Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-20
CHAPTER Nv.
STILL A MOUNTED.

town wide open. That
wouldn't be any trick
a-tall compared to flying over the
Thelon Barrens and swooping down at
wolf packs with machine gun. Wed
start at one end of Jasper avenue and
roll the old street up into tight curl
like q pine shaving!' And when Curt
shook his head: "All right, then. But
snakesl-I wish you'd come along"
He was sincere about wanting Curt;
but also, and more to the point, he
needed financial backing that evening,
and he would have that if Curt went
with him. AS he brushed his rebellious
hair he reflected that on rs cents he
could take his girl to a two-bit show
AND then have coffee and doughnuts
He thrust his watch into his pocket.
His hand touched something crisp, like
. bit of stiff paper. He pulled it out,
glanced at it, stared at it.
"Heyp He whirled on Curt. Look
OF that Am l drunk or dreaming"
''What're you going into tailspin
about?"
''Why-why,'' Smash gasped, "its a
twenty dollar bill! In my pants pocket"
you" Curt remarked, not betraying
himself by the flicker of an eyelid.
"You probably left it in there last Fall.
You haven't had that civilized suit on
since then"
by gosh, I must havel But that's
the first time in my born days that I
ever left 20 iron men in my pocket and
forgot all about 'em!" He did a jig
dance in front of the mirror. What I
mean, this comes along in the thin
nick of time to save me from embar
raSSment.'
"Cheerio. Stay out of jail"
AS Smash went whistling to the ele-
vator Curt turned again and looked
down. hands in pockets, at the light
CLEANS on the river below He was
torn with indecision, one part OF his
nature pulling against the other. He
could not clearly see or word the real
significance of the struggle, but he did
know that his conscience hurt him
about AK.
Over at Vancouver headquarters
Marlin had needed him, needed young
hands and a man he could trust; and
he had deserted. And now he was re-
fusing even to help on this Karakhan
business. What we're few months OF
sacrifice compared to a whole lifetime
o. it, such as Marlin had given?
AS he thought of AXIS career and
gazed down at the historical Saskat-
chewan, the Swift Flowing, his imagi-
nation drifted back across the decades
to a time before he was born; when
Assiniboine tepees clustered where Of
fee buildings now stood, and the
lights beneath him were swaying
torches of the blood dance, and over
the horizon came the rolling thunder
of buffalo herds chased by the hard
galloping Sioux. Blackfoot warred with
Piegan, and the whisky trader cor
rupted both.
Then across the prairies came riding
small band of men, wearing red tunics
and yellow-striped trousers. Shagalasha
stern soldiers-they were called; and
they earned the name. BY heroic meas
ures they set the land to rights and
kept 1t so, while immigrant caravans
poured in and the railroad came.
If western Canada was the most law
abiding and peaceful region on the
globe, 1t was largely thanks to their
imperishable work in laying the very
foundations of that society.
Many of that original band bought
out of the force and went into mining,
ranching, numbering. The raw land Of
fered them a glorious opportunity to
build personal fortunes, and they looked
to their own interests But AK, and
others like him, stuck with the Mounted
AK had given 40 long years to the
force, and now he did not even own a
home for himself.
Somewhere in the city a chime
sounded, breaking into Curtis reyerie.
He glanced at his watch, saw it was
time for him to leave with Rosalie, and
stepped down the corridor to the Marlin
suite
Marlin looked up from the table
where he was working. "Rosalie's down
In the lobby meeting some friends
Curt" he said kindly. She'll be back
In a minute" He laid his pen aside
Curt, Rosalie told me the details
about that Consolidated offer. If I'd
known them beforehand I wouldn't
have mentioned this Karakhan matter
at all. OF course, you'll take that offer.
1t pays quite decently, and you'll enjoy
the work, but this other is just charity"
Curt WINGED. AXIS very kindness
and generosity hurt him all the worse
He suddenly realized that If he refused
Marlin and went back North he would
come near TO losing his own self respect.
He had always thought of AK with
affection and admiration. as a stern