| Show f fK G W MY se seBy By JOHN R. R MUSICK Author of 01 J t Mr Howard d I Dark Stranger er Charlie Etc Eta k Copyright ht 1897 by Bonu sT Son eons L' L XII rights CHAPTER XIII Continued t 1 Information about what Bout Dout the youth as has slipped an eccentric and started to take in d' d hills last Jast winter In a moment Ethel was on her feet her pretty face all glowing with Interest interest inter Inter- est and cried r T you mean Paul Paul Paul-Paul Paul Miller the chap whose name I was with What of him what him what of him asked ask ask- ed Clarence eagerly Well we dont don't know old Glum thought as' as ashow how may be you yoU better come down and interview them mum mum- mies on m see what ye can git out oem o 0 oem em fem You say they are at Ralston's shanty Z I r f rYes Yes Why didn't they come h here re Well WeIl ye see they're a little off their feed Their peddles are bent an their feet dont don't track track all all from goin over d' d rocks and snow until d' d skins skin's worn off oft Ethel seized her own and her husbands husband's husbands husband's hus hus- bands band's cap saying Let us hasten to Glum's shanty As you say my dear Come we will go at once and learn all we can They closed up their house and accompanied by Dick and Gid hastened hasten hasten- ed away toward the shanty of old Glum Ralston They reached the lower part of the camp which had grown to quite a village of shanties Great fires were blazing in pits These were fires built to tn th con It up and wash lt I IA A small knot of people were were gathered gathered gathered gath gath- ered in front of Glum Ralston's shanty talking in strange whispers nodding and gesticulating in a manner manner manner man man- ner which Indicated that some matter of great moment was under discus discus- sion eion Clarence and Ethel passed through the throng and entered the shanty Here a sight met their gaze calculated to o awaken their profoundest sym sym- pathy Four Fou d skinned dark young men whose once robust frames had been worn away to skeletons w were re reclining reclining reclining ing on piles of skins filling their empty stomachs with food placed before before be be- fore tore them Where are you from Clarence asked From the Island of one answered Have you come direct from there No Where have you been We were lost In the woods for a along along along long time and almost perished from cold and hunger We wanted to wait walt until spring but he did not He had been detained for so many months that he would wait walt no longer He Hee He said months and years were rolling over his head since he had seen her heror heror heror I or written to her Of whom are you speaking He called himself Crack Paul PaulPaul P Paul It Is Paul Paull cried Ethel clapping her hands In delight Hush dear let us be sure whispered whispered whis whis- Clarence then turned to further interrogate the the- stranger What kind of a young man was was' this lash Crack-lash 7 I Like you only darker that's alL alLWell alLWell alLWell Well how bow f did he reach your Island 7 C J I t Come on an Ice boat Ice boat 7 Yes Yes great great mountain of Ice He was on ice He surely means an Iceberg said Clarence fixl fixing g his eyes on Glum n Ralston The old man nodded his head and said There aint ln t n no doubt of It He c. c I Ii v r-v O S 2 o 1 means an iceberg l If he does then this man he lash dE e lash Crack Is none other than Cr Oral lash Paul Pau I r 1 Youre correct mate Glum R Rl ton answered with a nod of his he heThe heji The Indian then took another a Ii or two of the soup and told how t. t f the way they had captured one of t it h men who had robbed him They hi crossed a mountain range and w making their way toward the Yuko way when they were ere all four drawn off a aa a is isa a a moose trail On their return they were unab to find neither the prisoner Crack las d nor the mysterious captain who hat ha years before been on their Island b bi had been abducted by two of his ow i sailors one of whom they had cat car and lash Crack-lash recognized hi hias hid hidas nb as one of the robbers It was a lon loni long story and took a long time to tell it Pauls Paul's fate tate was unknown but th the chances were he was a prisoner o a ot dead ead In the forest Do you believe this story Glum Clarence asked 1 Every word o 0 It is the gospel truth he answered What are you going to do I 1 am going going to look loot for him Ill I'll find him dead or alive If dead Ill I'll bury him If alive Ill I'll bring him home Clarence arose and taking the hand of the blunt old miner said Glum Ill I'll go with you And her crl cried d Glum nodding toward his wife Oh never mind me never mind me the wife quickly answered I can get along very well alone I want him to go and try to find poor Pa Paul l if such a