Gilpin observer., 1917-07-19
BY E.AlEXANDER POWELL

the construction WORK on the Valley
extension had been inspired by some
mysterious reason which he could not
fathom. What he did understand
though, was that DawsOn's work for
two years was likely to go for nothing.
He liked the DawsOns and was fond
of Helen. He determined to make an
effort at influencing Holmes to adopt
fair methods in dealing with the hold
ers of the railway contract.
''Don't butt into something you don't
understand" was Holmes answer to
Stephens demand for information on
the status of the Dawson contracts.
"But, father" Stephen insisted,
'these people are my friends. Helen is
a girl in n million. She's got nerve.
never knew braver girl. / can't
stand it to see her suffer from any act
Of ours"
"What the HI have you got to do
with it?" demanded Holmes, in burst
Of rage. "Have to consult you about
my business affairs?"
Stephen looked the irate millionaire
in the eye. He was not the son of
this stern old battler for nothing. What
Holmes saw in young Stephens face
stirred strange feelings within him.
"Father," he said, 1--WE got the best
gold claim on the Upper Shady. It's
worth thirty thousand dollars at this
minute, and never had drill in it.
bI'm going to sell that claim and pay
Dawson's contract price. He's earned
the money"
Holmes rose to his feet, his lined
and scanned visage distorted with un-
utterable wrath.
"You!" he gasped; you go over to
my enemies-betray me into their
hands"
That's enough" shouted Stephen,
rising from his chair and buttoning
his overcOat; II know something about
the way this affair has been handled.
I don't know why it has been handled
that way, but what l do know is that
the outfit you've got on the job is the
crook eldest outfit IN the United States,
and that Behrens is due to hang.
Gooi-by."
Helen lost no time after her CONVEX
sation with Dawson in trying to reach
Stephen Holmes. Finding that he had
started for the Upper Shady gold dig
gings on mission of importance"
the young woman took the first train
out over the Upper Valley division, de-
termined to find her half-brother,
wherever he might be.
Seated in Pullman as the train
| xyn,,pd o1opcy ho courca nf tho tortr,ouc
Onawa, Helen thought out her course
of action. Pondering what she would
say to Stephen us she gazed out of the
window, the young girls attention was
suddenly attracted to man who stood
beside the tracks on a cliff overhang-
ing the river, rifle poised for shot.
AS Helen stared at the queerly clad
figure, fascinated, the rifle was raised,
a shot cracked out, and the mans
prominent chin was thrust forward in
an attitude of tense scrutiny.
Helen followed his gaze with eager
eyes. He was staring across the river
to where-what was that? Was it
a canoe? And who-who handled a
paddle in that curious underhand
stroke-the Columbia canoe stroke?
Helen's clear young brain worked
like lightning. The train was slowing
up for Nipesing Junction when the
thought flashed through Helen's mind
that caused her to jump as though one
of the shots from that forest-hidden
rifle had struck. She knew that paddle
stroke. The man In the canoe was Ste
phen. With a womans intuition, the
girl knew in ten seconds what had hap
pened. Stephen was on his way to
the goldfeld, taking advantage Of the
Onawa's rapid current to be..t the
train in. The man in the brush, for
some mysterious reason, was shooting
at him. Then the grinding of the
brakes told her that the train was com
ing to a stand.
A minute later Helen was standing
alone on the spur Of a mountain. A
hundred yards away the international
road wound its way to the Torture Gar
bridge. At that same moment Heller
; heard another shot. Simultaneous,
she saw the figure In the canoe reduced
| to helplessness by the splintering OF
, the paddle in his hand. Describin,
| eccentric antics, the canoe spun aim
lessly toward the falls, quarter Of Q
mile away.
With Helen, to think was to act
: Rushing, stumbling, climbing, sh,
; made her way to the center Of the tai
bridge. There hung 200 feet Of Ma
, Mia line, carefully coiled, property o
r the forest reserve corps. There ais,
: were three men In wagon on thei
way to their homes in Nipesing valley
3 "Quick!" ordered Helen; "get tn
, line down to the water-keep an ey
t on the canoe and get it right in hi
4 hand as he goes under the bridge"
3 The men were mountaineers-read
t for emergencies. They followed Hel
= ems instructions and Stephen, his las
: chance In sight, signaled that he wa