| Show 7 51 THE T n E RIVER K V E JIL 0 1 L of SKULLS by george marsh 0 PENN publishing CO SERVICE SYNOPSIS alan cameron Cam cron young trapper noel his indian partner and rough husky led bled dog look in vain tor for the Montag nals trappers camp in the desolate big river country of northern canada their supplies destroyed by wolverines rines they are forced to subsist on wolf meat until they come amazed to a substantial log house in the wilderness of talking river elver where they are greeted erected by a big blond man with a gun introducing himself as john mccord hunter the big man asks alan it if he dares go with him next year to the river ot of skulls beyond the sinking lakes where no man Is said to have been before heather mccord the daughter who had come with him t to 0 the wilderness wins the immediate devotion of rough bough 0 on the eve of departure tor for F fort ort G george c or ge mccord s suddenly tells him to ring bring him back some dogs and to keep his mouth shut to questions he gives the boy money warning him not to show it at fort george and promises to explain all I 1 later a ter returned to fort george alan meets mcqueen and slade provincial police with ars arsene ne rivard clerk and rival tor for berge berthe D deshane Des ss sane n with h whom he Is in love 71 the two alice police ir are looking for a guide to the big riv river r wilderness ids accidentally alan drops one of mccordn mccords Wc Mc Cords bills and when questioned insists he had got it from net nell camp campbell bell whose life he had saved at whale river two years bea before 0 re he realizes he must make good his I 1 lie t e by going north an and d seeing campbell before anyone else has had bad a chance to talk to him berthes father to tells its alan the police are after a man wanted for murder and have hired a boat to check story at whale river alan beats tie the police to whale island en route to R richmond I 1 to get his dogs alan returns to fo fort rt george another government agent a 6 seductive mrs hanbury arrives by plane tries to bargain with him to tell her the whereabouts of mccord and his daughter the only outcome Is berthes jealousy miserable over berthes coolness alan suspects rivard of poisoning her mind when mcqueen asks alan when they start north alan agrees saying they will mill leave as soon as they can be prepared alan says goodby to berthe CHAPTER VI continued three days upstream where the big river roars down from the high plateau in a series of falls and chutes and the indian trail for a hundred miles follows a chain of lakes alan brought mcqueen and slade to his camp SI were NVere going to see a lot of each other in the next few months began the older officer why cant we shake hands on this and be friendly what do you mean friendly demanded alan studying the insinuating close set eyes of the other youre police you can give me orders day after day the men slaved at pole paddle and tracking line as they ascended the great river 7 As the august days drew to a close and the nights sharpened with frost the canoes reached the forks in the high tundra country northeast three days hard poling up the strong water of the mad river was hunting country fifty miles to the east on the talking stood a cabin in a clearing where a man waited with a girl for the coming of a canoe far to the south the great lakes Nichi cun and nd Pate emptied into the conjuror the largest of the three branches the night the canoes reached the forks the police came to camp well cameron were here said mcqueen Ic Queen with a sigh of satisfaction c lighting his pipe with a red ember from the supper fire 11 now its up to you to decide whether ther youre going to stay stiff necked and later pay the penalty of the law or will decide to be sensible and talk 1 weve been all over this sergeant demurred alan with an air of indifference which belied the anxiety that harassed him its not up to me its up to you you say mccord is somewhere in this country now which river are you going to take to the height of land fland for a space mcqueen closely studied the baffling features of the man whose gray gaze did not waver then his shaggy brows met and his pale eyes glittered ominously were going to cover all three rivers before the ice he snapped alan glanced at noel there was not time to cover the wide headwaters of even one river before the ice his heart pulsed in his throat as he asked with seeming indifference well which first your count rys on this north b ranch branch you say mcqueen I 1 leaned toward the other as he went on in insinuatingly well young man I 1 figure just where you ran into mccord in your own country like a flash inspiration came to alan here was his chancel slowly over his bronzed features crept a look of frustration of defeat his eyes eye s shifted before the fixed stare of the policeman as expelling the breath from his lungs in a deep sigh he horrified the listening noel with the use youre bou bound nd to get him before youre through you police always do they tell me we met mccord last winter on the headwater lakes of the mad river on the indians swart features there was a lightning swift transition from a look of pained surprise to one of stoic acquiescence gravely he nodded agreement with startling admission as he met slades sudden glance ah hahl so it is it with a grunt of satisfaction the delighted mcqueen thrust out his big hand and gripped now youre talking like a good citizen my boys boy he cried slapping the hunter on the back shake with the boys tom I 1 knew come through so with much handshaking and patting of broad back the police left to cross to their camp when they were well out of hearing on the moonlit river alan turned to noel it was our best chance he said to send them up the mad river well take them into the caribou lake country and lose them while one of us strikes cross country to the talking and warns john I 1 was afraid noel want to try the talking first so I 1 threw u up p my hands to head them off ah hah we get dem eln dose manee lettle lac inc were vere de water run bot way den dey not get out till de ice for a long space alan sat staring into the fire give john a chance to lose himself somewhere over the height of land before they weve been all over this sergeant demurred alan come back here to the forks and start with their dogs to hunt for him on the first snow wat dey do wid us dose po leece ven wen dey see we fool dem this will make us outlaws noel helping a man wanted for murder Out outlaws lawsl the moon of the falling leaves was riding the sky above the tundra valley of the talking river the days of the long twilights were over and earlier and earlier the swarming stars stippled the violet sky one september morning a girl stood on the shore of the river beside a path leading back through the timber to a clearing she wore heavy whipcord breeches laced below the knee high woolen socks and moccasins at her belt of plaited caribou hide hung a small skinning knife in a sheath ornamented with colored beads in her trong strong round arms from which the sleeves of her gray woolen shirt were rolled high above the elbow was a bundle of washing the girl put the clothes to