| Show J tab iab u v 14 IV N 0 en by GEORGE MARSH penn publishing ca W N U bervice THE STORY SO FAR bound tor for the gold country six men lost their lives on the nottoway Nott away river red lu malone alone garrett finlay brother of 0 one of the six and blaise halfbreed half breed guide arrive at nottoway Nott away posing as surveyors fel IF receives an anonymous letter biting i ting g that the six men were not dr drowned t edn as reported suspicion prevails that isadore rich fur man has made a gold strike and alms aims to keep prospectors out of the country at any cost the three men start out on the nottoway Nott away for the hudsons Hud sons bay post they visit isadore in his magnificent home where they meet use lise his pretty stepdaughter she sends finlay a note saying she Is in trouble and asking him to meet her CHAPTER VIII continued 8 reds blue eyes twinkled as he watched finlay read some skirt snatcher this boy he chuckled then as the incredulous garry sensed the manifest tension under which the letter had been written and the muscles tightened in his ar grave e face malones amusement used f the worried brassard Fin lays changing expression as a hawk watches feeding ptarmigan there were gleams of light in fin lays gray eyes as he handed the letter to malone read that red while 1 I 1 talk with blaise drawing blaise aside garry gave him the gist of the message Isit Is it a trick atrick he asked for sure came the guttural response old trick he bait you wid woman garry slowly shook his head blaise BI aise that girls in trouble she write that way otherwise lets see what red thinks malones dubious eyes were still busy with the sheets of blue paper in his hand at last he grunted huh hub a tough letter to dope out garry id hate to trust a hair on that black head of hers and yet it sounds like the living truth if its only a scheme to get you to that beach so they can drill you I 1 take off my hat to her ashes a genius red I 1 tell you ashes desperate isadore prompt her to write that letter its real its a cry from the depths but what can be the trouble there I 1 knew the night of the dinner something worried her malone thoughtfully scratched his head his eyes wrinkled quizzically garry have you happened to think ashes only a stepdaughter I 1 wonder it if debbe hes been bothering 1 I thought of that its possible its isadore let me read it again aarre arry went over the blue sheets bibly faintly antly fragrant could that girl possibly act out a part like this the words seemed to flow from her heart and her warning about wab sons that sounded straight that Is adoras adores work that was raw fear and yet his better judgment told him the letter was a decoy cool ruffian this isadore he speculated if hes behind this hes had her warn us of just what he intends to do to make it sound tight ight and hes sized me up as a half wit fall for this maiden in distress stuff well hes right when he had been ed louis started back with iki r inlays in lays answer it was yes CHAPTER LX IX i days later a peterboro Peter boro hung j re a few miles east of isas e fur post in the boat a man searched through binoculars tor for a canoe paddled by a woman if its an ambush blaise she vont show up insisted finlay for expect me to land early at the beach to wait for her be there and will hop on me at once what would they gain by waiting and bringing her into it she might get hit debbe so grunted blaise his face gloomy with apprehension if she does show up garry what are the orders demanded red if this thing is straight I 1 cant have her think that I 1 trusted her youre to keep out of sight behind that first point until five then move around and pick me up shell leave before that chief youre crazy exploded malone that spruce points a mile from the little sand beach suppose they catch you with her were out of the picture we cant reach you 1 I tell you red never let her come if its an ambush be no object in it if she does come shell see that I 1 trust her believe in her dont you realize how humiliating it would be to know that I 1 think her capable of tricking me like that that I 1 suspect her and am bringing a guard oh I 1 see what you mean but I 1 dont like it I 1 want to be handy in case of trouble thank you red garry again raised the glasses there she is he announced quietly he was conscious of the sudden pickup pick up of his heart whew he murmured as a wave of elation beat through him have I 1 got it as bad as that the peterboro Peter boro reached the spruce point and garry stepped out so long blaise see you soon and ill have something to tell bo jo red but malone and the edger eager flame joined finlay on the shore the idea asked garry going to kiss me goodby good by take this garry red pushed a black automatic into Fin lays hand it may be useful no ive got my service 45 ashes the sweetest gun I 1 ever owned I 1 dont need this take it for me will you garry but finlay shook his head so long red he stooped and patted the nervous airedale bol bo jol jo flame old pal cant come this time stay with red with a wave of his hand finlay started on his long walk lise demarais was there waiting when he reached the white beach he suddenly realized how she had obsessed his thoughts since he last saw her grey face that night at Is adores and now in her fier desperation she had turned to him lise stood beside her canoe somehow I 1 knew come she grasped his hand warm with color from her long paddle she was even lovelier than he had remembered her could any man have refused to come after such a letter yes knowing what you do most men would have been afraid they have trusted me but im a mind reader as I 1 told you and im worried about you lise demarais youre also a brave man there was a look in her sloe black eyes that started his blood singing lets sit down its a long story she threw herself on the sand offered him a cigarette from a silver case and lit one herself for a time she smoked clasping her knees while she gazed straight before her under brows like black brush strokes on her transparent skin his eager gaze moved from the dark cloud of her long bob and the brilliant eyes to her round throat 1 I dont know why I 1 should have turned to you in my trouble she began unless its because youre in great danger yourself dont you realize they wont let you finish this survey wont let you leave this country forget the survey I 1 know tete blanche is after us I 1 saw him at the head of the lake well take care of him I 1 came here to learn why youve got to leave Is adores place and when 1 I was frantic when I 1 wrote you it must have sounded delirious and strained but I 1 was desperate id just had a terrible scene with jules he insists on my marrying felix blondell his partner ive refused time and time again but he wont listen blondell handles the business in montreal hes coming in the au A I 1 all lise demarall Dema rals was ther waiting