The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-12-19

Va AAS SA1Ct 0ub su SnSuiy HHo was
playing some infinitely clever game,
Karakhan might shoot him in his
tracks.
Karakhan ripped the envelope and
held the letter to the window where
the gray dawn-light was altering
through. In bewilderment he
scanned the first few lines. then
whipped over to the last page and
glanced at the signature to see who
his correspondent was.
"Sonya voIkoy!"
Den v0u know herg She no lie to
me?"
The question went past the Rus.
sian unheard-he had turned back 10
the nrst page and was reading the
letter with m intensness that shut
out everything except the words be-
fore him.
Ever Jet LeNoir could NOT ten
whether his chief would burst out at
him in a fury or would nh his pocket
with money. as the girl had said he
would. He watched anxiously.
But then. little by little. he saw
how his chief was taking It. Karak.
hans anger and establishment
passed swiftly and changed to dis
belief. as though he simply could not
credit his good fortune: and then
came leaping exnltation which his
habitual cold mask could not quite
hide.
Where is she. EeNoirg" The
pages quiyered in his unsteady
hands. why the devil didn't you
bring her along with you. MANI"
LeNoir drew a breath OF immense
relief and his jumpy nerves
smoothed themselves out. The girl
had spoken the truth!
''She down der at dat camp Wit
de uders." he explained. Thinking
this good chance to impress
Karakilan with his caution. he
added: "Eiow know wedder she
talkit straight or not? | don't know
she aw-right, ontil you say. Me. D
dom tell nobody were you hide. and
| don breeng no strangers here"
But you should've. | suppose
you did do right. since you didn't
know the-uh. circumstances. Sit
down. I'll get some coffee for u.s."
"a S LeNoir eased onto the wan
, bench his glance strayed out
the window to the landwash where
half dozen lean honey -colored
huskies were nosing along the water |
edge Tor dead ash. A pistol shot
east Of the hangar fourteen birch
bark canoes lay side by side on the
sand like basking seals: and in tht
timber Just behind them smoke was !
rising from three big campfires. The 1
party was the Black Grizzly and HE |
men. on their way south.
They had come q hundred miles
without stopping even for food. and
another hundred lay ahead OF Them
The sight OF them comforteC
LeNoir . lot. after his two dismal
failures to wipe oat Ilalston's party 4
lie certainly could uss thirty more
men on the Job One swoop and
smash. and the business would be
dune.
The Russian came out Of the
boarded-olf kitchen with a pot Of
coffee. he poured two tins and laced
them with brandy. LeMoir drained
his cup at a gulp. Slowly slipping bis.
Karakhan listened while LeNoIr
told him OF the happenings down
river.
About thD two suspicious strang
ers who we're drawing closer and
closer to his hiding. the Russian
asked no questions just then. He
was Unable to focus his thoughts on
that pair--ths sentences OF Sonys
volkov's letter we're galloping too
madly through his mind. and his
emotions were too much IN q turmoil
over her. She was near him. within
Z hundred miles! In ave or SIX days
mora she would be there with him!
IseNoir suggested carefully. ..She
tell me DAT you be veree sblige' Cor
me breeng ron dis letter and you pay
ne somet1ns. mebbe." He thought
Il good policy TO mention the money
matter while his CHIEF was siill IN
the nrst lush Of elatiDn, and more
likely to BE- generous. wen | 60
on dat Weeiow islam ! take bees
chance on walk Into trap: and den J.
make his long treep fas'er'n HE'LL
Karakhan took out q billfold. sc.
lected . yellow note and passed II
ever. f.eNoir blinked bis eyes as he
saw the denominatlon-two 0's trail.
Ing . 5. HIS chief had always paid
him very handsomely. but half .
thousand dollars. for one trip--the
girls letter must have hit Karakhan
Aardi
aThere1l be others like that. bis
chief assured. when you bring
her here to me. Several others.
You'd better get acme sleep now.
slam.Kials's oatnt GOT IN Just q little
while ago aud they won't be ready
to start on TIN nearly noon"
fcopvieAs. 1853 wliiam .. MorsryI
rhh .