OCR Text |
Show The Trey O' Hearts 2 B r Br LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE " I H ArffCTI Fttum into." TA. Cu. fW.""n fli u, - .. 5 Jl niitnteJ wttfc Pltet(Tpl from tb Pldnrs Production S H Copyright, 1914 b Urals Joseph Vitoi lmmtm H I 8YN0PSI8. Hal f Ilenrta Is the "death stsn" sH Hi SLifi Trine In tho private war w1 bLfn?8 which, throuph his daugh- MfJf,'hnC' woman of violent and crlm-si crlm-si 't S'rnJ questionable sanity, he Hsl ' "Tinst Alan Law. whose father H "?,,. Trine held responsible for the HwJ5.nt which made htm a helpless crip-1 crip-1 KdJtB.t. 1om tlose, but under dramatlo si ! MV. saves the life of Judith. hTwin l". "nd ""willingly niM !t lovs. also. . H CHAPTER V. tm The Hunted Man. m That day was hot and windless with fl M unclouded sky-a day of brow and H "Hong beforo any sound audlblo to - H toman ears disturbed tho noonday 1 loili a bobcat sunning on n log In a ,.,ile to which no trail led, pricked H ". rose, R'anced over Bhouldor wlth jjnarl and of a sudden was no moro H there. perhaps two minutes later n succes-M succes-M ilon of remoto crashlnga began to bo B teard, ft cumulatlvo volume of sounds LH DiJa by Bomo llenv' boily forcing by H mala strength through tho undorbrush, B tad ceased only when a man broko H into tho clearing, pulled up, stood for B ,a Instant swaying, then reeled to a teat on tho lug, pillowing his head on J ami folded across his knees nnd shud- Bering uncontrollably In all hie limbs. ssHB H wkKHj . nl It Was a Rose. Dut even ns ho strovo to clm him- J telf and rest, tho feeling that somo- )Vfl I ft!U8 n&8 l)uorlnB nt lllm IroIn behind TUH a Kaak of undergrowth grew intolor- H,j7( H ably acuto. At length ho jumped up, glared wild- I; at tbo spot whero that somothlng VTFsB m 'onger waH' flunR lilmaclf fran- ybm Uc'ly through tho brush In pursuit of It, and found nothing. iniT, With a great effort ho pulled him- ie!f together, clamped his toeth upon the promlBo not again to glvo way to hllaclnatlonB, and turned'bnck to tho clearing. IT I Thero' upon tl10 IoB on which ho had rested, ho found but rofuBed to y!l Wlev8 lio saw-a playing card, n lito I f ,lenrt8' fnco up In tho sun- 1JK , 1J5 . Wlth n Kesturo of horror, Alan Law ed tho place. While tho sounds of his flight woro HI loud, n grinning hnlf-broed guldo - I T, n 8lm,Iow to tho log. laughed I.M lvoly nfter tho fugltlvo, picked up Ml d Pocketed tho card, and set out I.D 'a tireless, cat-footed pursuit. 'M I ,n" hour Intor- toi'I'Ing a rldgo of in Rrouni1' Ala" cauRht from tho o"o on us further sldo tho musio of fm,.hlnR waters. Tortured by thirst, VSi h ne lega,, at onco to descend In ruck- le3 lmstn. I fThv BhclvlnK moss-boda afforded "eacher""" footing; Alan was glad ut 2" nii '"en of tho support of a co- t" m me lh,!Be Brow ovor "ninllur, nnd . M .. ltll',y 8p,lC0d anA woro not nl- ' r.i8 C0luenle't to his hand. Ho " 1?m abru',tl' i"d nt headlong pace nf ,"nln 8'Kl't of tho eaves of a cliff -k Xf,re.elBl",y then tho l'lBldo Bcomod be j'11" rrom undor him. ' I ba!ihcel" nourl8hod In tho air, his I owl mpeU ft bod of Pobblos thinly a I nTtt wlth '"08B- Tho stones k I ll,il: n,08SBltn broko, ho bognn to I ttdfr8,raHpcU ul randora n youngish comh. h 8lnyod hl,n imperceptibly. I SS,h?aray wlt" Us Puny roots-" roots-" I tlal " "notl'or, no moro substnn- II ahoi "'. nmld a Bllowcr of Iooho stono I "roL, OVOr tho ortK "nd down a M -rop of moro than thirty foot. lho n8 lnatnnneously awnro of ly in ?.' " ,noUo" bnl1 whoollng mnd- Then , i , CU1' or tl10 turqttolso sky. M ."k u,,torH cl0Bed over him. I W TtTu u "truggllng and gasping, that !, , out ,or Bomothlng dark I! somen, , M'0 WfttorB neftr "t