmitter was out of order." freeze up. It will not be the sum"By my request, sir. I thought 1t mer paradise we left. We may land as well to keep you out Oof the affair. in a blizzard." It ls possible Miss Ramill may have She looked around the store. recovered from her resentment "Where are those Eskimo suits you against him. I'll ask you to pardon told me about?" my going to see it there are any At that he smiletl a bit grimly. more reports on Huxby's move- "This is Indian country. You shall ments." have rabbit and buckskins." He Though by no means curt, the dis- turned to the factor: "Add the missal was abrupt. lady's outfit to my account." To Some time before the steamer the pilot: "Kiwi, this is where you nosed 1n to the landing, Garth made are to fit your name. You're going out that the pontooned plane afloat to be a wingless groun'd bird." at the waterfront was too small to "Oh, have a heart, 'Lan !" be one ot the regular Bellanca "Three Is a erowd, and she fa it. tl'ansports. Ask her fattier." I Midvale, Utah, Friday, December 27, 19:J5 THE UTE SEl'"riNEL PAGE 'T\,-J For the fir::.t time tiH' g:rl betrayed a trace of doubt. ".But 've'll have to have u pilot." Kiwi stared, then grinned at the joke. "Lady, wh:1t you don't know alxmt our boy friend would appear to be quite a consi<lerable.-All right, you lame duck, go hog the joy'stick." Constable Dillon put in a wdrd: "It's not on the cnrds, sir, to talce along a young lady. If this Iluxby tries to act up-" "He's your meat, Dillon. I'll Stand responsible for Miss Ramill.'' Down at the waterfront, Garth went over the plane with his pilot friend. 'l'here was a full load of gasoline and a change of oil. To the week's supply of provisions, he added the three pairs of snowshoes and the new rifle. Lilith hau gone aboard the steamer. She returne<l with her father. He looked worried. She had put on her Indian-woman costume--buckskins, be seen by any of lluxby's party. His ne:xt problem was to effect a landing without the roar of the restarted motor. He had already made out Huxby's big c:1bin plane, moored at the month of the glacier stream. That was the only safe mooring place. Absence of any smol{e near the plane told that the miners were camped at the placer. The stream mouth was too fat· from the diggings for the hurried workers to tramp back and forth e.-ery night and morning. Besides, there would be snowdrifts to wade through. From every indication, the claimjumper could be surprised and taken before he realized that any other party than his own hacl come to the valley. The one 11eeli was to avoid using the plane·~ engine. Its roar would be heard for miles. ' Garth ('al('nlated the volplane angle with his utmost skilL If he hit the water too soon, the propeller would have to be used to pull the plane in to the landing; if he held on too long, there might be a crackup. It was a matter of fractions of seconds. He allowed for the fact that the slight wind was abeam, instead of sucking down from the glacier. His one failure was to notice in time the shrunken volume of the glacier stream. The plane took to the water smoothly, at almost the exar distt.nce offshore that he had planned. The difficulty \Vas that the outswirling current lacked the force he expected. Instl'ad of slowinl! down or st(\pping short. the three-seater drove in hem! at the cabin plane. CHAPTER IX The stream mouth lucl,ell width enough for the ~mall plane to Murder, squee7.e past the lar;;c one. Nor ~ THE morning <:artb for the was there room to maneuver befirst time showr~d haste. The tween the offshore rocks. Garth dawn \Yas far too beautifully rose. acted with instant decision. lie H£' m:ule ::,;nrc that Lilith's blankets swerved the three-seater t(\ clear wt:re ha(·k in ht~r cod~pit before he the tail of the cabin plane. As he handed her aboard. lie fitted the stripped off his goggles and swung gla:-;s winrl cowl to the cockpit rim. down from his cockpit with the "If \\'e ::;trike into a bliz7.arcl, get mooring line, the pontoon stems ~· our rap o\·er your ear~. and blank- smashed like egg:shells on a wateret yoursrlf, head and all," he worn rock, across the narrow chanwat·ned. ·'You don't want to lose nel from the tail of the other plane. vonr ears and nose." Before the current could float the · 'J'he constable was already snug three-seater back into deep water, under his own cowl. Garth swung Garth leaped ashore. Lilith had his pilot cockpit. Old Tobin gave opened the cowl of her cockpit and the propeller a spin for him. was starting to climb out. Garth This time Garth needed no cir- glanced at the threatening sky. cling in order to trace the air route. "She has settled down hard and Aboard the cabin monoplane he had fast, Miss Ramill. Better stay snug watched H11xby's instruments and aboard until we return." noted the landmarks from above. The girl's reply was to scramble By the time the lovely rose dawn forward on the shoreward wing of glared into an angFy red sunrise, the plane. Garth waded out in the the roaring plane had flown all the icy water and had her hand down way acro~s that weary desolation of his rifle, the three pairs of snowmuskegs and broken-ridged lower shoes, and all the blankets. He tossed everything to Dillon, then mountains. Thickening clouds foretold anoth- took the girl on his shoulders. The