The Snowflake herald., 1918-05-24


1--WE found in your room one OF the
sacks that had held the gold you took
from the bank"
'"That's right. I took 1t from the
bank in the afternoon, where had had
1t on deposit, to pay for the team l
bought. Milton's books will show that.
But you didn't find any sack took
when your bank was rObbed-if 1t was
robbed" added the old man signih-
cantly.
'Of course, knew you would nave
an alibi. Have you got one to explain
why you left town so suddenly the
night the bank was robbed2 Milton
was killed after midnight. Before
morning you and your friend Elliot
routed out Ackroyd and bought lot
of supplies from him for a hurry-up
trip. You slipped around to the corral
and hit the trail right into the blizzard.
Will you tell me why you were In such
a hurry to get away, If it wasn't to es-
cape from the town where you had
murdered a decent old fellow who
never had harmed a sOul"
"Sure I'll tell you" The black eyes
of the little man snapped eagerly. II
came so p. d. q. because that side pard-
ner of mine Gordon Elliot wouldn't let
me wait till mOrnin'. He had a reason
for leavin' town that wouldn't wait
minute, one big enough to drive him
right into the heart of the blizzard. Me,
l tagged along"
II can guess his reason" jeered the
/ Scotsman. "But I'd like to hear you
put q name to it."
Holt grinned maliciously and waved
hand toward the girl who was pillow
/ ing the head of her lover. 'The name
of his reason Is Sheba O'Neill, but it's
to be Sheba Elliot soon, looks like"
"You mean"
The little miner took the words tT1-
umphantly out of his mouth. He
leaned forward and threw them into
the face of the man he hated. II mean
that while you was dancin' and philan-
derin' with other women, Gordon Elliot
was buclzin' blizzard to save the life
OF the girl you both claimed to love.
He was mushin' into fifty miles Of
frozen hell while you was film up
with potted grouse and champagne.
Simultaneous with the lame goose and
the monkey singlestep you was dOin',
this lad was windjammln' through
white drifts. He beat you at your
own game, man. You're a bear for
the outdoor stuff, they tell me. You
chew up q blizzard for breakfast and
throttle a pack of wolves to work up
an appetite for dinner. It's your spe-
cialty. All right. Take your hat off
to that chechacko who has just whaled
you blind. He has Outgamed you, Col
| by Macdonald. You don't run in his
class. see he is holding his haid up
again. Give him another half-hOur and
he'll be ready to go to the mat with
you again."
The big Alaskan pushed away a fear
that had been lingering In his mind ever
since he had stumbled on that body
buried in the snow yesterday after
noon. Was his enemy going to escape
him, after all2 Could Holt be telling
the true reason why they had left town
so hurriedly2 He would not let him.
self believe 1t.
"YOu ought to work up better story
than that" he said contemptuOusly.
"You can throw a husky through the
holes In It. How could Elliot know,
for instance. that Miss O'Neill was not
safer"
"The same way you could a. known
It," snapped old Gideon. HE phOned
to Smiths Crossin' and found the
stage hadn't got In and that there was
a whale OF a storm up in the hills"
Macdonald set his face. "YOu're
lying to me. You stumbled over the
stage while you were making your get
away. Now you're playing it for an
alibi."
Elliot had risen. Sheba stood beside
him, her hand In his. She spoke quietly.
"It's the truth. Believe 1t or not as
you please. We care nothing about
that"
The stab Of her eyes, the carriage Of
the slim, plant figure with its sugges-
don of fine gallantry, challenged her
former lover to do his worst.
On the battered face of Gordon was
smile. So long as his Irish sweet
heart stood by him he did not care if
he were charged with high treason. It
was worth all 1t cost to feel the
warmth of her brave, impulsive trust.
The deep-set eyes of Macdonald
clinched with those of his rival. "YOu
cached the rest Of the gold, suppose"
be said dOggedly.
With a Tilt of his shoulders the
younger man answered lightly: There
are none SO blind as those who will not
see, Mr.. Macdonald" He turned to
Sheba. "COme. We must make break
fast"
you're going to Kusiak with me-"
his enemy said bluntly.
"After we have eaten, Mr.. MacdOn-
ald," returned Elliot with an ironic
bow. perhaps, IL you have not had