soak in a small pool dug in the sand beach then dropped to her knees and with a finger idly made tracings in the sand after a while the swish of whipping wings caused her to lift her eyes within a few yards of the shore three sheldrake skit downstream A canada jay croaked from an aspen whose yellow leaves shivered in the breeze she looked at her tracings and smiled as she read the name alan cameron again there was a whipping of wings and five sheldrake passed 1 I wonder what startled the ducks she said aloud glancing up river far above her heather made out a dark object moving along the opposite shore downstream appearing only to disappear again among the willows vil lows and alders A bear she cried then her mouth opened slowly in surprise as she stared at the opposite shore why there it is she gasped but its not a bearl bear its its a dog it cant be yes it is its who hoo hyl she cried delirious with excitement as she danced on the beach like a statue on the opposite shore stood a black husky with white face markings chest and socks intently watching her lly hyl she called frantically waving her arms at the motionless animal while tears blurred her eyes oh back backi back she repeated ecstatically between sobs he forget us back the watching dog went quick with life with a wild yelping he plunged into the swift river his powerful legs driving him like piston rods keeping abreast of him as the current carried him downstream the girl followed the shore calling to him as he swam dear old wheres alan boy his feet touched bottom and with a lunge he was out with a shake the great dog sent the water flying then froze as if carved from stone ears forward nostrils working as he studied her through oblique eyes dont you know heather he reached her with a bound sniffed at her outstretched hands then rearing as he whined his recognition tion beat her shoulders with his great paws while his red tongue sought her face circling the wet neck of the wriggling dog with her arms heather kissed the white star on the massive sive skull then with the yelping husky leaping beside her she returned to the landing beach there I 1 leaving her he quickly disappeared up the path to the cabin and as quickly returned where did you leave alan rough wheres alan she demanded seizing the dog by by his jowls and looking into his brown eyes the husky sprang away from her and stood with nostrils working gazing at the opposite shore then yelping he plunged into the river who hoo o o heather drifted across the water there on the ston stony y beach stood a man a across his forehead supporting the pack on his back beside him romped three huge dogs heather waved in return her knees shaking with excitement and the joy of seeing him who hoo o o alan I 1 running to a canoe lying bottom up on the beach she turned it and lifting it by the gunwale slid it into the stream and paddled hard in the wake of the swimming rough you you kept your you forget us she choked winking back the tears as the boat grounded alan dropped his pack and seized both the girls hands as he swung her from the canoe heather mccord he laughed his appraising eyes sweeping her strong graceful figure from golden crown to moccasins what a big girl youve grown since I 1 saw youl you oh bo be so glad alan he was beginning to think camerons bronzed features sobered as he thought of the police he had left over on the mad headwaters but you heather you knew id keep my word she nodded yes I 1 knew what a shock rough gave me alan I 1 thought he was a bear when I 1 first saw him upstream he knew you knew me he swam over when I 1 called and almost smothered me the old dear more than I 1 did heather he laughed heathers eyes fell before his oh you got your dogs and what beauties she cried as the three thrashed in the water of the shore yelping at the swimming rough two slate grays and a brown one dadal be so giada why hes talked about nothing but your coming back here you shot powder he called come here dont try to touch them now heather youre shy of strangers arent you rogue you old sin sinner nerl the dogs came in from the water and gathered around alan wonderful looking dogs alan she agreed with a swift glance at the Un gavas but her eyes could not long leave the tall figure of the man they lingered on the dark crisp hair the bold features and the laughing deep set eyes better not try to get acquainted too quickly eh shot he seized an ear of the slate gray who stopped in his romping to nuzzle head wheres john chopping wood heu hell be back for lunch lunch say heather im starved said the traveler 1 I ate a bite at daylight and have been crossing these hills all the morning you poor danl man come over and ill feed you later as the savory odors of corn bread caribou and tea filled the cabin the fierce yelping of the un gavas brought alan on an a run to the clearing call off your dogs by the lord harry alan cameron youre a partner after my own heart look at those pups welcome back my lad ad the great voice of john mccord boomed at alan as he quieted the younger dogs alan youre good for sore eyes lad ive been worried about you P holding the smiling cameron at arms length the giant tested the others arms and shoulders fit to fight for a kings ransom boy tough as a tamarack my but im glad to see you back theres your dogs grinned alan straight from the Nast apokas like em like em cried the delighted mccord beauties how old about fourteen months be full grown almost by spring coat and bone and size got everything alanl alan now you and I 1 own the world alan searched the blue eyes of the older man could it be true that john mccord was a murderer a man who would kill his wife lie he could not believe it youve forgotten one thing john he finally said one thing what ayou mean it the police mccords accords Mc Cords brows knotted beneath the gashed forehead police what have the police to do with us the big man looked hard at the other on your mind boy you been followed from fort george they dont know im here alan nodded just it the police know mccord thrust his puzzled face close to the police you mean police at fort george yes what what in thunder are they doing there looking for you for me the blond giant threw back his head and roared as alan watched with sober face you serious what all this mystery I 1 dont understand john said alan when I 1 was at the freres I 1 dropped a bill you gave me from my tobacco bag ive ive been a poor partner to put your trust in well suppose you did you tell anyone where you got it no but the police saw it the big man scratched his head then turned an uncomprehending look on the other you say there are police at fort george looking for me what am I 1 wanted for murder alan watched the others eyes as a lynx watches a wood mouse but a look of blank amazement was their sole expression dhove I 1 murdered why I 1 wanted to keep it from heather they say at fort george that you killed your wife mc accords mccords cords Cords face suddenly flushed under the bronze then his eyes hardened to ice blue as he sucked in a deep breath murdered my wife he took a step and turned running his fingers through his thick hair ashes dead then murdered TO BE CONTINUED |
