, 1922-11-05

her bedroom. her steQ-fafher ny on
a table in the dance hall below, COW
cred BY a sheet from his own be-
And beside him sat Trooper Stor-
mont, waiting.
II was showing heavily when Mr..
ISIsSa, the little undertaken from
Ghost lake arrived with several ar-
s~istants. a casket. and What he call
ed swell trimmings"
Long ago Mike Clinch had selected
his own mortuR-y site and had
driven a section of iron pipe into h
ground on a ferny knoIl overlooking
Star Pond. In explanation he grim
" remarked to Eve ttat after doth
he preferred TO be painted where he
Guild see tha. Old HAEroGs ghost
dldn' trespnss-
Here two OF Mr. Lvken's able as
sistants dug n grave while the Dig
gins was stin good: for II Nike
Cllnch was TO lie underground that
season theremight be need Of haste
- no weather prophe. ever having
successfully forecast Adirondack
weather.
Eve. exhausted BY shock and a
sieepless night. was spared the more
narrowing details OF the
visit and the subsequent jaunty nc
tiviues OF Mr.. Lyken and his efficient
assistants.
She had mnnaged-Io cress herself
IN n black wool gown. intending TO
watch by Mike. but Stormont's blunt
authority prevailed and she lay down
for an hours rest
The hour heightened into many
hours; the girl slept heavily on her
sofa under blankets laid over her by
stormont.
All that dark. snowy day. she slept,
mercifuIiy unconscious OF the pro-
Seedings below.
In It's own mysterious way the
news penetrated the wilderness; and
out OF the desolation OF forest and
swamp and mountain drifted h peo-
pie who somehow existe6 there a
few shy, half wild young girls. a
dozen silent, ,ank men. two or three
of Clinch's own. people. who stood sill
emily about in the falling snow and
lent Z. hand whenever requested.
one I~ong.shanked youth cut hem
lock 20 limo the grave: others erect
ed n little fence Of silver birch
around it, making of the enclosure
a pilot"
a gaunt old woman from God
knows where aided Mr.. Lyken at in
ervals; a pretty, sulky-eyed girl with
her slovenly. red-headed sister cook
ed for anybody who desired nourish-
ment.
When Mike was ready to hold the
inevitable reception everybody filed
into the dance hall. Mr., Lyken was
master OF ceremonies: Trooper S,or-
mont stood very tall and straight by
tho head of the casket.
Clinch wore n vague. indefinable
smile and his best clothes - that
same smile which had SO troubled
jose ouintana.
Light was fading fast in the room
when the last visitor tool silent leave
Of Cllnch and rejoined the groups
In the Kitchen. where were the fu-
neral baked meats.
Eve still slept. Descending again
from his reconnaissance. Trooper
Stormont encountered Trooper Ian
MS below.
~Has anybody picked up ouin-
tana's tracks?" inquired the former.
mot so far. An inspector and two
state game protectors are out beyond
Owl Marsh. The Troopers from Five
Lakes are on the job. and we have
enforcement men along Drowned VAL
ley from The scaur to Harrod Place"
docs Darragh know"
Yes. He's in there with Mike. He
brought a lot OF flowers from Har-
rod Place.
TIE two TrooSers went into the
dance hall where Darragh was ar
ranging the flowers from his green
houses.
stormont said quietly: IAN right.
Jim. but Eve must no: know that
they came from Ha-rod's.
Darragh nodded: "How is she,
Jack7"
"Ali IN"
~Do you know the story"
"Yes. Mike went into Drowned
Valley early last evening after ouin-
tant. He didn't come back. Before
dawn this morning Eve located
Ouintana. set a bear-traD for him,
and caught him with the goods
what goods?'' demanded Darragh
sharply.
"well. she got his pack and found
Mikes watch and jewelry in il -"
nat FEMEAAN
1.-THE jewe.s ouintana was after.
But that was after ~he'd arrived at
the Dump. here. ieavnE Quintana to
get free OF the trap and beat It.
That's how I me: her - half
crazed going to find Quintana again.
We'd founc Mike IN Drowned Val
ley and were bringing him out when
] ran into Eve brought her
hack here and called Ghost Lake.
They haven't picked IN ouintana's
tracks so far"
After a silence: TOO bad this snow
came so late" remarked Trooper
L4annis. But we ought to get Quin
tana anyway"
Darragh went over and looked sill
emily 1T Mike Clinch.
IT like You" he said under hi:
breath. "t wasn't o u fault And
It wasn't mine. Mike IN cry
to square things. Don't ~orry.-
He came back slowly 10 where Stor
mort vas standing near the door:
Jack. he said. you can't MARI
Eve on a Troopers pay. Why mo
III 80. --- 49, TT--.-1a -.