The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-04-25


bling with excitement and nervous
ness.
Macdonald drew back the cloth and
showed the rough, hard face of work
ingman.
"His name was Trclawney. kicked
him out of our camps because he was
troublemakcr.''
'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-wliat'S
his name ?-that was with him last
time"
"Northrup." He nodded slowly. II
hate to believe it, but it is probably
true. And he, too, is lying somewhere
in this park covered with snow-if our
guess is right"
"And Gordon-you admit he didn't
do it?"
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 it is like you to do it. You have
always been the good friend to me-"
The Scotsman smiled, little visit
fully. "YOu take a mean advantage of
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
come to grips with him again. I'm
not a patient man, and he's tried me
sair. They say I'm good halter, and
always thought it true. But what's
the use of hating 4 man, when your
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 it for her, but Sheba was
sure his reasons lay deeper. He was
too much Of man to hide evidence
and let his rival be falsely accused of
| murder. 1t was not in him to do
cheap thing like that. When it came
| to the pinch, he was too decent to stab
in the back. But she was willing to
| take him on his own ground.
'T'll always be thanking you for your
goodness to me-" she told him simply.
| He brushed that aside ut once.
"There's one thing more, lass. I'll
likely not be seeing you again alone,
| so I'll say it 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
haltling boys, maybe, but man goes
his ain gait even when he gets bit
| facer."
EYES," she agreed. And in flash
she saw what would happen, that in
| the reaction from his depression he
would turn to Genevieve Mallory and
marry her.
"You're too Young for me, anyhow
| too soft and innocent. Once you told
me that you couldn't keep step with
me. It's true. You can't. 1t was q
daft dream"
He took a deep breath, seemed to
shake himself out Of it, and smiled
chcerfully upon her.
| "We1l put our treasure-trove on the
sled and go back to your friends" he
continued briskly. Tomorrow I'll send
men up to scour the hills for North
rup's body"
Sheba drew the canvas back over the
face of the dead man. As she followed
Macdonald back to the trail. tears filled
her eyes. She was remembering that
the white, singing death that had
| crept upon these men so swiftly had
missed her by hairs breadth. The
| strong, lusty life had been stricken
out of the big Cornishman and prob
| ably of his partner in crime. Perhaps
they had left mothers or wives or
| sweethearts to mourn them.
Macdonald relieved Elliot at break
ing trail and the young man went back
| to the gee-pole. They had discarded
muklHkS and wore marcasinS aHt'
snoWshoes. 1t W.; h..!r. >in.v ws:r.a