Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-01-12
xxi

THAT meanS-blg dom s., o
pronounced gravely. 1--WE GO"
Then they put or their snowshoes
and mushed away.
There IA no nervous waiting at
III appointed meeting place-a
81 ing a half-mile from Bills cabin.
Harold Lounsbury was already
there.
a stranger to this land might
have thought that Harold was
DRINK, Unfamiliar little fires gilt
tered and glowed in his eyes, his
features were drawn.
The breeds waited patiently for
him to speak.
where's Sindy?" he asked at
last.
cover Buckshot Dan's-just where
you said" Joe replied.
"Of course Buckshot took her
back" The Indians nodded. well,
I'm going to let him keep her. I've
got a white squaw now-and soon
I'm going out with her to the Out
side. But there's things ito do first.
Bill has found the mine"
The others nodded gravely.
"And Bill is as blind as a mole
got caught in a cabin full of green
WOOD smoke. He'll be. able to see
again in a day or two. So l sent for
you rig-.t away
The breeds nodded again, a trif1e
less phlegmatically.
"The mines worth millions-more
money than you can dream of. Each,
Of you get q sixth-one-third divid-
ed between you. As Don as We've
finished what I've planned, Wen
ear down his claim notices and put
up our own, then go down to the
recorder and record the claim"
T-..~1 rrA~ ~ ssUN1, iffG nlIrC
No one will even guess. No oneIl
make any trouble.
Both of you are to come to the
cabin, just about dark. You'll tell
me you have been over Bald Peak
way and are hitting back toward the
Kuga village.
1"Bring along a quart of booze
maybe two quarts would be better.
And sometime in the early evening
give Bill what's coming to him."
do him OFF," Joe asked stolid-
ly.
snake it look like a fight" Harold
went on. Insult him-better still,
get in a quarrel among yourselves.
He'll tell you to shut up, and n of
YOU flame up at him. Then strike
the life out of him before he knows
what he's about. He's blind and he
can't fight"
..Nhat you want us to use" Pete
asked. "This?" He indicated the
thin blade at his thigh. Maybe use
rifie?"
iHarold's eyes looked drowsy when
he answered. Something like a lust
swept over him; this question of
Pete moved him in dark and evil
ways. His fathers blood was in the
sun ascendancy at last.
"There's an old pick in the cabin
Bill had it prospecting" he said.
XIII
Bits eyes were considerably bet
.er when he wakened-full in the
daylight. The warm wet cloths had
aiken part of the Inflammation out
Of them. and when he strained to
open the lids, he was aware of a
little, dim CLEAN of light.
He couldn't make out objects,
however, and except for a fleeting
shadow he could not discern the
hand that he swept before his face.
Several days and perhaps weeks
would pass before the full strength
of his sight returned.
His greatest hope at present was
that he could grope his way about
the cabin and build a fire for Vir-
ginia.
Building the fire, however, was a
/hrievous task. He felt it incumbent
Slpon him to move with utmost eau
lion so hal Virginia would not
waken. BY cropping about the walls
he encountered the stove.
Feeling told him that hot Goals
were still glowing in the ash Then
he fumbled about the 1oor for such
fuel as Harold had provided.
He found a piece at last and soon
a CHEEKY crackle told him that it
49, :-~;t11 r -,i- =, n rrif1 In
light. But his joy was a trifle pre-
nature. At that instant he tripped
over a piece of firewood and his
hands crashed against the logs.
'Oh, blast my clumsiness!" he
whispered. Virginia stirred behind
her curtain.
rs ting. you. Harold?" she asked.
She was wide awake.
mo. It's Bill"
well, what are you doing up?
Did Harold-do you mean to say
you built the fire yourself?'
That's me, lady"
.sThen you must have your sight
again" The girl snatched aside
the curtain and peered into his face.
L"No such luck. Goals We're still
glowing; all I had to do was to put
in a piece of firewood. But I'm all
well otherwise, as far as 1 can tell.
How about you?"
The girl stretched up her arms.
"A little stiff-and now-I want you
to tell me just how this blindness of
yours-is going to affect our getting
out"
1t was a serious question. II don't
see how it can affect us a great
DEAL" he answered. II realize you
don't know one step of the way
down to Bradleyburg, and l can't
zee the way; but Harold knows it
Perfectly"
AS if the invocation of his name
were a magic summons, Harold
opened the door and entered. He
carried Bills loud-mouthed rifle in
the hollow of his arm.
sYou've been hunting?" Virginia
cried.
"Of course. I figured we needed
raeat.. / carried Bits rife because
don't trust the sights of mine.
they were a yard off that day I shot
I the caribou"