Show CODE of the NORTH t IX Continued IX-Continued Continued CHAPTER 16 16 fellow described the smoke m Tye old as best he he could olds He tIe ID red sit In beI be- be bt a chaIr for tor r her to to I Oa would not leave a the door door- Ih abe her then nase ast He ie tried to q quiet her when she l vat 1 frantic as he described the became the moke smoke rolled hl higher her and anda vU across the upper end of the spread a b telling me the truth Tim K yon roa asted repeatedly and the man she e asked eort that he was sore ort I she cried If It Id I'd IdI d ded Oh b for tor eyes ed I In ChIcago the bandage was to been taken off tomorrow The lace e Insisted sted I must not take It off orr from him So roust you rou I was as away Id st tell me Tim and tell everything every every- mast Im I'm depending on you rou so sol I 1 thing thIn s a time as her agitation only After i bA ed Tim tas attempted to take her herrind In rind Iliad at least partially from the fire of her errand of the salva- salva n. n Ie talked lie of ot for the Job that acquirement Joo OD Se the I Lairds Laird's timber meant Ob MOIL the brief case easel I r she said Where is la it IU Mac said he would put K It in 10 n the safe And we 11 will wl too Katie I l Tim put pot the money away and went wenten ia en talking trying to keep her Interested Interested interested Inter Inter- ested in things s of a n more reassuring than thaD the fire At Jt noon they were still In ID the door door- nj fir of the store with Kate hate showing of the physical strain she was UDder Eder Fetter Tetter come to my shanty nd lay fay laytown town fora a while the man said She protested at first but Tim continued con con to Insist that she rest and finally final final- ly 11 his bis way prevailed Slowly he be led leder let er across to his room one-room cabin twenty rods from the store She lay Inn down on his bed and and- turned her bandaged face toward the wall lie ne stood there watching as ns long sobs com com- rested to rack her body and then tasted boded himself preparing a lunch While ThOe he puttered about his hI stove a asin sin mn emerged from rom the timber on the opposite side of the lake and stood looking looting across the neck of water to- to yards ards the buildings Ills His brows browl were lathered and he waited as as' one one will those hose first objective Is to be certain thAt tint when he moves moves moves' It will be tie In the proper toper direction After Alter she had rested and eaten late Kite Flynn sat lat on Tims Tim's doorstep and once ease more the old fellow functioned u eyes s for her hm Hotter n D hot but she dont don't spread that flat means th backfires backfire's el holdin he Kid all over and over Across the lake the man had ceased lit ill prolonged smoking ne He He walked slowly back and forth behind the screening awning bushes and Impatience rode F bin Ilia severely Artem Afternoon on waned and once he cur cursed ed softly lIe He had gone further in his hI pacing icing that time and when he hp halted ad IDd looked across the wn water ter Tim Todds Todd's shanty was hidden from him by the tore store building Then he nodded sharp sharp- Ij ly 1110 In decision and hastened through tie to brush to where a canoe and pack j sere ere re cached He lIe launched and took the he few strokes necessary to tos to's send nd him hImi r v i the Intervening water Then very cautiously looking look all nil shoat and with one long stare up the lake hie toward where all nil the available man aa power of Good Bye battled the t bues he had set ran across the sand t toward the store f The The lowering lowerIng sun was reflected v r from windows In the side sf e ethe the tie building He lIe approached one r put pat his face close and stared within t I one lie place was empty and he smiled This ruB was a safe way to use the door i i would be at the risk of ot revealing him to Tim Slowly he shoved the the open careful to make no sound olid placed his hands on the sill and malted d within A moment later he be wi was passing quickly around the end ti ot the the counter and dropping to his bis j knees bees before the safe sate Tim Todd had been talking conJ con- con to Kate for J the last half halt hour The he JM girl clung tightly to his gnarled bud tana looks better all th thO time Katie he toted Id I'd like to bet they stopped he It at 0 Otter er creek th though ugh how bow they'd I Ir b r It tk In slash like th that t nd ad d on on n a a day dayH tie this H lie ge broke short as his gaze chanced t. t J wander Inder r to the tore store Through a on the near side aide he saw a ti the clambering ns through a window In other I Iru TI ru be dusted I he p muttered dropp drop drop- the on mane v girls girl's hand and rIsing Wow that away way a 1 What t Tim What's happened Kate Bate U tone tare M rose freshly alarmed at his LIkely Just Jost somebody at th tho store Katie wet Iter theY'll need Ill I'll skip lIe Be did Md not Dot skip He lIe hobbled bobbled as ns say v has hi es as old he u could along alone the path heart thumping In Jn alarm It hta tae Ine A thousand dollars reposed II nan man old cheese cheese box box of ot a safe safe and b e with stealth had Just entered the build build- lie Ic nr tiptoed up p the steps and poIsed tore the be within f at Franz Kranz kl kneeling bebe