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Show Ily JOHN R. MUSICK, i Aathw l "Mmm.gi Mr. llowsrs," -'-ih Usrk Slrsrftr," "Ctntllt AllmJl l)..W," etc. bnrUM vr. krniiTtXiassiti. AUrtckUMMritA. CHAPTER V (Continued.) Who." I Tie very men who robbed me" The reaction which come oter the oM mnn wan terrible tu witness Ha reealUod tlmt nfttr all he might l" his beloved captain whose life was tilt In danger, ur he wns once more u prisoner "Well, well, nit may yet bo lost!" ho sighed ' Crack lash, let's go nnd hunt lilin Now that wo know ho U alhe, wo got mm iltix to liunt fur am) we II hunt lilm Come Crock-iMh1" Crock-iMh1" After considerable persuasion' Paul Induced him to unit until next morn log, o they built a ennip fire nml I prepared to M the nlglt Next morning they were arly astir They had p- ' r I tlirlr knansacka ind wire about lead to tart, when Taut suggislod "Perhaps the walrus til to lll tell something nbout thl mystiry Lot tu take a look nt It " -' Ho unrolled tho walrus hide, nnd T (ha os sailor,' who had Ions studied I thn picture riling of tho Alaskan Indians, bent our It nnd began to I slowly nnd carefully decipher tho pic- HI tures The old man hnd to put all Ills f knowledge nf picture writing tu the , eetorest test to read Ha made out i that tho captain bad discovered riot i Kold diggings, but tho walrus I lo could kIvo tbnm no hint ns to tin ' whereabouts of tho thrco men nnd their prisoner Paul smlilenly rolled up tho walrus hide and stuffing It In his knapsack, I Mid' ' "That pleeo of bide Is a key to mil . lions, 1 havo no doubt, and In all prob ability tho scoundrels wore trying to make him giro It to them " "Let's go, Crack lash Let's ro, fur I I Itch to ett ray Angora about the throats of tho cusses" I They hastily packed up, broke camp and were soon on their way up r the mountain, engaged In a dangerous search, tho result of which they knew to be doubtful. CHAPTER VI. Berry's Success. I Wo will for tho present tako leave of Paul Ralston and return to Horry's party on thulr way to tho Klondyke. I Thoy arrlod first at Forty-Mllo i camp, but hero found nothing to do. I Clarenco staked out a claim and ' vent to digging. It was a slow proe- ess and the reward was poor. He took out a llttlo gold, but not I nearly enough to pay him for tho hard 'hip J Then came reports of tho wondorful finds In tho Klondjko dls trlct "Now Is your time. Clarenco," said Ethel. ' Clo at onro and make all you can, whllo thora aro so fow In the country." "What shall 1 do with you?" ho asked, "I.oovo mo behind." "Ethel, I cannot think of doing that," ho dcclarod "You must, Clarenco. I will follow as soon as possible, but hasten on now and slako out a claim for us. Stako out two, ono for you nnd ono for mo. I feel that this Is tho turning point In our careers." And so It prated. It was tho saddost day of his life wbon Claronco Dcrry bado adlou la his young wlfo nnd started alono for tho distant mining camp. Tho parting part-ing of tho husband anil wife, ns the ' reader may Imagine, was affectionate, but thero wore no tears. Ethel re-( re-( strained them nnd stnlltd cheerfully I as long as sbo was In sight, to run Into bor shanty and havo u llttlo cry tho moment nho could soo him no more. ! Tho river, which must bo crossed beforo she could reach tho Klondyke, I was already beginning to show signs of floating Ice, nnd sho know It would only bo a short tlmo beforo It would ' bo completely frozen over. 8o she worked with a will and got evorythlng packod and startod on tho little steamer steam-er "Arctic" for tho now land of gold Her husband and his party Joined bet on tho way up tho river. It was lata In the senson when this 1 detotod, daring couple struck gold of any consequence Then It came In a torrent All through the winter Clarenco Clar-enco Ilorry was piling up woalth. Ills wlfo was at tho mines every day, and I as tho groat chunks of frozen earth were dumped on tho ground bor fair Angers wero busily at work picking out tho nuggets During tho season she picked out ten thousand dollars' 1 worth of goldon pobJlcs with bor fingers. Though nbsorbed In gold digging, f sho never forgot I'aul, who with alum Italston bad not been beard from itnro those two persons left In search t for tho bold men who had robbed tho t jrouttl I Ono night as they sat about their I cheerful fire, thero camo a rap at tho s door of their shanty, and thoy