The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-07-29
PHIuPSTEELE
MISUNDERSTANDING
y JAMES OLIVER CURwO0D
Authr Of IheDonar Tuil. TheiiOox tlrht Snsw4Ae.
az Copyright 1911 TIE BObSs Merrill Company

fought against ana ne saw neI aSaih
i'm The glow OF the campfire. and on
the trail. glorious in her beauty, ms
ideal OF all that woman should be.
He rose to his feet and locked MS
door fearing that some one m!gn
enter. lie wanted to be alone, 10
realize fully what had happened. II,
regain control OF his emotions. Nv
Isobe, Becker had merely written him
line or two, note eXculpating her
self OF what her father had already
explained away, he would still have
thought that world lay between
them. But. in place OF that. she mad
sent him the faded flowers, with their
golden thread!
For many minutes he paced back
and forth across his narrow room,
and never had a room looked more
like a prison cell 10 him than this
one did now. He was filled with but
one impulse, and that was 10 return
10 Lac Balm, TO humble himself at the
feet OF the woman he loved. and ask
her forgiveness for the heinous thing
he had done He wanted to tell her
that he had driven Bucky Nome into
outlawry. that he had fought for her,
and run away himself-because he
loved her. IL was Sergeant Mooey's
voice, vibrant with the rasping un-
pleasantness Of file. that Jared him.,
back into his practical self He
thrust the letter and the flowers into
his breast pocket, and opened the
door.
Moody came in.
What in bazes are you locked up
for?" he demanded, his keen little
eyes scrutinizing Philips feverlsh
face. Afraid somebody'll walk in .
and steal you. Phll?"
Headache" said Philip, putting
hand 20 his head "One OF the KIND
that makes you think your brain
must be hard ball humping around
inside your skull"
The sergeant laid his hand on
Philips arm.
GO take a walk" he said. in a
softer voice. 1T will do you good.
I just came in TO tell you the news.
They've got track OF DeBar again.
up near Lac la Biche. But we can
talk about that later. Go take q
walk "
Thanks for the suggestion" said
Philip. IL believe I'll do IT,"
He passed beyond the barracks.
and hit the sleigh-worn road that
led out of town. walking faster and
faster. as his brain began working.
He would return TO Lac Balm That
was settled in his mind without
argument Nothing could hold him
back after what he had received that
afternoon III the letter and the
violet message had come TO him
from the end OF the earth Ii would
have made no differences; his de-
termination would have been tho
same. He would return To Lac Balm
but how? That was the question
which puzzled him. He still had
10 months OF service ahead of him.
tie was not in line for a furlough.
IL would take at least three months
OF of1cial red tape 10 purchase his
discharge. These facts rose like bar
riers in his way. II occurred TO him
that he might confide in MacGregor.
and that the inspector would make
an opportunity for him to return into
the north Immediately. MacGregor
had the power 10 do that. and he be-
lieyed that he would do II. But he
hesitated TO accept this last alter
native.
And then, all at once, Sergeant
Moody's words came back to him
They've got track of DeBar again.
Iup near Lac la Biche." The idea
that burst upon him with the re-
! calling OF those words stopped
Philip suddenly, and he turned back
toward the barracks. He had heard
a great deal about DeBar, the clever
| est criminal in all the northland.
and whom no man or combination OF
men had been clever enough TO
catch And now this man was near
Lac la Biche, in the Churchill and
Lac Balm country. IL he could get
permission from MacGregor TO go
after DeBar his own difficulty would
be settled In the easiest possible
way. The assignment would take
him for a long and indefinite time
into the north. 1t would take him
back to Isobel Becker.
He went Immediately to his room
upon reaching the barracks. and
wrote out his request TO MacGregor.
He sent IL over to headquarters by
a rookie. After that he waited.
! (ContInued)
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