Show CT he Free Traders By ROUSSEAU VICTOR ROUSSEAU CO W. W O. O Chapman ba ma u c. c CHAPTER 18 1 Saved by Estelle EstelleAn An As the wall of ot the hut hot burst buret Into flames flame Lee struggled with all aU his hi might to free tree himself of ot his hta bon bonds lIs But Dut In spite pile of ot nit all Ma hie efforts effort be he could not loosen them an Inch loch lie He writhed until the cords drew blood from hi his hi wrist and the thought of ot Joyce lost loat to to him at the last laet through I tello trick Inspired him to till still frenzied efforts but equally In vain Suddenly a figure darted through the doorway In his hili condition of ot semi consciousness he was wu dimly aware lint Hint I stelle Estelle was waa crouching at his hie aide Ilde trying to tG unknot the ropes It was waa Impossible to see eee anything through the thick smoke that tilled filled th the Interior of ot the hut and Estelle fingers groping tot for the knots knot were not strong enough to loosen them Still she fought In a tr frenzy maddened mad by de desertion of ot her MH hili blow and antl Shortys Shorty's murder hardly knowing why ahe was bent upon say sav saving lag ing Lee Ile when her whole life lite had bad gone rone down dmn In ruin Two walls of ot the hut but were now In dames s nd the whole e roof ions Estelle screamed wildly Into the empty air Lee 16 tried to push her away awny Go never mind me met I he tried to mumble through his hll gag Kag And h h. h he wondered d why site she who hal had lured him there was WaN now trying to save him She Bite hit bit at the ropes with her teeth and even while she Ibe did so 10 those screams continued to pour from her ber herUp Up lips At last lut with a final despairing cry err ah she lb collapsed at Lees Lee's side Another figure staggered over the theall all sill It was Wal Leboeuf lie He came conle on on n ft moving pillar of ot mud The old Indian In In- dlan dian attracted by the fire lire and hearing hearing hear hear- ing In cries had at last succeeded sue suc 1 In fn fighting his way out of ot the muskeg Seeing the two forms torms dimly through the smoke he bent down felt the cords about Lees Lee's limbs and body and with his hili knife quickly slashed them He lIe pulled the gag lor from Lees Lee's mouth and carried him outside 1 Estelle staggered red out after him In a few tew nW the fresh air alt revived them Hut But hardly were they outside the hut but when the roof root collapsed with a grent great crash sending up a spout of ot sparks and brands A huge bure banner of ot fire tire waved wand where the but ho had b been n The glowing brands descending set let n fire re to the dead reeds Lines of ot tire fire ran swiftly out Into th the swamp vamp The sound of ot and plunging came from the stables which were ere now discernible against the i brightening sky Iky I Monsieur I I cried Leboeuf pointing Estelle Eltelle clung to Leo lee Walt I 1 Walt I she he cried Dut But even In Lees Lee's misery the Instinct to save sue the animals came ame first Leboeuf and he s set tott off toward the building staggering through the swamp while the lier fiery fingers finger of ot the conflagration reached out toward them No Not I This way l cried Estelle running toward them She guided them along the little la trail land nd In a few tew moments Lee lAe an and Leboeuf had bad the animals and nd led them to safety latet the Indian carrying the saddles and bridles bridle over his Ma arm At the neck of ot the promontory Estelle Estelle Es Es- telle fella grasped at Lee Le again lie He Is gone cone gonet I she cried lie He has taken her herto herto to Lake I In his motor boat Oh dont don't you cars Ire care that you stand Itan there like that thaU Lee looked at her despair heavy In his eye eyes S So much he answered that I shall tollow him to to the Arctic Ice It If necessary That U- U why there Is no Instant hurry Estelle Estelle could not understand Ms fils calmness ls lie He made me deceive you you ou Rhe she cried lie He swore t to me that he would take nit mt away with him leaving leaving leav leav- ing her In the hut but with you He lie said Buld he would place a knife near you ao so that you could see pee It when It grew crew light and would b bi able to free freo yourself your self and her lie He only wanted a few minutes minutes' respite I-I I I I believed him the perjured 1 liar lie He tricked me and now hes he's gone forever tore 1 I She broke broko d In stormy sobs Lee Iee paid ald nothing At that moment when e everything thing thing- seemed lost Ot and It was Impossible to save sa Joyce Joce from the worst ho he could rould only build up ul endless schemes for tor future retribution He lie would pursue It If necessary not to tho mho Arctic Ice but Lut to the I ends of ot the earth It nut It was too toolate late latel i That stunning realization kept himas him ns as still 1111 nn and silent as If It nothing mattered mat at all nil All the while these thoughts thought passed through Ms toIs mind ho was wu walking with tho the others across the promontory promontory- It was Will growing light now but hut they could pea ItO no signs of ot movement mo In the huts opposite them Leo Lee quickened his bl footsteps oppressed oP b by a It vogue vague fear Outside the huts he stopped uttered H a cr cry Father