The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-06-13

gagged In battle. He turned away with
out shaking hands, but It struck her
that he was not inplacable.
While they were at luncheon half q
dozen packmules laden with supplies
for q telephone construction line out
At had passed. Their small, sharp-shOd
hoofs had punched sink-holes In the
trail at every step. Instead Of
smooth bottom the dogs found a
slushy bog cut to pieces.
At the end Of an hour Of wallowing
Macdonald called halt.
"There is a cutoff just below here.
It will save us nearly two miles, but
we'll have to break trail. Swing to the
right just below the big Willow" he
told Elliot. "Tn Join you presently
and relieve you on the job. But nrst
Miss O'Neill and 1 are going for 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
q warning to him.
II hope this trip Isn't very far OF
the TRAIL" she said quietly. I'm Just
a wee bit tired"
'Tt's not far" the mine-owner said
curtly.
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 q signal from Sheba turned re-
luctantly away and drove down to the
cutoff.
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. hut
she asked no questions. Some wise In
stinct was telling her to do exactly ~
he said.
From the sled he took q shovel and
gave It to the young woman. dig Just
this side Of the big rock-cioss to the
root Of the trse,. he told her.
Sheba dug. and at the second stroke
Of the spade struck something hard.
He stopped and pulled out sack.
-Open It." he said. RIP It with
this knife"
Che ran the knife along the coarse
weave Of the cloth. Fifteen or twenty
smaller sacks lay exposed. Sheba
looked up at Macdonald, = startled
question in her eyes.
He nodded. You guessed It. This
u part Of the gold for which Robert
Milton was murdered.
"But-how did It get herer
II buried It there yesterday. Come.
He led her around the rock. Back
Of It lay something over which was
spread long bit Of canvas. The heart
Of Sheba was beating wildly.
The Scotsnnn looked at her from q
rock-bound face. "Underneath this
canvas 10 the body Of one Of the men
who murdered Milton. He died more
miserably than the man he shot. Half
the gold stolen from the bank Is in
that gunnysack you have Just dug up.
II you'll tell me who has the other |
half. TIL tell you who helped him rob
the bank"
This man-who II her asked She
ba. almost In q whisper. She was trem-
bling with excitement and nervous
ness.
Macdonald drew back the cloth and
showed the rough. hard face Of q work
inGman.
'His name was Trelawney. I kicked
him out Of our camps because he was
troublemakef."
He was one Of the men that robbed
you laterr" she exclaimed.
Yes. And now he has tried to rob
me again and has paid for It with his
life"
Her mind nashed back over the past.
Then his partner In this last crime
must have been the same man-what's
his name1that was with him last
time.
"Northrup." He nodded slowly. II
hate to believe 1t, but 1t II probably
true. And he, too, II lying somewhere
In this park covered with snow-if our
guess IL right"
"And Gordon-you admit he didn't
do it1'
Again he nodded, sulkily. "No. 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 1t. You have
always been the good friend to me-"
The Scotsman smiled, a little wiSt-
fully. "You take a mean advantage Of
q man. You nurse him when he's Ill
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
L . and