The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-12-09

been t'inkin' bout dat. too Wat
you say 60 pardmers wit him, eh
! got dog.team an fine claim on hill
top. S'pose | geeve him half.interes'
"WW your eagerly queried the
girl.
Already spoke it to him. He
say mebbe SO. but frs he's got lii
biznesse here"
"Of course! His case. But that
will be cleared up. Mark what l
say. Yes'-Rouletta nodded happily
take him with you. 'Poleon-o.,t
where things are clean and healthy
and where he can get new start.
On, you make me very happy!:
The woodsman laid big hand
gently over hers. In low voice he
murmurcd: OATS all I want, ana
sgnr-to max you happy. If dat
claim is wort million dollar it amt
too much to pay. but-1'm scare she's
'noder bum"
The s,ng was still sounding in
Rouletta heart when she sat down
at the faro-table, and all through the
evening it seemed to her that the
| rcvelry round about was but an echo
of her gladness. Pierce was free,
his name was clean. Probably ere
this the whole truth was known to
the Mounted Police and by to-mor-
row it would be made public.
Moreover. he and 'Poleon we're to
be partners. That generous woods
man, because of his affection for
her, proposed to take the young fel-
low. into his heart and make a man
of him. That was like hin-always
giving much and taking little. Well,
she was 'Poleon's sister. Who could
tell what might result from this new
union of interest? OF course, there
was no pay out there on that noun
tain-crest. but hard work, honest
poverty, an end Of these demoraliz-
ing surroundings were hound to af-
feet Pierce only for the better. Rou-
letta blessed the name of Hilda
Courteau. who had made this pos
sible, and of 'Poleon Doret, too
'Poleon of the great heart, who loved
her SO sincerely, so unselfshly. He
never failed her: he was a brother,
truly--the best. the cheeriest, the
most loyal in the world. Rouletta
was amazed to realize what a part
in her life the French Canadian had
PLAYED. His sincere affection was
about the biggest thing that had
come to her, 50 it seemed.
Occupied with such com forting
thoughts. Rouletta failed to note that
the evening had passed more quick
ly than usual and that it was after
midnight. When she did realize that
fact, she wondered what could have
detained Lucky Broad. Promptness
was a habit with him he and Bridges
usually reported at least half-hour
ahead of time.
She caught sight of the pair,
finally, through the wide archway,
aIll Saw that :hhl; were surrounded
by an excited crowd, q crowd that
grew swiftly as some whisper, some
intelligence. spread with electric rap
idity through the barroom. Yield
ing to a premonition that something
was amiss. Rouletta asked the lobk-
out to relieve her. and, rising. she
hurried into the other hall. Even
before she had come within sound of
Lucky's voice the cause of the gen
eral excitement was made known to
her. 1t came in the form of an ex-
clamation. a word or two snatched
out of the air. "Courteau!" "Deadw
Shot - back street 49, body just
found! T.
Fiercely Rouletta fought her way
through the press. an unvoiced ques-
ton trembling upon her lips. Broad
turned at her first touch,
Tough, amt it," said he. me
and the Kid stumbled right over
him-kicked him out of the snow.
We thought he'd been froze."
1--WE never dreamed he'd been shot
till we got him clean down to the
drugstore" Bridges supplemented.
Shot in the back. too"
Questions were flying back and
forth now. Profting by the confu-
sion. Rouletta dragged Broad aside
and queried, breathlessiy:
WAS he dead-quite dead-?"
"Oh. surew y = !
"Who-shot him." The question
came with difficulty. Lucky stared
at his interrogation queerly, then he
shrugged
"Qm;en sobe? Nobody seen !, or
heard the. shooting. He'd been
croaked long while when we found
him."
For a moment the two eyed each
other silently. do you think"
Rouletta turned her white face
toward the cashiers cage. p.
More "a likely. He was bittet-
he made lot of cracks around the.
Barracks: The first thing the Po-
lice said when we notified EN- was,
Where's Phillips?' We didn't know
the boy. was but until that very MIN
ute or-we'd a. done different.
We'd "a left the Count in the drift
and run Phillips down and framed
an alibi. Think f.as. his pals, turn
in up the evidence" Lucky
breathed an bath. !. .... i, 4,
ooh. why" moaned thu. Rirl.
He It was so useless. Every
thing VA. all right. Perhaps after
all. he didn't do it." !.
"Yon know him 81 well AZ / ID,
I'm hoping he had better sense, but
he's got a temper: He was always
talking about tn. disgrace"
HAS he gone? Can't you hello
him? He might make the Bound
airy"
Broad shook his head. mo use.
It's too late. for that. If he's still
here me n the Kid will do our best
to swear him out of it,"
Rouletta swayed, she CROPPED blind
ly at the bar rail for support. where
upon her companion cried ia 4 low
voice: ~ -
"EIerei Brace up, or you'll tip II
all OIL II be stands pat. how they