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Show QUEEN RIVER DISPATCH, GREEN RIVER, UTAH 4 An Alaskan Love O Story By Wiliam Madeod Raine Copyright, William Madeod Balno, . CHAPTER XVIII. -1- 0- A NaW Way of Leaving a House. The surge of disgust with which Sheba had broken her engagement to marry Macdonald ebbed away as the weeka passed. It waa Impossible tor her to wait upon him In his illness and hold any repugnance toward this big, elemental man. The thing he had done might be wrong, but the very openness and frankness of his relation to Meteetse redeemed It from shame. He was neither a profligate nor a squaw-ma- n. . This was Dianes point of view, and In time It became to a certain extent that of Sheba. One takes on the color of ones environment and the girl from Drogheda knew in her heart that Meteetse and Golmac were no longer the real barriers that stood between her and the Alaskan. She had been disillusioned, saw him more clearly; and though she still recognised the quality at bigness that set him apart her spirit did not now do such complete homage to it-- More and more hey thoughts contrasted him with another man. Macdonald did not need to be told that he had lost ground, but with the dogged determination thut had carried him to success he refused to accept the verdict She was a woman, therefore to be won. The habit of victory waa so strong In him that he could see no alternative. The motorcar picnic to the Willow Creek camp was a case In point Sheba did net want to go, but she went The picnic was a success. Macdonald was an outdoor man rather than a parlor one. He took charge of the luncheon, lit the Are, and cooked the coffee without the least waste of effort In his shirt sleeves, the neck open at the throat, he looked the embodiment of masculine vigor. Diane could not help mentioning it to her cousin. Isn't he a splendid human animal T" Sheba nodded. "Hes wonderful. . If I were a little Irish colleen and he had done me the honor to care for me, Tdf have fallen fathoms deep In Hove with him. . The Irish colleens eyes grew reflective. "Not If you had seen Peter first Dl. There's nothing reasonable about a girl, I do believe. She loves or else she Just doesnt Diane fired a question at her point-blan"Have you met your Peter? Is that why you hang back? The color flamed Into Shebas face. Of course not. Ton do say the most outrageous things, Dl. They had driven to Willow Creek over the river rond. They returned by way of the hills. Macdonald drew up in front of a cabin to fill the radiator. He stood listening beside the car, the water bucket In his hand. Something unusual was going on Inside the house. There came the sound of a thud, of a groan, and then the crash of breaking glass. The whole window frame seemed to leap from the aide of the house. The head and shoulders of a man projected through the broken glass. The man swept himself free of the debris and started to run. Instantly he pulled up In his stride, as amused to see those In the car as they were to M6 him. "Gordon cried Diane. Out of the house poured a rush of men. They too pulled up abruptly at sight of Macdonald and his guests. A sardonic mirth gleamed tn the eyes of the Scotsman. "Do you always come owt f a house through the wall, Mr. Elliot?" he asked. GorOnly when I'm In a hurry. don pulled out a handkerchief and on his face. dabbed at some glass-cu- ts Don't let us detain you, said the Alaskan satirically. "Well exeuse you. since you must go. Pm not In such a hurry now. In fact, If youre going to Kualak, I think ril ask you for a lift, returned the field agent coolly. . y do And your they want a lift too?" Big Bill Macy came swaying forward, both hands to his bleeding head. Hes a spy, curse him. And he tried to kill me. Did -- he? commented Macdonald evenly. What were you doing to him? He can't sneak around our claim under a false name, growled one of the miners. We'll beat his head off. Ive had notions like that myself sometimes, assented the big Scotsman. But I think we had all better leave Mr. Elliot to the law. He has Uncle Bam back of him In his spying, and none 0 us an big enough to buck the government Crisply Macdonald spoke to Gordon, turning upon him cold, hostile eyes. Get In If you're going to. Elliot met him eye to eye. Tve changed my mind, rm going to walk. Thats up to yon. Gordon shook hands with Diane and Sheba, went Into the house for his coat and walked to the stable. He brought out Ms horse and turned It loose, then gs took the road himself for Kualak. A Couple of miles out the car passed him trudging townward. As they Sashed down the road he waved a Cheerful and nonchalant greeting. Sheba had been W of gayety and but ber mood was ehaned. AH k. . r friends-ia-a-hun- the way home she was strangely silent to forget the charms of other women. The faint feminine perfume of her was The days grew short The last river wafted to his brain. He felt a besiegboat before the freeze-u- p had long ing of the blood. since gone. A month earlier the same Stepping behind the chair In