The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-11-22
@Hs3 NE A seRv,cE.lNe.
DHAFIER '
Stranded

toward landing place in the lee Of
sand-bar. on the upper side Of which
was a pile of dry driftwood suitable
for firing.
He Lit fire, prepared a wilderness
meal Of bacon and beans (the latter al
ready hllf-cooktG) and biscuit and cof-
fee. and as they consumed it, he
watched the river, a long stretch Of
which was visible.
/ The long day drew to its close and
the camp they sought had not APP
/ peared; nor had any search-party ma
/ terialized. AS they pitched camp for
the night. the doubt which all day
had been in Stances mind became a
certainty.
Il am afraid we have made a mis-
take, Miss Yardely. You must have
come down the other river"
II am sorry to give you all this
trouble" said the girl contritely.
''Please-pleaser' he answered in
quick protest. Believe me it is a
pleasure to serve you. and with me a
few days do not matter. 1 shall have
enough of my own company before
long"
You live alone?" asked Helen.
81 have an old Indian for compan-
ion"
And what do you do, if you will
permit me to be SO curious?"
oh" he laughed. 81 hunt, pur-
sue the elusive nugget, and I expert
ment with vegetables And this win
ter I am going to start a trapping
line"
But you are rich!' she cried
you have no need to live in exile"
Eyes" he answered with sudden bit
terness. II am rich. I suppose Ain
ley told you that. But exile is the
only thing for me. You see a sojourn
in Dartmoor spoils one for county so
ciety"
oh" she cried protestingly, 81 can
not believe that you-that you"
Thank you" he said as the girl
broke off in confusion. Il can not be
ieve it myself But twelve good men
and true believed it; an expert in
handwriting was most convincing.
and If YOU had heard the judge"
But you did not do it. Mr. Stane,
I am sure of that"
No" he answered. "I did not do
the thing for which I suffered. But
to prove my innocence is another
matter"
You have not given up the Ell.
deavOr, I hope"
No. I have a man at work in
England, and I myself make small
endeavors. Only the other dav
thought that I" Apparently he re
membered something. for he broke
off sharply. But why discuss the
affair? It is only one of the worlds
small injustices which shows that the
law. usually right, may go wrong
occasionally"
II suppose that the other night
when you were waiting for Mr.. Ain
ley. II was on this particular matter
that you wished to see him?"
Stane made no reply. but sat look
ing in the fire. and the girl watch
ing him. drew her own conclusions
from his silence, a conclusion that
was far from favorable to Gerald
Ainley. She wondered what were the
questions Stane had wished to ask
her uncle's secretary; and which, as
she was convinced. he had been at
such pains 10 avoid. Was 1t possible
that her rescuer believed that his
one-time friend had it In his power
to prove his innocence Of the crime
for which he had suffered? An the
indications seemed to point that way;
and as she looked at the grave,
thoughtful face, and the graying hair
Of the man who had saved her from
death. she resolved that On the NOR
camp, she would herself question Ger
aid Ainley upon the matter.
But, as events befell. the oppor-
tunity that the morrow was to bring
was not given. For that night. whilst
she slept in the little tent, and Stane,
wrapped In a blanket. slumbered on
a bed of spruce boughs. perhaps half
a dozen yards away, a man crept eau
tiously between the trees in the rear
of the encampment, and stood look
ing at it with covetous eyes. He was
a half-breed OF evil countenance. and
he carried an old trade gun. which
he held ready for action whilst he
surveyed the silent camp. His dark
eyes fell on Stane sleeping In the
open, and then locked toward the tent
with a question in them. Evidently
he was wondering how many travellers
there were: and found the thought a
deterrent one; for though once he
lifted his gun and pointed it to the
sIaeptnp man he IOwered Il a. gain his
eyes turning to the tent anew.
After a period of indecision, the
intruder left the shadow Of the trees,
and crept quietly down to the camp.
lis gun still at the ready. and with
his eyes fixed on the unconscious
Stane. Moving very autiously he
reached the place where the canoe
was beached. and looked down into
II. A CLEAN of satisfaction came into
his dark eyes as he saw a small
sack of beans reposing In the stern,
then again a covetous look came
into them as their gaze shifted to
the stores about the camp. But these
were very near the sleeping man,
and as the latter stirred in his sleep,
the half-breed relinquished any
thought of acquiring them. Stealthily
he conveyed the canoe down to
the waters edge, launched it. and
then with a grin on his evil face
as he ave a last look at the mAn in
the blanket he padded away.
a full three-Cuar. ers of an hour
later Stane awoke, and kicking aside
+ba bIoplrefS ranlepfSbed fine Are