thing Is possible Ill go Ill I'll do it he declared Clarence Berry then theft proceeded to interrogate the and drew from them the story In detail Next day In company with Ralston he set out to find the men lost In the forest l had been een nearly three year years years' nc t Theodore Lackland had seen Paul Miller and no wonder he failed to recognize recognize recognize rec him Such a change had suffering suffering suffering suf suf- fering and hardship marked on him that he more nearly resembled some ferocious animal than a human being When he u uttered ered a cry and pronounced ed Lackland's name that individual asked Who are you you you- But he had heard that voice and knew the man It was Paul Miller transformed into a wild man man PaulI Paul I glared ferociously at the men whom he had first welcomed as friends Dont come come dont don't dont approach me he hissed his eyes flashing with fire I understand your devilish malicious designs upon me and I will shoot you dead if you come too close I have come to find you my dear friend The dog courier bore the message message message mes mes- sage to us that you were perishing In the woods and we set out to find you Paul grew weak and dizzy and sitting sitting sitting sit sit- ting down on the snow gasped a yr I didn't know It would fall faU into your hands or I would have perished In the woods before I sent it it Lackland gave Cummins a wink and continued to hold the attention of Paul while his hireling slipped behind him to attack him from the rear You misapprehend us Paul continued continued con con- Lackland We dont don't Intend any harm to you You are sick sick you are almost perishing but we want to save you I dont don't want to be saved by such as you Go on on I say and 1 J will make my way to Dawson City alone Cummins at this moment seized him from behind Paul made a desperate struggle to to free hl himself but famine but famine suffering and toil toll had overcome him completely and he soon lay b breathless breath reath- less on on the snow I am s sent nt by Miss Laura Kean who Is In Juneau waiting for you to conduct you to h her r. r Its a lie Oh my heavens I know it is a lie and I am unable to resist The he name of ot the woman he loved love d f r 5 v. v by the lips Ups he hated most med emed to have filled him with rage d he struggled like a madman to to eak ak away from his captors Two Tw of Cum Cum- ore re Ire came to the assistance ns and they threw him upon the ow with such force that when they ted his body his head fell fel b back ck Paul Paulis Paulas is LS Insensible The blood was g S from a wound in his forehead and eyeing eing the virgin snow f Thunder Im I'm afraid he Is dead I declared They carried him down the moun- moun In side for a mile where there was a ove of pines and calling a halt alt lilt a fire He then sent for for a sled i take the wounded man man b back ck to to imp mp Cummins said Lackland now mes the finest scheming we have voer ver done What is it We must keep them separ separate separate te Who f The wounded man and J the girl I Iso Aso want to separate th the the old old woman woman rom torn the young woman and I i f think scheme that willIe will willie have hit hit upon a Ie je sure to win This fellow will need nurse lU ei and I I- w will I coax th the old wo- wo r pan panto to stay star with him who Paul l I The IThe sled was brought ands and lad ad recovered but was delirious was wasn laced on n It H He had every every symptom m f brain fever brain Lackla Lackland id began t io fa d u. u peculate peculate-on the chances othis ry and decided they were slim T They ey conducted him to a pla place e on onie he ie lake two two- miles niles above the present amp and set his men to work build build- wounded man ng a the After s seeing ing the sufferer comfortable comfort- comfort ble able In In the r rude de Sh shanty nty constructed pr or him and setting some Indians to jutting wood to supply him Lackland yent vent to th the camp camp where Laura had teen feen seen l left ft furrowed d Then with a face deeply with anxiety he waited on Miss Kate Kat e Willis Willis' and said T me 0 to tn ask a a ate gave IO bl ng- ng Ta m. m and said In manner manner- r What isit it I I almost hesitate for the request t Is a serious We one found a poor w on the mount moun moun- t ts Inside bereft of his reason and n arly dying He n needs eds the tender c re of some some kind hearted woman ton ton to ton n n him back to life Where is he she asked her mann man man- p n at at once changing He Is at the grove a mile or OJ two b k on this trail Why didn't ye bring him here Because Because- he Is too weak to Ing ings s 8 si far Besides we have built a as a as s nty my and made him as comfortable a possible o 0 skillfully did he manage It that L ra was detained in