which pteamer had taken down In a mall sack she sat, he tilted back the head of lusthe preliminary report of Elliot to his trous bronze, and very deliberately department chief. One of the passen- kissed her on the lips. For. a moment she gave herself to gers on that trip had been Selfridge, sent out to counteract the influence his embrace, then pushed him back, of the evidence against the claimants rose, and walked across the room to a submitted by the field agent An In- little table. With fingers that trembled formation had been filed against Gor- slightly she lit a cigarette. Sheathed g don for highway fobbery and attempted In her gown, she made a murder. Wally was to see that the strong carnal appeal to him, but there damning facts against him were was between them, too, a dose bond brought to the attention of officials In of the spirit He made no apologies, high places where the charges would no explanation. do most good.. The details of the story Presently she turned and looked at were to be held In reserve for publicity him. Only the deeper color beneath In case the muckrake magazines should her eyes betrayed any excitement "Unless Im a bad prophet you'll get try to make capital of the report of the answer yon want when Sheba Elliot Kualak found much time for gossip comes .back, Colby. during the long nlghta It knery that He thought her reply to his IndisMacdonald had gone on the bend of cretion superb. It admitted comElliot In spite of tlie scornful protest plicity, reproached, warned and at the of the younger man. The case against same time Ignored. Never before hud the field agent was pending. Pursuit she called him by his given name. He of the miners who had robbed the Mg took It as a token of forgiveness and mine-own. had long ago been dropped. renunciation. Somewhere In the North the outlaws Why was It not Genevieve Mallory lay hidden, swallowed up by the great that he wanted to marry? The mine-owncarried with him back to his white waste of snow. The general opinion was that Mac office a seflse of the futile Irony of was playing politics about the trial of life. A score' of men would have liked his rival. He would not let the case to marry Mrs. Mallory. She had ail come to a jury until the time when a the sophisticated graces of Ufe and conviction would hove most effect In much of the natural charm of an unthe States, the gossips predicted. They usually attractive personality He liud did not know that he was waiting for only to speak the word to win her, and the return jtt Wally Selfridge. The his fancy had flown In pursuit of a litwhispers touched closely the personal tle Puritan with no knowledge of the affairs of Macdonald. The report at world. In front of the Seattle A Kodak Emhis engagement to Sheba ONeill had been denied, but It was noticed that porium the Scotsman stopped. A lithe was a constant guest at the home tle man who had his back to him wus of the Fagets. Toung Elliot called bargaining for a team of huskies. The there too. Almost any day one or other man turned, and Macdonald recognized of the two men could be seen with him. "Hello, Old. Arent you off your Sheba bn the street Those who wanted to take a sporting chnnce on the usual beat a bit? he asked. The little miner looked him over ImIssue knew that odds were offered sub rasa at the Pay Streak saloon of three pudently. Well well I If it aint the big mogul himself and wantin to to one on Mac. Sheba rebelled lmpotently at the know If Ive got permission to travel off the reservation. r situation. The Would not I reckon you travel where you want take No for an answer, ne wooed her with a steady, dominant persist- to, GId same as I do. I shouldnt wonder If Maybeso. ence that shook even her strong find out quite soon enough what youd was There will. something resistless In the way he took her for granted. Im doing here. Yon never xunr-tefGordon Elliot had not mentioned love the old man retorted with a manner to her,' though there were times when thnt concealed volumes. Those who were present remembered her heart fluttered for' fear he would. She did not want any more complica- the words and In the light of what took tions. She wanted to be let nlone. So place later thought them significant. "Anyhow, It Is quite a social event when an invitation came from her for Macdonald suggested little friends the Husteds, signed by all with Kualak, a smile of Irony. three of the children, asking her to Without more words Holt turned come and visit them at the enmp back to his bargaining. The big Scotsback of Katma, the Irish girl Jumped at the man went on his way, remembered chnnce to escape for a time from the of (hat. he wanted to see the decision being forced upon her. Sheba pledged her cousin to secrecy the bank which he controlled, and until after she had gone, so that Miss promptly forgot that old Gld existed. The old man concluded his purchase O'Neill was able to slip away on the and drove up to the hotel behind one unnoticed either Macdonald stage by or Elftot. The only other passenger of the best