McGrath la lay In a huddled Leap heap There was a Moody bloody wound In his head Lee Ife threw himself upon his knees beside the old priest sure lure that he was wall dead lie He took one wrist Father McGrath was very far tar from being dead dud Ho lie sat lat up UI with electrifying tying suddenness and dealt Lee a buffet that knocked him backward And the flow of ot language that streamed from tram his bis lip lips Will was If It not actually ob- ob decidedly picturesque Then of ot a s sudden ludden he seemed to realize where be he was Wall lie Fie e stared at It Lee Iee In dismay looked wildly around him are they Ah Ab the the the- the I f Leboeuf coming up ap at June June- ene ture turn with the two horses horns uttered a melancholy grunt at t the sight light of ot the theold theold theold old priest with hi his bl blood bloody head and the prisoners prisoner gone lone McGrath was Ina In Ina a raging fury It wa was Wal not dim difficult cult to piece the story together When Lee Le disappeared Into the muskeg musker Leboeuf knowing that It wa was Impenetrable unless one possessed knowledge of ot the trails hastened battened after atter hymn him leaving McGrath In charge of ot the prisoners Though McGrath remembered remembered nothing from that moment It could be gathered that on one ODe of ot them had drawn a concealed pistol and tired fired felling McGrath and stunning him Whereupon thinking him dead the whole crew had rushed for tor the motorboat motor motorboat I boat but frightened back by Estelle Estelles screams scream and the sight of ot the two men there whom they believed to be more more of ot Lees Lee raiding party part the they had swarmed down the landing place Into the York boats boat and made good rood their escape The whole nights night work had gone rone for tor nothing Lt Lee e Insisted on examining Mc Mc- Gratha wound and discovered that It wa was a mere re graze raze along the temple The bone bODe had turned the glancing bullet Aye the thick head o 0 the Io Me- draths saved me and the thick thickhead thickhead head bead o 0 the saved them I 1 sr f Lee Lea Trl Tried d to Push Puah Her Away D o- o N Never v r Mind M Mil Mel l H He H. Tried t to I Mumble Through HI His Gag Gap the old man l lamented bitterly Two s t tas an as evil moment when ye consented t t. t me wi ye Anderson I 1 ILee ILee Lee I tried to console him but hut M McGrath Mc lie- Grath appeared utterly despondent t over his failure It was In vain Le Lee e told him that he did n not t need th the e members member of ot the gang rane th that t It was a good rood thing on the whole that they ha had d got Irot away Father l said ld Leo Lee weve we've got rot to look the facts In la th the face tace nut First there theres m my dut duty as 81 a policeman to arrest for tor Telly's Tellys murder however far tar I have to follow tollow him ties He's broken for tor Lake and Im I'm going to follow tollow him hlO there Then theres therel Joyce It Its It's true she's hi his hi wife wite here Estelle tried to interrupt Interrupt Inter inter- rupt him bini but tie he Ignored her Iii His voice choked for tor a moment I must rm laminate eliminate that fact tact from consideration rm Im start aa as soon as a. possible and I propose to ride one of at Railways Railway's horses It If Leboeuf la Ls willing to accompany accompany ac ae- company me Ill I'll take him as a deputy lit Al Monsieur I I come with I You you t never fear tur I answered Leboeuf making making mak lOok ing a clucking sound with his tongue against the root ot his mouth And then Lee remembered that Leboeuf Leboeuf Le Le- boeuf had a score of ot his own to settle with the fugitive apart from the matter mat ter of ot Joyce Joyne v I t See Monsieur I said the Indian pointing to two pairs of ot snow shots shoes strapped against the sa saddles I ha have ve only to make up two packs from frogs what whitt those men n have left lett behind l them In these thele huts huU and we are ready tl to start together to the top of ot the tho world We ride rid the horses till they can cun go 0 no ao longer Then we take to the raquettes And i lit at t last Iut we catch him lie He cannot escape escale us Monsieur ur there Is 18 no place In the fhe world so small that be he can hide In In nor no place so 10 silent that we Wit cannot hear hur him My I m master ster ClIme came to me In to a dreary dreal and told me rne so 10 lie Ho told me menil all nil that has happened here but I would not let you know We catch him by falling water wain An And l rhe she rite she shall como come to ta no harm All AU this my master told tola me The wizened ned mournful face toce of or theold the theold old man lit up with a sombre lombre fire Lee clapped him on the back 1001 Leboeuf he said Well start then Ile He turned to the priest You will be lib able Ie to make four your way home home- Father me nue for tor that lad lady I answered I Father McGrath I dinna doot but they'll bo liu anxious for tor rue me an and anIt It its it's little more I can lIn do for tor you having i bungled the game lime lime- I He lIe would not listen lIten to Le Lees Lee's en en- Na na Da as' It a sate ealr end to the be he said paid but let us UI thank God weve we've cleaned oot this nett netto o 0 snakes n k anyhow een If It the serpent serpents serpent's ser p pent