The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-04-03
III.


treachery and will empty every barrel
of my revolver straight into the basket"
1t was a sinister threat, curious
situation, and Percival Aylmer glared
helplessly at the stern-faced detective
as he spoke the words.
Ridgely had leaped from the hogshead
ere Aylmer could recover from sur
prise at the startling conformation,
and had slipped pair of handouts
over the wrists of the smuggler. Then,
tying his ankles together with a rope,
he went to where the mule stood.
He lifted the cover of one of the
baskets. 1t was empty. Without
moments delay, he bodily lifted Ayl-
mer in his arms, placed him in the
basket, and shut down the cover.
"Opium in the other basket, L imag-
ine," he said. well, you'll just about
weight it. Won't tell me where the
girl is, Ell? Insist on it that there is
no girl in the case? Well, I'll get you
into safe hands, and before night have
a force here that will find Grace Day
ton if she is here. Remember seek
to betray me, refuse to aid me az we
leave here, and L will kill you. You
are at my mercy"
1t was a bold plan that Walter
Ridgely projected, but he placed it in
prompt execution. He started up the
mule with its living freight, and pushed
open the cave door. To his delight,
no one was outside. He drove away
from the cabin, and congratulated
himself on his good fortune, when, di-
rectly in his path, man with leveled
rifle confronted him, evidently one of
the smuggling band.
"Who are you?" came the fierce de-
mand a strangerw
Ridgely was as cool as ice.
Put down your rifle, my frien3, he
said Its all right; you know your
captains voice."
Yes, L do.
Walter Ridgely clicked the revolver
in his pocket, ominously near to his
prisoner in the basket.
Speak" he ordered.
ITS all right, JONES'" came, in
muffied tones from the basket. He's
acting on my orders"
Ridgely laughed. As the sentry
passed he could hear Aylmer gnash his
teeth with secret chagrin and rage.
YEARLY on plodded the mule-one
mile, two-suddenly from the brush
came a quick challenge:
"Ridgely!"
"Hello!" and the detective recog-
nized one of his aids of the early morn
ing. Where's Dawson?
with the Others"
"What others 2"
I'VE located you at the den, and 1
went to the city for help. Dawson
and ten others have probably sur
rounded the place by this time. Hark
do you hear that?
Ridgely bent his ear aud listened
From a great distance the report of
firearms echoed.
He told his companion of the human
freight the basket contained. Then
both waited An hour later four men
rode up on horseback-men from the
agency-and just from the smugglers'
haunt.
They had surrounded the place. A
desperate fight had ensued, but the
smugglers and their spoils were now in
possession of six officers.
Look out!" suddenly shouted
Ridgely's companion.
Ridgely glanced at the mule and the
baskets. From one of them a man had
sprung In some dextrous way Aylmer
had slipped manacles and bonds, and
was dashing for liberty.
Bang! bang The desperate, UNI
needing the order to halt, fell at the
second fire.
He raved and cursed, mortally
wounded, as Ridgely anxiously in
CURED of the officers If any trace of a
young girl had been found at the den.
The answer was in the negative.
Where is Grace Dayton?" he asked
of Aylmer Speak, mani You have
courted your own doom-better, per-
haps, than the gallows, but make the
atonement you can by confessing all.
The ruffian died with a scowl of
hate on his bafiied face, and his lips
sealed.
The officers got ready to carry the
dead man to the next village.
What is in the other basket, opium ?"
one of them asked
Il suppose So gloomily replied
Ridgely, completely disappointed at
his failure to discover trace of the
missing girl.
He opened the cover as he spoke.
A great cry of JOY, hope, suspense,
welled from his lips as he glanced
within the basket.
For lying there asleep, placid, serene
Il. Il f,.I