The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-28
Euening Story
MacFirth of the Mounted Police.
By ID. LOUIS RAYBOLD.

-
crossed to the door with decisive step
and closed it behind him. Outside in
the crisp northern air he drew a deep
breath. partly at relief that what he
had so long dreaded had at last come,
partly of resolution to put thru the
job as expeditiously as possible. Yet
its successful accomplishment would
mean, presumably, the downfall of his
hopes.
For the chief had sent him after
Brandon, and Brandon, in spite of the
! fact that he had skipped with provin-
cial funds and was in hiding some
where north of the circle, had chosen
to cast acquisitive glances at JEANNE
Bruce, the factors daughter, whom
Alan had loved ever since, as a pig
tailed youngster, she had come to the
post. And post gossip said that Jean
reciprocated.
- Now to say good-by to JEANNE. He
strobe over to the factors dwelling,
the most pretentious of the little
group of white-painted buildings, and
ment later, admitted by Margot,
Bruce's half-breed housekeeper, who
regarded him with the inscrutable look
of her kind, he entered the long liv-
ing room with it's parse yet homelike
furnishings
from the depths of a huge chair. AS
she rose to meet him Alan saw that
Jean had been crying. Evidently she
had heard that he was to be put on
Brandon's train. Even as he gripped
tightly the two hands she held out to
him, MacFirth cursed inwardly. jean
ME crying over that worthless scamp
of a Brandon!
JEANNE, I've come to say good by.
The chief"
81 know" interrupted the girl.
You're out after Jim Brandon, and 1
know the chief. He always says, Get
him, dead or alive Oh, Alan, for my
sake" she lifted beseeching eyes.
For my sake, Alan, bring him back
alivei"
So the rumor of the post was true.
Jean cared. MacFirth swallowed hard.
Does it mean as much, to you as ali
that" he asked gently.
ut means-more than you know.
she returned so sincerely and earnest
ly that Alan choked back the words of
love struggling for utterance.
"I'll do my best, JEAN" he sail
simply. and presently after phrase
of conventional farewell set out on his
long and lonely mission.
Had he known that. despite his eff
forts at concealment. the girl had read
in his eyes his love for her. he might
have found in the fact trifle of con-
ISOLATION. Had he heard the words she
murmured when he had left her
standing, wistful, on the threshold.
Heaven send that Margot is right"
he would have had cause for wonder
ing.
Many weeks later, in an odorous
igloo not very far from the, frozen
arctic rim, MacFirth found Brandon,
recognizabIe in spite of his Eskimo
oil HI nf
ravages of sickness. And Brandon,
who had seen from the opening of the
igloo the plodding train of sledge dogs.
knew that his day of reckoning had
come.
For in that vast country. with the
frozen wastes and snowbound hori-
zon, white men respect two things
famine and the Northwest Mounted
Police.
In the monotonous days which fol-
lowed temptation lay heavy on Mac
Firth to let Brandon die. In the lone
ly night in camp on the way to the
post he fought ten thousand little
devils which urged him on to a mega
tive course of action-merely not to
fight the fever, not to give the medl-
cine, not to prepare the nourlshing
broth.
But he did not yield. The chief
might be satisfied with Brandon deao
jean would not.
Meanwhile, at the post, JEANNE
pondered the whereabouts of the two
men, one of whom she knew loved
her She worried also concerning her
father. John Bruce was losing furs
for the company. For several rea-
sons the value of the pelts had been
decreasing. Yet the independent trad
ers were doing better than ever. Some
one had been waylaying the Indians on
their return from their winters trap
y
most valuable skins. For his thievery
and it was little else-her father
would be held responsible.
Came a mild day when JEANNE laced
up her walking boots and took her
troubles into the open air. After
lengthy tramp she decided. like a true
daughter of the wilderness, on short
cut home, and thereby made her dis
covery.
While forcing her way thru an al
most impenetrable growth of under
brush bordering a muskeg swamp. she
stumbled over plank. Surprised, she
stopped to investigate, and found that
the plank was part of flooring which
concealed a dugout of some sort.
Curiously, she pried at board until
it Ioosened. and kneeling she gazed
into the gloomy depths within. A
cache of furs! Evidently cured and
hastily hidden away. Wait! Some
in her hand and brought out a partly
furnished watch fob. evidently dropped
as the wearer stopped over his buried
loot Now who had she seen wearing
that fob?
It was late when JEANNE returned
home Tired and perplexed, she did
not notice the subtle air of excite
ment which lowered about the POST
but went straight TO the office of the
chief to make known her discovery.
Unawares. she opened the door, then
gave a little cry. There stood Mac
Firth and, quite unlike his former
jaunty self, Jim Brandon. Jean leaned
wea ky against the door as all eyes
focused upon her. Then. Strengthened
suddenly, she held out her hand with
the Fob.
See what I have kept of yours,"
she cried ambiguously. her eyes dart
ing from enc man to the other.
MacFirth's eyes held only desper-
ate warming But Nine said Bran