Imnd- canoe yay roHombtlng n I wi'bijiih 8,tre,nm,!tl1 wnfl lnreIy 8nont- I h tur. ; ' "nd bG0" dnvon out of him al, :(irc" of tho f. nnd ho had I hli r much wtor whllo thu nold onfueion'8(',lous"OBa waM Btrlclton wlt" M fadd'lo"? ft Blroko ot nn outstretched do,, J!,0 llllnB P n hand and went Instantly ono occupant ot tho ennoe, a young and very beautiful wo-man wo-man In a man's hunting clothe Bpoko a sharp word of command nnd, na her guldo steadied tho vessel with his paddle, rose In her placo so suroly that sho scarcely disturbed tho nlco balance of tho little crnft, and curved ljor litho body over tho bow, head-foremost head-foremost Into the pool. Mr. Law had, In point of fact, endured en-dured moro than ho knuwj moro than even a weathered woodsman could havo borno without suffering. Korty-eight Korty-eight hours of such heavy woods-walking woods-walking as ho had put lu to escapo tho forest llro, would huvo Bened to prostrnto almost nny man, add to this (Ignoring a dozen other mental, nervous nerv-ous and physical strains) merely the fact that ho had been half-drowuod. Ho experienced a little foer, a little delirium, then blank slumbers of ex-hnustlon. ex-hnustlon. Ho nwoko In dark of night, wholly unawaro that thirty-slx hour hud passed since his fall. This last, how-ever, how-ever, nnd oventa that had gone beforo, ho recalled with tolerable clearness allowing for the sluggishness of a drowsy mind. Other memories, moro vnguo, of gentle ministering hands, of a fnco by turns un ntigorn, a flower's, a flund's, nnd a dour woman's, troubled trou-bled him evon less materially. Ho was alrendy Bane enough to allow ho had probably been a bit out of his head, and slnco It seemed ho had been saved and cared for, ho found no reason rea-son to quarrel with present circum stances. Still, ho would havo been grateful for somo explanation of certnln phenomena phe-nomena which still haunted lilm euch us a faint, elutdvo scent of roses with a vnguo but Importunato senso of a woman's prescuco In that darkened room tilings manifestly nbsurd . . . With somo difficulty, from a dry throat, ho Bpoke, or rather wills-percd: wills-percd: "Waterl" In response ho heard someone move ovor a creaking floor. A sulphur match spluttered Infamously, A can-dlo can-dlo caught llro, silhouetting illusion, ot coursol tho tlguro ot u woman In hunting shirt and skirt. Water splashed noisily. Alan becamo awaro of somcono who stood at hla sldo, ono hnnd offering n glass to his lips, tho other gently raising his head that ho might drink with eusc. Draining tho glass, ho breathed hie thanks and sank back, retaining his grasp on tho wrist of that unreal hand. It suffered him without ro-slstanco. ro-slstanco. Tho hallucination oven wont so far ub to say, In a woman's soft accents: "You nro bettor, Alan?" Ho sighed IncredulouBlyt "Ilosol" Tho volco responded "Yes I" Then tho perfumo of roses grow still moro strong, seeming to fan his cheek llko n woman's warm breath. And a mtr- aclo camo to pass; for Mr. Law, who realized poignantly thnt all this was sheer, downright nonsense, distinctly distinct-ly felt lips llko velvet caress his foro-head. foro-head. Ho clooed his eyes, tightened his grnsp on that hand of phantasy, and muttored rnther Inarticulately. Tho volco abked: "What Is It, donr?" Ho responded: "Delirium . . . I3ut I llko It . . . Lot mo ravol" Then aguln ho slept. CHAPTER VI. Disclosures. In n llttlo corner olllco, soberly furnished, fur-nished, on tho topmost floor of ono of lowur Mnnliattrin's loftiest olilcotow-ore, olilcotow-ore, n llttlo mouse-brown man sut over a big mahogany desk; u little mnu of big nffalrs, solo Btoward of ono of