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Show GREEN RIVER DISPATCH, GREEN RIVER, UTAH stanched the bleeding. With water from the stream he drenched the braised face. A faint sigh quivered through the alack, inert body. Gordon hoisted Macdonald across the saddle and led the horse through the tod. He walked beside the animal to town, and never had two miles seemed to him so for. With one hand he steadied the helpleys body that lay like a sack of flour balanced in the trough of the saddle. Kuslak at last lay below him, and when he descended the hill to the suburbs almost tiie first house was the one where the Pageta lived. Elliot threw the body serose bis shoulder and walked up the walk to the porch. He kicked upon the door with his foot. Sheba answered the knock, and at sight of what he carried the color faded from her face. Macdonald has been hurt badly, he explained quickly. This way," the girl cried, and led him to her own room. Get Diane and a doctor," ordered Gordon after he had laid the unconscious man on the white sheet. While he and Diane undressed the mine owner Sheba got a doctor on the telephone. The wounded man opened his eyes after a long time, but there was .In them the glaze of delirium. He recognized none of them. All night he raved, and his delirious talk went back to the wild scenes of his earlier life. Sometimes he swore savagely; again he made quiet, deadly threats; bat always his talk was crisp and clean and vigorous; Nothing foul or slimy came to the surface in those hours of unconscious babbling. The doctor would make no promises. Hes a mighty sick man. The cuts are deep, and the hammering must have Jarred his brain terribly. If it was anybody but Macdonald, I wouldnt give him a chance, he told Diane when he left In the morning to get breakfast But Macdonald has tremendous vitality. Of course if he lives it will be because Mr. ElUot brought him In so soon." Gordon walked with the doctor as for as the hotel. A brown, thin, leathery man undraped himself from a chair In the lobby when Elliot opened the door. He was officially known as the chief of police of Kuslak. Incidentally he constituted the whole police force. Generally he was referred to as Gopher Jones on account of his habit of spasmodic prospecting. I got to put you under arrest, Mr. Elliot, he explained. Wlmf fr? demanded Gordon, surprised. "Doc thinks it will run to murder, ice-col- d THE YUKON TRAIL An Alaskan Love Story By WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE Copyright, Wfflwa Madeod RiIm ELLIOT FINDS HIMSELF IN A SERIOUS PREDICAMENT AS ' RESULT OF A REMARKABLE CHAIN , OF CIRCUMSTANCES. SynopalkAa a representative of the government Gordon Elliot la on hie vny to Alaska to investigate coal ciim On the boat he meets and becomes Interested in a follow passenger whom he learns is Sheba ONeill, also "going In." Colby Macdonald, active head of the grabbing syndicate under Investigation, comes aboard. Elliot and Macdonald become in a measure friendly. Landing at Kuslak, Elliot that old friends of his, Mr. and Mrs. Paget, are the people whom Sheba has come to visit Mrs. Paget is Shebas cousin. At dinner Elliot reveals to Macdonald the object of his coming to Alaska. The two men, naturally antagonistic, now also become rivals for the hand of Sheba. Macdonald, foreseeing failure of his financial plans If Elliot learns the facts, sends Selfrldge, his right-han- d man, to Kamntlah to arrange matters so that Elliot will be deceived as to the true situation. Elliot also leaves for Kamatlah and, wandering from the trull, believes that he foces death. Selfrldge, on his arrival at Kamatlah, has his agents e duct Gideon Holt; miner, who knows too much about Macdonalds activities. Elliot wanders into the camp where Holt is held a prisoner. The two men, overpowering the kidnapers, return ro Kamntlah, where Elliot learns the truth about the coal land deals On the way back to Kuslak, Elliott meets a squaw, Meteetse, with her child who, Elliot learns, is Macdonald's son. Soon after his return, Elliot learns that Macdonald and Sheba have become engaged. Genevieve Mallory, a dashing widow, who is determined to win Macdonald, causes Meteetse, with her child, to visit Sheba and tell her story. She dismisses Macdonald, who blames Elliot for Meteetses visit Macdonald sends word to Elliot that he will kill him If he does not leave town. his horse and cantered away. His nrind was full of the problem that had come Into his life. He rode abstractedly, so that be was at the lower tod of the creek almost before he knew it A bilberry thicket straggled down to the opposite bank of the stream on both sides of the road; The horse splashed through the ford and took the little rise beyond with a rush. Just before reaching the brow of the hill, the animal stumbled and fell. As Its rider went headlong, he caught a glimpse of a cord