The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-12-19
Continued from last Sunday.

Continued from last Sunday.
W won't discuss it,.
"You don't understand yet" he con-
tinued slowly. "What will people say
when they know you ran away with
mel"
"Tll tell them the truth"
Huh! I'm too we'll known. No man
on the river would ever have you after
that"
"You-you'- Hell voice was a-quiv-
or with indignation and loathing, but
her lips could not frame an epithet
at for him. He continued rowing for
some time. then said:
"Will you marry mep
"No. If this thing is ever known
Poleon viii kill you-or father"
For q third time he rested on his
oars.
Nov that we've come to threats let
me talk. / offered to marry you and
do the square thing, but II you don't
want to I'll pass up the formality and
take you for my squaw, the same as
your father took Alluna. Just re-
member you're alone with me In the
heart of a wilderness, and you've got
10 make a choice quick, because I'm
going ashore and make some break
fast as soon as it's light enough to
choose a landing place. If you agree
to come quietly and go through with
this thing like a sensible girl I'll do
what's right, but If you don't then I'll
do what's wrong, and maybe you won't
be sc id anxious to tell your friends
about this trip or spread your story
up and down the river"
She saw Runnion gazing over his
shoulder in search Of a shelving beach
or bar. They rounded a bend where
the LETT bank crumbled before the un-
firing teeth of the river, forming a
bristling ch~eval-de-frise of leaning,
fallen frs awash in the current. The
short side of the curve protected a
gravel bar that made downstream to a
dagger-like point, and toward this
Runnion propelled the skiff. The girls
heart sank.
The mind of Poleon Doret worked in
straight lines. Moreover, his memory
was good. Stark's statement, which SO
upset Gale and the lieutenant, had a
somewhat different effect upon the
Frenchman, for certain facts had been
Impressed upon his subconsciousness
Ehich did not entirely jibe with the
gamblers remarks, and yet they were
too dimly engraved to afford founda-
tion for a definite theory. What he did
know was that he doubted. Why?
Because certain scraps of a disjointed
conversation required to him, a few
words which he had overheard In
Etark's saloon, something about a Pc
terborough canoe and a woman. He
knew every skiff that lay along the
water front, and Of a sudden he de-
cided to see IL this one was where 1t
had been at dusk, for there were but
two modes. of egress from Flambeau,
and there was but one canoe of this
type. If Necia had gone up river OF
the freighter, pursuit was hopeless, for
no hoatman could uaka Roadway
against the current, but If, on the
other hand. that cedar craft was
gone re ran III OF StarKs house
and down to the river bank. 1t was
Just one chance, and, if he was wrong,
no matter. The others would leave Oh
the next up river steamer, whereas II
his suspicion proved a certainty, If
Stark had lied to throw them off the
track and Runnion had taken her down
s~tream-well, Poleon wished no n to
hinder him, for he would travel light.
The boat was gone. He searched the
line backward, but it was not there,
and his excitement grew now, likewise
his haste. He stumbled up to the trad
ing post and around to the rear, where,
bottom up, lay his W craft, a birch
canoe, frail and t~reacherous for any
but q man schooled in the ways of
swift water. He laid 1t carefully In
the whispering current, then stripped
himself with feverish haste, for the
driving call Of a hot pursuit was on
him, and, although 1t was the cold,
raw hours Of late night, he whipped
off his garments until he was bare to
the middle. He seized his paddle, step.
ped in, then knelt amidships and push
ed away The birch bark answered
him like a living thing, leaping and
dancing beneath the strokes, while
ripping, rising ridges stood out upon
his back and arms as they rose and fell.
Runnion drove his Peterborough to-
ward the shore with powerful strokes
and ran its nose up on the gravel, rose,
stretched himself and dragged 1t far
Their out, then looked down at Necia.
"Well, what is it-yes OF no? Do you
want me for a husband or for a mas
ter?' She covered in the stern, q pale,
fearful creature.
she cast her despairing yes up and
Town the river, then at the wilderness
q 3n either shore, but 1t was as silent
and unpeopled as If it had been Great
ed that morning. She must have time.
She would temporize, pretending to
yield, and then betray him to the first
conner. A promise exacted under du-
ress would not be binding.