America's most formidable fortunes. Precisely at eleven minutes past noon (or nt tho Identical Instant chos on by Alan Law to catapult over the edgo of n cliff In northern Maine) tho muted Blgnnl of tho llttlo man's desk telophono clicked and, eagerly lifting receivor to ear, ho nodded with a smile and snld In uccents of homo relief "Ask her to como In nt onco, please " Jumping up, ho placed a chair In In-tlmnto In-tlmnto Juxtaposition with his own; and tho door opened, and a young woman entered. Tho mouso-brown man bowed. "Miss Hobo Trlno?" ho murmured with n great donl of doferouco Tho young woman returned his bow with a show of perplexity: "Mr. Dig-by?" Dig-by?" "You nro kind to como In responso to my ah unconventional Invitation," Invita-tion," snld tho llttlo man. "Wont yon ah sit down?" Sho Bald, "Thank you," gravely, and took tho chair ho Indicated. And Mr. niRhy with an admiration ho made i no Sort to conceal, examined tho fair faco turned so candidly to him. "Itteoalto comprehensible." ho .ad dimdently-"" you will permit mo to s av so-now that ono Bees you Miss Trine It U Quito comprehensible why my omployor-ah-feels toward you as "Srl flushed. "Mr. Law has told yM.BTO the honor to bo hla ncare.1 friend, this side the water, as well as his man of business." ' Ho paused with an embarrassed gos-turo. gos-turo. "So I havo ventured to request this nh- surreptitious appointment la order to ah take tho further liberty liber-ty of asking whether you havo recont-1' recont-1' sent Alan a messago?" " Her look of surprlso was nnswor 'nough, but sho confirmed It with vigorous vig-orous denial: "I havo not communicated communi-cated with Mr. Law In moro than a enrl" "Precisely ns I thought," Mr. Dlgby nodded "Nono tho less, Mr. Law not ong slnco received what purported. to bo a messago from youj In fact a rose. And as Miss Trlno sat forward for-ward with a start ot dismay, ho ndodt J havo tho Information over Mr. Law's slgnaturo a lettor received ton days ago-from Quebec." "Alan In Aniorlcal" tho girl cried In undisguised distress. "Ha camo In responso to ah tho messago of tho rose." "Dut I did not send ill" "I felt sure of that, because," said Mr. Dlgby, watching her narrowly 'because of something that accompanied accompa-nied the roso, n Bymbol of nnothor significance sig-nificance altogether n playing card, a trey of hearts." Her oyes wero blank. Ho pursued with openly sincere reluctance: "I muBt tell you, I see, that a troy of hearts Invariably foreslgnalod nn nt-tempt nt-tempt by your father on tho llfo of Alan's father." With a stricken cry tho girl crouched back In the chair and covered hor faco with her hands. "That Is why I sent for you," Mr. Ulgby pursued hastily, as If In hopo of getting quickly over n most unhappy unhap-py business. "Alan's letter, written nnd posted on tho steamer, reached mo within twenty-four hours of his arrival In Quebec, nnd detailed his scheme to enter tho United States secretly ns ho puts it, 'by tho back door,' by way of northern Maino and promised nd-vico nd-vico by telegraph as soon as ho reached Moosehead Lake. Ho should havo wired mo ero this, I nm told by thoso who know tho country ho was to cross. IYenkly, I am anxious about tho boyl" "And I!" tho girl exclaimed pitifully. "To think that ho should bo brought into such peril through mo I" "You can tell mo nothing?" "Nothing ns yet. I did not dream of this much less that tho messago of tho roso was known to nny but Alan nnd myself. I cannot understand!" "Then I may tell you this much moro, thift your father maintains a very eulclent corps of secrot ngenta." "You thiuk ho Bpied upon mo?" tho girl flamed with Indignation. "1 know ho