drawn taut across the path. Macdonald, shaken by the foil, began slowly to rise. From the shadows of the bilberry bushes two stooping flg- - old-tlip- CHAPTER His companion flashed a ' look of warning at him and explained that they were going down the river to look for work outside of the district Suddenly Trelawney broke loose and began to dune Macdonald with a bitterness that surprised the government sgent What struck him most, though, was the obvious anxiety of Northrop to quiet his partner and to gloss over what he had said. Elliot bought an automatic revolver next morning and a box of cartridges. He was not looking for trouble, but he Intended to be prepared for it when trouble came looking for him. In the afternoon he walked out of town and practiced shooting at tin cans for half an hour. On his wa back he met Peter Paget The engineer came straight to the subject in his mind. "Selfrldge came to see me last night He told me about the trouble between you and Macdonald, Gordon. You must leave town till he cools down. Macdonald is a bad man with a gat" "Is he? There'll be no trouble of my making. But if he starts any HI be there. Macdonald doesnt own the earth, you know. I've been sent up here by Unde Bam on business, and you can bet your last dollar ni stay on tbs Job till Tm through." "Of course youve got to finish your Job. But it doesn't all have to be done right here. Just for a week or two" "Tell your friend something else while youre on the subject If I drop him, I go scot free because he is Interfering with me on duty. I'll put Selfrldge on the stand to prove it But A gleam of hope showed In the eye of the engineer. "You didnt bring her? Diane said you threatened " Maybe I did say I would. Anyhow, I thought better of It But Im glad someone had the sense to tell mi ONeill the truth." Who do you think brought her?" Im not thinking or that subject out loud. But if you could show Mac' Thats up to you. HI not lift a linger. I didnt start this war and Pm not making any peace overtures. Youre as obstinate as the devil, smiled Peter, but In his heart he admired the dourness of bis friend. The engineer went to Macdonald and gave a deleted version of his talk with Elliot The Scotsman listened, a bitter, Incredulous smile on his face. Bays he didnt bring her, does he? Tell him from me that he lies. Your, wife let out to me by accident that he threatened to bring her. Meteetse and he came up on the boat together. He was with her at your house when she told her story. Hes trying to save his hide. No chance." Elliot Isnt a liar. When he says he didnt bring the woman, that satisfies me. I know he didnt do It," insisted Paget stiffly. Different here. Who else had any Interest In bringing her except him? Nobody. Use your brains, Peter. He takes the first boat down the river. He comes back on the next one. She comes back, too. They couldnt figure I'd he at your house when they showed up there to tell the story. Thats where Mr. Elliot slipped up. Peter was of different stuff from Selfrldge. He had something to say. Bo he said It. Times have changed, Mae. You can't shoot down this follow without making all kinds of trouble. First thing, wed lose our claims. The administration would drop you like a hot potato if you did a thing like that Sheba would never speak to you again. Your friends would know in their hearts It was murder. You cant do it Macdonalds Jaw clamped. Then let him get out Thats my last word to him. CHAPTER XIV. Ambushed. Colby Macdonald. In miner's boots and corduroy working suit stood beside his horse with- one arm thrown carelessly across Its rump. He was about to start for Seven Mile Creek camp with $2,700 in the saddlebags to pay the men there. Diane was talking with him, Shes young and fine and spirited. Of course It was a great shock to ber. She had been idealising you. But I think she is beginning to understand things better. At any rate, she does not hate you any more. Give the girl time. You think she will be reasonable? I dont know. But Tm sure of one thing. Shell not be reasonable, as you ball It unless you are reasonable. You mean Elliot?" "Yes. She likes him very much. Do you know that when the Indian woman came he urged Sheba not to listen to her story?" Sounds likely after he had spent his good money bringing her here, sneered the mine owner. He didnt Gordon Is a splendid fellow. He wouldnt He, answered Diane hotly. And one thing is sure if you lay a finger on him for this, it will be fatal with Sheba. She wlll.be through with you." Macdonald had thought of this before. It had been coming to him from several different angles that he could not afford to gratify his desire to wipe this meddlesome young official from his path. He made a slow, sulky promise. All right m let 1dm alone. Peter can tell him." Swinging to the saddle; ha spurred - "Macdonald Is a Bad Man With a Gat If ha should