Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-12-31

said in a low voice
She told him to enter.
He is in a stupOr," she said. ale
has been that way since last night. fol-
lowing collapse. l can barely find
his pulse, but his breath shows on
this"
She produced a small mirror. little
larger than a dollar. and held it before
her fathers lips. When she took it
away Rainey saw trace of moisture.
Garrison cannot rouse him?" he
asked.
"Cannot--or will not" she answered
in a voice that held a hard quality for
all its dependency.
Lately the doctor has seemed I'M
certain. He talks of perverted nerve
functions. and he has obtained a ire
mendous influence over father.
"You heard what he said when-the
night he tried to shoot you? You see,
| am trusting you in all this, Mr.
Rainey. I must trust some one If
don't l can't stand it. l think | shall
go mad, sometimes. The doctor has
changed. 1t is as if he was a dual
personality-like JellyH and Hyde
and now he is always Hyde He said
last night that he could save father or
-or-that ne would let father die.
told him it was sheer murder! He
laughed. He said he would save him
for a price"
She stopped, and Rainey supplied
the gap, sure that he was right.
IF you would marry himY
The girl nodded. Father will do
anything he tells him. l sometimes
think he fortunes father and only re-
lieves him when father promises what
he wants. Otherwise I could not I'M
derstand. Last night father asked me
to do this thing He told me he looked
upon the doctor as son, that it would
make him happy for me to marry him
now. That he would perform the
ceremony. That he did not think he
would live long and he wanted to see
me with a protector.
at was horrible What shall l do?"
Miss Simms," said Raiuey, "your
father is not in his right mind or he
would see Garrison as you do, as l do.
Carlsen's brain is turned with the lure
of the gold If he marries you, | be-
lieve it is only for your share, for
what you will get from your father 1t
cannot be right TO do a wrong thing
No good could come from it, But
something may happen this morning
| cannot tell you what. l do not know,
except that Lund is to face Carlson. 1t
may change matters"
"Lund,' she said scornfully. "What
can he do? And he accused my father
of deserving him. +"
A knock came at the door, and it
started to open. Carlson entered.
"Ah," he said. II trust l have not
disturbed you. had nc idea | should
interrupt a tete-a-tete. Are you salts
fed as to the captains condition, Mr..
Rainey?"
Rainey went on Geek, raging but i'm
potent. He told Lund briefly of the
talk between him and Peggy Simms,
and described the general symptoms of
the shippers strange malady. 1t was
nine o'clock, an hour to the meeting.
He went down to his own room and
sat on the bunk. smoking, trying to
piece up the puzzle. If Garrison was a
potential murderer, if he intended to
let SimmS die, why should he want TO
marry the girl? He thought he solved
that issue.
As his wife Carlson would retain her
share. If he gave her up, it would 90
into the common purse. But, if he eX-
pected to trick the men out Of it all,
that would be unnecessary. Did he
really love the girl? Or was his lust
for gold mingled with a passion for
possession of her? He might know.
that the girl would kill herself before
she would submit to dishonor. Per
haps he knew she had the means!
One thing became paramount--to
save Peggy Simms. Lund might fight
for the gold; Rainey would battle for
the girls sanetity. And, armed with
that resolve, Rainey went out into the
main cabin.
Carlson took the head Of the table.
Lund faced him at the other end. All
six of the hunters, as privileged char
acters. were present, but only three
of the seamen, awkward and difident
at being aft. The nine, with Rainey.
ranged themselves on either side Of
the table. five and five, with Rainey
Oh Lund's right. The girl was not
present. Yet her share was an impor-
tan, factor.
Lund sat with folded arms, his
great body relaxed. Now that the
table was set, the cards all dealt. and
the first play about to be made, the
giant shed his tenseness. Even his
grim face softened a tride. He seemed
10 regard the affair with a certain
amount Of humor, coupled with the
zest Of a gambler who loves the game
whether the stakes are for death or
dollars.
Garrison had paper under his hand.