Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-11-27
copyrixnt, 1897. b, Ronrxr BoSsKE's soxa
All rights rsssIvsd-

CHAPTER xiil.-(Continued.)
Information about what?" y
"Bout the youth as has slipped an
eccentric and started to take In d.
hills last winter"
In q moment Ethel was on her feet,
her pretty face all glowing with inter
est and cried:
do you mean Paul-Paul Miller"
That's the chap whose name was
nirtin' with"
What of him-what of him.? ask
Cd Clarence. eagerly.
"Well, we don't know; old Glum
thought as how may be you better
come down and interview them mum
mics an see what we can git out o
EN-"
"You say they are at Ralston's
shanty"
Yes"
"why didn't they come here?"
''well, We see, they're little on
their feed. Their peddles are bent
an their feet don't track-all from
goin' over d. rocks and snow until
a. skins worn on.
Ethel seized her own and her hus-
bands cap. saying: :.
LET us hasten to Glum's shanty."
"As you say, my dear. Come, we
will 20 at once and learn all we can"
They closed up their house, and,
accompanied by Dick and Gid, hasten
ed away toward the shanty OF old
Glum Ralston.
They reached the lower part OF the
camp, which had grown to quite
village of shanties. Great fires were
blazing in pits. These were fires built
to thaw the ground so the miners
could dig 1t up and wash 1t.
A small knot Of people were gath
cred in front of Glum Ralston's
shanty, talking in strange whispers,
nodding and gesticulating in man
ner which indicated that some matter
of great moment was under discus
sion.
Clarence and Ethel passed through
the throng and entered the shanty.
Here a sight met their gaze calculated
to awaken their profoundest SYM
patty. Four dark-skinned young men
whose once robust frames had been
worn away to skeletons were reciin-
ing on piles of skins, filling their
empty stomachs with food placed be-
fore them.
!! where are you from?" Clarence
asked
From the island OF Metlakahtla."
one answered.
Have you come direct from there"
mo"
"Where have you been?"
1--WE were lost in the woods for a
long time and almost persisted from
cold and hunger. We wanted to wait
until spring, but he did not. He had
been detained for SO many months
that he would wait no longer. He
said months and years were rolling
over his head since he had seen her
or written to her."
"Of whom are you speaking?"
"He called himself Crack-lash."
"Paul--Paul! II Is PAUL" cried
Ethel, clapping her hands in delight.
Hush. dear; let us be sure" whis-
pered Clarence, then turned to further
interrogate the stranger.
What kind of a young man was
this Crack-lash?"
Like you. only darker: that's all"
"Well, how did he reach your
island?"
Come on an ice boat?"
"Ice boat?"
"Yes-great mountain of ice. He
was on ice."
HE surely means an iceberg" said
Clarence. fixing his eyes on Glum
Ralston. The old man nodded his
head and said
There amt no doubt of II. He
means an iceberg"
"If he does, then this man he calls
Cracklash is none other than Crack
lash Paul"
You're correct, mate" Glum Rails
ton answered, with nod Of hi head.
The Indian then took another sip
or two of the soup and told how on
the way they had captured one of the
men who had robbed him. They had
crossed a mountain range and were
making their way toward the Yukon.
when they were all four drawn of on
a moose trail.
On their return they were unable
to find neither the prisoner Crack-lash
nor the mysterious captain, who had
years before been on their island. but
had been abducted by two of his own
sailors. one of whom they had cap
tured, ard Crack-lash recognized him
as one of the robbers. 1t was long
story, and took long time to tell it.
Paul's fate was unknown. but the
chances were he was prisoner or
dead in the forest.
do you believe this story. Glum"
Clarence asked.
Every word O. II is the gospel
TRUTH" he answered.
''What are you going to .do?'
II am going to look for him. I'll
find him dead or alive. II dead. I'll
bury him; If alive, I'll bring him
home"
Clarence arose, and, taking the
hand of the blunt old miner, said:
"Glum, I'll go with you"
"And her," cried Glum, nodding
toward his wife.
"Oh, never mind me; never mind
me-" the wife quickly answered. 81
can get along very well alone. want
him to go and try to ind poor Paul, II
such thing is possible"
tT1l go; I'll do IT." he declared.
Clarence Berry then proceeded to
interrogate the Metiakahtlans, and
drew from them the story in detail.
Next day, in company with Ralston.
he set out to find the men lost in the
forest.