kill me, his last chance for getting the Macdonald claims patented would be gone. The public would raise such a howl that the administration would have to throw your friend and the Guttenchllds overboard to save Itself. I know that and Macdonald knows it So he stands to lose either way." Paget, knew this was true. But he could not drop the subject without ene more appeal. "Hes not son at you about the claims. You know that IPs because you brought the squaw up the river to see Sheba "I didn't bring her hadnt a thing to do with that I dont know who brought her, though I could give a good W He Was Fighting Desperately. urea rushed at him. He threw up an arm to ward off the club aimed at hla head, but succeeded only in breaking the force at the blow. As he staggered back stunned, a bullet glanced along his forehead and ridged a furrow through the thick hair. A second stroke of the club Jarred him to the heels. Though his mind was not clear, his body answered automatically the Instinct that told him to close with his assailants.. He lurched forward and gripped one, wrestling with him for the revolver. Vaguely he knew by the slurp, Jagged shoots of pain that the second man was beating his head with a club. The warm blood dripped through his hair and blinded his eyes. Dosed and shaken, he yet managed to get the revolver from the man who had it . But it was his last effort He was too far gone to use it A blow on the forehead brought him unconscious to the ground bleeding from a dosen Jail without breakfast; He was furious, but as he puced up and down the narrow beat beside the bed hla anger gave way to anxiety. Surely the Pageta could not beUeve he had done such a thing. And Sheba would she accept as true this weight of circumstantial evkhnee that was piling up against him? It could all be explained so easily. And yet the facts fitted like links of a chain to condemn him. He went over them one by one.- The babbling tongue of Selfrldge that had mode common gossip of the Impending tragedy in which he and Macdonald were the principal his purchase of the automatic his public meeting with two known enemies of the Scotsman, during which he had been seen to give them money his target practice with the new revolver the unhappy chance that had taken him out to Seven-Mil- e Creek Camp the very day of the robbery his casual questions of the miners even the fiqdlng of the body by him. All o, these dove-taile-d with the hypothesis that his partners in crime were to escape and bear the blame, while he was to bring the body back to town and assume Innocence. Paget was admitted to his cell later In the morning by Gopher Jones. He shook hands with the prisoner. Jones retired. Tough luck, Gordon, the engineer said. "What does Sheba think?" "We havent told her you have been arrested. I heard it only a little while ago." And Dinner Yes, she knows. Welir demanded Gordon brusquel- y- Peter looked at him In questioning Well, whatr He caught surprise. the meaning of his friend. Try not to be an ass, Gordon. Of course she knows the charge is ridiculous." The chip dropped from the young Good old Diane. I man's Bhoulder. might have known, he said with a new cheerfulness. I think you might have, agreed Peter dryly. By the way, have you had any breakfast V No. Tm hungry, come to think of it"III have something sent in from the hotel. How's Macdonald He's alive and while there's life there la hope. Any news of the murderers? asked Gordon. Posses are combing the hills for them. They stole a packhorse from a truck gardener up the valley. It seems they bought an outfit for a I reckon. The field agent was startled. "You month yesterday said they were going prospecting. mean Macdonald? They talked for a few minutes longThe brown man chewed his quid the question of a lawyer er, mainly-oYou done guessed It steadily. Thats absurd, you know. What and the chances of getting out on bond. Peter left the prisoner in very much evidence have you got? had found him. First off, youd had trouble with better spirits than he him. It was common talk that when CHAPTER XV. you and Mac met, guns were going to pop. You bought an automatic re"God Save You Kindly." volver two days ago. You was seen A nurse from the hospital had rewith It practicing lieved Diane and Sheba at daybreak. He had threatened me." the middle of the aft"You want to be careful what you They slept until then under orders from the say, Mr. Elliot It will be used against ernoon, doctor walked out to take the air. The you. Gopher shot a squirt of tobacco unerringly at the open door of the stove You was seen talking with Trelawney and Northrop. Money passed from you to them. I gave them a loan of ten dollars each because they were broke Is that criminal? demanded Gordon angrily. Thats your story. Youll git a chance to tell it .to the Jury, I shouldnt r . wonder. Mebbe theyll believe It You wounds. On