The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-12-08
caes A seRJ,cw.,Ne &.

campfire, beside Which a team or
dogs in harness huddled in the snow
anchored there by the sled turned on
its side, and by the fire a man
crouched and stared into the snow
wrack As he visioned them, Stane
slipped the rife from the hollow of
his arm, and staggered forward like
a drunken man.
The man by the fire becoming
aware of him leaped suddenly to his
fee& In a twinkling his rife was at
his shoulder, and through the wild
canorous note of the wind, Stane
caught his hail. Hands up! You
murderer
Something in the voice struck rem
iniscently on his ears, and this, as
he recognized instantly, was not the
hail of a man who had just com
mitted a terrible crime. He dropped
his rife and put up his hands. The
man changed his rife swiftly for
pistol, and began to advance. Two
yards away he stopped.
"Stanei by"
Then Stane recognized. 1t was
Dandy Anderton, the mounted police
man, and in the relief of the moment
he laughed suddenly.
You. Dandy?"
YES! What in heavens name IS
the meaning of it all? Did you see
anything? Hear the fringe There
are two dead men out there in the
snow" He jerked his head toward the
lake. And there was a dog-team,
but I lost 1t in the storm. Do you
know anything about it. Stane? 1
hope that you had no hand in this
killing?"
NO, I had no hand in that killing.
I don't understand it at all. but that
sledge, we must find it, for to the best
Of my belief, Miss Yardely is on it."
The policeman stretched a hand
toward a heap Of smoldering ashes,
where reposed a pan, and pouring
some boiling coffee into a tin cup,
handed it to Stane.
Stane continued his narrative. and
when he had finished. AndertCn
spoke again. THAT solitary man
with the team whom you saw COM
ing down the lake, must have been
or two on the other side of this bluff
TO camp out of the snow which I saw
was coming. Then it struck me that
I should do better on this side, and
worked towards it. 1 was just on
the other side when the shooting be-
gan. and I hurried forward. but the
snow came and wiped out every
thing, though I had an impression
Of a second dog-team waiting by the
shore as I came round. When /
looked for it I couldn't find it; ana
then I tumbled on this camp. and
as there was nothing else to be done
until the snow slackened 1 I'M
harnessed."
Stane looked round. This would
be the place where the man, who
was to have paid the kidnapers
their price. waited for them"
And paid them in lead. no doubt
with the idea of covering his own
tracks completely"
THAT seems likely" agreed Stane.
But who" Anderton broke off
suddenly and leaped to his feet.
Great Christopher, Look therer'
Stane looked swiftly in the direction
indicated. and as the veil of snow
broke for a moment. caught sight Of
a huddled form crawling in the
snow.
What" he began.
Its a man. I saw him distinctly"
interrupted the policeman, and II -
as the snow swept down again =,
ly-cr he oh % 10
A minute and a half later he staA
gered back. dragging a man with
him. He dropped the man by the
fire. poured some coffee into a
pannikin, and as the newcomer,
with q groan, half-raised himself to
look round. he held the coffee to-
wards him.
Here. drink this, it'll do you"
he interrupted himself sharply, then
in a tone OF exultation he cried:
"ChigmokT'
OUR answered the man. "I am
Chigmok! And thou?"
Il am the man of the law" an.
swered Anderton, who has been at
your heels for weeks"
'Sor' answered the haIf-breed in
native speech, with a hopeless GEES
ture. 1T had been better to have
died the sIow-death. but I shall die
before they hang me, for I am hurt"
They washed and dressed the
wound. made the half breed as com
Portable as they could; then as he
reposed by the fire, Anderton found
the mans pipe. filled it, held a burn
ing stick whilst he lit 1t, and when
it was drawing nicely. spoke:
Now, Chigmok, you owe me some
thing for all this. you know. Just
tell US the meaning of the game YOU
We're playing
Then I tell you" His dark eyes
turned to Stane. You not know
me?"
NO" answered Stane. "I never
saw you in my life before"
But hat seen you. Oui! I steal
your canoe when you sleepF'
You know who was in the tent?'
asked Stane sharply.
1T fin dat out zee YER next morn
ing, when 1 meet a man who ask
for zee white girl. All, hat seen
dat man b'fore. 1 see heem shoot
zee paddle from zee girls hand
who was this mann" asked Stane
gr1mly, as the half-breed paused.
II not know; but he is zee YER
same man dat was to hat paid zee
price Of guns an blankets for zee