found I Dick Itonold asking admission. ! "Como In, Dick. What brings you I out such a night and In such a storm!" asked Clarenco. "Didn't I hear yo say somethln' once about knowln' the feller called Cracklash Paul, who used to lire back thero In Fresno?" "Yes, I'aul Miller," cried Ethel agerly. "We know him. What of blrar "on know they've got one of the fellows tight an fa" who triad to help do up i'nul Well to feller's coMia vitd ihat nt Mir been a little ram 1 I p to guard Mm last night nmi hi. mental trail for a mvn tile in ii seemed on the track Then I reim tnlien d set In' him In Frisco Ills name la Helchcr and lies one of the men lint Uie f oiler from Preano called likland hired the room In Friaro to talk with " t the sound of lackland a name Ethel was on her feet, gasping "I-orMaDd1 I aeklandt Clarence, he Is I'anl'a rival and enenij! I nm determined to see this primmer railed Delcher " "When du you Intend to call on him?' 'To morrow," 'I will go with ou." Mid Clarence, Itthel Kerry, with her husband, en tercd the prleon and Based nt the pale yet flerto face of the prisoner, and cried "I know him, Clarence. 1 know aim I I mw him In Fresno In consultation con-sultation with Theodore l.aekland They havo planned the murder of poor I'nul " With a fierce onth the prisoner leaped at hie fair accuser, but the strong young husband seised him by the throat and hurled hlintto lie opposite op-posite side of the room. To men, worn, tired nnd haggard, surrounded by mountains of Ire and .treat sleeping glsclcrs, had halted In a valley where, a few stunted pines reared their heads aboru tho eternal snow. "Lot us rest, Cracklash," said tho older of tho two travelers, "I giro In, shipmate. Your wind's better'n mine, for jou see my old hulk Is Kit-tin' Kit-tin' waterlogged o' Into rars, an' rnn't ronko ns good headway as It used to, jou know" Tho trnu'lers wera Paul Miller nnd bis quondam sailor companion, Olum Ilalston. I'aul Miller gathered somo dry pines and made a flro on tho mossy hanks of a stream which ran close under tho cliff Tho 'dry wood sparkled spark-led and snapped and tho blazo throw out a ruddy light. Tho pot boiled and ho put on beans to cook with a llttlo meat, and soon bad an excellent supper. sup-per. "Ah, mate, that Is good," said tho ex sailor, as ho lasted tho coffee. "Wo'ro running rather ehort of feed, though, and If wo don't como upon a mooso or reindeer soon I'm afraid wo'll suffer." "Nover fear, Olum, somo kind of gamo will come our way." Wrapped In his blnnkct, ho sat at Iho root of a trco still talking to I'aul, who was half asleep, when they wero startled by a snort In an Instant both laid their bands on their rifles. A pair of fiery eyes gleamed at them and I'aul, whoo vision was keener than bis older companion, saw n small animal about four and a halt foot In holght, which In tho dim, uncertain un-certain light appeared to bo a connecting con-necting link between tho ox and sheop. Olum Italitnn lifted his gun to his face and fired. Thero Instantly follow fol-low oil a bellowing roar and a rush of feet Tho flro was scattered In every direction and tliu old sailor, who was rising to his font, was struck A blow which sent him sprawling on tho ground. Paul dropped his gun, and snatching snatch-ing a pistol, fired n shot Into tho thick hldn of tho furious beast. Just behind tho shoulder blado, It made ono spasmodic leap forward and fell dead, tho bullet having penetrated Its heart. Tho old sailor was staggering to his fool, sbaMtiK himself to sea If bo hnd any broken bones. "Aro you hurt? Aro you hurt?" cried I'aul, anxiously, "Nnn, 1 think not. It was a fall broadside though, and how the horns missed ripping roe from stim to storn Is a mjstiry." I'aul throw on somo fresh sticks of plnn and tho Are blazed up, revealing tho beast he had slain lying but a few paces away. Its long brown and black hair gavo It tho appearanco of of a bear 1 ho old sailor w alked up to It and said, philosophically: "Its flesh is good for food, and will keep ua allvo a good long tlmo." Two days after thoy had killed tho muskox they camo again upon a dim trail, and again began to tako heart Tho trail led them through an unknown un-known pass toward the seashore. "Cracklash, they're goln' seaward," said tho ox sailor, "I can smell salt wator already, and I feel bettor for It" Three days later, as they wero climbing o or a hilltop, thoy