The Washington herald., 1912-06-30
CHAPTER Y.
Beauty-Proof.

TIT was Pierrot who aroused Philip
in the morning.
- Mon Dieu, but YOU have slept
like 4 bear" he exclaimed. The storm
has cleared and it will be fine travelling.
Eh-you have not heard? l wonder
why they are firing guns off toward Lac
Bainr'
Philip jumped from his bed, and his
! FIRST look was in the direction Of the
box He was criminal enough to hope
that Jacques would not discover that
| the scarf was missing
A moose-probably," he said There
were tracks close up TO the post a day
or two ago
He was anxious to begin their jour
ney, and assisted Pierrot in preparing
breakfast. The sound Of guns i'm
pressed upon him the possibility of
some one from Lac Balm calling at the
half-breed'S cabin. and he wished to
avoid further association with people
from the postal least for a time. At
Q o'clock Pierrot bolted the door and
the two set of into the south and west.
On the third day they swung to the
eastward to strike the Indians living
along Reindeer Lake, and on the sixth
cut a trail by compass straight for Mel
son House. A week later they arrived
at the post and Philip found letter
awaiting him calling him to Prince Al
bert In a way the summons was a
relief to him. He bade Pierrot good-by,
and set out for lie Pas in company with
two Indians. From that point he took
the work train TO Etomami, and three
hours later was in Prince Albert
Rest up for time Steele" Inspect
or MacGregor told him, after he had
made a personal report on Bucky Nome.
During the week that followed Philip
had plenty OF leisure in which to tell
himself that he was fool, and that he
was deliberately throwing away what
a munihcent fortune had placed in his
hands. MacGregor's announcement
that he was in line for promotion in the
near future did not stir him as it would
have done few weeks before. In his
little barracks room he laughed iron
ically as he recalled MacGregor's
words. We're going to make a cor
poral or a sergeant of you" He
Philip Steele-millionaire. club man,
son Of western king of finance cor
poral or a sergeant For the first time
the thought amused him, and then it
maddened him. He had played the part
of an idiot, and all because there had
been born within him love of adven-
ture and the big, free life of the open.
No wonder some Of his old club friends
regarded his as a scapegrace and a
ne'er r-do-well. He had thrown away
position. power, friends. and home as
carelessly as he might have tossed away
the end Of cigar. And all-for this
He looked about his cramped quarters,
a half sneer on his lips. He had tied
himself to this! To his ears there came
family the thunder of galloping hoofs.
Sergt. Moody was training his rockies
to ride. The sneer left his lips, and
was replaced by a quick. alert smile as
he heard a rattle of revolver shots and
the cheering of voices. After all, it
was not so bad 1t was service that
made men. and he thought of the Eng
lish remittance-man. whose father was
a lord of something -or-other, and who
was learning to ride and shoot out
there with red-headed, raucous-voiced
Moody There began to stir in him
again the old desire for action, and he
was glad when word was sent to him
that Inspector MacGregor wished to see
him in his Office.
The big inspector was pacing back
and forth when Philip came in
"Sit down, Steele, sit down." he said.