policeman had started uper storm. But Garth had outraced it. Instead of swing in around the stream with the outfit. He walked out-thrust mountain to the pass, he across the now shallow ford withbanked and drove past the east side out getting a drop of water over the of the mountain, on a long upslant. tops of his heavily greased shoeA few miles north frorn the pass, packs. Garth slung Lilith <ln hls he banked to the west and headed shoulder like a sack or meal and for the lowest notch in the jagged splashed after Dillon. At the far bank Dillon stopped to east-side wall of the yalley. Above put on a pair of sn0owshoes. Garth 'the great barrier the plane bumped lowered the girl upon a bare rock, like a boat in a choppy seat. and ran down the left bank to swing Garth paid no conscious heed to aboard the cabin plane. With him the rough passage. His hands and he took the blankets. When he came feet adjusted the controls with autoashore, he had on dry socks and matic precision, leaving his attenmoccasins. tion free to center upon what lay He frowned at Lilith. She was ahead. flopping awkwardly along on snow· His first glimpse into the valley shoes behind the policeman. showed him a column of smoke •'Take off those webs and get into above the black belt c-f spruce at the cabin," he ordered. the far end of the lake. Much thick"I will not," she refused. "I'm er and darker than ordinary camp- going with you. I came to see that fire smoke, it stood out distinct beast arrested." against the vivid white of the snow"Don't be a fool. We'll be there sheeted tundra slope. and back before you've more than As the plane drove clear above got started. There's no time to walt the saddle between the peaks, he for you. Blizzard may swoop down shoved the stick forward and cut any minute.'' With the roar of the en1 the gun. He ha~ slipped on the third pair . gine stilled, the plane swooped down ot snowshoes. He took his rifle at the lake· like a monstrous bird from Dillon and started oft as of prey. Relatively speaking, it was guide. The constable followed at 1 driving at its quarry as noiselessly the same rapid gait. He was an exas a great horned owl of the North perienced snowshoe runner. Lilith stoops to strike a rabbit. Also, by trled to Imitate their deft swinging 1entering the valley over this distant stride with the webs. She tripped saddle, instead. of through the pase, and plunged face-down into a drift. Garth felt sure the plane would not (TO BE CONTIN,UEDJ . - come out. I'll of course do what I can for her." Garth ·11ool\: hantls, and swung aboard tile sutall craft. ~\t a sign tr·om him. the rli::;Illa<'ed pilot ~ave the propeller a spin. The plane swurl!! arou)l(l, to taxi downstream. There was no hurry. Had Huxhy schf'mecl to 1ly in to the \'alley merely to stake the vlaeer in his own name and hop out again, he would not have taken the three ,miners. He undoubted!~· had planned to do hi · season's as:es~ruent work. l\lldway of the down river flight, the three-seater ran into a sleet squall. Garth dropped to the water and tied up under the lee of a snruce-black point. They ran in and out of a sleet squall, leaving everything sheeted with lee. Garth and Dillon knocked. clear the edge of the wings. Another hop brought the party to the emergency refueling post, shortly before sundown. This time Lilith Ramill did not refuse Tobin's crude hospit:1lity. He could not at first belie,·e she was the painted lady who had scoffed at his "garbage." She not only refrained from scoffing. she ate his bacon and porridge as heartily as Garth and the policeman. The moosehide canoe lay upturned on the bank beside Garth's old birchbark. •.robin had at once told Huxby's story. According to the engineer, the lady and her ,father were still marooned in the mountains. He had come out with Garth to fetch a plane for them. But Garth had been killed by a wounded she-grizzly. .. .. I "It's Not on the Cards, Sir, to Take a Youn~ Lady.'' moccasins. fur cap and gloves. The millionaire chose to lay the blame on Garth. "Have you gone insane? No more than get her out of that muskeg hell, and you want to drag her back to your infernal hole in desolation!" "The lady's choice, not mlne." "Well, you're taking her." "Row can I help it, sir? You are her father. Why not assert your paternal authority?" Lilith brushed aside their trifling. "Which Is my seat?" "The rear.-Close her in, Kiwi." She turned to fling her arms around her father and kiss him. It was the only caress Garth had ever • seen her give anyone. As he put on his pilot friend's helmet and goggles, the constable mounted to the middle cockpit. Kiwi handed the girl into the rear one. Garth spoke a last word to her anxious father: "In all probability, sir, we'll overtake you within three or ,four days. May, howeYer, have to lay over, in case of storm. If fog or snow makes us miss you on your way out, we'll probably meet at Fort McMurray." Mr. Ramlll came close. "Garth, there's something I can't understand. This crazy notion of Lilith's, I mean. It's not mere willfulness. She has something in mind." ''Wants to see the handcuffs slipped on Huxby," Garth replied. "Can you blame her? Mangled vanity. Had belleYed he lo~ed her for herself at least as much as for her inheritance. 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