The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-12-22

ering his voice SC that the helmsmeu
could not hear. 1--we been thinking II
over all night. and 1t looks like I'd
ought to do it myself. Marsh is COM
Ing to me nyhow. and-I'm older than
you be. 1t amt right for young fell
Ter like you to take chance. IL they
get me you can run the business
alone"
Boyd laid his hand on his compan.
IONS shoulder.
NO." he said, perhaps 1 wouldn't
stick at murder-I don't know. But
won't profit by another mana. crime,
and II 1t comes to that I'll take my
share of the risk and the guilt. What
ever you do. stand with you. But
we'll hope for better things. It's no
easy thing for me to go to MI. Way
land asking a favor. You see. bis
daughter is Well. IL want to see
her very badly"
Bait eyed him shrewdly.
II see! And that makes It dead
necessary to get Marsh I'll do it alone
With him out Of the way think you
can make a 20 of 1t. He's like rat
tlcr-somebody's got to stomp on him.
Now I'm off for the trap. Let me
know what the old man says
Boyd returned to the cannery with
the old mood of self disgust and bitter
ness heavy upon him. He realized that
Georges offer to commit murder had
not shocked him as much as upon its
first mention. He knew that he had
thought of shedding human blood with
as little compunction as If the intend
ed victim had been some noxious ami
NAL. He felt. indeed, that If his love
for Mildred made him a criminal she.
too. would be soiled by his dishonor.
and for her sake he shrank from the
idea of violence. yet he lacked the
energy at that time to put 1t from him.
Well. he would 60 to her father, hum
BILE himself and beg for protection. If
he failed then Marsh must look out for
himself. He could not find It In his
heart TO spare his enemy.
At the plant he found Alton Clyde
tremendously excited at the arrival Of
the yacht and eager to visit his friends.
He sent him to the launch and after
hasty breakfast Joined him.
On their way out Boyd felt a return
| of that misgiving which had mastered
him on his first meeting with Mildred
In Chicago. For the second time he
was bringing her failure instead of the
promised victory.
Willis Marsh was ahead of him,
standing with Mr.. Wayland at the rail.
Some one else was with them. Boyd's
heart leaped wildly as he recognized
her. He would have known that slim
figure anywhere. And Mildred saw
him, too, pointing him out to her COM
paniOns.
came stumbling up the landing ladder.
q tall. gaunt figure Of man in rough
clothing and boots stained with the
sea salt. He looked older by Eve years
than when the girl had last seen him.
His cheeks were followed and his lip
cracked by the wind. but his eyes were
af1ame with the old light. His smile
was for her alone.
He never remembered the spoken
greetings nor the looks the others gave
him, for her soft, cool hands lay in his
hard. feverish palms, and she was smil-
ing up at him.
Alton Clyde was at his heels, and he
felt Mildred disengage her hand He
tore his eyes away from her face long
OIL RI ot To
him a menacing look. then turned to
Wayne Wayland. The old man was
saying something, and Boyd answered
him uninteligibly. after which he took
Mildred'S hands once more with such
an air of unconscious proprietorship
that Willis Marsh grew pale to the lips
and turned his back. Other people
whom Boyd had not noticed until now
came down the deck-men and women
with fieldglaSSes and cameras swung
over their shoulders. He found that
he was being introduced to them by
Mildred, whose voice betrayed no
tremor and whose manners were as
collected as If this were her own draw
Ing room and the man at her side q
CASUAL acquaintance. lie strangers
mingled with the little group, leveled
their glasses and made senseless re-
marks after the manner of tourists the
world over. Boyd gathered somehow
that they We're officers of the trust or
heavy stockholders and their wives.
He led Mildred to a deck chair and
seated himself beside her.
lat last"' he breathed. "YOu are
here. Mildred. You really came, after
all?"
"Yes. Boyd"
"And are you glad?"
''Indeed l am. The trip has been
wonderful"
at doesn't seem possible. can't be-
lieve that this is really you-that I
am not dreaming as usual"
And you? How have you been?"
I've been WE'LL guess l have.