The Red Cloud chief., 1908-02-21

S Helen and her comp niof, as
IA cended the mountain. sea-, ed
I and swept by the tempest OF
4 n the previous night. they heard,
far below. the swollen torrent brawl-
ing in its bowlder ridden bed. while
behind them the angry ocean spread
southwark to n blood red horizon.
Ahead. the bleak mountains broodcd
over forbidding valleys: to the west a
suffused sun glarcd sullenly. painting
the high piled clouds with the gorgeous
hues of IL stormy sunset. TO Helen
the wild scene seemed dyed with the
colors OF fame and blood and steel.
'"rhat rain raised the deuce with the
trails" said strive, as they picked
their way past an ~unsightly slip
whence a part Of the ovcrhangiDg
mountain. loosened by the delugc, had
slid into the gulch. Another storm
like that would wash out these roads
completely"
Even in the daylight it was no easy
task TO avoid these danger spots, for
the horses fioundered on the muddy
soil. Vaguely the girl wondered how
she would find her way back in the
darkness. as she had planned. She
said little as they approached the road
house, for the thoughts within her brain
had begun to clamor too wildly. but
Strive, more arrogant than ever be-
fore, NOR terrifyingly sure of him
self, was loudly garrulous. AS they
drew nearer and nearer, the dread
that possessed the girl became Of para.
lying intensity. If she should fail
but she vowed she would not, could
not, fail.
They rounded Il bend and saw the
Sign of the Sled Graded below them
where the trail dipped to n stream
which tumbled from the comb above
into the river twisting like a silver
thread through the distant valley. \
peeled flagpOle topped by "A spruce
bOugh stood in front of the tavern.
while over the door hung n sled sus-
pended from n beam. The house itself
was a quaint structure, rambling and
amOrphOus. from whose sod roof
high banked walls were pierced here
and there with sleepy windows. II
Lad been built by a hOmesick foreigner
of unknown nationality whom the ar.
my Of ''mushers'' who paid for his
clean and orderly hospitality had dub.
bed duly and as n matter of course a
'Swede." When travel had changed to
the river trail. leaving the house lone.
some and high as though left by Il re-
ccding wave, Strive had taken it Over
on n debt and now ran 1t for the con.
vcniencc of IA slender traffic, mainly
stampeders, who chose the higher
route toward the interior. His hircling
spent the idle hours i'm prospecting a
hungry quartz lead and In doing as
sessment work ON nearby claims.
Shortz took the horses and n wcred
his employers questions curly. fash
ing n curious look at Helen. Under
other conditions the girl would have
been delighted with the place, for this
was the quaintest spot she had found
In the north country. The main room
held bar md gold scales. II rude table
and II huge iron heater. while its
walls and ceiling were shec,cd with
white cloth so cunningly stitched and
tackled that il seemed II cavern liol-
lowed from chalk. IL was filled with
trophies of the ~hills-stuffcd birds and
animals. skins and antlers- from which
depended In careless confusion dog
harness, snowshocs, guns and articles
of clothing. 4 door to the left led into
the bunk room where travellers had
been wont To sleep in tiers three deep.
To The rear was II Kitchen and cache,
TO the right n compartment which
Strive called the art gallery. Here
free reign had been allowed the orlgi-
nal owners artistic %fancies. and he
had covered the place with pictures
clipped from gazettes Of questionable
repute till il was Il bewildcring ar
rangement Of pink ladies In tights, pu-
gilists in scanty trunks, prize bulldogs
and other less moral characters of the
sporting world.
Iro BE Continued X