Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-07-13
SYNOPSIS


helps Captain Johnny Brennan TO quell a
panic among the passengers.
As the ship settles O'Neil is accosted
by beautiful girl. and he plunges over.
board with her. They are picked up by
talie Gerard, whose mother Is the friend
Of Curtis Gordon. O'Neils unscrupulou,
business rival
gether. She tells him OF her mother and
Gordon. When shey arrive at Hope Cor.
don meets them
O'Neil is impressed with the magnetism
OF his rival. but Is sure his plans are un.
sound. Tom Slater quits Gordon fol
O'Nei They go to Cortez in time TO save
Dan Appleton I'm crooked card game
Don't DO that, son, or you'll wear
.plints for the rest Of the trip"
What's the matter with him, any
how" Dan inquired. "He was boil
Ing over with enthusiasm all day. but
now-why. he's asleep sitting up! He
hasn't moved for twenty minutes"
Tom shook his head, dislodging a
swarm OF mosquitoes.
Walk on your toes, my boy. Walk
on your toes. ! smell something cook
ing, and 1t amt supper"
When food was served O'Neil made
a pretense OF eating, but rose suddenly
In the midst OF II with the words:
"Tll stretch my legs bit" His
voice was strangely listless. In his
eyes was the same abstraction which
had troubled Appleton during the aft
ernoon. He left the camp and disap-
peared up the bank Of the stream.
mice place 10 take a walk the en-
gineer observed. Hell bog down in
half a mile or get lost among the
sloughs."
Darkness had settled when O'Neil re.
appeared. He came plunging out OF
the brush. drenched, muddy, stained
by contact with the thickets, but his
former mood had disappeared, and In
It's place was a harsh, explosive en-
ergy.
Tom" he cried. you and Appleton
and l Will leave at daylight. The men
will wait here until we get back" His
voice was incisive. It's tone forbade
question.
The youthful engineer stared at him
In dismay, for only his anxiety had
triumphed over his fatigue, and day
light was but four hours away. O'Nei
noted the expression and said more
gently:
You're tired, Appleton, know, buI
In working for me you'll be called
upon for extraordinary EFFORT now and
then. may not demand more than
an extra hour from you; then again
may demand a week straight without
sleep I'll never ask 1t unless It's nee
essary and unless I'm ready TO do my
share"
Yes, SIR"
The sacrifice is big, but the pay is
bigger. Loyalty is all require"
I'm ready now, sir"
I'VE can't see TO travel before dawn
Help Tom load the lightest boat with
rations for FIVE days. IL we run short
wen 'siwash It." He Kicked Off his
rubber boots. upended them to drain
the water out, then flung himself upon
his bed Of boughs and was asleep al
most before the two had recovered
from their surprise.
Five days or longer!" Slater said
gloomily as he and Dan began their
preparations. And me with indiges
tionw
What does it mean?" queried Ap
pleton.
1t means I'll probably succumb."
mo, no! What's the meaning OF this
change Of plan? / can't understand
It."
you don't need to-" Happy Tom
informed him cwtly. There was a loob
Of solicitude In his face as he added
II wish I'd made him take off his wei
clothes before he went to sleep"
Lets wake him up"
But Slater shook his head. I'D soon
er wake a rattlesnake," said he.
ONeil reused the members OF his ex
petition while the sky was reddenine
family, for he had mind which work
ed like an alarm clock All except
Appleton had worked for him before
and the men accepted his orders tc
await his return with no appearance OF
surprise.
With the first clear light he and his
two companions set ont. rowing up the
estuary OF the Salmon until the cur
rent became too swift TO stem IN that
manner. Then landing. they rugged a
bride" for the skiff, fitted their shoul.
ders to loops In a ninety foot tow rope
and began TO track" their craft up
against the stream. IL was heart
breaking work. Frequently they were
waist deep I'm the cold water. Long
"sweepers" with tips awash In the
food interfered with their efforts The
many branches OF the stream forced
them TO make repeated crossings. for
the delta was no more than an endless
series Of Islands through which the
current swirled When dusk overlook
them they were wet. weary and weak
from hunger. With the dawn they
were up and at II again, but their task
became constantly more difficult be
cause of the floating glacier ice, which
increased with every mile. They were
obliged TO exercise the EXTREMIST eau.
ton. Hour after hour they strained
against the current until the ropes bit
into their aching flesh, bringing raw
places out on neck and palm. Hour
after hour the ice went churning past.