The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-09-30

The Albany factor went to his desk
and, returning with letter, read to
| Guthrie:
THE Montreal office has got the
idea that this free-trader, Mcdonald,
may be the man wanted In Nova
Scotia for a murder committed about
three years ago. A returned soldier
struck and killed man supposed to
be his wife'S lover. He was traced
to Newfoundland. According to Nc
Mann at Charlton island the descrip-
ton of the soldier tallies with the APP
pearance of this Laughing Mcdonald.
l have written Montreal that the
schooner is wintering on this coast. 1
expect the provincial police will show
up here soon to investigate"
Now, what d'you think of that?"
demanded Cameron of the man whose
thoughts were conferred on the home
coming of soldier with disfigured
face a face repulsive, unbearable to
the woman whose weakness had
caused the murder.
There must be ten thousand men
in Canada with SCARED faces, Came
ron. Because Laughing Mcdonald
happens to have one doesn't make him
the murderer"
Cameron sensed that the reply had
a personal tinge-was in the nature
of a defense of the manned legions,
and said quietly: INC, of course not,
but this Mcdonald sailed out of st.
Johns. Queer if he should be the
bird they're after"
How many police will they send on
this case?"
"Oh, not more than two"
''1'm sorry for them, then. They'd
never come back. Do you think that
two men can go to that schooner in
Seal cove and get Mcdonald, if he's
the guilty man? He wouldn't be
taken alive-and I've a notion that
life isn't worth much to Mcdonald
Hal Hal"
'Why, you seem to sort of sympa-
thize with this pirate who's stealing
our trade" objected the other.
The gray eyes of the factor of Elk
wan held those Of Cameron in a pene-
trating look, as he said-"I do"
The brOoding face Of the man with
the SCARED cheek sought the window.
The tragedy of the man at Seal cove,
if he proved to be the Nova Scotian
soldier wanted by the police, was, he
realized, simply the story of Garth
Guthrie in an exaggerated form. The
wife he had come home to, like Ethel,
had turned from the mutilated face
lacked the wOmanhoOd to shield him
with her heart from the mockery of
an unfeeling world. How many of
the Canadian manned, he wondered,
the broken, the crippled, had walked
in Gethsemane with Garth Guthrie
and Laughing Mcdonald? How many
had seen yelled horror in the eyes of
those they loved?
'Well, 1 sympathize with any man
whose wife goes wrong" the voice of
Cameron went on, after a pause, but
that don't justify murder, Guthrie"
I'm not so sure" was the quiet
response, when a man comes home
with comic mask for a face, that
he isn't justified in killing both his
yourself in his place, Cameron. Even
| the children on the streets must have
Knocked him as he passed. Think of
the hell he lived through-then she,
his refuge and his anchor-fails him."
Again Cameron felt that the man
championing the unknown Mcdonald
was making the case his own. That
Guthrie was sensitive of his SCARED
cheek he already was aware and it
| irritated the older man into hurting
outright: Guthrie, don't take offense
at what I'm going to say, but it seems
TO me that you must be vain as girl
to have that scar always on your
mind. Why, man, you're handsome
enough to carry a dozen scars. Nc
body ever thinks of it, except to envy
| your war record"
Guthrie's mouth curled slightly in
answer: Man, I've forgotten all
about that scar, but can't forget the
men who were not so lucky"
But as Cameron's hand left the
shoulder of the factor of Elkwan, he
was sure that the furrow across the
cheek of the younger man had played
its part in a personal tragedy.
AS Guthrie left the trade house to
seek his room at Cameron's hospitable
| quarters and make himself present
able for the supper on which Mrs.
| Cameron would spare no effort, he
turned for short stroll across the
clearing. He was approaching the
mission when the fur-hooded figure
of woman passed him at a short
distance on parallel path. The face
| in the hood was turned from him but
the swinging stride of the moccasined
feet aroused his curiosity. The white
women residents of the post could be
counted on the fingers of hand. 1t
was Stranger-a new missionary
| teacher at the orphan Indian school,
doubtless. AT the mission the paths
met, and Guthrie turned with "good
evening"" as the woman in the fur
capote came abreast, to gasp, with
furiously pounding heart, as he looked
into the laughing eyes of Joan Quar-
rier.
you! Here?" he exclaimed. gazing
| at the uptilted hood as if at a ghost.
Welcome to Albany, Mr.. Exile"
she cried, extending a mittened hand.
"Tve just left Mrs. Cameron, and
knew of your arrival with that fabu-
lous amount of fur. Congratulations
on your defeat of Laughing McDon-