Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-05-01
CHAPTER xvII-continued.

HAS IeXle conn passed the gate
tday, Uncle Asbury?-you know 'er,
don't y'u?"
cor Sine Collins da'ter-the purity
leetle gal wi the brown hair an laugh
in eyes-well, reckon do know er.
No, she hain't passed the gate t'day,
nary way-why?"
"Oh-she rid up this way"
did she?-no she didn't pass" He
hobbled a step closer. "Ol Slime ha6
t. let loose at last, didn't 'e2 Dern
shame, though, e had t. be bumped
off. Reckon they amt found the Teller
yit that done it?"
The woodsman made no reply. 1t is
even doubtful if he heard. His mind
was flying fast from point to point Of
every possibility that lay between
Black rock and the tollgate. He washed
the froth off Graylock's nose; frightened
the saddle girth; paid his toll and
mounted.
Thanks FIR the drink, Uncle AS
bury"
81 don't make no business o. water
In hosses," the old man called after
him as he rode away, "but boss like
that-he's welcome t. drink the well
dry"
The concealed house-boat = the
woodsman pondered the significance of
1t; the possibilities Of it; the horrible
threat OF it as he galloped down the
road.
He glanced at the sun-within half
an hour of the tree-tops. He had blum
dered-Hopkins had just undercut
him-but maybe the light would hold
to redeem the blunder. His jaw tight
ened and he gave Graylock the rein,
closely scanning every inch of the road
and every foot of river-that came
into view as he passed.
Two miles above Black rock, just
where a by-road, a mere wagon track,
led off across the wooded bottoms, he
found what he was looking fora mass
of horse tracks, with print or two of
q boot heel that he knew.
His lips twisted into hard grin
frightened till they squeezed every mite
of mirth out Of it. He had lost the
trail like hound at fault, had actually
run by it-and here it lay, right where
he had crossed it hours before.
He had been bending low in the sad
die. He Strengthened and rode eau
tiously down the by-road through the
dank and dismal bottoms. Where the
narrow by-road approached Mud haul
he again found what he was looking for
Brownie hitched to tree, restless
and prancing from side to side.
Hiding Graylock in a thicket, he un-
buttoned his blouse, loosened his re
volver in its holster and crept down
the mucky bank toward the hiding
place of the houseboat; crawled close
to its lurking place-it was gone
He came out Of the bushes and found
where the gangplank had freshly
SCARED the mud; searched the shore
for footprints; found them-the marks
of shapely small shoe, and the print
of a stylish boot heel
A speck of color caught his eye near
the scar of the gangplank-a spot Of
gold on the dank mud. He stepped for
ward and bent over it. The next mo-
ment he had snatched up something
and stood gazing at it-a yellow or
child, fiattened and faded, in all likeli-
hood the very one he had found for her
the Friday before-lady slipper day.
Over the mans fine face spread light
that TRANSPORTED it.
But there was task calling-tense !:
insistent; mayhap horrible. Taking
out his pocketbook, he put the flower
carefully away; frowned hard down
the river shore.
Knowing that the narrow by-road led
through the wooded flats almost to Al
pine island, angled sharply and crossed
to the bluffs something more than
mile above Black rock, he went back
to Graylock, left Brownie prancing and
paving the weeds, and rode cautiously
on down the river.
Just short Of the point where the
narrow road angled toward the bluffs,
he again hid Graylock, went on afoot
some distance farther and stole through
the trees to the river bank.
Creeping down to the edge of the
water, with caution so great that a
crane wading rod or two below failed
to take the alarm, Jack crawled out
among the limbs of a cottonwood that
had uprooted and Topped over the
stream and peered down the sides of
the island, lying less than two hundred
yards below.
short distance down the south side.
almost completely hidden among the
willows and riding at the end of rome
hitched to a tree on the bank, Law a
small houseboat with a skiff tied at its
side-unmistakably the same tiny craft
that had found concealment at the
head of Mud haul
The woodsman was just stealing
back through the limbs of the cotton
wood, with the bold intention of GREEN
ing farther down the bank and SWIM
ming out to the island, when man
came out of the snug little cabin, care
fully closed the door, fumbled while
as If locking it and stood on the diminu-
tive forward deck looking guardedly
about.
There was no mistaking the somber
frock coat, neck stock and high bat
It was Caleb Hopkins. A moment he
stood listening at the door; glanced
around again in every direction, and
IL Il