Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-11-21

clOut WAS MCl ny a Odn1AnS cAAChN0s
His investigation of the various
houses left him bewildered. Deserted
Zach one was. but 1t was as If the
owner had suddenly fed in the face of
some impending calamity. The n
room abodes each showed a rudely con
structed bunk recently occupied. Evil
dences of the occupants tastes were
not lacking and served to increase
Stoddard's perplexity.
In one hut there were three volumes
of Victor Hugo. battered aud dog ear
ed. In another was Il handsome brass
smoking set and on the wall the franz
ed pictures of a woman and two chill
dren. Some showed like photographs
of family groups or a set of ivory
chessmen and board. a suit of once
handsome clothes. now worn and
shiny: a set of silver toilet articles
carefully laid out on d stump. som,
tattered newspapers of ancient date
and a pearl handled revolver.
There was nothing to hetray the oc-
cupation of the settlers. and Stoddard
was fairly puzzled as he foraged in
WndJ 6CCIuCQ tue HESS uOuSG anu ult
up the breakfast which had peer In
purse of preparation. A coffeepoi
had been boiling on a small oil stove.
and Owe an open fire there was siz
zling a pan of ham. He rescued it just
In time. But where were the occu
pants of the eight huts. and why had
they fed?
Stoddard was impatient of delay. He
wanted to send q messenger off at once
with his announcement to the world
He called Justify. but there was no re.
Spouse. Then all at once he saw
them staring fearfully at him from a
thicket of spruce-eight white faces.
with scared and furtive eyes.
"Hellor" he called, coming forward.
Cant you help a fellow out?"
The white faces turned toward each
other and conferred together. At last
one came forward, and Stoddard saw
a tall, lean figure clad in rough clothes
The face was drawn and haggard and
covered with a grizzled beard, and the
eyes sought his with distrust In their
gray depths.
"What do you want?" asked the man
grufHy.
Stoddard explained In a few words.
but the other shook his head decidedly.
"I'm afraid we can't help you out" he
said slowly. "Ill go back and consult
the others" AS he walked away Stod-
dard remembered with a little leap of
the pulse where he had seer the man
before. 1t had been under very differ
ent circumstances. Then, looking at
the others keenly. he recognized three
from photographs he had seen In the
papers. and the identity of the remain
der could be easily guessed. The first
was the absconding cashier of the
Blankford National bank, another was
the man wanted In the Henly murder
case, another was a city treasurer who
had played the game and lost. and
there was another bank man, a weasel
faced individual, who had once snubbed
Stoddard from the pinnacle of his gilt
Gagged superiority.
They came forward now, with Gates.
the cashier of the Blankford bank, as
spokesman. I'VE have decided that
we would rather not be mixed up in
It," he hesitated. "You see It's 200
miles to the nearest settlement. and
the telegraph station is ten miles be-
yond that Somebody'd have to walk
the distance"
Stoddard pondered. How do you
get your supplies?' he asked bluntly.
Gates turned to his companions with
questioning eyes. They nodded sullen-
ly, but the weasel faced man put forth
a delicate white hand. His light, promi-
nent eyes rolled at the stranger.
"Tell him we prefer not to say" he
said in a curious. repressed tone.
Stoddard repeated his experience and
his reasons for communicating with
the outside world. The eight fugitives
from justice eagerly absorbed the
new as details fell from the aviator's
lips. They questioned him concerning
political affairs. and from their con-
versation he learned that the latest
conner had been there FIVE years. He
pleaded with them. ex~postulated, Of
fered them money and then drew it
back as they laughed at him In mirth-
less mockery.
II shall have to fly back again the
200 miles to the telegraph station. II
will clip my record 200 miles, and I'll
lose on my fight. after all. l could
use that money. gentlemen" he said
regretfully.
Money!" sneered Gates. with sud
den fury in his eve tones. Man.
what is money compared to freedom?
What is money compared to the re-
spect of your fellow men-the com
partnership of those you lover He
broke down and turned away.
The others closed fiercely around the
aviator. and their eyes p%ropounded the
same questions and others that were
unanswerable.
I'm sorry said Stoddard simply