The Red Cloud chief., 1907-11-22

'
stream branched. Here they
took TO the right and urged
their horses along n forsaken trail to
the headwaters of the little tributary
and over the low saddle. They had en-.
deavored to reach u~nfrequented paths
aS soon as possible I'm order that they
might pass unnoticcd. Before quitting
the valley they halted their hcaving
horses and. selecting Il Stagnant pool,
secured the grease paint from their
features as best they could. Their
ears were strained for sounds of pur-
suit. but as the moments passed and
mono came the tension cascd some
what, and they convcrScd guardedly.
As the morning light spread they
crossed the moss capped summit of the
range. but paused again. and. rcmov.
Ing two saddles, hid them among the
rocks. Slarjack left the Others here
and rode southwark down the Dry
Creek trail toward town. while the
partners shifted part Of the weight
from the overloaded pack mules To the
remaining saddle animals and con
tinucd eastward along the barren
comb OF hills ON foot, leading the five
horses.
ut don't seem like wen get way
this easy said DcXtry. scanning the
back trail. IF we do. I'll Ice tempted
to follcr the business rcg'lar. This
grease paint on my face makes me
smell like " minstrel man. I bet well
get some bully press notices tomor-
row"
Il wonder what Helen was doing
there" GlCnistcr answered Irrelevant
~, for he had bccn more shaken by
his encounter with her than at his part
In In" rest of the enterprise. and his
mind, which should have been busted
with the flight. held nothing but pic
lures of her ms she stood In the half
darkness under the fear of his Win
chester. "What if she ever learned
who that black rufian waS!" He
puailcd at the thought.
Say. Dex. | am going to marry that
girl"
Il dunno if you he or not" said Dcx-
try. Better watch Mcnamara
WHAT The younger man stopped
n stared. what do you mcan!"
eco on. Don't stop the horses. |
amt blind. | kin put two an two to-
gcther."
You'll never put those two together.
Nonsense. Why, the mans Il rascal.
| wouldn't let him have her. BESIDES.
it couldn't be. Shell find him out. I
love her so much that--oh. my feelings
are too big to talk about He moved
his hands cloqucntly. You can't un-
dcrstand."
"Tm.m! | s'posc not" Grunted DeN
try, but his eyes were level and held
the light Of the past.
lie may be II rascal he old man
continued, after II little. I'll put in
with you on that. but he's Il handsome
devil, and rs for manners he makes
you look like a logger. Hes "A brave
man too. Them three qualities are
trump cards and warranted To take
most amy queen in the human deck
red, white Or yellow"
"if he dlrcS." grOwled GlcniStcr.
while his thick hrOwS came forward.
and ugly lines hardened in his face.
In III" gray of the early morning
they descended the foothills into the
wide valley of the Nome river and
fled out across the rolling country to
the river bluffs where. clcverly con-
"calcd among the willows, was n
rocker, This they set up. tbcn pro
cccdcd to wash the dirt from the sacks
carefully. yet with the utmost speed,
for there was serious danger Of dis
covery. 1t was wonderful, this treas
IRE Of the richest ground since the
days of 40. and the men worked with
shining eyes and hands a-tremble. The
gold was coarse. and many ragged. vel.
low Jumps. too large to pass through
the screen, rolled in the hopper, while
the aprons hcllicd with its weight. In
the pans which they had provided there
grew II cleaning heap of wet, raw gold.
Shortly, by divergent routes, the part
ncrs rode unnoticed into town and into
the excitement of the holdup news,
while the tardy still fingered over
ucir breakfasts. Far out in the road
stead lay the Roanoke, black smoke
pouring from her stack. A tug was re-
turning from its last trip to her.
Glcnister forced his lathered horse
down to the beach and questioned the
longShorcmen who hung about.
NO. It's too late to get aboard
the last tender Is on its way back"
they informed him. "If you want to
90 to the outside you'll have to wait
for the fleet. That only means another
week, n d-there she blows now"
A rihhnu NJ uhita ninuInI ,,,ith 49,