The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-11-21
FORBIDDEN VALLEY

BY WlGaAm Bynon lloweu4

40M D4UoH PlOWUu
) esssseseessssssssesssss.
/ Within an nuui Curt and Smash
were flying north In their ship
heading for Tellacet.
At the Edmonton hotel Marlin
was surprised to have Smash Des
PLANES breeze In on him one after
noon three days later.
"Hello, Smashl Where's Curt?"
"Over in northern B. G. At little
jerk.water called Tellacet. He sent
you this letter."
Marlin slit the envelope hastily,
Good news this soon? Impossible!-
even for Tennyson.
The message was in the mineral
code OF the Silent Squad. He sal
down at the table and began deci
Dhering it. The laconic sentences
staggered him as he worked them
ut.
Dear Ak:
Baldwin and | picked up Kara
khan's trail at Vancouver. A flyer
to this place. Karakhan then sent
Gunnar out by train and went on
aorth by himself In the plane. ]
suppose he was too cautious to let
anybody know his exact destina-
lion.
| have reason to believe that he's
hiding somewhere In the Lilluar
Mountains A hundred miles north
II here Is a post called Russian
Lake. the Jumping-off place for the
l.illuars. | intend to go there and
.ry to trace him farther. Since q
plane In that country would arouse
suspicion. Smash win stand by here
u Teliacet with the plane. to be on
hand II needed: and the rest Of the
work will be done by canoe.
BY the way, don't mention Kara.
khan to Smash. He knows I'm
hunting man. bur 1t isn't wise to
trust him with any particulars.
After he hands you this. he is
Paul St Claire and fetch him mere.
need help on this. and Paul is the
only person on earth whom | can
trust absolutely. II this turns out
to be wilderness hunt, Paul will
oe worth ten ordinary men.
So far at least II was a woman.
Curt
a THOUSAND yards of the north
\ shore OF Russian Lake. Curt
and Paul stopped padding :. few
minutes and gazed ahead at the
trading post. looking the place over
before they landed.
The post lay at the mouth OF the
Lilluar River: a big mountain
stream which had its origin 300
miles north. near the Yukon head.
waters. AS far offshore az they were,
its tumultuous current tugged
strongly against the sides OF their
canoe. Small and unimrortant, the
trading station consisted of a gaunt
frame mission. a wh'tewashed
Mounted Police cabin and a red.
rooted Hudson's Fay store-repre.
senting mans three ancie institu.
lions of religion. law. commerce.
Five trapper and prospector tents
were strung out down the land.
wash: several shacks stood back at
the woods edge. and tho leather
tepees Of q dozen indian families
reached up along the river bank be-
yond the mission.
Curt turned his eyes from the
trading post to the blue-hazy dis
lance up the Lilluar valley. lord.
what a country. PAUL." he unused.
The wild spirit of t awed him.
Range after mighty range marched
north out OF sight. all of them top
ped with glaciers and uge snow
fields. their slopes cut by moraines
and avalanche paths and mile-deep
canyons. II was a primordial coun-
try. as lonely and appalling as any
thing he had seen In the sub-Arctic.
The sun had already slanted down
behind the northwest ranges. In the
evening hush the lake was as still
as a mirror. but far-away west a
mass of black thunderheads prom
ised q rainstorm before man. hours.
A small group of people. ga.hered
In front of the Bay store. were look.
Ing at the canoe and poin ..Lg: and
several men had strolled out upon
the little pier to meet It The post
was so wilderness.buried that two
strangers in a boat caused big stir.
Paul gave the canoe a stroke to
keep II headed straight. IL wonder
whether Mam'selle Luck or Dame
Malheur is waiting for US yonder.
partner?" He spoke In French. as he
always did with Curt.
"That's what I'm wonderine. Paul.
We're walking into a big blank
question here. We haven't ghost
OF an idea where Karakhan Is hid
ing. He may be close to this place
or two weeks foot-slogging back in
that God-forsaken Strong. Woods.
See those people there? Well. any
OF them may be a spy OF his. He's
almost got to have q cnn.ac. man,
Wen have to watch every step we
take"
Paul nodded. scrutinizing the
post with his sharp eyes. A slender
young metis Of twenty.three. be
belonged to the old and fine clan OF
Athabascan St Claires. descendants
OF the proud Timber Cree" and the
old French expiorer-hghter. lover
and far.wanderer. Born to the
Strong Woods. he was as bush.wise
IS q pine marten or q timber wolf.
Between him and Curt a deep silent
partnership had grown 10 during
their year OF footloose wandering.
fcopyY1oAf. 1883 Wallan D. nosee~vj