The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-08-20

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Of snowshoes behind him. It was a
voice-a mans voice-that turnei him
round suddenly.
The man was a stranger, and he
was younger than McTaggact by ten
years. At least he looked no more
than thirty-five or six, even with the
short growth Of blonde beard he wore.
He was of that sort fiat the average
man would like at glance; boyish,
and yet man; with clear eyes that
looked out frankly from under the
rim Of his fur cap, form 1.-THE as an
Indians, ard face altogether that
did not bear the hard lines of the
wilderness. Yet McTaggart knew be-
fore he had spoken that this man was
Of the wilderness, that he was heart
and soul part Of 1t. His cap was
Of fisher-skin. He wore a windproof
coat Of softly tanned caribou skin,
belted at the waist with long sash,
and Indian fringed. The inside of the
coat was furred. He was travelling on
the long, slender bush-country snow
shoe; his pack, strapped over the
shoulders, was small and compact;
he was carrying his rifle in a cloth
jacket. And from cap to snowshoes
he was travel-worn. McTaggart, at a
guess, would have said that he had
Travelled thousand miles in the last
few weeks. 1t was not this thought
fh0f tho ctr oh
thrill up his back but the sudden fear
that in some strange way whisper
of the truth might have found its way
down into the south--the truth of
what had happened on the Gray Loon
and that this travel-worn stranger
wore under his caribou-skin coat the
badge Of the Royal Northwest Mount
ed Police. For that instant 1t was
almost terror that possessed him,
and he stood mute.
The stranger had uttered only an
amazed exclamation before. Now he
said, with his eyes on Baree:
"God save US, but you've got the
poor devil in a right proper mess
haven't you?"
There was something in the voice
that treasured McTaggart. 1t was not
a suspicious voice, and he saw that
the stranger was more interested in
the captured animal than In himself.
He drew deep breath.
IA trap robber," he said.
The stranger was staring still more
closely at Baree. He thrust his gun
stock downward in the snow and
drew nearer to him.
"God save US again--a dog" he ex-
claimed.
From behind. McTaggart was watch
ing the man with the eyes of a ferret.
Eyes, dog" he answered. "a wild
dog. half wolf at least. He's robbed
me Of thousand dollars worth Of fur
this winter"
The stranger squatted himself be-
fore Baree, with his mittened hands
resting on his knees, and his white
teeth cleaning in half smile.
''You poor ,devil!" he said sympa-
thetically. $50 you're a trap robber,
Ell? An outlaw? Apd-the Police
have got you! And-God save us once
nfore-they haven't played you very
square game!"
He rose and faced McTaggart.
II had to set lot of traps like
that" the Factor apologized, his face
reddening slightly under the steady
gaze of the strangers blue eyes. Sud-
denly his animus rose. "And he's 60
ing to die there, inch by inch. I'm
going to let him starve, and rot in the
traps, to pay for all he's DONE" He
picked up his gun, and added, with his
eyes on the stranger and his finger
ready at the trigger, "I'm Bush Nc
Taggart, the Factor at Lac Balm. Are
you bound that way, m'sieu?"
"A few miles, I'm bound up-country
beyond the Barrens."
McTaggart felt again the strange
thrill.
Government" he asked.
The stranger nodded.
'sThe - Police, perhaps" persisted
McTaggart.
"Why, yes-of course-the Police"
said the stranger, looking straight into
the Factors eyes. "And now, m'sieu,
as very great courtesy to the Law
I'm going to ask you to send bullet
through that beasts head before we
go on. Or shall II"
tits the law of the line" said Nc
Taggart, ito let trap robber rot in
the traps. And that beast was devil.
Listen"
Swiftly, and yet leaving out none
of the fine detail. he told of the weeks
and months of strife between himself
and Baree; Of the maddening futility
of all his tricks and schemes and the
still more maddening cleverness of the
beast he had at last succeeded in
trapping.
"He was 'devil-that clever" he
cried fiercely when he had finished
"And now-would you shoot him, or
let him lie there and die by inches, as
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