did." Mr. Dlgby permitted per-mitted himself a quiet smile. "It has seomed my business, In tho servlco p my employer, to employ agents of. ay own. Thero Is no doubt that your father sent you to Europe for tho, aole purposo.ot having you meet Alan." "Oh I" sho protested. "Hut what earthly motive?" "That Alan might bo won back to America through you nnd bo " Thero wns no need to finish out bis sentence Tho girl wns silent, palo nnd stnrluy, with wldo eyes, visibly mustering her wits to copo with this emorgoncy. "I may depend on you," Mr, Dlgby suggested, "to ndvlao mo If you find out anything?" "For oven moro." Tho girl roso and extended a hand whoso grasp was firm -Oh, Come. Cornel" She Cried Wildly. and vital on his Jlng-n. A flno spirit o7r,8olvo set her countenance aglow. "You may count on mo for action on T owTpt. If I nnd cu.. wnrnint It. I promised not to marry Man t-cau.0 of tho feud between our ffl ers-but not to stand by and see KTacrXeed. Tel, me .now -communicate secretly wl h you lot me go as soon as posslblel CHAPTER VII. The Mutineer. Within the hour Ho.o Trine stood wherein ho woro l ows XSZ? $ son and black, tl J' ' Jr U An imrdsi, malleo glimmered In his Unnn M 0',M M U kC'1 l,or Waiting hosWM 5 ?Rm"' And WheM ,lt lp,1th L fUl ,lrony ,n Ulnt "trangely sonorous volco of his. "Itoae," he said slowly-"my daugh- l,,iil7 .nm t0ld ou ,mvo ,oJfty wen SUllty of nn net of disloyalty to mo."- bno said coolly; "You had mo spied upon. "Naturally, with every reason to , .?..your ,oyuy-" nnd yo watched." Sho waited a significant moment, then dropped nn Impnsslvo monosyllable monosyl-lable Into tho Bllenco; "Well?" "You havo lslted ti10 man Dlgby. servant and friend of tho man I hate and you love." Sho said, without expression! "Yes." Kepeat what passed butweon you." "I shall not, but on ono condition." "And that Is?" "Tell mo first whether It was you who sent tho roso to Alan Law and more, whero Judith has been during the last fortnight?" "I shall tell you nothing, my child. Hepeat" tho resonant voice rang with Inflexible purpose "repeat what tho man Dlgby told you!" The girl was silent. Ho endured her Btaro for a long mlnuto, a spark of rago kindling to flamo the ovll old oyes, Then his ono living member thnt had power to servo his Iron will, n hand llko tho claw of a bird of prey, moved toward a row of buttons Bunk in the writing bed of his desk. "I warn you I havo ways to mako you speak" With n quick movement tho girl bent over and prisoned tho bony wrist In her strong fingers. With her other hand, at tho sama time, sho whipped oper s-' upper drawer of tho desk nnd took ,- ,ta It a revolver which bIio placed nt n safe distance "To tho contrary," she snld quietly, "you will remember thnt tho tlmo hns pasted when you could linvo mo punished pun-ished for dlsobedlcnco. You will cnll nobody: If Interrupted, 1 shan't hesitate hesi-tate to defend myself. And now" laying lay-ing hold ot tho back of his chair, sho moved It Borne dlstanco from the desk "you mny ns well bo quiet whllo I find for mjBoIf what 1 wish to know," For a moment ho watched In silence ns she bent ovor tho desk, rummnglng Its drawers. Then with an Infuriated gesturo ot his left hand, ho began to curto her. She shuddered a llttlo ns tho black oaths blistered his thin old lips, dedicating dedi-cating her nnd all bIio loved to sin, Infamy and sorrow; but nothing could Btay her lu hor purposo. Ho was breathless and exhausted when sho straightened up with an exclamation of satisfaction, studied Intently for a moment a sheaf of papers, and thrust thorn hastily Into hor handbag, together togeth-er with tho rovolvor. Then touching tho push-button which