The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-11-10
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1925

Kirby turned his expressionless
face upon first one then the other
of his companions. "Nervous?" he
inquired of Royal.
The latter silently admitted that
he was.
Go ahead. You and Lefty cross
afoot-'
And your
"Oh. I'm going to stick"
Father the girl began, but old
Sam shook his head.
mo. This is my case bet, and
I'm going to watch it."
Royals weazened face puckered
until it resembled more than ever a
withered apple. Then I'll stick.
too" he declared. Il never laid
down on you yet, Sam"
How about you, Letty?"
The girl smiled why, wouldn't
trust you boys out Of my sight for a
minute. Something would surely
happen"
Kirby stopped and kissed his
daughters cheek. You've always
been our mascot, and you've always
brought us luck. Id 60 to hell in
a paper suit If you were along.
You're q game kid, too, and l want
YOU to be like that, always. Be a
thoroughbred. Don't weaken, no
matter how bad things break for
YOU. This cargo OF rum is worth
the best claim III Dawson, and it II
rut us OH our feet again. All !
want is one more chance. Double
and quit-that's us"
This was an extraordinarily long
speech for "One-armed' Kirby; it
showed that he was deeply in
earnest.
Double and quit?" breathed the
girl. DO you mean it. dad?"
He nodded: Pm going to leave
YOU heeled. don't aim to take my
eyes off this barge again till she's in
Dawson"
Rouletta's face was transformed
there was great gladncss in her
oyes-a gladness half obscured by
tears. Double and quit. Oh-Pve
dreamed of-quitting-so often
You've made me very happy. dad"
Royal. who knew this girls
dreams as we'll as he knew his own.
felt a lump in his throat. He was
a goddess little man, but Rouletta
Kirby's joys were holy things to him.
her tears distressed him deeply,
therefore he walked away to avoid
the sight of them. Her slightest
wish had been his law ever since
she had mastered words enough to
voice a request, and now he, too,
was happy to learn that Sam Kirby
was az last ready to mold MS future
in accordance with her desires. Lefty
had never liked their mode of life;
she had accepted it under protest.
and with the passing years her I'M
spoken disapproval had assumed the
proportions OF great reproach. She
had never put that disapproval into
words-she was far too loyal for
that-1ut Danny had known. He
knew her ambitions and her posi-
bilities. and he had sufficient vision
to realize something of the injustics
she suffered at her fathers hands.
Sam loved his daughter as few par
ents love child, but he was a
strange man and he showed his af-
lection in characteristic ways. 1t
pleased Royal greatly to learn that
the old fiaan had awakened to the
wrong he did, and that this adven-
ture would serve to close the story,
as all good stories close, with a
happy ending.
In spite of these cheering thoughts,
Danny was unable wholly to shake
off his oppressive forebodings, and
as he paused on the river-bank to
stare with gloomy fascination at the
jaws of the gorge they returned to
plague him. The sound that issued
out of. that place was terrifying, the
knowledge that it frightened him en-
ragged the little man.
1t was an unpropitious moment
for any one to address Royal there
fore. when he heard himself spoken
to, he whirled with a scowl upon
his face. A tail French Canadian,
just back from the portage, was
saying:
"M'sieu'. amt good hand at mix
in 'noder feller's biznescs, -but-dat
pilot you got she's no good"
Royal looked the stranger over
from head to foot. ''How d'you
know?" he inquired. sharply.
"Biccause-I'm pilot myself"
"Oh. l see! You're one of the
good ones" Danny's air was surly,
his tone forbidding.
Eyes"
"Hate yourself, don't you? I
s'pose you want his job. Is that it :?
No wonder-6ve hundred seeds for
fifteen minutes work. Soft graft.
call IT," The speaker laughed I'M
pleasantly. well, what does good
pilot charger"
"Me?" The Canadian shrugged
indifferently. II charge you one
t'ousan' dollar"
Royals jaw dropped. 1.-THE devil
You say!" he exclaimed.
II don't want de job-your scow's
no good-but l toss a coin wit you.
One t'ousan' dollar br-free trip"
Nothing doing" snapped the ex-
horseman.
"Bisn! Now I give you i'll ad-
vice. Hol hard to de right in lower
end dis canon. Dere's beeg rock
dere. Don't touch i'm or you goin'
spin lax top an n,ebbe you 30 over
Wife 'Orse sideways. OATS goin'
smash you sure"
Royal broke out, peevishly: can
other hot tip. Ell? Everybodys got
some fecd-box information-espe-
cially the ones you don't hire. Well,
| l amt scared"
"Oh yes, you are!" said the other
man. Everybody is scare of dis
|place."
ANYHOW, I amt scared a thou
sand dollars worth. Take q lot to