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Show II Under frozen Stass J George JMavsh Copxriht oy PiIN pub. Co W.&.U. .SERVICE. FROM THE BEGINNING From hi fur post. Sunset House, In Che Canadian north, Jim Stuart, trader In charge, with his headman, Omar, rescues a girl from an overturned canoe in the lake. She la Aurora Le Blond, daughter of Stuart's rival In the fur business, and proves to be a charming companion. In a spirit of fun, the and Jim arrange to exchange notes on a certain island. LeBlond, with Paradis, his half-breed lieutenant, arrives In search of the missing girl. Paradis displays enmity toward Jim, though LeBlond acknowledges acknowl-edges his debt of gratitude. Going to the island to see If Aurora has left the promised note, Jim U ambushed by Paradis and forced to travel toward the LeBlond post. On the way he overturns the boat, leaving his half drowned enemy on the beach. Jim discusses plans with his superior, Andrew Christie. Displeased at the trade showing made Christie allows Stuart, at his rsquest, one year to "make good." He leaves the post feeling he has been unjustly treated. Paradis bribes an Indian to ambush Jim and Omar. The attempt fails, and Jim takes the Indian to LeBlond. CHAPTER IV Continued 7 Paradis opened the door of the itrade-room, his dark features picturing pictur-ing the strain under which he lubored, but he evidenced no surprise at the presence of (he men from Sunset House, ne met the glittering eyes of the OJlbwa, Jim's amused smile, and the savage glance of Omar, who stood, arms folded, the fingers of his right hand touching the handle of his knife, with equal Indifference. "Good day, Monsieur Paradis," said Jim, "Pierre, here, has a little story to tell your employers." Turning to the excited Indian, Stuart continued: "Now tell these gentlemen just what you told us." "What have I to do wld thes Indian?" In-dian?" demanded Paradis, assuming an air of surprise, as he stroked his small mustache. But Jim noted the unsteadiness of his hand. "Keep quiet I" rasped the Interested Inter-ested and perplexed MacLauren. "Let him toll his story." Questioned by Jim when he faltered, his eyes shifting fearfully from the black face of Lelilond to the sneering Paradis, Pierre told, now in English, now In Ojibwa, how he had been refused re-fused supplies for the winter because of hH old debt, and In despair was about to leave with his family when Paradis approached him with the scheme to ambush Stuart's canoe on Its return up the Woman river from Lake Expanse. As Migwan accused Paradis of plotting plot-ting the shooting of Omar and Jim, the sneer faded from the head man's face. With a snarl he flung at the Indian: "Ton He I You dirt eater !" "One minute, Paradis 1" rasped Jim. "Let him finish!" LeBlond was studying his assistant through narrowed eyes. "Right here, I want to say," said Jim, "that It was only after a long grilling, when he feared for his life, that this man named you, Paradis." "When you put eet een hees head, eh?" sneered the other, palpably uneasy un-easy under the searching scrutiny of. Louis LeBlond. "No, I didn't put It Into his head I didn't have to," drawled Jim, enjoying enjoy-ing the baiting. "After giving you that swimming lesson, I just naturally thought you were the skunk behind this shooting." Taradls denied having any part In the ambush. "Eet ees a lie all He!" he protested. "I refuse dls Pierre flour an' he mak' up de story." "But why should he take It out on me and my man here unless he was paid to do It? He had nothing against us! He never saw us before," demanded de-manded Jim. "And how did he know we were at Lake Expanse You told him and you learned It from Mac-Lauren." Mac-Lauren." "He went to rob you of your grub !" "Nonsense ! He knew we weren't freighting supplies our canoe was empty." Then Jim turned to grave-faced grave-faced LeBlond and MacLauren who were exchanging whispers. "If I report re-port this thing to Christie at Lake Expanse, Ex-panse, there'll be a police canoe here In September. Tou know what that means?" LeBlond nodded. "We don't want the police In this, Mr. Stuart," he said quietly. "It's a bad mess, but you've only got this Indian's word against the word of Paradis. If you report this .thing to the authorities, It will make no end of trouble. They'll have all of us down to the railroad and hold us there as witnesses." " "It certainly will be serious not only for Paradis but for the North-West Trading company," agreed Jim with a stiff smile, while wrinkles of amused .'satisfaction furrowed Omar's square face as he watched the apprehension In the eyes of LeBlond. "But I don't Intend to have Indians bribed to fire on me by your people," he went on. "If he'd hit one of us, It would have put you out of business and you'd stand trial to boot." "You don't believe I had any knowledge knowl-edge of this?" protested LeBlond. "No, of course not." "What d'yuh want us to do, Stuart?" asked MacLauren. "We regret this thing deeply. But there's only this Indian's word against that of Paradis." Para-dis." "Paradis had a motive for Injuring me; this tndlaa had none. I'm satis-fled satis-fled the story Is straight. Now If you'll get rid of Paradis send him out of tills country and keep him out, I won't report this shooting." "That's a bargain," quickly agreed MacLauren. The