his way back to Sever! Mile Creek never can tell." Believe it I Why, you muttonhead, camp Gordon Elliot rode down to the ford. In the dusk he was almost upon I found him where he was bleeding to them before the robbers heard him. death and brought him in. Thats what I heard say. Kinder For a moment the two men stood gas-in- g at him and he at the tragedy before him. One of the men moved toward his horse. ordered Gordon sharpStop there ly, and reached for hla revolver. The man it was the miner Northrop Jumped for Elliot and the field agent fired. Another moment and he was being dragged from the saddle. What happened next was never clear to him. He knew that both of the bandits closed in on him and that he was fighting desperately against odds. The revolver hod been knocked from his hand and he fought with bare fists Just os they did. They quartered over the ground, to. Gordon would not let either of them get behind him. They were larger than he, heavy, muscle-boungiants of great strength, but he was far more active on his feet He Jabbed and sidestepped and retreated. More than once their heavy blows crashed on his face. .His eyes dared not wander from them for an instant but he was working toward a definite plan. As he moved his feet were searching the automatic be had dropped. One of his feet dragging over the ground, came into contact with the steel. With a swift side kick Gordon flung the weapon a dosen feet to the left Presently, watching his chance, he made a dive for it Trelawney, followed by Northrop, turned and ran. One of them caught Macdonald's horse by the bridle. He swung to the saddle and the other man clambered on behind. There was a clatter of hoofs and they were gone. Elliot stooped over the battered body that lay huddled at the edge of the water. So badly had the face been beaten and hammered that it was not until he had washed the blood from the wounds that Gordon recognised ' Macdonald. Opening the coat of the insensible man, Gordon p "t his hand against the heart He could not be sure whether he felt it beating or whether the throbbing came from the pulses in his finger tips. As well as he could he bound up the wounds with handkerchlefo and 1 d to queer, aint it you happened to be the man that found him?" Nothing queer about It I was riding In from Seven Mile Creek camp. Gordon was exasperated, but not at all alarmed. So you was.' While you was out at the camp you asked one of the boys how big the pay roll would be." Does that prove I was planning a hold-up- ? Isnt that the last thing I would have asked if I had intended roblery?" Don't ask me. I aint no psychologist All I know is you took an interest In the bank roll on the way. Tm here for the government investigating Macdonald. I was getting Information earning my pay. Can you understand that?" Gopher chewed his cud impassively. Sure I can, and 1 been earning mine. By the way, how come you to be beat up so bad, Mr. Elliot?" I had a fight with the robbers. Sure It wasnt with the robbed? That split Up of yours looks to me dumb like Mac's John Hancock." Elliot flushed angrily. Of course If you Intend to believe me guilty Now, there ain't no manner o' use in gettin het up, young fellow. Mebbe you did it; mebbe you didnt Any, how, youll gimme that gat you been toting these last few days. Gordon's hand moved toward his hip. Then he remembered. I havent It I left I- tYou left It at the ford with one shell empty. Thats where you left It Interrupted the officer. Yes. I fired at Northrop as he rushed me. Uin-hassented Jones, Impudent unbelief in his eye. "At Northrop of at Macdonald. What do you think I did with the money, then? Did I eat It? Not so you could notice it Since you put it to me flat-foyou gave it to your pardnera. You didnt want it They did. They have got the horse too and they're hitting the high spots to make their getaway." ElUot was looked up In the filing u, ot Tough Luck, Gordon, 8ald. the Engineer fever of the patient was subsiding. He slept a good deal, and in the Intervals between had been once or twice quite rational. The thoughts of the cousins drew their steps toward the JalL Sheba looked at Diane. Will they let us pass, do you think Perhaps. We can try. Gopher Jones was not proof against the brisk confidence with which Mrs. Iaget demanded admittance. The prisoner was sitting on the bed. Ills heart Jumped with gladness when he looked up. Diane shook hands cheerfully. How is the criminal?" Better for hearing your kind voice, he answered. d His eyes strayed to the girl in the background. They met a troubled smile, grave and sweet "Awfully good of you to come to see me, he told Sheba gratefully. How la Macdonald? Better, we hope. He knew Diane tills afternoon. "We haven't talked to Mr. Macdonald yet about the attack on him, Di r ane explained. "But he must have recognized the men. There are many footprints at the