released n secrot and Httloused door, without n backward glanco flho slipped from tho room and, closing tho door securely, wltlrln nnothor mlnuto had mado her wny unseen from tho houso. CHAPTER VIII. The Incredible Thing. Broad daylight, tho top of a morning morn-ing ns rnro as ovor broko upon the north country: Alan Law opening bo-wlldored bo-wlldored oyes to renllzo tho Bubstnnco of a drenm como truo. Truo It proved Itself, nt least, In part. Ho lay betwoen blankets upon n couch of balsam fatiB, In a corner of somebody's camp a log structure, wcathorproof, rudoly but ndoquatoly furnished. His clothing, roughdrlcd but neatly mended, lny upon a chnlr nt his side. Ho roso nnd dressed In hnsto, at onco exulting In his Benso of comploto rest and renewed well-being, a prey to hints of nn extrnordlnnry nppctlto, nnd provoked by signs thnt Boomed to benr out tho weirdest (lights of his delirious de-lirious fancies. Thero were apparently indisputable evidences of n woman's recent pres-"onco pres-"onco In tho camp: blankets nently folded upon n second bod of nromntlc balsam lu tho farther comer; nn effect of orderliness not common with guides; n pair of dainty buckskin gauntlets depending from n nail In tho wall; and ho stood Btnrlng wltleflsly at It for moro than a mlnuto in nn old presorvo Jur on tho tnblo, a single rose, warm and red, dew upon Its pctnls! Thero wnB nlso flro In tho cook stove, with n plentiful display of things to cook; but dosplto his hunger Alnn didn't stop for that, but rushed to tho door and throw It open nnd himself him-self out Into tho sunshine, only to pnuso, dashed, chagrined, mystllled Thero was no other living thing In sight but a loon that sported far up tho river and Baluted him with a Bhrlok of mocking laughter. Tho plnco was a cleft In tho hills, a table of level land somo fow acres In nrea, bounded on ono hand, bo-nenth bo-nenth tho cliff from which ho had dropped, by n rushing river fat with recent rains; on tho other by n second cliff of equul height. Upstream tho water curved round tho Bhouldor of a toworlng hill, downstream tho cliffs closed upon it until it ronred through a narrow gorgo, Near tho camp, upon a Btrlp of shelving beach that bordered tho river whero It widened Into a deep, dark pool, two canoos woro drawn up, bottoms bot-toms to tho sun. Dense thickets of pinoa, oaks, and balsams hedged In tho clearing. Ho was, It seomed, to bo loft severely severe-ly to himself, that day; when ho had cooked nnd mado way with an enormous enor-mous breakfast. Alan found nothing better to do till Urflo for luncheon than to explore this pocket domain. Ho feasted famously ngaln at noon: whlled away soveral hours vainly whipping whip-ping tho poolB with rod nnd tncklo found In tho enrap, for trout thnt ho renlly didn't hopo would rlso benonth thnt blazing sun; and toward threo o'clock lounrjed bnck to his aromatic couch for a nap. Tho westering sun hnd thrown a deep, cool shadow across tho cove when hu was awakened by Importunato Importun-ato hands and a volco of magic. Hoso Trlno was kneeling bestdo him, clutching his shoulders, calling on him by name detracted by nn Inexplicable Inexplica-ble anxiety. Ho wasted no tlmo dtBcrlmlnntlng between dronm nnd ronllty, but gathered gath-ered both Into his arms, And for a moment sho rooted thero unresisting, sobbing quietly. "What Is It? What Is It, dearest?" lit) questioned, kissing hor tears away. "To And you all right. ... I was so afraid I" sho cried brokenly. "Of what? Wnn't 1 all right when you left mo hero this morning?" Sho disengaged with nn effort, rose, nnd looked down strnngoly at hlra. "I did not leavo you hero this morning, morn-ing, Alan. I