Evening journal., 1922-01-02

My dear Mr.. Bronson:
am informed. by the head OF
your provincial game commission
hat you can be employed as guide
'or hunting parties wishing to hunt
q the Clearwater. north Of Bradley
burg. I do not wish 20 hunt game,
1ut / do wish 10 penetrate that
country In search OF my iiance, Mr..
Harold Lounsbury, OF whom doubt
less you have heard, and who dis
appeared in the Clearwater district
six years ago 1 will be accompanied
oy Mr.. Lounsburys uncle, kenly
Lounsbury. and I wish you to secC.e
he outfit and a man to cook at once.
You will be paid the usual outfit
irr's rates for thirty days. We will
arrive in Bradleyburg september
wenueth. by stage.
Yours sincerely.
VIRGINIA FREMONT.
This was the note that brought
Bu Bronson to the brink OF Grizzly
River on a snow-driven day OF Oc-
iober. In his party were Kenly
Lounsbury, his nephew's hancee.
Virginia. arr Bronson's cook. Nos-
per.
The weather. promising fair when
they had ridden out OF Bradley
burg into the forest. had turned
cold. A heavy snow blanketed the
forest: a snow that might have in
duced Bill Bronson 20 turn back, ex-
ccpt for two things.
one was the promise that ne had
given Virginia fremont to find her
lost iover@a man whom he dimly
recollected as having met several
years previously, The other was that
his trip into the wilderness gave him
nnc more chance to look for his
father's lost mine. somewhere be-
yond Grizzly River.
Bronson's father and a man named
rutherford had discovered this
mine: they worked it together for
a season-and then no more could
DO learned 81 them OF their where
bouts tin it was verified that Ruth
orford had crossed from Canada into
ihe States with the whole seasons
gieanings OF gold. amounting TO "a
vast sum. Beyond the border ne dis
appeared completely-an the only
possible deduction was that he had
murdered the elder Bronson and
stolen the gold
The trip from BrRdieyDurg TO
Grizzly Rive had been an a-dIOui
one on the other side was a cabin
which Bronson had erected as part
of the chain he used when trapping.
The river. flowing wild threatened
death. But beyond was comfort.
Kenly Lounsbury, fresh from the
. aiice where he had massed wealth
by his wits. wanted that comfort.
cant you try the ford?" he de-
manded OF Bill.
sure. II you want" answered the
woodsman. tall. straight. square
shouldered. not daredevil but not
b lacking I'm courage
AS Bill rode into those gray and
terrible waters on Muivaney. a horse
whose mettie equaled his riders
Virginia Tremont's first instinct was
TO call him back. but FOR "a single
second she hesitated
b Then she pressed forward 10 the
waters brink on Buster. a mount
with heart of steel but lacking In the
stamina that had given Muivaney q
name throughout the Clearwater
NNns fNlllf nhihs 0AAN AAitAtAf
words. "Bronson-Bill-com back
= on. why did I ever lot you gol'
For Bill did not look around Al
ready the sound of the waters hat
obscured the voices on tho shore
AGAIN she called. unheard Then shi
iashed her horse with the bride rein
The animal strobe down into tn
water. vosper. his craven sou
whimpering within him. had falleI
20 tho last place I'm the line. hu
= Lounsbury tried to seize her bridl'
AS she pushed forward
where arc YOU going YOU ittl'
..-.ooi? te cried Come back"
Tho girl turned her head. He
flco was white. you told him tl
10 in" she resplied "Now-its IN
= Sporting thing-to follow him"
Tho water splashed about he
horse's knees.
Ahead Of her. dim ghost In tn
= haif-ligtt. Bill still rode on towar
7 fhe opposite shore. And now-ful
: halfway across-he was in the ful
force OF the current.
Il was all TO plain that his hors
was battling for its life.
- But Mulvaney was true. Perhap
some Of his riders strength wen
into his thews and sustained hin
Slowly the water dropped lower IT
was almost 20 safety.
At that instant Bill glance
Around. Intending to warn kis part
= tpt to attempt the crossing. He sa'
30 dim shape OF Virginia close be
md him. riding into the fu
strength of the current.
All color swept in an instant fror
his face. leaving IL gray and ashe
as the twilight itself.
30 He knew that Busters strengt
was not that OF Mulvaney. and h
couldn't live in the deepest. swlftei
part Of the river tia. lay before he
- Turn back" he said. Turn you
horse. Virginia-easy as You can
At the same instant he, turned n
- own horse back into tht full fur
of the torrent
Buster wheeled, struggling to kee
his feet. Mulvaney pushed on, cle'
to the deepest. widest portion Of III
stream. And then Virginia's hor'
pitcLed forward into the vii
waters
In the haif-light IL was impossib
even for Bill 20 follow the lightnir
events Of the next second. He sa
the horse struggle. FOUNDER, the
roll on his back from the force
tho current. II swept him down Z