Show 4 I V Ji 1 t b bI bi t D I N Nw fI w 1 i m N G I I I B By ARTHUR STRINGER r d q u CHAPTER I Lynn following after Alan as he 8 d' d strode toward the lake front realized reald reali realized real real- i that he was already back in his mans man's world of violence and con con- That realization grew even sharper when she saw him abruptly f stop at the cliff edge and stare i IC k across the lake where the evening wild fowl were feeding in the t it lows At the same time that she sheL L 1 saw him drop on one knee and take aim ami with his rifle she caught sight o of s two figures running down the oppose opposing opposing e ing shore slope to where a plane of faded blue stood moored against a spruce-fringed spruce bank o Slade shot twice but with no apparent apparent ap ap- 1 parent effect on the running figures Lynn could see them swarming about the pontoons and throwing off the mooring gear o Its and Frayne Slade cried getting away with your plane They're doing what I I- I But Lynns Lynn's voice rose above the thea a other Theres Father she cried running running running run ning through the trees down the theat JE at bank He knows they've tricked r him I 1 Come on he cried we must el head them off i 1 How she asked panting after him With my plane he said over his I 1 shoulder If they get away now nowr r r they're gone for good She kept up with him as they rounded the lake arm and bore down on the Snow-Ball Snow Baby Keep your eye on em Slade called out as he made adjustments to the tail-control tail over his head She knew by the feel of the pulsating structure enclosing her that he was flying with a open full-open throttle What do we do she demanded when we get up with them I Slade indicated the rifle that had hadt t been thrown into the cabin She observed a moment later x that Slade was climbing a little She wondered as to the meaning of this maneuver Then her eyes narrowed with a new wonder For against the theP theopal P opal and gold of the northern sky she saw yet another pair of wings out of the distance Her hope at the moment was that it I might be the official plane from the Mountie headquarters at Coppermine Coppermine Coppermine Copper Copper- mine that it was help coming when help was most needed But as she stared out through the paling light she saw that it wasn't a plane It was a trumpeter swan swan- breasting the evening air lanes It was like a light going out when the duller blue wings of the plane in front of the watching girl veered a little and came between her and the white body I That moment of obscured vision left her always in doubt as to how howit it happened It might have been a split-second split error in judgment It might have been a final spit of venom venom ven ven- 3 om on part a final flowering flowering flowering flow flow- ering of hate for what he could accept accept ac ac- ac- ac wept as the sign and symbol of his final defeat But as the bird 11 swerved to avoid its bigger rival k the plane also swerved They swerved in the same direction at atthe p the same same moment and came to to- 1 gether Slade banked sharply and turned with a repeated shout as he saw the blue wings flounder and twist in their fall lost control he cried down t e tie tic circled blindly waiting for the crash Then he dropped lower marking the spot where the tangled mass of metal and fabric rested on its bed of broken limestone a I Lynn knew at his quick glance about that he was looking for open water on which to land But she remained silent until the ship was I set down and they were ashore Is uIs it the end she asked what weve we've got to find out he said He mounted the bank and started I running through the scrub without t waiting for her She followed him J as best she could She found Slade waiting for ner neron neron neron I on one of the limestone ridges He stood there staring at the flare that LO lighted up the even evening mg sky just over overe the e next hill better stay here he said his eyes on the glow above the hill hill- E top He knew well enough what that glow meant Lynn watched him as he went over the hill It seemed a long time I I before he came back He flung himl himself him him- l self down beside her and sat there silent and dispirited a 1 I They didn't get away he het f f 1 I t finally observed in a voice devoid of all aU triumph r P. P Lynn who had taken her turn at glancing about at their world of rock and water and green gold-green twi twi- f fl light turned back to her tired com com- 1 panion Theres nothing to do said Slade as he rose to his feet except to head back while theres there's still a littie little lit lit- tle tie light left 0 Slade once more hightailing it 9 homeward from Co Coppermine ermine glanced down at the mottled country country coun coun- try crawling under his floats 1 He did a little sum on a slide rule to check his ground speed looked at at his watch and this reached for his ear ear- phones phones He smiled at the newness koi of