dog teams In Alaska. Gideon asked a question of the porwas an elderly- woman going up to the Katma camp to take .a place as ter. Second floor. Thats his room up cook. there, the man answered, pointing to Later "on the same day Wally coming In over the Ice, reached a window. Oh, you, seven eighteen ninety-nin- e, Kualak with Important news for his the little miner shouted up. chief. He brought with him an order Elliott appeared at the window. from Wlnton. commissioner of the genWell, ril be hanged I What are you eral land office, suspending Elliot pendan of here, doing the Investigation ing charges Onct I knew a man lived to be a against him. Oddly enough, It was to Genevieve grandpa minding his own business, Mallory thnt Macdonald went for consolation when he learned that Sheba had left town. He had always found It very pleasant to drop In for a chat with her, and she saw to It that he met the same friendly welcome now that a jlval had annexed his scalp to her slender waist. For Mrs. Mallory did not concede defeat. If the Irish girl could be eliminated, she believed she would yet win. His hostess looked up at him with a mocking little smile. Rumor says that she has run away, , my lord. Is It true? Yes. Slipped away on the stage ' this morning. Thats a good sign. She. was afraid to stay. It was a part of the fiction between them that Mrs. Mallory was to give him the benefit of her advice In his wooing of her rival. She seemed to take It for grar ed that he would at last marry She a after wearing away the rigid Puritanism of her resentclose-fittin- -- er . er mine-owne- y cn-hl- - e, Old-Time- r? . ment Macdonald had never liked her so well as now. Her point of view was so sane, so reasonable. It asked for no Impossible virtues In a man. There was something restful In her genial, derisive understanding of him. She had a silent divination of his moods and ministered Indolently to them. Do you think so? Ought I to fol- low her?" he asked. She showed a row of perfect teeth In a low ripple of amusement The sib nation at least was piquant even though It was at her expense. No. Give the girl time. Catch her impifise on the rebound. Shell be bored to death at Katma and she will coma back docile. Her scarlet lips, the long, unbroken Unas of the sinuous, opulent body, the challenge of the smoldering eyes, the warmth of her laughter, all invited him For a Moment She Gave Herself to His Embrace. man. Come down the little grinned and Ill tell you all about It, boy. In half a minute Gordon waa beside him. After the first greetings the young man nodded toward the dog team. How did you persuade Tim Ryan to lend you his huskies? Why dont you take a paper and keep up with the news, son? These huskier dont belong to Tim. Meaning that Mr. Gideon Holt Is the owner? Youve done guessed It, admitted the miner complacently. He had a right to be proud of the team. It was a famous one even in the North. It had run second for two years In the Alaska sweepstakes to Macdonalds great Siberian wolfhounds. The leader. Butch, was the hero of a dozen races and a hundred savage fights. What in Halifax do you want with .the team? asked Elliot, surprised. The whole outfit must have cost a small fortune." Some dust," admitted Gideon proudly. He winked mysteriously at Gordon. "I got a use for this team, If anyone was to ask you. Haven't taken the government mall contract, have you? Not so you could notice It ril tell you what I want with this team, as the old sayln is. Holt lowered his voice and narrowed slyly his little beadlike eyes. Tm going to put a crimp In That's what I aim Colby Macdonald. to do with Jt "How?? The miner beckoned Elliot closed and whispered In his ear. CHAPTER XIX. In the Dead of Night While Kualak slept that night the wind shifted. It came roaring across the range and drove before It great scudding clouds heavily laden with sleety snow. From dark till dawn the roar of the wind filled the night Before morning heavy drifts had wiped out the roads and sheeted the town In virgin white unbroken by trails or fur- body. In spite of flaccid will, he had hls-terr- or, of his ness to the other end of the room. In the faint gray light of coming day Macdonald could see a huddled mass on the floor. There has been murder done. IH The guests of Mrs. Selfrldge danced get a light. Don't move from herey well Into the small hours. The Cali- Jones. I wunt to look at things before fornia champagne stimulated a gayety we disturb them. There's no danger. that was balm to her soul. She want- - The robbers have been gone for hours. By the light of another match the r crossed the room into the sitting room of the cashier. Presently he returned with a lamp and let Its light foil upon the figure lying slumped against the wall. A revolver lay close to the Inert fingers. The bead bung forward grotesquely upon the breast The dead man was Milton. His employer saw nothing ridiculous In the twisted neck and sprawling limbs. The cashier had. died to save the money entrusted to his care. Macdonald handed fhe lamp tn