ash-gray face of Paradis worked convulsively as he heard his sentence of banishment. Then he found his voice. "You writer of love lettalr," he stormed. "You t'lnk you get her now Paul Paradis ees gone, eh? Hal ha! You are de beeg fool de beeg " From the side, unnoticed by his head man, the exasperated LeBlond struck Paradis full in the face with his open hand then the trade-room door swung open wide and Aurore LeBlond stood In the doorway. "Why, what's happening? What's the matter?" Eyes wide , with surprise, sur-prise, the girl glanced from the dazed Paradis and the furious face of LeBlond Le-Blond to the men from Sunset House. "Mr. Stuart!" she gasped, her dark skin deepening with color. "You came here, and they didn't tell me. Father, what has happened?" Black brows contracted, she glanced Inquiringly from her father's annoyed look to the enchanted eyes of Stuart. -"This is no place for you; we are talking business," objected LeBlond. As he watched her, Jim wondered If Paradis had kept secret their meeting meet-ing at the split rock If she had made a rendezvous In the stolen note, to have him fail her. Then slowly over her expressive face broke the girl's infectious smile. "It may be none of my business, mon pere, but as Mr. Stuart happened not long ago, to have fished your daughter out of the lake, your wayward way-ward child as the female head of your house Insists on welcoming Mr. Stuart to Bonne Chance." The room was hushed with tension as she walked to Jim, and gave him her hand. "Welcome to our city, Mr. Stuart," she said, her dusky eyes alight with challenge. "Of course, after this momentous business, you'll have lunch with us." Then she dropped a low: "Paradis told me about the spilt rock." He saw the pulse beating In her throat, the color deepen under her olive skin, while her hand for an Instant In-stant pressed his. And the touch of her sent his heart off at a gallop. "Thank you, but we're starting at once," he answered, and, poignant as a knife thrust, came the realization that this amazing girl, to whose nearness near-ness every nerve In his body was alive, would soon be but a memory. "But why?" she demanded. Her candid gaze sought the impatient look of her father. "Why do you stand there as If you had no manners? Have you lost your voice? I am asking ask-ing Mr. Stuart to lunch with us before be-fore he goes." With a resigned shrug of the shoulders shoul-ders LeBlond answered his Indomitable daughter. "You do not understand we are talking business very Important. Im-portant. Will you wait for us outside?" out-side?" She glanced doubtfully at Stuart and the men standing beside him. "Looks more like war than business, to me," she flung lightly over her shoulder as she left the room. "It's agreed, then," said LeBlond eagerly, "that you make no report to the authorities If Paradis goes?" "Yes, If you ship Paradis to your Niplgon posts out of this country." "We'll shake hands on that, Mr. Stuart," said MacLauren, and the three men bound their compact. "Now will you take a meal with us before you start?" "Yes," urged the relieved LeBlond, "my daughter expects you." An hour with her, even In the presence pres-ence of her father and his partner would have been unalloyed delight to the captivated Stuart, but the fierce protest In the stormy face of Omar and the responsibility for the safety of Pierre forced him to refuse. Outside, in the clearing, Aurore was waiting. "You will allow us to make a small return of the hospitality hospi-tality you offered us? You will stay?" "I'm sorry. I can't." "You mean you don't care to?" She was walking alone with him now ahead of the others. "Care to?" He looked boldly Into her pleading eyes. "Don't you know that I want to see you talk to you? Can't you feel It?" She turned to the lake and he saw she slow pulse of color sweep to the raven hair that rippled from her temple tem-ple as she asked : "Then I'm something some-thing more than an empty-headed, spoiled child to you, Mr. Jeein Stuart?" Intoxicated by her nearness he even caught the faint scent of the perfume per-fume she wore Jim's voice thickened I "Mr. Stuart!" She Gasped, Her Dark Skin Deepening With Color. "You Came Here, and They Didn't Tell Me." as he replied, almost Inaudibly : "You're something more than a glorious glo-rious creature who is going out of my life forever, Aurore LeBlond." Her dusky eyes naif closed as he watched her profile, with Its quivering quiver-ing lips; but she did not turn her face. "You mean that?" "I mean much more." "Then why am I going out of your life? I stay here until September." "I am going into the bush with Omar." "When?" "In two days." "Then meet me at the white, sand-beach sand-beach on the large Island," she said hurriedly, for voices sounded close behind be-hind them, "tomorrow morning as early as you can." "I will be at the white sand-beach," sand-beach," he whispered, and his heart shook him with its pounding. "We're sorry you won't allow us to return your hospitality, Mr. Stuart," said LeBlond as they stood on the beach where Omar and Pierre waited at the canoe. "And we admire your sporting blood In not pushing this matter," added MacLauren. "Innocent or guilty, Paradis Para-dis is going to pay for this mess." "He's going to pay me if ever Omar, here, or I run Into him again. You keep your agreement and I'll