wasn't horo " Thnt brought him to his own toet In n Jiffy. "You wero notl" ho stnm-mored. stnm-mored. "Then who ?" "Judith." Bho Btnted with conviction. "ImposBlblol You don't understand." under-stand." Tho girl shook hor head. "Yet I know: Judith wns horo until this Precipitating' Doth Into That 8avao,e Welter. morning. I toll you I know I saw hor only a fow hours ngo. She pusHod un In a ennoo with ono of her gulden, whllo wo watched In hiding on tho banks. Not that alono, but nnothor of her guides told mlno sho was hero with you. Sho had Bent him to South I'ortngo for qulnlno. Ho stopped thero to get drunk nnd thnt'o how my guldo mnnnged to worm tho Infor mation from him." Alan passed n hnnd across his eyes. "I don't undorstnnd," ho Bald dully. "It douun't seem possible sho could" A shot Interrupted him, tho roport of a rlflo from n considerable dlstanco upstrcnm, echoed nnd ro-cchoed by tho cliffs. And at this, clutching frantically fran-tically at his arm, tho girl drow him through tho door and down toward tbo river. "Oh, como, como I" bIio crlod wildly. wild-ly. "There's no time!" "Hut. why? What was that?" "Judith Is returning. I left my guldo up tho trail to signal us. Don't you know what It menus If wo don't manage to escupo beforo sho gets hcro?'J "Hut how?" "According to tho guldo tho river's tho only way other than tho trail." "Tho current Is too utrong. They could follow pot us at leisure from tho bunks." "Hut downstream tho current with us" "Those rnplds7" "Wo must shoot them!" "Can It bo dono?" "It must bo!" Two moro shots put a period to his doubts nnd drove It home. Ho offered no further objection, but turned nt onco to launch ono of tho cauocu. As soon ns It wn In tho wnter, Hoso took her placo In tho bow, paddlo In hand, and Alan was about to stop In astern when a fourth shot sounded and a bullet kicked up turf within a dozen feet A glanco discovered two figures debouching Into tho clearing. Ho dropped into place nnd, plnntlng pnddlo In shallows, Bent tho canoe well out with a vigorous thrust. Two strokes took it to tho middle of tho pool whero immediately tho current caught thu llttlo craft In its urgent grasp and sped it Binoothly through moro narrow and hlghor banks. A moment mora and tho mouth of tho gorgo was yawning for them. With tho clean balance of an experienced ex-perienced ennooman, Alan roso to his foot for an Instantaneous rcconnols-sanco rcconnols-sanco both forward and astern. Ho looked back first, and groaned In his heart to sea tho sharp prow of tho second cauoo glldo out from tho banks, Ho looked ahead and groaned aloud. Tho rnplds wero a wlldernoss of shouting waters, whlto and greon. worso than anything he hud anticipated antici-pated or ever dreamed of. p 1IK Uut thero wns now no escnplng that f I ordeal. Tho canoo wns already spin- " ? nlng between walls whero tho water ' ;n ran deep and fuat with a glassy sur i j faco. -. ;-J Tho next Instant it wns in the Jaws; y and tho man settled down to worU a with grim determination, pitting coun - ngo nnd strength nnd experience. , ngulnut tho rnvonlng waters that toro ,' j;1 at tho cnuoo ou every hand, whoso -J if mnd clamor bent bnck and forth bo- i tween tho wnlls of tho gorgo llko vnofc h bellow Inga of lnfornnl mirth. j if Ho fought llko ono possessed. if Thoro was novor nn InBtnnt's grnco j for Judgment or oxccutlon; tho ono f. must bo synchronous with tho other t both lnstnntauoous, or olBe destrue- '. tl' tlon. '; J ( Tho ennoo wovo this wny and thnt !j ' llko nn lnsnno shuttle threading somo , entnnla loom. Now It hosltatcd, nui- ' J ; tllng n glgnntlo boulder ovor which ', h tho wator wovo n palo green and l ! Si