Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-07
face strangely pale in the freight.
Changed your name, Ell? But got
you-didn't II"
yOu-didn't
CHAPTER III.
McCready PAYS the Debt.


For a long time after he had uttered
those words McCready sat in silence
beside the fire. Only for moment
or two at time did his eyes leave
Kazan. After a little, when he was
sure that Thorpe and Isobel had re-
tired for the night, he went into his
own tent and returned with flask OF
whisky. During the next half-hour
he drank frequently. Then he went
over and sat on the end of the sledge
just beyond the reach of Kazan's
chain.
Got you didn't 10 he repeated, the
effect of the liquor beginning to show
in the glitter of his eyes. wonder
who changed your name, Pedro. And
how the devil did he come by you?
Ho, no, if you could only talk"
They heard Thorpe's voice inside
the tent. It was followed by low
girlish peal of laughter and McCready
jerked himself erect. His face blazed
suddenly red, and he rose to his feet,
dropping the flask in his coat pocket.
Walking around the fire, he tiptoed
cautiously to the shadow of tree
close to the tent and stood there for
many minutes listening. His eyes
burned with a fiery madness when he
returned to the sledge and Kazan.
1t was midnight before he went into
his own tent.
In the warmth of the fire Kazan's
eyes slowly closed. He slumbered un.
easily, and his brain was filled with
troubled pictures. At times he was
fighting and his jaws snapped. AT
= c,fr in q q
of his chain. with McCready or his
mistress just out of reach. He felt
the gentle touch of the girls hand
again and heard the wonderful sweet
ness of her voice as she sang to him
and his master, and his body trembled
and twitched with the thrills that had
filled him that night. And then the
picture changed. He was running at
the head of a splendid team-six dogs
of the Royal Northwest Mounted 70
lice-and his master was calling him
Pedro! The scene shifted. They were
in camp. His master was young and
smooth-faced and he helped from the !
sledge another man whose hands were
fastened in front of him by curious
black rings. Again it was later-and
he was lying before a great fire. his
master was sitting opposite him, with
his back to a tent, and as he looked
there came out of the tent the man
with the black rings-only now the
rings were gone and his hands were
free, and in one of them he carried
heavy club He heard the terrible blow
of the club as it fell on his masters
head-and the sound of it aroused him
from his restless sleep.
He sprang to his feet, his spine stu
fleming and snarl in his throat Inc
fire had died down and the camp was
in the darker gloom that precedes
dawn. Through that gloom kazan
saw McCready Again he was stand
ing close to the tent of his mistress,
and he knew now that this was the
man who had worn the black iron
rings, and that 1t was he who hao
beaten him with whip and clup TOT
many long days after he had killed
his master. McCready heard the men
ace in his throat and came BACK
quickly to the fire. He began TO
whistle and draw the half-burned logs
together, and as the fire blazed up
afresh he shouted to awaken Ihorpe
and Isobel In few minutes Thorpe
appeared at the tent flap and his wire |
followed him out. Her loose hair rip
pied in pillows Of gold about her shoul-
lers and she sat down on the sledge,
close to Kazan, and began brushing IL. |
came up behind her and
fumbled among the packages on the !
sledge. AS if by accident one OF MS
hands buried itself for an instant IN
he rich tresses that flowed down ner
back. She did not at first feel the
caressing touch of his fingers ana |
rhorpe's back was towards them. ,
(To Be ContinuedO