the camp ande and Ke e Willis sent flying back in herd her d sled As evening came Laura dec de de- c cled ed her intention to go to her f feile le Ie companion but the rascally who had be been n posted what t o 0 could not catch the dogs dogs' s' s to h ess them to the sled ie e found herself alone In the camp th those strange strang men and he her sou soul filled filleti with with dread it t morning brought Kate back heart was filled with sympathy fihe fethe unfortunate young man it 1 wl will go gO with Kate declared l Jo o no child the shanty aint In big big h besides I dont want ye to be in Iny Stay here Hell He'll ber be lr r soon for I see a sign In his his' lb f f. f f The point is bout r ed 5 was easily persuaded Jaded to wait aier day before re she called on the thea a an Laura little dreamed that I unconscious nc ms stranger whom hom her canlon nion was nursing was the one Bond and loving he heart rt longed for fora T In blissful Ignorance of theof the of her Paul she soe waited for the for the theto to move on She had not Io long g ait Mt it Next morning long before is s. s light she was awakened by y anise tolse of teamsters and 19 g dogs dos and nd cracking whips I L. L Y I 7 1 She hurriedly dressed and gazed out into the starless night night- She saw angry angry angry an an- gry clouds gather about the mountain peaks and the air was full of flakes of-flakes flakes tom Sled ready the chatter- chatter ed i r f t i- She made haste to get ready read t to to take take 7 r her her- place on it All AU was bustle and confusion Laura Laur loo looked looked ed in vain for r a t the face of some one she knew For For For- the first time in her life tife the face of of- t Lackland would b been en welcome welcom J d Where Is is he Where Where is Lack Lack- Lack f land she She asked Um Urn boss gone the nau an an- an r. r t a r Where Where is she Where Is is' is s Kate I 1 ui its 11 II J do not want to go without ut her er I not go alone cried Laura tb fo fear treachery k t J Holt shout shouted d the and t crack went his whip and and the the dog dogs dogs dogs' bounded forward the like wind I Stop S Sher top I. I Hold Hoi Hold Hold- she he she shrieked but b di un t n r her voice was lost t lon o D the raging Taging ra wind in v 1 f 1 a and she w went n soaring away away into into the I Inight yA r night and beating snow Meanwhile Paul lay on his his' his hard hard pallet pal 1 J let letof of I skins asleep with his faithful i J d nur nurse nurse-at eat his is aide i e her eyes on the fa face t. t t of the sufferer sufferer Ile He He was sleeping a. a f Iris ti 1 peacefully The fever had almost I abated and his brow was 1 less ss flushed I 1 f The wo woman an lamp c set c t. t M id tl WI r his fa face e and muttered r 1 J J 1 t f fl I He is is' getting better r. r He Ie f J CHAPTER XIV hi i I. I C Kate for Harmony of am a raging Morning g dawned amid id a r thanks tol the logs Jogs and and and- 1 I. I at ft frozen mud with which Jh the l little cabin 1 if had b en daubed the patient 1 was was 1 i comfortable 1 broth land and Kate Kate brought some warm gave him a few spoonful and 1 j h hs he s' s whispered I I i iI Where am I I dont don't know Somewhere in that r I n jI 1 t cold country called call call- t t ed Alaska but I couldn't give ye the then I metes and bounds if I was was to try I 9 whispered c h hp t 1 ev t that hat gyp n a. a t. t washes J for a living at Seat Seattle re on on- my way to Klondyke e to start start start a a 1 f 4 laundry Who are you with 1 W Well ll theres there's a hull passel In our crowd but I dont don't know know m man many ny Y 6 o em I t better be be quiet an wh when n nyer yer better better ye kin git acquainted with with- em Paul acquiesced In her lier plan by simply simply sim sim- ply nodding his his- head bead and closing his J Jeyes i eyes and nd she resumed her work I J When he awoke there was a a marked change in his manner manner and nd h he w re regaining I 7 gaining his strength str She brought brought- I t him some more broth and after he I had taken a few spoonfuls he sa sal Sall I Did you say you came came ame from Seattle Seattle Seat Seat- tle Yes Who brought me here It w was the boss of or the train that's rt goin to th the Klondyke I reckon hell he'll be here after awhile an then I ye can can- see him yourself I dont don't think ye ye- g ought to talk too much 11 1 x Yes Yes I I ought not They struck 1 me on the head r rHe i He He shut his eyes and tried to to o. o sleep and she went to the th door of off of the tha the I little cabin All was clear She saw saw one of the Indians loitering near loitering near and ande and I I t I a to called the to him and j him to goi i next camp and ascertain what wat- h had ci detained the dog sled i E To Tobe be contin continued ed f L |