gust plane he drinks hard when hes here and im afraid of him 11 Fin lays face was flint hard as he listened jules told me id had my chance and refused it she went an her breath quickening while her pulse beat in her throat he said when blondell came in august id have neither his sympathy nor his protection I 1 could take care of myself think of ones stepfather saying a thing like that Fin lays eyes were savage with dancing lights isadore said that to you yes and more it was ghastly you dont know jules isadore she cried he can purr like a cat and be so smooth so charming but hes as pitiless as a wolf he killed my mother with his women and his heartlessness of course hes given me a home education clothes but his word has always been law corinne and I 1 live like children are told nothing hes so secretive why were positive theres something queer going on here now at was but we dont know what it is finlay was alive with interest queer what do you mean every summer in august a plane flies down from the north later it goes south but it carries no fur why should a plane fly here every august and go south empty garry finlay also wanted the answer to that question at last he had struck something strange he said his face as impassive as wood it always always comes in august you say yes why I 1 warned you not to stay here until august I 1 overheard jules boast to batoche that no prospectors nosing around here in august would ever see home he thinks youre prospectors you know then hes struck gold and wants to keep it a secret corinne and I 1 think so weve an idea he ships the gold dust and nuggets in bags on that plane and want anyone to know about it but why should it come from the bay we dont know but he seems to want to hide the direction from which it comes sure hes nervous as a cat then wont even have indians around the place finlay wondered what he had stumbled into A plane from the bay what did that mean then he said mrs isadore got the drugged wine intended for us what did he intend to do drop us in the lake no I 1 think he wanted to search you learn leam who you were I 1 was so afraid something would happen I 1 wanted to warn you then I 1 saw that hideous tete blanche after you left jules struck corinne for drinking that wine struck her in the face he was like a madman nice fellow of course he knows he cant last long at this game already six men who have entered this country have disappeared the police will be here soon six men she gasped ive heard of only two six prospectors have disappeared and two men have been wounded finlay smiled significantly your limp that night she suddenly cried her eyes wide with understanding der standing you you were wounded in the leg on the way here yes they ambushed you on the not ataway but youre all right oh stop at nothing do you understand der stand now why ive got to get away yes what was tete blanche doing there that ahat night 1 I dont know well dont worry well have you safe at matagami Ma by august she gave a deep sigh for a space they smoked in silence while fin lays thoughts were busy with the mysterious plane then he glanced at her she was smiling at him through curious eyes charming gossip were having on my bathing beach on this lovely july day she said ruefully her mood had suddenly changed the compelling charm of her drove from his head all thoughts of isadore A beautiful girl sat beside him desirable baffling and in her slow smile was veiled challenge you swim here often her eyes were busy with a trim moccasin toying with the sand she raised them and her lip curled fishing for an invitation to join the beautiful mermaids if you are youre distinctly not invited we usually swim in our scales you know she flung herself around facing him and impulsively took his hand what mat children we arello are she cried this is the second time ive ever talked with you garry finlay and im babbling like a sub deb at her first big dance 1 I never met one but im sure id love sub debs he leaned toward her do you know how lovely you are and how dangerous he said A warm undertone of pink pushed up over her neck and cheeks she seemed suddenly confused its it s growing late ive got to go she was on her feet take me to Mata matagami Ma cami when I 1 write how can I 1 thank thank you for daring to come oh its like a reprieve from a death sen tence I 1 want to dance and sing she stood beside her canoe grasping her paddle her voice quavered au revoir very nice and reckless man her eyes danced dangerously when you send word ill come he said thickly he slid her canoe into the water turned and with a quick movement had her in his arms with a swift catch of the breath she flung back her dark head and smiled up at him he kissed her hair and eyes and responsive mouth you sorceress he choked youve bewitched me courage midnight eyes ill take you to mata garni goodby good by beautiful she gave a low laugh as her arm tightened on his neck and for a moment returned his kisses then breaking away leaped into the canoe and paddled off reaching the point she blew a kiss with her hand and passed from sight his pulses drumming finlay stood at the edge of the water groping for his mental balance with her charm and changing moods lise demarais had played on his senses as a musician on a harp run the gamut from laughter to tears the hard boiled garry finlay had been pliant in her hands as a willow sprout but in the end she had left him wondering whether she was sincere or a consummate suni mate actress at the thought he glanced up and down the beach the shore was deserted still under the spell of the girl who had paddled away he started for the spruce point to meet the peterboro Peter boro again he felt her arms on his neck her warm lips looked into the dancing depths ot of her eyes acting wh ats got into you garry finlay that girl is straight as a spruce ashes in trouble and frantic to get away and I 1 was the path out emotional ot of course care a damn tor for me but when I 1 lost my head she just help being human but ashes gorgeous enchanting he had reached a stretch of shore piled with boulders and had cut back into the bush where the walking w was as easier when the brittle snap of a dry stick stopped him in his tracks his body stiffened while his right hand moved under his shirt to the stock of his 45 that he muttered again there was a movement in the brush somewhere in front of him finlay slipped behind a spruce his eyes stabbing the surrounding undergrowth der growth then from his rear carn came e a sound in the scrub and he flattened under the low branches so it was acting after all A wave of remorse chilled him like a bitter wind as he lay beneath the overhanging boughs surrounded as he knew he must be caught in isa dores trap his ears strained for movements of the men who hunted him while his thoughts hung to the girl who had so lightly led him to this TO BE CONTINUED 7 nym r A |