ford, showing how they moved over the ground as they fought So he could not have been unconscious from the first blow." Unless they were masked he must-havknown them. It was light enough," agreed Elliot. Peter is still trying to get the offlj cers to accept ball, but I don't think' he will succeed. There is a good deal of feeling in town against you." Because I am supposed to be an enemy to an open Alaska, I Judge. Mainly that Wally Selfrldge has been talking a good deal. He takes It for granted that you are guilty. Well have to wait In patience till Mr. Macdonald speaks and clears you. Gopher stuck his head in at the door. Youll have to go, ladles. Times up. When Sheba bade the prisoner good-b- y It was with a phrase of the old Irish vernacular. God save yon kindly. He knew the peasants answer to the wish and gave it And you, too." The girl left the prison with a mist in her eyes. Her cousin looked at her with a queer, ironic little smile of affection. To be in trouble was a sure passport to the sympathy of Sheba. Now both her lovers were ,ln a sad way. Diane wondered which of them would gain most bom this new twist of fate. Selfrldge had been shacked at the sight of Macdonald. The terrible beating and the loss of blood hud sapped all the splendid, vital strength of Hie Scotsman. Ills battered head was,. swathed In bandages, but the whit face was bruised and disfigured. The wounded man was weak as a kitten; only the steady eyes told that he was still strong and unconquered. for a minI want to talk business ' ute, Miss Sedgwick. Will you please step out? said Macdonald to his nurse. She hesitated. The doctor says Do as I say, please." Tlie nurse left them alone. Wally told the story of the evidence against Elliot in four sentences. His chief caught the point at once. After Selfrldge had gone, the wounded man lay silent thinking out his program. Not for a moment did he doubt that he was going to live, and his brain was already busy planning for the future. He knew now that In the violence of his anger against Elliot bs had made a mistake. To have killed his rival would have been fatal to the Kamatlah coal claims, would have alienated his best friends, and would have prejudiced hopelessly his chances with Sheba. Fate had been kind to him. ne had been in the wrong and It had put him In the right By the same cut of the cords young Elliot had been thrust down from an Impregnable position to one In which he was a discredited suspect With all this evidence to show that he had conspired against Macdonnld, his report to the department would be labor lost Diane came Into the sickroom stripping her gloves after the walk. Macdonald smiled feebly at ber and fired the first shot of his campaign to de. feat the enemy. Has Elliott been captured yet?" ha asked weakly. The keen eyes of his hostess fastened upon him. Captured I What d.t you mean.? It was Gordon Elliot tin.; brought you In and saved your life." Brought me from where?" "From where he found you unconscious at the ford." Thats his story, Is It?" The young woman stood with her gloves crushed tight In both hands. It was her nature to be always a partisan. Without any reserve she was for Gordon In this new fight upon him. What had Wnlly Selfrldge been saying to Macdonald? Did the mine owner mean to suggest that he had Identified Elliot as one of his assailants? Tbs thing was preposterous. And yet that was plainly what ho had meant to Imply. If he told such a story, things would go hard with Gordon. In court It would clinch the case against him by supplying the one missing link in the chain of circumstantial evidence. Diane, in deep thought, frowned down upon the wounded man, who seemed already to have fallen Into a light sleep. She told herself that this was some of Wally Selfrldge' deviltry. Anyhow, she would talk it over with Peter. The reason Wally was so pleased with himself was that he had dropped a hint into the ear of the wounded man not to clear Elliot of complicity In the attack upon him. The news that the special Investigator had been arrested for robbery and attempted murder, flashed all over the United States, would go far to neutralize any report he might make against the validity of the Macdonald claims. If to this could be added later reports of an Indictment, a trial, and possibly a conviction. It would not matter two straws what Elliot snld In his official statement to the land office. Elliot breaks out of jail long enough to frustrate a plot engl-- , neered by Wally 6elfrldge. Then he gets In Jail again. The story of this exciting episode le told In the next Installment (TO BB CONTINUED.) ebon-haire- Reducee Golf Stick Supply. The invention of a golf club with Interchangeable heads permits all the strokes to be made with one stick without the necessity for carrying several. Optimistic Idea. Nothing is so uncertain as the minds of the rabble; |
