Show W V penn publishing Publish ins C ty GEORGE MARSH V N U bervice THE STORY SO FAR six men traveled the chibougamau trail and six men died later they were reported drowned murder Is suspected garry finlay brother of one ot of the six red malone mounted police officers and blaase halfbreed half breed guide posing as surveyors arrive at nottoway Nott away to investigate isadore rich fur man Is thought to have made a gold strike and alms to keep prospectors out later they visit isadore at his magnificent home and meet use his stepdaughter finlay falls in love with her later they land on an island and are attacked attached by indians they learn that Is adores men are bunting them and tense themselves as they hear the gunmen approaching CHAPTER continued is 18 before the three men could drop q y the beach below where the canoe lay there was the sound of something approaching over the shore path club em with your gun blaise dont make a noise here dey are with the impact 0 of a sledge ham mer reds clubbed 45 dropped the first man senseless Fin lays heavy pistol glanced from the face of the next and he fell with a scream in his surprise the third fired his rifle in the air as a blocky body lunged into him carrying him to the ground but the damage was done the bush was now full of yelling headed for the sounds launch the canoe blaise while we stand them off cried finlay the boat hit the water with a splash as an indian lurched into malone was seized lifted high in air and shattered against a big birch come on red they dropped to the beach and into the waiting canoe As the peterboro Peter boro shot past the point and into the moonlight a canoe broke from the shore shadows to bar their path everyone down warned garry the three paddlers saddlers padd lers flattened as spurts of flame leaped from the but in the half light the aim from the moving boat was poor dont shoot run em down ordered finlay the peterboro Peter boro leaped to the drive of the maple blades with a crash the bow of the wooden craft knifed through the amidships rolling her under with its momentum before they could fire again the three were in the water with a lunge of his long stem blade blaise pushed the filled shell of the clear of the Peter boros stern then the maple paddles bowed as the three friends jerove drove their craft through the moon water and into the protecting of the opposite shore close shave panted finlay but we made W jl CHAPTER late that night when stans canoe found the hidden camp of the police the eyes of the old indian glittered with triumph you not hurt he asked squinting into the faces of his friends as they wrung his hand not a scratch chief red patted the old mans shoulder im glad we got clear of that canoe without using our guns said finlay too many men have been shot here this summer but it was their lives or ours e ry tete tele blanche and his whis ay fed crew would snuff us out as they would a candle 1 I know but headquarters may I 1 not see it that way im sorry it had to be done with flame and young Pat amish who was devoted to finlay and would be useful as a scout the pe tarboro started at once through the islands hugging the shadows of the western shores for the moon was now low on the ridges once they cleared the islands the rhythmic churn swish of four paddles never eased until dawn caught them far down the great lake and throughout the long hours finlay had been companioned companio ned by fear for lise demarais he would send pa tarnish at once in the birch bark they had left at the hidden camp with a message for her to come at night to the islands opposite the post it would not be long now before hed have her in his arms safe the following night they reached their old camp and Pat amish started with Fin lays message before dawn garry was waked by something pulling at his blanket Pat amish whispered the boy 1 I find dis stone Fin lays hand shook as he took the note lit a candle lantern and read dearest it has seemed so long this waiting i for you blondell is expected now any day everyone except jules and labelle are at the head of the lake I 1 tried to learn what was happening there but could not they returned jules is drinking hard corinne heard him tell labelle that it if you saw that plane arrive from the north and got away with the information the jig was up I 1 dont understand for he knows that people in montreal suspect hes shipping gold south by plane no secret ive tried to avoid him but he cornered me last night and said never see your friend again hes walked into a trap nosing around this lake well take care of him this time so when felix comes better agree to marry him hes got plenty stowed away in montreal can give you anything you want it if you wont be reasonable you can take the consequences dearest ill not stay a day after that plane arrives ill take louis and camp somewhere in the bush send for me oh send for met me let me know quick that nothings happened to yuu you with all my love lise 11 you went to the post to find asked finlay he could feel the drumbeat of his heart in his throat ah hah was gone some ting strange was dere on de water on the water the news he dreaded hit finlay like the chill of ice what was it beeg cano wid wing like guell in his remorse finly finlay crushed aises note in his hand blondelle Blon dells plane had reached waswanipi he found a scrap of paper and wrote just got your notel note ill wait at the nearest island tonight tomorrow and every night following for your canoe courage I 1 love you garry that night before the twilight died finlay and red lay in the thick alders of the shore of the island opposite Is adores with binoculars focused on the anchored seaplane sea plane and the post later lights like stars glowed in the trade house and the living quarters the lights died hour after hour the two men waited but lise did not come shell come tonight garry dont worry somehow weve got to learn why that plane comes here from james bay before we go after isadore we know she carries flake go gold id and nuggets from the river bars when she finally heads south isadore admitted that to mcnab at mata daml get shot tor for our pains and besides spoil the whole show no im going to learn more about that plane from the bay first we cant arrest isadore without a gun fight very good sergeant finlay what are the orders laughed red get them constable when that plane shows up 0 0 0 0 0 0 at daylight the faint hum of a planes engine brought the police from their hidden camp to the shore far across the lake above isa dores they saw a seaplane sea plane spiral ling for