The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-05-26
Copyright. 1857, By Rossar BoNHlz's soHa
Al rights reserved
CHAPTER x.-(continued.)

| care for bein' killed himself? It's
when you begin an attack on his flesh
an blood he trembles.'
We'll. dye reckon that's certain?"
asked Padgett, rubbing his bullet head
to get the idea through.
| Know it,"
'Why didn't we light on that afore?'
Because the youngster goes under
a nickname. He's CracE-lash here an
Paul Miller in Fresno. That's the
| whole long and short o it,
We'll. sail in on the capen an see
| what We kin do with him." growled
| Ned seating himself on stone and
twlrling his stick in his hand. II
| leave it all t. you; take it an see how
yell come out
Then followed another long con
sultaticn among the other three.
1t was not until late that night they
proceeded to carry out their plan. The
old hermit whom they called the cap.
tain was taken apart from his fell
low prisoner and seated on stone.
Ben Allen then proceeded to interro-
gate him.
You are Captain Joseph Miller of
the schooner Eleanor amt ye?" he
asked.
Those two rogucs told you that.
They know it. and it's no use to deny
it,"
you left a wife at home-a wife
and child?"
Yes"
Your wife was named Mollie and
your boy baby's name Paul.
Il don't ADMIT or dcly."
After you sailed away so many
years your wife gave you up for dead.
and with her child renewed to Fresno.
where she lives now. She never told
her son the sad, uncertain fate OF his
father, fearing when he grew up he
would start in search Of him. and
she always had a suDerstltious dread
. the forests O Alaska
The sea captain sat uamoved
throughout the narrative Ecl Went
on:
But when Paul Miller grew to be
man he heard OF the fabulous riches
in Alaska and came to find it. He had
amassed quite a 10: une, when he
was robbed, followed the robbers to
the woods and was captured by them.
Now, the young man yonder is Paul
Miller. your SON.
The stern old captain was unmoved
save slight twit"hns al the cor
~ Il 1>,,t NO
answer. Ben continEed
Though you may have lost the
| walrus hide ON which the map to tho
buried treasure is. yet you know the
| spot. and can take us there. You
shall do it or l swear that your son
shall die before your face
Again Ben Allen was disappointed.
The old man was wholly unmoyed. as
if he had been talking to stone. The
captors waited about him with half
suppressed breathing. hoping that
something would occur to break his
imperturbability, but they were dis
appointed.
The threat of Morris had only l. an
to intimidate the prisoner. He was
willing to make any sort OF threats,
but not being the hardened criminal
Ned Padsett was he called halt at
the line of murder.
Boys continued Norris. Il haven't
given up all hope yet. We may be
able to do somethin' with him. Let's
keep up the scare
Agreed
We can even get rope and go
through pretense O hangin' the
youngster."
That's it; go through anything to
make the old rascal tell us where it
is
With this resolution more firmly
fixed in their minds they once more
returned to where the Old captain sat
as unmoved as when they left him.
We'll, Captain Miller. have you de-
cided to tell us where you cached the
treasurer" asked Ben Allen.
No" was the immediate answer.
DO you want to see your son hang
before your eyes?"
Il have no SON
boN Soll NNON LldL SOtiS Hul
is your son.
The prisoner fixed his great blue
orbs on the speaker and in a firm, IN
moved tone answered.
He is not my son. l may have a
son living. I once did. but he is not
my son. | like the young man, for he
is noble. brave and honest. but he is
| no relation to me-
They were wholly unprepared for
this answer The sincerity with which
it was given took everyone aback and
for several moments they stood
aghast and silent. The ex-sea captain,
after brief silence, continued:
Even ii ! had the walrus hide |
would not give it to you. Even if
could now go and unearth that buried
treasure would not do it,"
"Why?"
For two reasons. First, l will not
compromise with crime. Second, even
If did decide to do so and turn over
the treasure to you it would be the
signal for ol,r own destruction. You