The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-10-24
NUMBER 43.

end Of the line in the spring. It's GER
tainly up to you to build the roadway
to the bay"
''I'm sorry things have gone badly"
replied Rowland. He leaned forward
until his face was close to his COM
panion's ''Thorne. is there a man up
here named Croisset or a girl called
Meleese?"
He watched the senior engineer
closely. Nothing to confirm his suspi-
cions came into Thorne's face. Thorne
looked up. little surprised at the
tone Of the others voice.
"Not that / know of. Jack. ANYTHING
particular"
"Just a word I've got for them-if
they're here" replied Howland care
lessly "Are these my quarters?"
"If you like them. When | got hurt
we moved up among the men. Rraught
us into closer touch with the working
end, you know"
"You and Gregson must have heen
laid up about the same time" sad The
young engineer THAT was Il lIinful
| WOuuu VI NIcSSOu NpiI'tfi tNiio
the deuce it was who shot him. i'Enny
that a man like Gregson Should have
an enemy"
Thorne sat up with jerk There
came the rattle of pan from the
stove. and Rowland turned his head
in time to see Jackpine staring at him
as though he had exploded a mine
under his feet
"Who shot him?' gasped the senior
engineer. ''Why-er-didn't Gregson
tell you that it was an accident
"Why should he lie, Thornc;"
A faint flush swept into the others
pallid face For moment there was
penetrating glare in his eyes as he
looked at Howland Iackpine still
stood silent and motionless beside the
stove
"He told me that it was an accident"
said Thorne at last.
"Funny." was all that Rowland said.
For the first time Rowland noticed
| that the thin muslin curtain, which he
| thought had screened window. con,
| cealed. in place Of a window. a care
| fully fitted barricade Of plank. A sud
| den thrill shot through him as he rose
| to. examine it. With his back toward
Thorne he said, half laughing. Per
haps Gregson was afraid that the fnl-
low who clippcd off his finger would
| get him through the window. eh?''
| It was 10 O'Clock when Thorne and
Jackplne left the cabin No sooner
had they gone than Howland closed
ard barred the door. lighted another
cigar ard began pacing rapidly up nnd
down the room. Already there we're
developments Gre-son had lied to
him about his finro- Th":"e had lied
to him shout his own injuries. what
ever they were. He was certain ot
these two things-and cf more. Tho
two senior engineers were not leaving
the WekuskO because of mere dissatis-
faction with the work and country.
They were fleeing And for some rea-
son they were keeping from him the
real motive for their t1ial.. Was 1t
possible that they were deliberately
sacrificing him in order to save them
selves? He could not bring himself
to believe this. Notwithstanding the
evidence against them Both were
men of irreproachable honor.
He was tired from his long days
travel, but little inclination to sleep
came to him, and. stretching himself
out on the lounge with his head and
shoulders bolstered up with furs. he
continued to smoke and think He
was surprised when little clock tin
kled the hour Of eleven. He had not
seen the clock before. He was almost
asleep when it struck again : softly
and yet with sufficient loudness to
arouse him. 1t had struck twelve.
With an effort Howland overcame
his drowsiness and dragged himself to
sitting posture, knowing that he
should undress and 60 to bed. The
lamp was still burning brightly. and
he arose to turn down the wick Sud.
denly he stopped. To his dulled senses
there came distinctly the sound Of a
knock at the door, For few mo-
!, ments he waited. silent and motionless.
It came again. louder than before.
i Who could be his midnight visitor7
Softly Howland went back to his
heavy coat and slipped his small re-
!, volver into his hip pocket The knock
, came again. Then he walked to the
! door. shot back the. bolt and. with his
right hand gripping the butt Of his pis-
tol, flung it wide open.
= For a moment he stood transfxed
, staring speechlessly at white. star.
tied face lighted up by the glow Of the
: oil lamp. Bewildered to the point II
! numbness. he backed slowly. holding
the door open, and there entered the
4 one person In all the world whom he
wished most to =see-she who had lie
come SO strangely a part Of his life
. since that first night at Prince Albert
a and whose sweet face was holding a
deeper meaning for him with every
! hour that he lived He closed tho dooI
and turned. still without speaking
and. impelled by sudden spirit thai
@ sent the blood thrilling through hi.
4 veins, he held out both hands TO tht
4 girl for whom he now knew that III
!. was willing to face all the periIs tha
r might await him between civilization
and the bay.
= fro BE coxTINuEp.l