Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-13

old man. His white hair framed del
icate, wrinkled face, whose black erex
stared piercingly at the stranger.
Joyce, who Is that MANI he DE-.
manded feebly.
The girl laid her hand On his fore.
I head
HE is a friend found in the foreSt.
father" she soothed him. He has
medicine case. and I'm sure he hax
something that will do you good"
Linn came forward, tossed his can
aside and sat down by the bed
my name is Linn Ellison" he said
frankly. I'm here for the shooting
My guide and companion is down Al
my camp across the valley Your
/ daughter tells me you are I'll and IN
need of medicine. will do what can
for you. sir, and Baker viii ride IA
| Red Fork for anything else you ma I
need
'You are very kind" said the old
man TREMENDOUSLY. cit Is all ny fault
this predicament. Not a word, joyce
my dear. Let me tell Mr. Ellison how
decided to prolong my stay here and
how 1 persuaded you to spend the win
ter here and how i have been i'll with
fever and how all my men have desert
ed me and taken money and supplies
with them, and
Take some stimulant first and tell
me the story afterward," urged Linn,
opening the medicine case and taking
out quinine and some compressed beef
tablets.
Joyce brought a cup of hot water
from a small spirit stove, and presently
the sick man was gratefully slipping
the strong beef tea.
When he had finished he said with
faint smile:
.'Mr Ellison, if told you that was
Alexander McOlin would you be any
the wiser for that information?"
Or Sandy McOlin!' cried Linn In
credulously "Why, sir, your wonder
full book is my closest companion. and
only this evening l was wondering
over your disappearance. What good
Iuckr' He clasped the thin hand in
both his own strong brown ones.
Dr. McOlin struggled to sit up, and
Linn placed an arm under the bowed
shoulders.
THE book repeated the doctor eX-
citedly. as the book really out? l
haven't seen it yet
IF you will compose yourself to
sleep. sir, I will have my copy Of your
book here by daylight"
When the regular breathing assured
them that Dr. McOlin was indeed re-
ceiving the rest that he needed the
girl and the man who had met only
brief hour ago passed out of the tent
and stood before the campfire. In
moment the girl spoke:
You are the first one who has hap
pened this way for six months l have
had to depend upon my gun for much
of our food. My meeting you tonight
was the most wonderful blessing that
could have happened. Many OF the
people hereab bout are afraid to come to
the mountain. There is tradition
that it is strongly magnetized, and oil
course fathers Investigations have IN
n measure confirmed the story, only
there is nothing alarming about tie
fact; it is merely interesting But
after father had sent the last pages OF
his book manuscript to New York ne
conceived the idea of remaining mere
for the winter and pursuing his lnVes-
LEGATIONS The result is that we nave
been here alone ever since the nrS
month. when the six men who com
posed the party robbed my father OF
money and provisions and deserted Us
leaving us with few stores and not
even one pack horse. You can imagine
our plight"
She smiled bravely into Inns eyes.
"I am most happy that 1t Is NO"
over" said Linn. dizzy with the glance
of her wonderful eyes.
The pink dawn was breaking aoo.e
the distant ranges when Baker paie
and anxious saw Linn Ellison come
crashing through the thicket into tneir
camp.
what in thunderation'- he was
beginning heatedly, when Linn heiu Wy
n protesting hand.
"Magneu mountain did 1t, sald thas
happy young man as he threw himsen
down before the fire.
Magnet mountain" repeated BAKER,
staring at him. "Do you mean TO "a!
you've been up on the mountain
I've been there" returned the otner
"And found the magnet, suppose.
"And discovered the greatest attrsF
ton in the world" said Linn dreamn!,
Cray as a loon" muttered nahe
"AH on account OF that magnet'1e'
mountain. / do believe there's soin'
thing in it after all
And when he heard the whole ston
from Linn Ellison's lips and atter
had seen Joyce McOlin herseir ~
skeptical Baker had TO admit that Nsr
net mountain did possess a powes'O'
attraction.
"And / might have been the iuess
fellow instead of you If I'd only eoD.
prowlIng up the mountain ana l
pored over the classics" he grunip.ea'
tossing his dime novel into the nIe
IT ALWAYS said that n taste for lite'a