The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-05-04
CHAPTER XVIII.
New way Of Leaving a House.

weeks passed. 1t was Impossible loT
her to wait upon him in his illness and
hold any repugnance toward this big,
elemental man. The thing he had done
might be wrong, but the very open
ness and franlness of his relation to
Meteetse redeemed it from shame. He
was neither a prohigate nor a Squaw-
man.
This was DANES point of view, and
In time it became to a certain extent
that of Sheba. One takes on the color
of ones environment and the girl from
Drogheda knew In her heart that Me-
teetse and Colmac were no longer the
real barriers that stood between her
and the Alaskan. She had been dis
illusioned, saw him more clearly; and
though she still recognized the quality
of bigness that set him apart, her spirit
did not now do such complete homage
to 1t. More and more her thoughts
contrasted him with another man.
Macdonald did not need to be told
that he had lost ground, but with the
logged determi nation that had carried
him to success he refused to accept
the verdict. She was woman, there
fore to be won. The habit of victory
was so strong in him that he could see
no alternative.
The motor-car picnic to the Willow
Creek camp was a case in point. Sheba
did not want to go, but she went. The
picnic was a success. Macdonald was
an outdoor man rather than a parlor
one. He took charge of the luncheon,
Lit the fire, and cooked the coffee with
out the least waste of effort. In his
shirt sleeves the neck open at the
throat, he looked the embodiment of
masculine vigor Diane could not
help mentioning it to her cousin.
isn't he a splendid human animal?"
Sheba nodded. He's wonderful"
'If were a little Irish colleen and
he had done me the honor to care for
me, I'd have fallen fathoms deep in
love with him."
The Irish colleen's eyes grew refec-
tive. mot if you had seen Peter first,
Di. There's nothing reasonable about
q girl, do believe. She loves-or else
she just doesn't"
Diane fred a question at her point
blank. "Have you met your Peter? Is
- that why you hang back2"
The color famed into Sheba's face.
"Of course not. You do say the most
outrageous things, Di." t
They had driven to Willow Creek
over the river road. They returned
by way of the hills. Macdonald drew
up in front of q cabin to fill the radi-
Rtor.
He stood listening beside the car,
the water bucket In his hand. Some
thing unusual was going on inside the
house. There came the sound of a
thud, of a groan, and then the crash
of breaking glass. The whole window
frame seemed to leap from the side
of the house. The head and shoulders
Of man projected through the broken
glass.
The man swept himself free Of the
debris and started to run. Instantly
he pulled up in his stride, as amazed
to see those in the car as they were to
see him.
"Gordon !" cried Diane.
Out of the house poured q rush Of
men. They too pulled up abruptly at
sight of Macdonald and his guests.
A sardonic mirth cleaned in the
eyes Of the Scotsman. "Do you al
IF oh q
wall, Mr.. Elliott" he asked.
"Only when I'm in a hurry" Cor
don pulled out q handkerchief and
dabbed at some glass-cuts on his face.
Don't let US detain you," said the
Alaskan satirically. Wen excuse you,
since you must CO."
'I'm not in such q hurry now. In
fact, if you're going to Kusiak, think
I'll ask you for q lift" returned the
field agent coolly.
"And your friends-in-a-hurry - dc
they want lift too?"
Big Bill Macy came swaying for
ward, both hands to his bleeding head
"He's a spy, curse him. And he tried
to kill me-"
did hew commented Macdonald
evenly. "What were you doing to him?'
"He can't sneak around our claim
under false name" growled one o
the miners. "Well beat his head off,
"I've had notions like that mysel
sometimes" assented the big Scots
man. "But think we had all bette
leave Mr.. Elliot to the law. He ha
Uncle Sam back Of him in his spying
and none Of us are big enough to bucl
the government" Crisply Macdonal
spoke to Gordon, turning upon hin
cold, hostile eyes. "Get In if your
going to-"
Elliot met him eye to eye. 'pv
changed my mind. I'm going to walk.
'Thats up to you"
Gordon shook hands with Diane an
Sheba, went into the house for hi
coat, and walked to the stable. FL
brought out his horse and turned
loose, then he took the road himsel
for Kusiak.
A couple Of miles out the car passe
him trudging downward. AS the
flashed down the road he waved
cheerful and nonchalant greeting.
Sheba had been full of gayety an
: hfe. but her mood was changed A