the marshal and picked up the revolver. Every chamber was loaded. "They beat him to It They were probably here when he reached home. My guess Is he heard them right away, got his gun, and came in. He's still wearing his dress suit. That gives us the time, for he left the di h about midnight Soon as they saw him they dropped him. I wouldnt have had this happen for all the money In the sofa How much was there in It? I don't know exactly. Tbe books will show. Ill send Wally down to look them over. Shot right spang through the heart looks like, commented Jones, following with his eye the course of the mine-owne- With the coming of daylight the tempest abated. Kuslak got Into Its working clothes and dug itself out from the heavy blanket of white that had tucked It In. By noon the business of the town was under way again. That which would have demoralized the activities of a Southern city made little difference to these Arctic Circle dwellers. Roads were cleared, paths shoveled, stores opened. Children In pnrkns and fur coats trooped to school and studied through the short afternoon by the aid of electric light fell early and with It came a scatter of more snow. Mrs. Selfrldge at the club that gave a dinner-dancnight and her guests came In furs of great variety and much value. The hostess outdid herself to make the affair the most elaborate of the season. Nobody In Kuslak of any social importance was omitted from the list of Invited except Gordon Elliot. Even the grumpy old cashier of Macdonald's bank on old bachelor who lived by himself In rooms behind those In which the banking was done was persuaded to break his custom and appear In a rusty old dress suit of the vintage of That Gun, Came the Low, 8harp Command. ed her dlnneTCance to be smart, to have the atmosphere she had found In the Now York cabarets. If everybody talked at once, she felt they were having a good time. If nobody listened to anybody else. It proved that the affair was a screaming success. Mrs. Wally was satisfied as she bade her guests good-b- y and saw them puss Into the heavy snow that wns again falling. They all assured her thnt there had not been so hilarious a party In Kuslak. a trifle lit up by reaOne son of too much hospitality, phrased his enjoyment a little awkwardly. "Its been great, Mrs. Selfrldge. Nothing like It since the duys of the open dance hull. Mrs. Mallory hastily suppressed an Internal smile and stepped into the How do you do It? she breach. asked her hostess enviously. My dear, If you say It was a success What else could one say?" Genevieve Mallory always preferred to tell the truth when It would do just as well. Now It did better, since It contributed to her own Ironic sense of nmusement. Macdonald had once told her that Mrs. Selfrldge made him think of the saying, Monkey sees, monkey does. The effervescent little woman had never had an original Idea In her Drop e old-time- r, 95. W-wh-at at the arm of His forearm came up with a Jerk. Two shots rang out almost together. The cashier sagged back against the wull and slowly slid to the floor. rows. The grizzled cashier his name was Robert Milton left the clubhouse early for his rooms. It was snowing, but the wind had died down. Contrary to his custom, he had taken two or three glasses of wine. His brain was excited so thnt he knew he could not Don sleep. He decided to read Quixote" by the stove for an hour or two. Arrived at the bank, he let himself Into his rooms and locked the door. He stooped to open the draft of the stove when a sound stopped him halfway. The cashier stood rigid, still crouched, waiting for a repetition of the noise. It came once more the low, dull rasping of a file. Shivers ran down the spine of Mil-to- n nnd up the back of his head to the roots of his hair. Somebody was In the bank at two oclock In the morning with tools for burglary. He was a scholarly old fellow, brought up In New England and cast out to the uttermost frontier by the malign tragedy of poverty. Adventure offered no appeal to him. But though his knees tremhled beneath him and the sickness of fear was gripping his heart, Robert Mil-to- n had In him the dynamic spark that makes a man. He tiptoed to his desk and with shaking fingers gripped the revolver that lay In a drawer. The cashier braced himself for the plunge, then slowly trod across the room to the Inner, locked door. The palsied fingers of his left hand could scarce turn the key. . It seemed to him thnt the night wns alive with the noise he made in turning the lock nnd opening the door. The hinges grated and the floor squeaked beneath the fall of his foot as he stood at the threshold. Two men were In front of the wire grating which protected the big safe that filled the alcove to the right. One held a file and the other a candle. Their blank, masked faces were turned toward Milton, and each of them covered him with a weapon. are you doing here?" quavered the cashier. Drop that gun, came the low, sharp command from one of them. Soma old ancestral Instinct In the bank cashier reap out of Ms