Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-06-28

told Elliot. I'll join you presently
and relieve you on the job. But first
Miss O'Neill and are going for a lit
tie side trip"
All three Of them looked at him in
sharp surprise. Gordon opened his
| lips to answer and closed them again
without speaking. Sheba had flashed
a warning to him.
81 hope this trip isn't very far of
the TRAIL" she said quietly. I'm just
a wee bit tired"
"It's not far" the mine-owner said
CURLY.
He was busy unpacking his sled.
Presently he found the dog moccasins
for which he had been looking, re-
packed his sled, and fitted the shoes
to the bleeding feet Of the team lead
er. Elliot, suspicious and uncertain
what to do, watched him at work, but
at a signal from Sheba turned re-
luctantly away and drove down to the
cutoff.
Macdonald turned his dogs out Of the
trail and followed a little ridge for
perhaps quarter Of mile. Sheba
trudged behind him. She was full of
wonder at what he meant to do, but
she asked no questions. Some wise in
stinct was telling her to do exactly as
he said.
From the sled he took a shovel and
gave 1t to the young woman. dig just
this side of the big rock-close to the
root of the tree" he told her.
Sheba dug, and at the second stroke
of the spade struck something hard.
He stopped and pulled out a sack.
"Open it," he said. "Trip it with
this knife"
She ran the knife along the coarse
weave Of the cloth. Fifteen or twenty
smaller sacks lay exposed. Sheba
looked up at Macdonald, a startled
question in her eyes.
He nodded. "You guessed It. This
is part of the gold for which Robert
Milton was murdered"
"But-how did it get hereY
81 buried 1t there yesterday. Come"
He led her around the rock. Back
Of 1t lay something over which was
spread long bit of canvas. The heart
of Sheba was beating wildly.
The Scotsman looked at her from a
rock-bound face. Underneath this
canvas is the body Of one Of the men
who murdered Milton. He died more
miserably than the man he shot. Nalf
the gold stolen from the bank is in
that gunnysack you have Just dug up.
If you'll tell me who has the other
half, I'll tell you who helped him rob
| the bank"
'This man-who Is he?" asked She
ba. almost in a whisper. She was trem-
bling with excitement and nervous
ness.
Macdonald drew back the cloth and
showed the rough, hard face of a work.
ingman.
His name was Trelawney. kicked
him out Of our camps because he was
troublemaker."
HE was one Of the men that robbed
you later!" she exclaimed.
Eyes. And now he has tried to rob
me again and has paid for it with his
life"
Her mind flashed back over the past.
''Then his partner In this last crime
must have been the same man-what's
his name?-that was with him last
time"
"Northrup." He nodded slowly. II
hate to believe 1t, but it is probably
true. And he, too, is lying somewhere
in this park covered with snow-n our
guess is right"
"And Gordon-you admit he didn't
do it?'
Again he nodded, sulkily. mo. he
didn't do It,"
Joy lifted in her voice. $50 you've
brought me here to tell me. Oh, am
glad. my friend, that you were so good.
And 1t is like you to do it. You have
always been the good friend to me-"
The Scotsman smiled. a little visit
fully. you take mean advantage of
q man. You nurse him when he's i'll
and are kind to him when he is we'll
and try to love him. though he is twice
your age and more. Then. when his
enemy Is In his power, he finds he
can't strike him down without striking
you too. Take your young man, Sheba
O'Neill, and marry him, and for Gods
sake, get him out of Alaska before I
come to grips with him again. I'm
not a patient man, and he's tried me
sair. They say I'm a good hater. and
always thought 1t true. But what's
the use of hating q man, when your
soft arms are round him for an
armor?"
The fine eyes Of the girl were wells
Of warm light. Her gladness was not
for herself and her lover only, but for
the friend that had been so nearly
lost and was now found. He believed
he had done 1t for her. but Sheba was
sure his reasons lay deeper. He was
too much Of a man to hide evidence
and let his rival be falsely accused Of
murder. It was not In him to do a
cheap thing like that. When 1t came
to the pinch, he was too decent to stab
In the back. But she was willing to
take him on his own ground.
I'll always be thanking you for your
goodness to me-" she told him simply.
He brushed that aside at once.
There's one thing more. lass. I'll
likely not be seeing you again alone,
so I'll say 1t now. Don't waste any
tears on Colby Macdonald. Don't
fancy any story-boOk foolishness about
spelling his life. That may be true Of
hal ai,a houS rho hut n man <xooa