, 1911-09-21

CHtli we stopped OUT there | had some
faith In o Now ! have none. re-
gard you as my worst enemy. and.
though you are deuced near to your
friends. ! tell you that you were never
In a tighter box in your life. II I fail
in my mission here you shall die. II
others come along that trail before
dark and run rs down ! will kill you.
Unless you make 1t possible for me to
see and talk with Meleese | will kill
you. Your life hangs or my success"
Il am glad that you changed your
mind. m'seur. and ! will not tempt you
again. | will do the best tina I cam
said Jean. within an hour II viii be
showing heavily" he affirmed. "If
they do not run across our trail by
that time. m'seur. we shall be safe"
He led the way through the forest
again. more slowly and with greater
caution than before. Half an hour
later the Frenchman halted where the
banskians climbed the side Of n slop
ing ridge.
"1f you could trust me ! would ask
to go on ahead whisr cred Jean
"This ridge shuts in the p'sin. .n'serr.
and just over the top Of 1t ia an old
cabin which has been abandoned for
many years. There Is not one chance
in n thousand of there being any one
there. though II is n good fox ridge M
this season From II You may see the
light in MeleeseS window at night"
He did not stop to watch the effect
OF his last words. but began picking
his way up the ridge with the logs
tugging at bis heels. At the top he
swung sharply between two huge
masses OF sIow covered rock. and In
the lee of the largest of these, almost
entirely sheltered from the drifts piled
up by easterly winds, they came sud
denly on a small log nut.
Mon Dieu. so far | have saved my
hide" he grinned. Now, m'seur. look
for yourself and see If Jean Croisset
has not kept his wordt'
A dozen steps had taken him through
n screen of shrub to the opposite slope
of the ridge. With outstratched arm
be pointed down into the plain, and
as Howland's eyes followed its direc-
ton he stood throbbing with sudden
excitement. Less than a quarter of a
mile away, sheltered in a dip of the
plain. were three or tot log build
tngs rising black mt desolate out of
, the white waste. One of these build
ings was a large structure similar
to hat in which Rowland had been
imprisoned. and as he looked a team
and sledge appeared from behind one
of the cabins and halted close to the
mall Af tho Inro,n Infllfnr Thn Jr{-nr
was plainly visible, and to Howland's
establishment he suddenly began to
ascend the side of his wall. For the
moment Rowland had not thought Of
a stair.
jeans attitude drew his eyes. The
Frenchman had thrust himself half
out of the screening bushes and was
staring through the telescope of his
hands. With an exclamation he turn
ed quickly TO the engineer.
Look. m'seur! Do you see hat man
climbing the stair? I don't mind tell
ing you that he is the one who hit you
over the head on the trail and also
one of those who shut you up in the
coyote. Those are his quarters at the
post, and possibly he is going up to
see Meleese. II you were much of a
shot you could settle a score or two
from here, m'seur."
The figure hadrStopped, evidently on
a platform midway up the side Of the
building. He stood for a momen as II
scanning the plain between him and
the mountain. then disappeared. How
land had not spoken n word. but ev-
cry nerve in his body tingled strangely.
"You say Meleese-is there?" he
questioned hesitatingly. "And he
who is that man, Croissety"
Jean shrugged his shoulders and
drew himself back into the bush, turn
ing leisurely toward the old cabin.
Mon. m'seur. | will not tell you
that" he protested. II have brought
you to this place. l have pointed out
to you the stair that leads to the room
where you will find Meleese. You may
cut me into ribbons for the raven but
I will tell you no more!'
Again the threatening fire leaped into
Howland's eyes.
81 will trouble you to put your hands
behind your back. Cr~oisset.'' he com
manded. 81 am going to return a GER
tain compliment of yours by tying
your hands with this piece OF babeesh.
which you used on me. After that
"And after that. m'seur'- urged
Jean, with a touch of the old taunt In
his voice and stopping with his back
to the engineer and his hands behind
him. after thatY"
you will tell me all that / want to
know" finished Rowland, tightening
the thong about his wrists.
He led the way then TO the cabin.
The door was closed, but opened readi-
ly as he put his weight against II. The
| single rnnm WAS Lighted by a indOM