altitude the plane started for the outlet twenty miles to the west and later appeared following the south shore tete blanche is back with the news and out for revenge INN make it hot for us now said red make it hot for us now the plane passed overhead following the lake shore and the concealed police could see a man leaning from the cockpit searching the shore below with glasses shortly it faded into the east its the middle of august red that plane from the bay is due that night they waited on the shore of the island for aises canoe hour after hour drifted past but through the murk came no welcome sound of a paddle prying off a gunwale finlay slouched on a stone head in hands what had happened to her she had said she stay a day after the plane arrived she had begged him to send tor for her she had had two days to get the note what had happened to lise he looked at the illuminated face of his watch it was one they had waited five hours she wont come tonight red he said rising no she wont malone did not finish hear something you it was pretty faint might have been a loon the two men stood rigid with checked breaths b they paddled hard for a minute then stopped to listen suddenly out of the gloom ahead wavered the cry garree gar reel ree garree gar reel ree H help elp I 1 eyes stabbing the gloom in search of the crippled canoe the two men approached the sound where are you yau lise wheres your boat here I 1 am here there was a faint splash off the bow of the canoe and Fin lays straining eyes caught the dim outlines of a head and bare shoulder hold it redl he cried ashes here swimming steady the boat while I 1 get herl her but your canoe why did you try to swim it 1 I had to swill they hid the cancel I 1 I 1 etayl I 1 thought id never make it she shivered in his arms as he kissed her wet face and hair he wrapped his coat around her bare shoulders his blood singing at the touch of her body why did you do it it was too with a laugh she threw back her head and kiss kissed ed him why because I 1 love you she whispered while red paddled hard for the camp oh my dear my dear murmured garry shielding her body with his own from the night air ive worried so been half mad it was too terrible there drinking and worried I 1 had to threaten to shoot blondell he let me alone has disappeared I 1 got your note this morning went for it myself taken my canoe and hid the others so I 1 had to swim to you sweetheart do you mind my coming in my bathing suit his arms tightened around her mind I 1 love it beautiful you seem tot to she laughed up at him then she called out to red whose thoughts were far away at matagami Ma as he drove his long paddle not going to speak mr malone its red to you lise if you knew how glad I 1 am to have you here weve been pretty worried I 1 want to say they dont come any gamer than you thanks red blaise stared open mouthed as garry led a girl wearing his coat over a one piece bathing suit up to the fire blaise this is lise we e picked her out of the lake swimming to the island you swim in de dark demanded the astounded brassard by gar you are brave girl biens she swim from Is adores in dis black night yes said finlay proudly now hop anio into the tent lise and crawl into my service togs while we start the fire and get some tea and soup going shortly the group of men smoking by the fire burst into laughter stiff in front of the tent with hand at salute stood a mounted policeman so youre mounties bounties Mo unties ive wondered what you really were jules isadore has been wondering too hes pretty worried about it now that ive fallen into the hands of the police what am I 1 charged with she laughed you are charged with the felony of scaring two policemen halt to death by swimming to this island young woman 1 I had to for a space her face was wa s serious then a smile broke through as finlay handed her a steaming cup of tea the others others left lise and garry by the fire while she told him her story since felix blondell came its been hellish garry they do noth ing at night but drink and quarrel ive learned what I 1 could from corinne ashes absolutely petrified when tete blanche returned jules was mad with rage at what happened it seems is dead did you know that carrys arm tightened about her waist yes I 1 know it well tete blanche brought back a lot of drunken young indians to hunt for you blondell is getting scared he wants to return south he told corinne he was not in favor of what had been done he says jules has ruined the whole business by giving whiskey to the indians its too dangerous I 1 avoided him always carried my pistol one night I 1 had to fire it to scare him after that he was afraid of me good too bad you shoot straighter anxious about that plane from the bay its overdue they think now that what you came here for to get that plane corinne asked blondell if that was the plane that carried the gold south and he looked at her queerly and said yes it carries the gold what these people are here for to hig hiack it but weve got enough men here to shoot them out of their canoes if they try that garry youre not going to try to take isadore just you three are you hes got a lot of indians over there and hes desperate he drew her red coated shape close and kissed the velvet eyes that searched his bronzed face dont worry about that lise you dont think im going to risk losing you when ive only just got you here safe CHAPTER the following night six canoes drifted silently up to the hidden police camp it was Wa bistan and his friends finlay decided that it was time to reveal his identity to the old man he drew him to one side aride with blaise tell Wa bistan who we are blaise and why we are here the eyes of the old chief glowed like black tourmalines tour malines Wa bistan forget he come to help his tren fren we must wait until the flying canoe comes from the north said finlay then well go to isa dores yes we wait agreed the old man we wait he turned to blaise and spoke rapidly in Wa bistan say he go to Mataga ml for flour shell and tobacco he come back in tree free four day he start now on the morning of the fourth day after stans departure for mat agami finlay and red were watching the post through binoculars from the shore of one of the islands hes got a regiment of indians over there red said garry it looks as if wed bitten off a large chunk of trouble we sure have red but were going in just the same and grab that ship we are red that night on returning from the lake with water blaise called to finlay where he sat with lise by the fire come to de shore I 1 show you so meting TO BE CONTINUED |