glistening hood, now In tho spneo ot i ; n heartbeat It shot forward twlco 1U y length through a son ot creaming ) wuvos, now plunged wildly toward u whnt promised Instant annihilation i l' and cheatod that only by thu tlmoly ,' f plungo of n paddle, guldod by luck or ' I: Instinct or both. : 'iKj Tho ono ray of hopo In Alnn's mind, ) J" whnu ho surveyed boforo committing ( J himself and tho woman ho loved to kijr that hideous gauntlet, sprnng from jMmi tho fnct thnt, however rough, tho ' rnplda woro ehort. Now, whon ho hnd '-!S bcon In tholr grasp ' n mlnuto, ho JSB scorned to havo bcon thero hours. -Jm His laborlngs woro tremendous, un- ' dm bcllovublo, Inspired. In tho end thoy gf' woro nil but successful. Tho gonl of wKX safuty was within thirty seconds' JR moro of quick, hard work, whon Alan's H pnddlo broko and tho ennoo bwuuk ' 3R broaduldo to a boulder, turned turtlo : fi nnd prectpltnted both headlong Into ' lff thnt savago welter. ' 'llij As tho noxt fow minutes passed ho wP was fighting llko n mad thing against -''IH overwhelming odds. Then, ot n Bud- 'llSfc don, ho found himself rojectod, Bpowod ''imt forth from tho cataract nnd swimming JK mcchnnlcnlly in tho smooth wnter of 'R u wldo pool beyond tho lowermost " Jgm eddy, tho ennoo floating bottom up s3 near by, and Hoso supporting herself! jH with ono hand on It. 9 Her oyes mot his, clear with Uio -'ifit! Bnnlty of her ndorablo courage. '-Bl Ho floundered to her sldo, pantod In- vwm Btructlons to trnnsfor hor hnnd to hla 'SHI shoulder, nnd struck out for tho Wm nearer slioro. . S'JB Doth found footing nt tho samo . "Wm tlmo nnd wnded out, to collapse, ex- ' xH hauBtcd, agatiiHt tho bank. 1m Then, with n sickening qualm, Atari , ifl remembered tho pursuit. Ho roso nnd 'vD I looked up tho rapid JuBt In tlmo to "aH vlow tho last swift quarter ot tha 'i'lH cauoo's descent: Judith lu tho buw, FH motlonlcBB, a rlflo across her knees, In itltn tho stem an Indian guldo kneollntf ClOJu nnd fighting tho 'wntorn with scarcely lM perccptlblo effort lu contrast with Alan's supremo strugglos. ) Hi Llko n living thing tho canoo BE seemod to gathor itself together, to Hj polso, to leap with all its strength; J K It hurdled tho eddy In n bound, took 1 f tho still water with a mighty splnsh, , and shot downstream at diminished i Bpeed, tho Indian furiously backing ' K wnter. - t nt' As though that hnd been tho ono j moment tihn hnd lived for, Judith M lifted her rlflo nnd brought It to bear M upon her sister. i flB With cry of horror, Alan flung f MM himself boforo' Itoso, a living shlold. n JK anticipating nothing but Immedlato nn doath. This was not accorded him. gf Hj For n breathless Instant (ho woman In r,nR . u :.i&u 1 ' ; :b They Found a Footlnfl. i the canoo stared along tho sights, ' Wj then lowered hor weapon and, turn- 1'wf lug, spoko indlstlngulshably to tho kWl guldo, who Instantly began to ply a 9U brisk paddlo. aP Tho canoe spod on, vanlebod swiftly 'Mi round a bend if 383 After a U.3 time, Alan voiced bis rxl unmitigated amu.urautit: i We "Why in tho name of hoavenl fly Why?" .fig The girl said dully: "Don't you jWK know?" And when ho shook his head. ItBH "Hor guldo told mlno you had saved a JE her lite ou tho dam at Spirit Lako. iJR Now do you see?" fiiHH His countenanco was blank wltb i nni wonder: "Qrntltudo?" fiLa Hoso smiled wearily: "Not graU- 'fwl tudu alone, but something more tor- ilrail rlblo, ..." Sho roso and held fml out her band. "Not that I can blamv ztim her. , . . Hut como; It wo strlka 'lIHjl through horo wo will, I think, pick up ''if a trail that will bring ua to Ulack 'ff Deavor settlement by dark," u ' H-. tTO UB CONTINUED ,' ' |