The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-26
IContinued from Last Sundays News. ]
CHAPTER XIV.

He arrived out of breath at a typical
little mill town consisting of the usual
implanted houses, the saloons. mill, Of
fee and general store. To the latter
he addressed himself for information.
The proprietor, still sleepy, was mop
ping out the place.
Does that boat stop here?" shouted
Thorpe across the suds.
Sometimes" replied the man, SOM
VIOLENTLY.
Not always? %
only when there's freight for her."
Doesn't she stop for passengers"
Nope"
How does she know when there
freight"
"Oh. they signal her from the mill
but Thorpe was gone.
At the mill Thorpe dove for the en-
CINE room. He knew that elsewhere
the clang of machinery and the hurry
of business would leave scant atten-
ton for him. And besides, from the
engine room the signals would be Civ
en- He found, as is often the case IN
north-country sawmills, a Scotchluan
in charge.
Does the boat stop here this morn
ing?" he inquired
"Weel," replied the engineer with
fearful elaboration, Il Gamma say. But
! hae received ma orders to that ef-
feet"
cant you whistle her in for me?"
asked Thrope.
Il Gamma" answered the engineer,
promptly enough this time.
why not?"
"Ye're ma what body might call
freight
No other way out of it?"
Ma"
Thorpe was seized with an idea.
'Here!" he cried. See that boulder
over there? l want to ship that to
Mackinaw City by freight on this
boat
I'm dootin' we haze tn freight-bin
from the Office" he objected simply.
See there" replied Thorpe, I've got
to get that boat. It's worth $40 to me,
and I'll square it with the captain.
There's your twenty"
The Scotchman deliberated, looking
aslant at the ground and thoughtfully
oiling a cylinder with a greasy rag.
It'll ma be a matter of life and
DEATH" he asked hopefully. "She aye
stops for life and death"
NO" replied Thorpe, reluctantly.
Then with an explosion, Yes, by God,
it Isl If l don't make that boat III
kill YOU"
The Scotchman chucked and pocket
ed the money.
I'm dootin' that's in order" he re-
piled. I'm be no party to any such
proceedins. I'm goin' moo for fresh
pail of water" he remarked, passing
at the door, but as a wee item Of in
formation, yander's tn wheestle rope;
and a mon wheestles one short and one
long for tn boat"
He disappeared. Thorpe seized the
cord and gave the signal. Then he
ran hastily to the end of the long lum-
Der docks, and peered with great eag-
erness in the direction of the black
smoke.
The steamer was as yet concealed
behind a low spit of land which ran
out from the west to form one side
of the harbor. In a moment, however.
her bows appeared, headed directly
down towards the Straits of Mackf-
nav. When opposite the little bay with
a grand free sweep she turned and
headed directly for him.
He negotiated briefly with the cap
tain, paid twenty dollars more fol
speed and the privilege of landing al
Mackinaw City. Then he slept for eight
hours on end and was awakened ir
time to drop into a small boat which
deposited him on the broad sand beach
of the lower peninsula.
The train was just leisurely making
UP for departure. Thorpe, dressed as
he was in old pepper and salt gar
ments patched with buckskin, his ha'
a Topping travesty on headgear, his
moccasins worn and dirty, his face
bearded and bronzed, tried as much a;
possible to avoid attention. He sent al
instant telegram to Wallace Carpenter
conceived as follows:
Wire thirty thousand my order care
Land Office, Detroit, before nine O'CLOCK
tomorrow morning. Do it if you have
to rustic all night. Important"
Then he took a seat in the baggage
car on a pile of boxes and philosophi
cally waited for the train to start. H,
knew that sooner or later the man
provided he were on the train, would
stroll through the car, and he wantet
to be out of the way. The baggage
man proved friendly, so Thorpe chat
ted with him till after bedtime. Thel
he entered the smoking car and wait
ed patiently for morning.
At the last thought Thorpe decides
to send a second message from the mex
station. He did so. 1t read: Anothe
buyer of timber on same train with me
RIhSl nave AtO1ACy dl " CtOCh VI los
land" He paid day rates on it to in
sure immediate delivery. Suppose tn
boy should be away from homei
Everything depended on Wallac
Carpenter; and Thorpe could not bu
confess the chance slender. One othe
thought made the night seem long
Thorpe had but thirty dollars left.
Morning came at last, and the trail
drew in and stopped. Thorpe, bein
in the smoking car, dropped off frs
and stationed himself near the exi
where he could look over the passen
gers without being seen. They file
past; to two only he could accord tn
role of master lumbermen, and in thes
two Thorpe recognized DAILY and Nor
rison themselves. They passed with
ten feet of him, talking earnestly to
gether. At the curb they hailed a ca
and drove away. Thorpe with salts
faction heard them call the name c
a hotel.
1t was still two hours before tn
land Office would be open.
Thorpe repaired at once to a board
ing house on Fort street, where he ha
'outftted" three months before. Ther
he reclaimed his valise, shaved, cloth
ed himself in linen and cheviot ono
more, and sauntered slowly to the Ian
office to await its opening.
AT o'clock neither of the partner
had appeared. Thorpe entered the OF
flee and approached the desk.
is there telegram here for Harr
Thorpe?" he inquired.
The clerk to whom he addressed him
self merely motioned with his head to
ward a young fellow behind the rail
ing in a corner. The latter, withou
awaiting the question, shifted com
fOrtably and replied: