The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-01-24


Ray found himself reEretuns. for
the FIRST time. that murderous crimo
~ hts OF months before, Even riches
might not pay for these days OF drcad
and nights Of terror; the recovery OF
the Girl nom Ben's arms could not
begin 60 rccompense. Indeed. the
rirl's memory was increasingly hard
to call M. The mind was kept busy
risewhere
We're walking right into a death
trap he told Nelson one morning
If he Is here. what chance have We
gotr He'd have weeks to explore tho
country and lay an ambush for us
Resides I believe he's dead. I don't
believe human being could have got
down this far alive
Chan. too. had found himself IN
Ginning toward this latter belief;
without Rays energy and ambition
re had less 60 keen hlm fronted 20
the chase. Nelson. however was not
yet ready 20 turn hack. lie. too,
feared Ren's attack. but already In
tho twilight Of advancing Years. he
did not regard physical danger In the
same nght "a these two younger men.
Besides. he was made OF different
stuff The safety of his daughter
VIA. tho one remaining impulse OF
his ufeA
And more and more. In the chill
August nights. the talk about the
campfire took this trend; the folly
% pushing On. II was better 20 turn
hack and wait his chances 90 strike
again. Ray argued. than 20 walk
haid-facet into death. Sometime Ben
must return TO the claim; a chance
might come TO lay him low. Besides.
ever n seemed moro probable that
the river had claimed htu.
One rainy. dtsaKr~eshis morning.
as they camped beside the river near
the mouth OF a small creek. affairs
reached their crisis They had
caught and nfdied the horses: Ray
was pulling tight the last hitch.
Chan stood beside him. speaking In
an undertone. when he had FIN
Ished Ray cursed explosiveiy in the
silence
Nelson turned He seemed 20 sense
Impending Developments what
now ne asked
"Tm no, going on. that's what n
Is Ray replied Nelson. IT'S two
against one--if you want 20 20 on
you can--but Chan and I are ecing
hack That DEVILS dad. Beatrice f.,
too-sure "a hell II they Amt dead.
hen get us. was a fool ever 20
start out And that's final"
You're roing hack. eh--ecared
out" Nelson commented coldiy.
I'm going bsck--and don't say too
much about being scared out. either
Ard yoc. too. Chant You're
against me. tcoT@
Chan cursed ia gone . week sxo
II ira been me. We knew tho way
home. 1t least
Ths old man LOOKED Q hong time
into the river deptha Only too well
h realized that their decfsiou was
final But there was no answer. IN
the swfrisng deptha TO the question
that hacked his heart: whether or
not n thess sprucs-ciad hills hts
daughter SIN lived n could only
murmm and roar. without shaping
vurds that human ears could grasp.
newer relieving the dreadful uncsr-
tainty that would be his iife's curss
from henceforth- He sighed. and ths
hines across his brow were dark and
deepl
Then turn the horses around. you
cowards.~ he answered Il can't 90
on alone~
For once neither Ray nor Chan had
outward resentment for the epithet
Secretly they realized that old Nell
son was 10 the wan AZ last. and Hike
q grizzly AZ bay. II was safer not 10
modest him Chan went down 10 the
edge Of the creek 10 water his saddle
, hor@
But presently they heard him
surse. In inordinats and startled
smazemcnt. as he gszsd at some i'm
prfnt IN the mud Of the shore. They
saw the color s~eep from his face.
In an instant his two companions
were hests him.
Clear and unnistakable In the mud
they saw the stale imprint OF Ben's
canoe as they had landed. and tho
tracks OF both the man and the girl
rs they had turned into the forest