pent's nt's gone ione gone Aye but yell ell catch him lad and save lave save that Jallie fra tra i him h be h continued ed He lIe spoke without with out much conviction Before Defore I to go Anderson be tie continued my purpose to clean oot this neat nest o 0 snakes I completely Ill I'll een empty their barrel bar rel rats rei o the Uie stuff that they've been wl wt the guld corm corro and burn bum down these thele habitations I. I Lee Lea looked across the neck where a a. de dense se cloud of smoke from the burning reeds reed hung over oYer everything eve Good I I- he be answered Make a clean sweep of ot It Father so 10 that therell there'll be no chance of ot their coming back here at an any future I 1 rues guess you'll find oil In the storehouse Now Leboeuf If It youre you're ready ready- Estelle who had bad been standing by vainly attempting two or three times time to Intervene came cam forward placing her hand d timidly upon Lees Lee's arm You Tou you wont won't hurt burt hi him nit You'll promise me me to do him no harm whatever what what- ever whatever ever whatever ever whatever he lOa may have bave done she pleaded If It It 1 is III possible I promise you that I I shall take him unharmed back to e Lee answered That Is Ismy ismy my Dy dut duty and It ft will also be my duty to require you as 88 a witness She She- burst Into tears Oh he isn't altogether barn bad I she he sobbed lobbed Hes Ile good In his bis way Nobody knows the good g that Is In tn him Perhaps that was the best tribute that could have been paid Estelle Lee struck b by a Iud sudden den thought turned to tho the priest Father you roust mut must take her back to the mission with with you you he said Twos Aye said laid McGrath what I was wo You must go with him him said Lee and put his foot toot In the stirrup l Estelle stelle clutched at him and now the look In her eyes eyu was one of ot reso reso- lution Lee Lee walt wait I Theres There's something some something some some- thing I must say 1111 to you I l You remember remember ber what I was saying to you two nights ago about its it's not being necessary necessary sar sary to to-to to to kill him to get that girl from him Lt Lee e only looked at herLee her hr Lee I may never see lee you again I want you to forgive me for tor all the wretched miserable wrongs I did you In the p past st st. Lee It If Its It's any consolation consola tion I I know It can con be none none but but I Idid Idid Idid did love you once I knew I W was I unworthy unworthy un un- worthy of ot you but It wasn't all fake take and sham Never mind Estelle sold said Lee All that's long Jong past I should have told you about about- about the tbt mon man Kean but 1 I didn't dare to You You You-you you Idealized me You thought me roe something that I wasn't and could never have bave been Estelle I I- I If It you hadn't put me upon a ft pedestal pedestal ped pfd estal stal I should have found to courage counge to tn tell you that Kean had been ra my 9 lover that I cared more for tor you then I should have kneeled at your you r feet teet and begged berred you to forgive me I r ran away with him because I wa was s afraid of or you and I have hated bated you u and and hate you still stilt because because of ot th the e wrong wrone I had done you Please Plane dont don't soy say any say more 1 Es 18 Estelle s- s telle telle Lee tried to Interpose You think that Im I'm a woman with witha a score ecore of ot lovers Sovera and theres there's only bee been n one man In tn I all II my life Ute Lee Because Because- e- e Ill I'll tell you now Jim 1 III e Kean And his hll wife's still alive alive at at apy luty rate she was waa alive alle when be he wen went t through that marriage ceremony mony with h Joyce Alive and not divorced m him That makes Joyce yours your I 1 CHAPTER Retribution The cold rage In Lees Lee's heart was was- like Ilk an on Inexorable demon driving demon driving him Mlle Mile after mile mile- they covered urging th their lr foam flecked horses along the trait trail as remorselessly as the resolve In their own own hearts drove e them It was when the they topped a abare b bare el elevation ele among the pl pines es that Leboeuf touched his companions companion's arty arm and pointed In the distance Lee saw the motorboat motorboat motor motorboat boat drawn up on the shore hore And with that some some Instinct told him that c could ul ry ot t es escape them the that he would never reach Lake Luke Lee Lle burned now new with I e. same faith that hat a animated hnat 1 b They drove their horses on on mw the motor boat boot depart delart heard t thug chug of ot Its engine die dle away In the distance It was about abot the middle of ot the afternoon after afternoon noon th that t Leboeuf touched Lees Loe's arl arm aria l' l and pointed l a second time Again Ie Lee saw the motor boat boot Again Aroln they heard the rattle of ot the time engine swell up anddie and anddie anddie die away a But Dut now by th the same lame faith Lee Iee knew that Joyces Joyce's deliverance was 81 ver very near although their horses horsell were feere wearied almost to death A aln they rode on through the afternoon The Indian who had not pot spoken a word since elne their departure touched Lees Lee's arm a a third time And now new Lee IGe saw flaw the motor boat again but |