The Grit-advocate., 1903-04-10
CHAPTER XVII.
A Groan In the Dark.


pallet and rushed from the door OF
the hut. he was as insane as any
inmate of n madhouse.
.'Oh. stop, stop. stop" shrieled
Kate Willis. Where are you goin-.
where are you soin'?'
Laura! Laura" he shouted.
Laura. Oh. my goodness sakek
alive. does he know herr" cried Miss
Willis. clapping her hands as new
and wonderful thought burst on her
mind. 1t can't bet must be-he 10
the girls lover. He must be her
PAUL." She shouted to some of the
Indian porters left to look after the
camp:
Stop hint"
The Indians were soon on him. had
him tied with mooseskin thongs and
carried him back to the shanty. where
he was lain on the bed. Kate followed
them, sobbing frantically and groan
ing:
He's dead! They've killed him
and I'm to blame for it. Oh. what a
fool I've played all the way through"
He breathed and, placing her head
on his breast, she discovered that his
heart still beat. she placed the kettle
over the little oil stove and prepared
some nourishment. pound up his head,
which was slightly bruised and soon
had his eyes open. No sooner was he
rational enough to recall what had
happened than he began to sob.
Don't take on so!" the kind-hearted
woman. said, Il tell ye-ye couldn't
have got mile away from here. Ye
would have died and We must know
it,"
But Laura, my darling. in the
power of that mani"
Say, let's you and | understand
each other. an then there won't be
any danger of making mistakes. Are
you Paul Miller, who's been dead so
long,"
Il nm Paul Miller and they may
have reported me dead"
From Fresno California;"
Yes. from Fresno. California"
Have you sweetheart called
Laura kean?"
"Ies-yes! 1t was she you told
me had gone on-and l will"
Now. look here! l am your friend.
am the best friend you and Laura
ever had aside from yerselves. If yell
jist listen t me. We'll outwit the
whole caboodle an show 'em what's
what yit."
Kate told him he must pretend to
be a great deal worse than he really
was, and she would report that she
believed he was going to die. He
at once fell in with the plan, with the
assurance that as soon as he was
strong enough he was to start secret
ly for the camp where Laura was
waiting for her companion to ioin
them.
Meanwhile thee was change in
guard. Cummins was relieved and
four men sent TO take his place. The
Indians went with Cummins, and
Kate had four white men to contend
with.
She often eavesdropped the four
men when at quarters. and gained
enough of their plans to realize that
they must act promptly. =
The very night the "Old Man Of the
Mountains" as he called himself. so
suddenly appeared in the tent where
Laura was eXpelling her unwelcome
suitor, they set out. On and on they
fastened over the frozen snow, and
Paul's heart began TO beat with pleas.
ure. But bark! What are those omi-
nous sounds in their ears? They have
been four or five hours on the route
when they hear the sound of feet
crushing the hardened snow.
Paul" Kate whispered, we are
pursued. Can you rum
Il can-and l can do more-I can
shoot"
Run first and shoot when you have
TO. Gimme yer hand
The strong woman took his hand in
her own and they ran along the snow.
covered trail swiftly as hares. They
were almost at the point where the
river was crossed on the ice when
voice behind them cried
There they go,'
'Halt-stop. or We'll fire."
Paul wheeled around and leveled
his rifle al one OF the dark objec,s
coming toward him. but jus. as mis-
finger was ready To press the trigger
he was struck blow between the
shoulders. which sent him sprawling
in the snow.
1t was Cummins, going after rein
forcements, who came up at tSis in.
oppor,ure moment.