be- be safe la Point of ot l Franz ranz anz had Inserted the WreckIng g bar behind the a. a Ile strained against It as lIed i tb e lock Vw wIth th a grating and a tine tind tin tin- d gave gare the a door swung I he Ih e the brIef case d dropped ped from frome On B e which It had been placed i JOS Franz tJI I t What re you you-a- be I brought Franz to his hll rb Odd sound In hIs They r throat faced of if one ne nn another ther for tor an In- In trained strained silence Franz Fran was wal By gay HAROLD TITUS b by br HaroM Titus trapped caught red handed lie He ac ae- the situation resolutely better clear out out Tim he said darkly snatching up the briefcase brief case Pm Im on my night Might way now v I Youre a dan Banged ed thief 1 l Tim rim cried Shut up and get out I Franz sunned walking toward him Get out be dusted I t Im I'm In charge chare here I Im responsible for what's In here Franz you OU drop that satchel I l lIle He Ile lurched Inside and snatched up an ax na which leaned a against the wall The younger man halted balked by this show of ot resolution Iut Put down that ai ax ax you rou old fool Im I'm caught fair enough and Ive I've got to go through with It It now You cant can't stop me Oh I cant can't eh Cant stop ye reo cant cantI I Well Nell well we'll see bout bout And quickly stoutly stoutly stoutly-he he swung his ax as though he were wre striking at a tree driving squarely for tor Franz's shoulder The TIle other leaped backward the bit buried burled Itself deeply deply In Uie Ie floor fIOr and as Tim wrenched It free Franz leaped the counter and for the window w through which he e had entered 6 ye e don donil dont I Tim screeched and lunged after him swinging the ax again again- Xo No 0 Ve te ye re cant can't come come- It over oyer me Franz Franzl I Hack Into that corner young man I Ill I'll split ye In two If It ye Ie try to git away away now I Slowly but surely Franz was being cornered The double bit swung In wide arcs as 88 Tim advanced ad step by step tep Franz's face lost color Get out old man I 1 he cried finally Get out ut or And then Tim was WIlS looking down the muzzle of an an automatic automatic auto auto- automatic matic pistol Yah I 1 I he Jeered Ye cant scare me with no pop gun un I Ye drop that orIll orIll or orIll Ill I'll chop yer hand Stay back I t Franz gasped comIng coming com com- Ing up against the sa safe and then the automatic spat Just once orange flame darted from rom the barrel The ax lost It Its II firm swoop of c. c tion It sagged sagged and drooped and V i L l I Oh I 1 Carat Cant Cant Can't Eh Cant Can't Stop Y Ye Ve C Cant Can't nt I 1 17 Well Well We'll See Bout Bout dropped bouncing and sliding to the far tar side as Tim with a low whimper raised both hands as If It they were great reat weights to his pierced breast Shot pie Jle mel I he gasped In amaze amaze- ment Dusted If ye didn't His llIs knees gave gare He lIe went down slowly wilting rather than falling tailing slumped to one hip and then sprawled shuddering on the floor From the doorway of the little cabin Kate Flynn had heard She heard Tim shout heard another v voice giving answer and the tones of ot the exchange stirred her to action She groped her ber way Into the beaten path as voices raised higher as feet thudded thudded thud thud- and smashed ded as the ax crashed I Her IIer hands bands were extended before herand herand her herand and she ahe called out repeatedly to Tim Then nearing the store she heard Franz's final warning and Todds Todd's gallant gallant gal gal- lant defiance Lastly the venomous spat ot the pistol With that the girl ceased groping I Her hands whipped to her temples fingers fastened In the white gauze gauze of the bandage and with a Jerk she pulled It from her eyes ces Sharp pains tore torI to the back of ot her head belld She puckered her lids against the assault of ot light and wrinkled her face toce against the sudden torture But Dut she ahe could see and that was all that really mattered She stumbled forward those last few and steps knees weak with misgiving when Franz pistol In one hand brIefcase brief briefcase briefcase case In the other stepped over the tha prostrate form of ot the old man he came face to face ace with her halt half halt Inarticulate inarticulate In in- A low Breath half moan slipped from the man ar articulate curse Kate Kat a hand on the door Jamb swayed backward sick as 81 her eyes though throbbing and aching transmitted transmitted trans trans- understanding what bad mUted to her happened You she moaned You shot him I You killed him I You'll answer I heard everything I I 1 was for or it t I Just outside I IFor For an Instant Franz stared at her Then TheD an odd smile crossed his face he shoved the pistol Into Its holster bolster against his side and be he wet his lips Yes Yea you rou heard But nut you see you and be he said simply are here alone the quality of ot his hIe tone was Val ominous And with you rou gone one What then s Mm Who ho would know Dt Behind him Tim Todd closed one hand band From his che chest t a dark stain w was spreading on the floor boards You mean meaD you'd oud shoot me down too oo Because I know Franz ranz laughed mockingly and tucked the brief case cue under one line arm No he said and stepped closer It It isn't plea Ie ant nt business Ive I've die dis covered A slight Blight shudder traveled his big body blidy I wouldn't harm a hallof hair hall of your our head Kate Inte unless It became became be bo came necessary He lie licked his lips again lignin the lights In his eyes eres were shifting and changing chancing as he planned a way ay out for himself elt I didn't Intend Intend In In- tend to steal I didn't want to kill I 1 wanted to block your our deal with Uh MacOonald Mac Mac- MacDonald Donald Donald only but but with with a shrug shrug- things broke badly bally With the breaks goIng against you you IOU do the best you youcan can So So with you ou there are things to be done What things s she whispered alarmed for tor her own safety now nov You rou are alone When you go there will III be none to know what ha happened No Xo no not I You cant can't do that I II l lI I cant can't la Ia Hal I 1 lie He snuggled tho the brief case closer against his hIli side In here and liberty are all allI I 1 have haTe left lie He caught her hand as she started to tu tut away I 1 can uso use them both seeing that they're all oil I own Well start now Just you and I. I Well We'll be bo together long enough so Ill I'll be sure Ive I've a start And then well we'll cross that bridge when wo we 0 reach it She commenced to struggle in his grasp twisting her arm to free ree It It kicking kicking kick kick- ing out with her small feet But Dut her efforts effort's were futile Franz dropped the brief case turned her roughly about pulled her hands together behind behInd behind be be- hind her and bound them securely Oh help I 1 she screamed Help Hel lie nel- Ills palm cut oft off her words Xo No 0 one near he reminded her However there might be a little later We will take no chances The bandage she ahe had torn tom from her eyes hung loosely about her neck He lle put one arm about her head drawIng draw Ing lag It tightly against his breast am and with quick movements slipped the gauze across her lips twisted a knot kno at the tho nape of her neck and then held heh her at arms arm's length bound and gagged gagged Kate made Inarticulate raging sounds sounds' but he paid them no heed Lining Lifting her In his arms with only on one look behind at old form torm h he walked quickly out to his Jill canoe an and laid her gently In the bottom with th the duffle durne lie He beaded headed up the lake to to where th the smoke shroud now hanging low in th the heavier air of ot approaching evening obscured all landmarks Pleasant Journey 1 I he taunted bu bua but buta a queer and foreboding hunger showed pp his face tace as he stored stared at her Back Dack In the store old Tim had rolled rolle over oyer He lie tried to rise and could not I tried to crawl and could not so BO much muchas as ns get his knees up So So slowly at atthe atthe atthe the cost of Infinite pain he ho stitched hitched himself along halfway way to the open door lie He saw the canoe making northward he tried to call out III Ills 1111 again to the planks and he moaned twice and was still U e eSteve Steve Drake stood aside as the theother theother theother other men clustered about Young Jim Flynn the men he had saved from rom probable death and the others whose hearts he had won by that achieve achIeve- ment LaFane approached him that grim smile playing about his lips Broken would you say say Lord no not I Made I 1 Steve replied lIes Hes got the boys bore with him from the start I 1 And hell he'll keep em lies lie's wound on grand stuff sturt No need of ot your fearing tearIng fear tear ing lag to let em know who you arenow are now Drake experienced an odd let-down let on this The Polaris property was safe sare with Kates Kate's arrival Young Jim was was finally on the tLe Job capable competent competent competent com com- and his courage had been spectacularly spectacularly spec spec- spectacularly demonstrated There was no longer any reason for him to use another's name no longer cause to tobe tobe tobe be reluctant to reveal to Kate Flynn the facts acta of his pretense The twin twill I goals for tor which he had struggled I seemed to have been attained lIe He drew a slow breath as he thought of ot the girl She was more lovely than he be had believed belle The feel teel of ot her lips 1111 h had d stirred In him all manner of ot In Incredible Incredible incredible In- In credible Impulses The Impression of ot ota ofa a gIrl which he had built up for himself him him- self In those past weeks was a feeble thing compared om pared to her reality Evening was at hand The fire was under control Already Wartin was preparing for tor the nights night's work Steve beckoned to him You told me where she he started Got Oot any Idea how The man roan pursed paused his hI lips lIPI and shook his head Must lust be a bug fire What makes you think that Well she come up over on the tha southwest of ot twenty Weve We've had no men over there all summer There aint any berries In n that country so 10 there wouldn't be any there lookin for tor fruit Nobody would be going through that particular country gettin from one river to the other because theres there's better ways way have a reason reason That we know I mean meanT Dont be dumb Jimmy I I try not to be Or to be going oft off cocked halt either What's In your lOut bead r. r TO DH CONTINUED |