The Winslow mail., 1900-10-11
Their progress was necessarily slow,

IOI tdCu HoA DC SoA l4CU uOl Oll1J TIU6T
but a large amount of gold as well
Where the trail was very rough the men
were forced to dismount at times. SO
that it was nearly night on the second
day when the party drew near the piece
of woods where Hank Bowers and his
rascally confederates were hidden
Taylor was leading the way as they
reached the first trees, where already
the lengthening shadows were stretch
ing across the trail. The others were
struggling galong behind him, while Tom
and Clara Avery rode side by side in
the rear.
In fact this had already become his
usual place, and his devotion was so
apparent that the others had come tc
regard it as foregone conclusion that
the young couple had met their fate in
each other.
Taylor was some ten yards ahead OF
his party when suddenly man hur.
ried out of the woods at his left and
came directly toward him, shouting:
Stranger! Hold on!"
Checking in his horse, Taylor allowed
the man to reach his horses side and
then exclaimed:
"Who are you and what do you
want?"
By this time the rest of the party had
reached the spot and halted.
"There's a man back in the woods a
little way here that is hurt bad," re
piled the newcomer. 'Won't one O. yer
come an see if sumthin' can't be did
fer him? He's in bad way"
Taylor looked hard at the stranger
He was apparently about 40 years old
rather tall, scar across his thin nose
which made his eyes seem close to-
gether. 1t was not face to inspire
confidence, but Dick Taylor had not the
slightest suspicion of danger as he
asked:
"Who is the man and where did he
come from? What's the matter with
him?"
"He's a sailor sort of a chap an his
horse throwed him, he says. Then his
pardner skipped off an left him ter kicl,
ther bucket alone"
As the man spoke Taylor suddenly re-
membered his face.
didn't I meet you not long ago or
this trail?" he demanded.
With well-assumed air of surprise
the man drew nearer and stared at him
a moment, then exclaimed:
Fright yer are, stranger! Yer was
boun' fer Dyea afoot an I was comm
this way. Didn't know yer at first. Yes
I got long here an found this feller
most dead. l knocked up a sort of q
shanty in the bush an got him into it
but he's dyin' sure's yer born"
"What's his name?" asked Avery
"and who is he?"
"Says his names Rider. Obed-"
"Obed Rider!" cried Tom and the
second mate, simultaneously.
'"That's it! Dyer know him?" asked
the stranger, looking at them with we'll
feigned surprise.
"The scoundrel!" cried Tom, jumpine 6
from his horse. "Come, Green, let's &C
and see if it is really him!"
But Avery spoke up at this point and
said:
Hold on, boys! Don't GO rushing of
like that! 1 don't take much stock in
this story. Suppose it is some sort ot
trap? Remember what we are taking
with u.s.
cts all right, boss," urged the new
conner "You needn't be scared O. one
man. This Rider begged me ter stay
with him an I hadn't ther heart ter
leave him. 1 wouldn't leave a dog ter
die in the bush alone. If yer don't want
ter come, all right, but L hoped yer was
men enuff fer that. I'm goin' back ter
him. He may be dead by this time"
"Where does your man say he's
from?" demanded Tom, his anger melt
ing away as he thought of his enemy
dying miserably by himself in this will
derness.
"He says he's from Dyea. He had a
pardner named Buffers or some such
name. He's out of his head sometimes
an goes on bout a lot O. gold an how
some ones goin' ter git held up an sech
nonsense. Then he's got some papers
an all he thinks about when he sees 'em
is some gold mine an chap named
Scott"
@'That settles it," cried Tom. "Come
on, Green, We'll CO."
Without waiting to hear another word
the man turned on his heel and led the
way among the stunted pines from
whence he had emerged. Tom and
Green followed him and the rest dis
mounted to await their return,
tTo BE CONTINUED