The Mena weekly star., 1911-01-26

been no more murders. Roscoe had ruled them with a decision and a truculence which put anything like insubordination out of the question. He had been obeyed better than Can. tain Planck ever had been. He had worked them fercely all those four years, cutting, everlastingly. at th.t wonderful. exhcutless golden leS.-. beating the friable ore out of ft with heavy mauls, then. laborlously. con. veyins the great rude slabs of pure metal on rough sledges over the per. petual ice of the glacier to a cave near the shore. where they had de- posi.sd it. There were literally tons of it hidden there when the smoke, from the yachts funnel was first seen on the horizon
 Yhe moment the news of the ap- preaching steamer was reported to Roscoe, he had entered upon what seemed to his followers thoroughly irrational and inexplicable line of ac- tion. He had ordered them. first. to remove all signs of recent 'habifation from the hut to the cave where their gold was concealed; then. to cover the cave mouth with a heap of bouldeTs, to secure 1t against discovery.
 Long before the strongest glass on the ship could have made out their moving figures. he took the whole party back to the hills in hiding. He had kept them from answering the halls and the gun-fire from the yacht by the sheer weight of his authority, without youchsafing a word of expla- nation.
 The next day they had seen the searching party come ashore, and with their knowledge of the lay of the land found it perfectly easy to eyade observation, though nothing but the strong habit of obedience kept them from courting it.
 Then, along in the afternoon, had happened what seemed to them the strangest thing of all They had seen . solitary straggler from the search ing party coming along across the ice. He could not see them. It would have been perfectly easy to evade him, but Roscoe now ordered them to go down to him and tell him who they were, and to offer to escort him along the trail down the glacier. And at certain point they were to lag behind and let him go or alone. That was ali any of them knew of their 'eader's rlans, till they saw the flying dart and the smudge of crimson on the snow
 Now, at last, came Planck to the leader, asking the reason why. But bis mission, as it appeared, had not prcsrered.
 For long time Roscoe walked steadily on. until the two had come ar up the glacier. Finally, vhsn he lid stop, he whirled quite around ard 'tood confronting Planck, squarely ir the middle of a narrow rath between two deep Assures in the ice Ills eyes were glittering malevolently.
 Do you know any reason" he asked in a thick voice, why don't pick you up and drop you down one of those cracks there. or why I don't serve you as served that fellow yes terday?"
 Planck thought he meant to do 't. but, with the fatalism that marks the mep of his profession. he stood fast and eyed his pig opponent.
 You're strong enough to-" he said And I'll do it if want to; you know that" Roscoe supplemented.
 Yes, 1 know that" The big man nodded curtly
 Well, I'm not going to now be. cause I choose not to. Listen. If you had the chance, could you navigate that solid mahogany, band-painted ship down there?"
 Planck cleared his throat, as if something were stiling him. With a crew, yes he answered.
 Could Schwartz run those nickel plated engines he'll find in her, do you think?"
 Yes"
 Well, within two days I'll give you a chance to make good. Now, I'm going to tell you my plan, not be-  cause you asked me, but because want you to know. I'd run the whole thing alone if I could, but l want you with me. We're going to take that yacht and we're going on alone in her we of the Whaler, alone. Do you that?'
 They're better armed than we" said Planck refectively. "better fed. better everything. And man for man. bar you, they're just as good, and they're three to one of us. It will want some pretty good planning.
 You needn't worry about that an swered Roscoe. q didn't expect you to make the plans; I knew you