saw two men several hundred rods In advanco and gavo chase. They worn within long rifle rango" whon tho two fugitives discoverer Ibom and began to run Tho two mon darted Into a ravine and tboysaw them no rnoro. Olum Italston was of thn opinion tho men they cbasod wero two seal hunters, who had wandered Into tho woods In search of mooso or deer. Thoy continued toward tho coast, following a faint trail At last they camo upon ono of those baja that extend ex-tend Inland, and saw great, floating Icoborgs glistening In tho light of tho sun. Hudncnly tha old man stopped nnd pointing to somo tracks In tho snow cried "Look, Cracklash. Thcro'a big game." "What do jou mako it out to bo, Olum?" I'aul asked, "Notliln' moro nor loss than a polar bear.' Paul had heard much of thoso fierce beasts, but nover soon one. The near proximity of tills ono roused his sporting blood, and In an excited man ner he asked: r "Can't we find him? He teems to be n meeeter. Olum and I must hare a shot at him ' I'aul hurried In the trail of the bear, and dreamed not of danger Suddenly there came frum beneath Ms feet a loud rucklns sound me thn report of a battery of arllll. ry flred In unison, and the great lev ituo on which he stood began to tremble and rock Dumb with amasement he stood and trembled wltn some unknown dread It was several seconds before Pant conipri In nded his danger, aud then It was Hhi late. The Ire Hne with Its glittering splree bad ported from the shoru nnd was, drifting out to sea. Already It was too fur for him to reach the land un which bis eompan ton stood wringing his bands In dor pair. A terrible death seemed stating him In the face, when a new danger nroto. On bis ears there burst a flarcu growl and looking up on an eltttated portion of Iho Ice floe rapidly rapid-ly drifting wild him toward the sea, ho beheld a monster polar liear glaring glar-ing at him with the fiery eyes of rsgo and hato. 0od have mercy on my soul!" the outh groaned, and prepared to meet his fato with the courage of a hero. CHAPTCR VII Ilium Italston a Return After tho frnntlc effort on tha part of Helchcr to selso Ethel llerry for dlscovirlng him to have been In Ijick-land's Ijick-land's employ, tho wounded man grew sullen. Tbo miners wero anxious to hang him and to havo It over with, but cooler bends prevailed ' It will nover do," said Clarenco Dcrry, "to destroy tho only hope wo have of recovering Paul's gold and solving this rujstcry, which deepens with every new development llesldcs we havo had no lynching yet In tho Klondyke, Klon-dyke, nnd let us not hno any If wo can at old It" Ono evening after tho simple re-pust re-pust was over, Clarenco and Ethel sat discussing tho probablu falo of Paul, who was neter out of Ethel's mind, "Poor Paul, ho must bo dead," she said, her eyes filling with tears, "t must write to Laura; I must tell her his awful fate" After a few moments' silence ho heaved a slgi and said: "It will bo very bad nowa." "She must know It somo time, Clarenco." "That It true, nnd perhaps tho knowlodgo of his fate, awful at It Is, will not oqual tho suspense." "I will wrlto to-morrow. When can tho letter get through?" "Not beforo spring you need not hurry," ho answered, with a sad smlto. Buddcnly tho door was causod to quako by tha thump from a giant fist, and, opening It they found their nightly visitor, Dick, butt bo was not alono this tlmo. Old Myers was at bis side. Tbo faces of tho two men wore looks of anxiety, "What Is tho matter?" asked Claronco. Clar-onco. "Wo want yor gun, Clarence," said Long Dick, as soon as he could regain re-gain his breath. "I want to tell ye on tho dead that there's cither some man, a boar or old Nick up on the hill." Tearing tholr oxcltod Imagination had conjured up a monster from a wandering polar bear, though thoso animals wero soldom teen In that part of tho country, Clarenco took down his Winchester rlflo and accompanied hit companions to tho foot of tho hill, whoro tho tnystorlous creature had been scon A tall, gaunt object with a warm bearskin coat hanging loosely nbout his shouldora was coming slowly down tho bill. The approaching approach-ing stranger had his gun strapped on his back. A hatchet was In tho belt at his sldo with his pistols, and no was leaning heavily on a long, stout stick. IIo camo slowly, as If very weary. Curiosity gavo way to pity, and they hurried up to meet htm. (To bo continued.) |