the phones and the newness of the compact little radio set They i Ithe 1 I J i y i I U. U r I IW If W f t 1 They didn't get away he observed in a voice devoid of all aU triumph made the rest of the Snow-Ball Snow Baby look old and battered But Stan Cruger had insisted on putting them there He wanted no more weeks of silence from either of his bush planes And in fifteen minutes back at Waterways Stan was to tune in m inand inand mand and get his report Slade while he waited worked his dial and heard the silent ether become busy with its multitudinous voices He caught a whiff of orchestra orchestra orchestra or or- chestra music from away offin off offin offin in Los Angeles He caught a fragmentary fragmentary fragmentary frag frag- message going out from Royal Canadian Signals at Yellowknife Yellowknife Yellow- Yellow knife and the gossip air-gossip of pilots to points ground-points along the Basin He picked up snatches of weather reports reports reports re re- re- re ports and flying positions Slade shut out the ghostly voices and once more consulted his watch After a glance ahead and a second gl lance glance nce at his instrument panel he turned back to his radio CF calling Norland Airways at Waterways Slade calling Stan Cruger at Waterways CF calling calling call- call ing ng Norland at Waterways Come in Stan What's my signal strength Yes I hear you fine Im I'm three forty-three minutes out of Wolf WolfLake WolfLake Lake ake Post heading southwest by bysouth bysouth bysouth south with a pay load of concentrates concentrates concen- concen rates that ought to make up for that hat lost week Yes Im I'm feeling fit But I want to swing in before nine Ive I've got to Slades Slade's smile widened as the voice of his partner took the desolation out of the emptiness Ill be here at the port when you shuffle in that voice was saying and I think theres there's going to be somebody else waiting But I wanted wanted want want- I ed to tell you the had I been seen libeled and held off Echo Harbor Harbor Harbor Har Har- I bor The that Russian Russian Russian Rus Rus- I sian icebreaker And our Lockheed Lockheed Lock- Lock heed leed lands at Yellowknife about five today oday But wait a minute Stay Stayn in n CF Can you hear me Lindy Lindy Lindy Lin- Lin dy Theres There's a lady here waiting to speak to you The seconds seemed long as Slade waited Can you hear me Alan a bell- bell like ike voice was saying to him It was vas only a voice winging half a thousand housand miles over a water span wilderness but it brought a warming varming glow to his body Yes darling I hear you he answered He knew it was Cleaver working at Coppermine who at that point cooed across the ether And the he sugar-lanes sugar will now be open Are you all right the like bell-like voice asked Ill be better in six hours Slade announced For then Ill I'll be seeing seeing seeing see see- ing you It uIt will be the longest six hours in my life Lynns Lynn's voice complained But her laugh was a happy one What did the Padre say about Thursday he asked He uHe wont won't start east until Friday Hes He's more excited than I am Alan The old dears dear's wired to have orchids and orange blossoms flown in from California But why is he starting east questioned Slade Hes uHe's decided on a week twelve-week course at McGill was Lynns Lynn's an an- He uHe says its it's to brush up on his surgery But Im I'm hoping they'll hold him there through the winter Hes uHe's a grand man Slade pro pro- claimed So is Lindy lady a remote and altogether unplaced voice cut in Alan are you there Lynns Lynn's softer voice inquired There seems to be interference There is said the unknown But take it from me lady hes he's all right Congratulations Lynns Lynn's laugh came clear your friend out there she inquired I think its it's Tony at Fort Smith Ill I'll reckon with that bird later on We Ve dont don't seem to have much privacy said Lynn You dont don't get it on the air lady announced a newer and deeper- deeper throated intruder Then uThen this will have to be all Alan the like bell-like voice was say say- ing Good by darling answered Slade He was about to remove his earphones earphones ear ear- phones but a b babel bel of words held his hand arrested So uSo youre you're going to marry the girl Lindy He interpreted that as from Cap Bickell on the Basins Basin's mail plane heading north to Herschel Im telling the world Slade found the courage to affirm There was even a ring of defiant pride in his proclamation Perhaps more than you imagine big boy an unknown and caustic voice observed through the aerial chatter They meant well Slade remembered remembered remembered as he switched of off and removed removed removed re re- re- re moved his earphones But it made him think of rough tops high-tops trampling trampling trampling tram tram- pling through a flower bed And he wanted to be alone under that lonely sky of robins robin's blue to think about his happiness THE END |