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Show e iai iiy Little Brcwn 0 Co. nd XT6syi (Continued from la.-t issue XXII Tho saitjn rifle shots that brought bad dreams to Mill had a much more lucid meaning for Joe Robinson and Feta the Breed, the two Indians that were occupylnK Harold's cabin. "Four shots." Fete said at la6t.! "Lounshury's signal." "That means big doln's." Joe pronounced pro-nounced gravely. "Wo go. " Then they put on their snownhoM and mushed away. There was no nervous waiting at the appointed meeting place a spring a half-mile from Bill's cabin, Harold Lounghury was already there. A Granger to this land mlglu have thought thnt Harold was drunk. I'n-famltiar I'n-famltiar little fires glittered and glowed glow-ed In hi eyes, his features were drawn. The breeds waited patiently for him to speak. "Where's Bindy?" he asked at last.' "Over Buckshot Dan's just where, you said." Joe repli. d "Of course Buckshot took herl back0' The Indians nodded. "Well.! I'm going to let him keep her. I've got a w hite squaw now and soon I'm going out with her to the Outside But there's things to do first. Bill has found the mine." The other nodded gravely. "And Bill Is us blind as a mole got caught In a cabin full of green-wood nmoke. He'll be able to see again In u day or two. So I sent for you right I uway." The breeds nodded again, a trlflo less phlegmatlciilly j no mines worm millions more money than you can dream oi. Each of you get a sixth one-third divided hMween you. As soon ns wo'vs finished fin-ished what I've planned, we'll tear down his claim notices and put up our own. then go down to the record X and record the claim," Harold wont on. "Then it's ours. No one will ever guess. No one'll make any trouble. "Both of you are to come to tho cabin. Just nbo.it dark. You'll tell me you have hcon over Bald I'eak way and aro hitting back toward th Vuga village. I'.rlng along a quart of booze-maybe booze-maybe two quarts would be bettor. And sometime In tho early evening give Bill what's coming to Rim ' "Do him off ?" Joe asked stolidly. "Make It look like a fight." Harold I Went on. "Insult hltn better still, get in a quarrel among yourselves. He II U.11 you to shut up, and ono of you flame up at him. Then strike the life out of him before he knows what no'a about. He's blind and ho can't fight." "What you want us to use?" Pete asked ThlH, Ho Indicated tho thin blade at his thigh. "Maybe uso rifle-' Harold's eyes looked drowsy when he answered Something like a lust swept over him; this question of Pete's moved him In dark and evil ways. His father's blood was In tho full ascendancy at last. "There's an old pick In the cabin Bill had it prospecting' he 6ald. XXIII Bill s eyes were considerably better when he awakened full In the day light The warm wet cloths hud taken tak-en part of the Inflammation out of them, and when ho strained to open the lids, he was aware of a little, dim I gleam of light. He couldn't make out objects, however, how-ever, and except for a fleeting shadow he could not dlsern the hand that he Swept before his face. Several days and perhaps weeks would pass he- ' fore the full strength of hl3 sight returned. re-turned. His preatest hope at present was that he could grope his way about j the cabin and build a fire for Virginia. Vir-ginia. Building the fire, however, was a grievous task. He felt it incumbent upon him to move with utmost cau- tlon so that Virginia would not waken Ry groping about tho walls he encountered en-countered tho 9tove. Feeling told him that hot coals were still glowing In the ashes. Then he fumbled about the floor for such fuel as Harold hud provided. He found a piece at Inst, and soon a cheery crackle told him that It had Ignited. He grinned with delight But ' his Joy us a trifle premature. At that Instant he tripped over a plec. of firewood and his hands crashed against the logs. 'Oh, blast my clumsiness!" he whispered. whis-pered. Virginia stirred behind her curtain. "Is that you. Harold?" she asked. She was wide awake. "No. It's Bill." "Well, what arc you doing up Did Harold do you mean to say you built the fire yourself?" "That's mo. lady " "Then you must have your sight again " Tho girl snatched aside the curtain and peered Into his face. "No such luck. Coals were still glowing: all I had to do was to put in a piece of firewood. Btrt I'm all wall otherwise, as fur as I can tell. How about you?" The girl stretched up her arms. "A little stiff and now I want you to tell me juat how this blindness of yours is going to utrcci our getting out." It was a serious question. "I don't e how It can affect us a great deal.' he answered. "I realize you don't know one step of tho way down