panic to destroy him. He wanted to lie down quietly In a faint But his mind asserted Its master over the weakling The marshal clutched to keep the faith, the banker. Did you see that?" he lie was guardian of the bank funds. whispered. At all costs he must protect them. Ilis finger pointed through the dark life. Most of those who hod been at the dance slept lnte. They were oblivious of the fact that the storm had quickened again Into a howling gale. Nor did they know the two bits of nows thnt were passing up nnd down the main street and being telephoned from house to house. One of the Items was thnt the stage for Katma had failed to reach the roadhouse at Smiths Crossing. The second bit of news was local. For the first time since Robert Milton had been cashier the bank had failed to open on the dot. Macdonald was no sluggard. It was his hnblt not to let the pleasure of the night before Interfere with the business of the morning after. But In the darkness he overslept nnd let the town wnken before him. lie wns roused by tbe sound of knocking on his door. Who Is he asked. Its me Jones Gopher Jones, finy. Mac. the hank ain't open nnd we cant rouse Milton. Thought I'd coine to you, seeing as youre president cf the shebang. In three minutes Macdonald Joined the marshal and walked down with him to the bunk. He unlocked the front door and turned lo the tittle crowd thnt had gathered. Better wait here, hoys. Gopher nnd I will go In. I expect everything is all right but well let yob know about that ns soon as we find out. The bank president opened the door, lot the officer enter, and followed himself. The sun had not yet risen and the blinds were down. Macdonald struck a match and held It up. Bank's been robbed, he announced quietly. Looks like, agreed Jones. His voice was uneven with excitement The lit another match. In the flare of It he saw that the steel grill cutting off the alcove was open and that the door had been blown from the safe. ltr . Scotch-Ganadla- n wound. Wish I'd been here Instead of him, Macdonald said grimly. His eyes softened as he continued to look down at the employee who had paid with his life" for his faithfulness. It wasn't an even break. Poor old fellow I You weren't built for a Job like this, Robert Milton, but you played your hand out to a finish. That's 'all Bny mau can da" He turned abruptly away and began examining the safe. The sliver still stood sacked In one large compartment. The bank notes had escapi'd the hurried search of the robbers, but the One gold was practically all gone. sack had been torn by the explosion und single pieces of gold could be found all over the safe. Macdonald glanced over the papers rapidly. The officer picked up one of dozens scattered over the floor. It was a mortgage note made out to the bunk by a miner. lie collected tbe others. Evidently the bandits had torn off the rubber, glanced over one or two to see If they had any cash value, and tossed the packnge Into the air as disgusted gambler does a pack of cards. The bank president stepped to the door and threw It open. He explained the situation In three sentences. I can't let you In now, boys, until the coroner has been hen-- , he went on to tell the crowd. But there Is ono way you can all help. Keep your eyes open. If you have seen any suspicious characters around, let me know. Or If anyone lias left town In a hurry or been seen doing anything during the night that you did not understand at the time." A man named Fred Tngue pushed to the front. He kept n feed corral near the edge of town. I can tell you one man who muslied out before five oclock this morning nnd that's GId Holt The eyes of Macdonald, cold and hard as Jude, fastened to die man. IIow do you know?" That dog team he bought from Tim Well, hes been keeping it In Ryan When I got there this my corral. morning It was gone. The snow hadn't wiped out the tracks of the runners yet, so he couldn't have left more than fifteen minutes before. Yon don't know that Holt took tbs team himself? Come to thnt, I dont. But he had a key to the hprn when the sled was. nolt hns been putting up at the hotel. I reckon It is easy to find out If he's still there." Macdonald's keen brain followed the facts' ns the nose of a bloodhound does a trail. Holt, an open enemy of his, had reached town only two days before. He had bought one of the best nnd swiftest dog teams in the North and had let slip before witnesses the remark thnt Mnedonnld would soon find out what he wanted with the outfit. The bank had after midnight. To file open the grill and to blow up the safe must have taken several hours. Before morning the dogs of Holt had taken the trail. If their owner were with them. It was a safe bet Jhat the sled carried forty thousand dollars In Alaska gold dust (TO BE CONTINUED.) j hcen-rohhe- d The Reason Why. In this railroad rase, I want to ask that man a direct question." Dont ask him anything direct Dont yon know hes a director?" Machinery and equipment for a tannery capable of handling 100 hides dally Is needed In China. |