keep mine." "Thanks, Mr. Stuart," returned Mac- Lauren, flushing, "I'm glad we've fot such a square rival on this lake,"' With a wave of his hat to the whits figure of Aurore who stood on the higher shore, Stuart stepped Into the canoe, while two humiliated and exasperated exas-perated fur men watched him until his canoe passed from sight behind the Islands. "First blood for Sunset House!" laughed Jim, elated with the outcome of the visit to LeBlond's and glowing glow-ing with the memory of Aurore's flaming flam-ing face. Tomorrow he should see her alone. With her heart In her voice she had asked him to come this mocking, mock-ing, headstrong girl who had feared to meet his eyes. There was 'no mistaking mis-taking her flushed face, her voice, her look, as through a curtain of mist. He, also, had come to mean something to this amazing girl. "Well, Omar, what d'you think? Will they keep their word and send our friend Paradis down to NIpigon?" The paddle of the half-breed dipped methodically a number of times before he answered: "Why you hunt dat girl w'en we start for Pipestone In free day?" Jim's brown face slowly broke Into a smile. There was no deceiving the astute Omar. And his unfailing loyalty loy-alty atoned for his meddling. "I asked you If you thought they'd keep their word. Paradis is a valuable man ; LeBlond will hate to lose him." Thrice the long paddle of Omar broke the water while Jim waited for the sternman's answer. Then the slitlike slit-like eyes of the half-breed met those of his chief as he replied : "You cross de lak' again, Omar go wld you." There was no luring of Omar from his fixed idea, so, with a laugh, Jim resumed his paddling. An anxious Sarah and Marthe stood on the beach beside old Esau and the yelping Smoke and the dog team, when the canoe returned. In the eyes of the Indian women the Journey across the lake had been In the nature of a war party, and they chattered with relief when they saw there had been no casualties. "You cross de lak' een de mornin'?" demanded Omar. Jim nodded: "I follow een noder cano'. You tak' Smoke?" "Yes, I planned to send Smoke Into the bush to smell around. I won't be caught again." Omar shook his black head. "You nevalre see her again. W'y you go?" The head man stared In awed silence at the sudden pain In Jim's set face. "That Is why I am going; because I'll never see her again," said Stuart, in a low tone. "Ah-hah, you lak' dat girl," replied the loyal Omar, softly. "Den I go tak' care of you." The wide mirror of the great lake was still shot with reflected stars when the two canoes left Sunset House. At the knees of each paddler, as he pushed his boat out into the dusk, lay a rifle. Before the sunrise two canoes were landed widely apart on the large Island, drawn up, and hidden from sight In the "bush." Omar took his rifle and the binoculars and crossed the Island to watch the post If Paradis Para-dis followed her canoe that morning, the half-breed promised himself, LeBlond Le-Blond would be relieved of his promise unless he wanted to send a dead man to the Niplgon. Jim had hours to wait until he could hope for the coming of Aurore LeBlond's Le-Blond's canoe. So he dropped his clothes on the sand beach and cooled his impatience with a long swim. She was coming to meet him this glorious dark creature who had so valiantly fought death over miles of wind-driven sea, only to laugh at It. In her pride, she hacj turned her flushed face and clouded eyes from him that he might not see; but he had seen. Miracle though It was, those hours at Sunset House with this girl of the cities had wrought their mutual spell. The humble fur-trader, Jim Stuart, had reached her If not her heart, her senses. And she was coming com-ing to him here on this lonely Island to say good-by. Jim landed and leisurely put on his clothes. She had asked him to be at the sand-beach as early as he could reach it, but had named no hour. He looked at his watch. Seven o'clock! Too early yet! It would take her an hour to paddle from the post. Then he saw a canoe in the distance. When the boat had approached to within a half-mile Jim knew, from the stroke, that the craft was paddled by women. It was she. .Presently the bow paddler waved her hand to the man who restlessly walked the shore. The canoe drifted nearer. For a space, he watched the blade of Aurore, driven by her round arms, flash In the sun; then shortly, her laugh reached him. "Good morning! You are early. Monsieur Stuart," she called. "I have been here for hours," he said, "waiting for the dawn, and now, she has come." "Very pretty!" With a flash of white teeth she smiled Into his eager face as he drew the boat in to the beach and gave her his hand, while the eyes of the Indian girl in the stern snapped with excitement at this secret tryst of LeBlond's daughter and the trader from across the lake. Then, as she stepped to the sand, Jim's eyes, which had not left the radiant'dark face, noted the tan linen knickers beneath the white blouse. "Gibodiegwason !" he grinned. "You wore them in memory?" Her dusky eyes lit with raillery. "Yes, In memory of our meeting and because they wash." Thy stood on the beach looking at eax.h other like runaway children, as the Indian girl paddled the canoe discreetly dis-creetly up the shore. 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