Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-12-06
& 6he n n
Silver Horde
By REX BEACH Author 9, a1h. ,.,ns s.,':s ssst' and
copYRIeHr 1909 BY HARPER g. BROTHERS
D. THEIRS

Cherry turned her dogs. Emerson
leaped from the sled and, running for
ward, seized the leader, guiding 1t into
clump of spruce, among the boles
of which he tangled the harness, for
this team was like pack Of wolves.
ravenous for travel and intolerant of
the leash.
Together they asccnded the bank and
surveyed the surroundings. Cherry ex'
patiating upon every feature with the
fervor of land agent bent on weav
ing his spell about prospective buyer
And In truth she had chosen well, for
] the conditions seemed ideal.
"I've watched you. and know you
are down on your luck for some rea
son." the girl said. you've been mis-
cast somehow. and you've had the
heart taken out Of you. but I'm sure
it's in you to succeed. for you're young
and intelligent. cool and determined
l am giving you this chance to play
the biggest game Of your life and erase
| In eight short months every trace o.
failure. I'm not doing 1t altogether
unselfshly. for l believe you've been
sent to Kalvik to work out your own
salvation and mine and that Of poor
/ George Bait, whom you've never seen.
You're going to do this thing. and
you're going to make 1t win"
Emerson reached out impulsively and
caught her tiny, mittened hand. His
eyes were shining; his face had lost
the settled look of detection and was
| all aglow with a new dawn Of hope
Even his shoulders were lifted and
thrown back as If from some sudden
access Of vigor that lightened his bur
den
You're right" he said firmly. "We'll
send for Bait tonight"
In the days that followed Cherry
was at Boyd's elbow constantly. aid
Ing him at every turn in his zeal to
acquire knowledge Of the cannery
system. The odd conviction grew upon
| her that he was working against time.
that there was limit to his period
of action. for he seemed Obsessed by
an ever growing passion to accomplish
some end within given time and had
no thought for anything beyond the
engrossing issue into which he had
plunged. She was dumfounded by his
| sudden transformation and delighted
| at first. but later. when she saw that
| he regarded her only as means TO
IN end. his cool assumption OF leader
ship piqued her and she felt hurt
Constantine had been sent for Bali
with instructions to keep on until he
found the fisherman even II the quest
carried him over the range. During
the days of impatient waiting they o.
cupied their time largely in rec0lnu:
tering the nearest cannery. prrniSSio
to go over which Cherry had secured
| from the Waterman. who was indebted
| to her The man was timid at SSi
but Emerson won him over. then rro
ceeded to pump him dry of Informal
ton, as he had done with his hostess
Fraser looked on in bewildermenl
at the change in Emerson
"What have you done to Frozen
Annie?'" he asked Cherry on one oc'
casion. "You must have fed him u
speed ball. for | never saw guy
gear up 50 fast. Why. he was the
darndest Grape hanger | ever met till
you got him gingered up. He didn't
have no more spirit than sick kit
ten"
Fraser then eyed the girl keenly.
This is lonely place for woman
like you." he said. land our mutual
friend amt altogether unattrartive,
eh?'
Cherry's cheeks famed. but her tone
was Icy This Is entirely business
| matter"
Hmm! amt never heard you
touted none as business woman.
said the adventurer.
"Have you ever heard me"-the col
or faded from the girls face. and 1t
was a trifle drawn-"discussed in any
wayr'
"You know, Emerson makes me un-
comfortable sometimes. he Is so ID
moral" Fraser replied indirectly. HE
won't stand for anything of color.
He's a real square guy. he is. the kind
you read about"
"YOu didn't answer my question.
insisted Cherry.
Again Fraser evaded the issue. Now.
IL this Marsh is going after you In
earnest this summer why don't you let
me stick around until spring and look
out your game! I'll drop u monkey
wrench in his gear case or put spider
In his dumping. and It's more than
an even shot that If him and got
to know each other right well I'd own
his cannery before fall"
THANK you: can take care Of my
self" said the girl.
Late one stormy night-Constantine
had been gone week-the two men
whom they were expecting blew In
through the binding smother. Bait
refused rest or nourishment until he
had learned why Cherry had sent
for him. AS briefly as possible she
outlined the situation. Boyd Emerson
saw a huge. barrel chested creature
whose tremendous muscles bulged be-
meath his nondescript garments, whose
red, outstanding bristle Of hair topped
leather countenance from which
cleaned pair of the most violent eyes
Emerson had ever beheld. the domi'
uant expression of which was rare
His voice was h0arse with the echo
of drumming ratlines He might have
lived forty. sixty years. but every year
had been given to the sea; Its foaming
violence was In his blood.
AS the significance Of Cherry's words
sank into his mind the signs OF an un
holy Joy overspread the fsherman's
visage. and his hairy paws continued
to open and close hungrily.
"Do you mean business? he below
ed at Emerson. "Can you fight"
"Yes."
"This gang won't stop at anything
warned Balt
"Neither will L." affirmed the other
with a scowl and dangerous down
drawing of his lip corners. 1--WE got
to win, SO don't waste any time won
dering how far I'll 60. What want
/ IL Ill 1otv p