White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-08-27
CONTINUED from Last Week.

Du Bots stood in his door, pipe
between his teeth, his great figure
alert. his black hair sparkling from
his morning plunge in the waters of
the Qu'Appelle. The end of the world
seemed upon him as he watched them
come, for he knew that they were
going on, that the woman of the locket
would soon be again merely the wom-
an of the locket-and what about the
boy beneath the caves?
Holy Mary" he prayed silently as
Blake, Mora and Hargraye disem-
barked and came slowly up the shin
gle, "hor him steady. Don't let him
betray hisself" for he felt, sure as
death, that there was danger in this
real, with Lieutenant Cameron a
stones throw away.
"Maamselle," he started, stopped,
swallowed and went on again, MA
amselle-I would-would tell you
would have you know"
Mora raised her eyes and they were
hard and bright as jewels. All the
light of the miracle was gone from
them.
The trapper, quick to understand,
shrank back into himself.
He held out his hand to Rodney
Blake, and to Mora-but not to Har-
grave. who was already turning back
to the canoes. At that moment there
came step in the fringing forest and
Lieutenant Cameron stood there, come
by shortcut across the bend.
Du Bots hardly saw him. He was
watching Mora 60 down to the canoes,
her sweet face cold as stone for some
unknown reason. He doubled his hand
helplessly against his heart, and pom.
dered on the cause of such a change.
Drawn suddenly by some sixth
sense. he turned and looked at the
lieutenant. His black eyes widened,
every nerve in him tensed, for Lieu,
tenant Cameron was looking over his
head, straight at the cabins caves
Instantly Du Bots followed his gaze
and beheld thin young arm in a
faded sleeve, with fingers spread in
anguished appeal toward those two
departing heads, the old gray one and
the shining brown one. Blood was
calling to blood at the risk of life
ITSELF
Bon Dieu!" he breathed to himself
and shot a glance at the officers face
That face was adamant, expressive
only of duty
Du Bots in the doorway waited
tensely. Cameron, keen dealer in dan
ger and death, knew this man ant
read the signs in his face. For some
unknown reason the trapper would
shield that Other-tO the death II neet
be. At that instant he whipped out /;
gun and covered Du Bois
Steady" he directed, II want tn
man in the loft"
Upon the instant, too, Du Bots say
clearly the way which he had prom
ised to the lad. 1t was terrible way
but the only one. He flung up hi
head. Once more he became the bull
the smiling, staggering bully, who
with hands in his pockets, had dare,
all men contemptuously He locke
into the officers eyes, not at the lev
eled gun.
Eth, M'sieu," he drawled, have yo1
not make one small mistaken"
With one great leap that carrie,
him far out he was upon the officer
who fired point-blank. He took tn
ball in his shoulder, and laughed a
its prick. AS they went down togethe
Cameron fred once more, but the bu
let went past him into the caves, AM
the hand of Du Bots crept up Gamer
on's arm, clasped his fingers, an,
forced them to drop the weapon. ON
strong hand swept up the gun ant
thrust 1t into his belt. And then Their
began the greatest battle the wilder
ness had ever seen, for at the lieuten
ants call Hargrave entered too, ant
two of the three knew it was figh
to the death
Back and forth across the little yart
they clashed. Their faces were tens
and white. Ever it was Du Boi
against the twain, and in the silenc,
the sound of their breathing wa
clear. Mora, clutching her father
arm, stood open-mouthed with horror
For an interminable period the ter
rible thing went on. Then. like a shot
Du Bots struck Hargrave down in al
awkward arc against the log wall one