to Bradleyburg, and I can't see the way ; but Harold knows It perfectly " As If the Invocation of his name w-ero a magic summons. Harold opened open-ed the door and entered. He carried Bill's loud-mouthed rifle in the hollow hol-low of his arm You'v been hunting" Virginia cried "Of course. I figured we needed meat. I carried Bill's rifle because I don't trust the sights of mine. They were a yard off that day I ehot at th caribou." "Did vou sec any game?" Harold's eyes met hers and narrowed, nar-rowed, evor so slightly. But his answer an-swer was apt. "I saw a caribou-about caribou-about two miles uway. There didn't seem a chance In the world to hit It. but considering our scarcity of meat I took that chance. Of course I didn't hit within ten feet of him; Bill's gun Isn't built for such long ranges. I shot four tlmee." Bill did not reply. He was thlmc-Ing thlmc-Ing about those samo four shots. It waa incomprehensible that they ahouid hae made such an Impression upon him. "And for all that Bill hasn't got his sight back yet. we're going to start down tomorrow." Virginia went on in a gay voice. She glanced once at BUI, she did not se the world of despair that rame Into his face at I the delight with which she spoke "You and I will take turns pulling the sled; Bill will hang on to the gee pole. And BUI says you know the way. We're going to dash right through camp out onl two nlfhla That afternoon both Bill and Virginia Vir-ginia started with amazement at the sound of tapping knuckles on tho door. Harold's eyes wore gleaming. XIV Harold saw fit to answer the door himself. He threw It wldo open; Virginia's Vir-ginia's startled glance could Just make out two swarthy faces, singularly dark and unprepossessing. "Wo we rnushln' over to Yuga bcon over Bald Peak way." Joe said stumbllngly. "Didn't know no one Ton and I uin take turn- pulling the sled, BUI will luiiig on to the gcepolc." was here. Want a bunk here to-: to-: night." You've got your own blankets '."' ' Yes. We got blankets." "On your way home, oh" Well, I'll have to ask this lady. Harold seemed strangely nervous as lie turned to Virginia. ' A couple of Indians, going homo toward the settlement on the Yuga," he explained quickly. They've come I from over toward Bald I'tak and were counting on putting up hero tonight ! That's the woods custom, you know I to atay ut anybody's cabin. Do you ! think we can put 'em up? ' I "Good Heavens we can't send them on. on a night like this. It Is awkward, awk-ward, though about food " ' They've likely got their own food ' "Of course tney can stu mil can sleep on the floor In hero you can luke the two of them with you Into I the little cabin It will be pretty tight work, but we can't do anything else. Bring them In." I Harold turned again to the door. I and In u moment the Indians strode, blinking, into the candlelight Virginia shot them a swift glance and wan Instinctively repelled, but at once the ascribed the evil savagery of their faces to racial traits. ! Bill, sitting against the cabin wall. I tried lo make sense out of a confused ' Jumble of thoughts and impressions and memories that flooded in one wave to his mind. He had assumed at onco that tho two breeds were Joe and Pete, whom ho had encountered when he first found Harold. YVh. then, nad tho latter made no signs of recognition? Ho resolved lo know tho truth 'It's Joe and Pote, isn't It "" he asked abruptly In the silence. 'Pete Joe'.'" Joe answered at last, in a bewildered tone. "Don't know 'em. I'm Wolfpaw Black he's Jimmy Jim-my Jimmy DuBois." Except for a little lingering uneasiness. uneasi-ness. BUI was satisfied. Virginia went on with her supper preparations, and Rt Inst the three of them drew chairs around their crude Utile table. The two breeds took their lunch from their packs and munched It, sitting beside the stove. All at once Joe, grunted In the stlll-' stlll-' ness, and all except Bill whirled to look at him. He went to his pack and fumbled among the blanket. Then, a greedy llgbt In his eyes, he put two dark bottles upon the table. Virginia was suddenly deeply afraid She looked at BUI. rorgettlng for the) moment that in his blindness he could i not sec what was occurring and thai I In his helplessness sho could not do-pend do-pend upon him In a Tlslf. Sho turned i to Harold, hoping that ho would ro-fuse ro-fuse this offering at a word. And her fear Increased w hen she suw tho craving crav-ing on his face. "Have a drink!" Joe Invited. Bill started then, but be made no response Harold moved toward the tabic. "You're a life saver, Wolfpaw." he replied, genially. "It's a cold night, und I don't care if 1 do. Virginia, pass down the cups." (t onUnuctl in our next Isauc.) |