Gilpin observer., 1920-07-29
MacFirth of the
Mounted Police
By H. LOUIS RAYBoLD

i@. 1890. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)
Get him, MacFirth. dead or allvew
The words were crisp, final.
Alan MacFirth saluted his chief,
crossed to the door with decisive step
and closed 1t behind him. Outside in
The crisp northern air he drew a deep
breath, partly of relief that what he
had SO long dreaded had at last come,
partly of resolution to put through the
job as expeditiously as possible. Yet
is successful accomplishment would
mean, presumably, the downfall of his
hopes.
For the chief had sent him after
Brandon, and Brandon, in spite of the
TACT 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 80 say goodby to JEANNE. He
strobe over to the factors dwelling, the
most pretentious of the little group of
white-painted buildings, and raped
sharply or the door. A moment later,
admitted by Margot, Bruce's dusky
nalfbreed hOusekeeper, who regarded
MIN with the inscrutable look of her
kind, he entered the long living room
with its sparse yet homelike furnish
Ings.
His entrance startled slim figure
from the depths of huge chair. AS
she rose to meet him Alan saw that
lean had been crying. Evidently she
had heard that he was to be put on
Brandon's trail. Even as he gripped
lightly the two hands she held out to
him MacFirth cursed inwardly. Jean
1ie crying over tina. worthless scamp
If q Brandon!
"Jeannie, I've come to say goodby
The chief"
II know" interrupted the girl, you're
out after Jim Brandon, and I know
what you have been told. l know the
chief. He always says, Get him, dead
,r alive Oh, Alan, for my sake"
sake, Alan. bring him back alive!"
So the rumor of the post was true.
fean cared. MacFirth swallowed hard.
Does 1t mean as much to you as all
that?" he asked gently.
ut means-mOre than you know"
she returned so sincerely and earnestly
that Alan chOked back the words of
CT
'I'll do my best, Jean," he said SIM
ply, and presently after phrase OK
conventional farewell set out on his
long and lonely mission. X
Had he known that, despite his ef-
tOrts at concealment, the girl had read
In his eyes his love for her, he might
have found in the fact trifle of con-
murmured when he had left her stand
Ing. wistful. on the threshold, Heaven
send that Margot is right !" he would
have had cause for wondering.
Many weeks later, in an Odorous
igloO not very far from the frozen arc
tic rim, MacFirth found Brandon, rec
ogniZable in spite of his Eskimo
clothes. his growth of beard and the
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 its
frozen wastes and snow-bound horizon,
white men respect two things-famine
md the Northwest Mounted Police.
In the monotonous days which fol-
owed temptation lay heavily on Mac
Firth to let Brandon die. In the lonely
nights in camp on the way to the post
he fought ten thousand little devils
which urged him on to negative
course of action-merely not to fight
the fever, not to give the medicine,
not to prepare the nourishing broth.
But he did not yield. The chief might
be satisfied with Brandon dead-Jean
would not.
Meanwhile at the post JEANNE pom
Tered 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 seasons the
value of the pelts had been decreasing
Yet the independent traders were do.
ing better than ever. Someone had
heen waylaying the Indians on theli
return from their winters trapping
and bribing them to turn over the most
valuable skins. For his thievery-ant
1t was little else-her father would bt
held responsible.
Came n mild day when JEANNE laced
up her walking boots and took heI
troubles into the open mir. After q
lengthy tramp she decided. like u true
daughter Of the Wilderness on shor
cut home. and thereby made her dis
covery..