The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-12-29

karakDan mlSnt shoot nm III 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 Volkov!"
 "Den you know her? She no lie 10 me?"
 The question went past the Rus sian unheard-he had turned back to the first page and was reading the letter with an intentness that shut out everything except the words be- fore him.
 Even yet LeNoir could not tell whether his chief would burst out 1t him in fury or would fill 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 astonishment passed swiftly and changed to dis belief, as though he simply could not credit his good fortune; and then came leaping exultation which his habitual cold mask could not quite hide.
 ''Where is she. LeNoir?" The pages quivered in his unsteady hands. Why the devil didn't you bring her along with you. man?"
 LeNoir drew 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 u'ders." he explained. Thinking this good chance to impress karakhan with his caution. he added: How 1 know wedder she talkit straight or not? don't know she aw-rlght. ontil you say. Me. don tell nobody were you hide. and 1 don breeng no strangers here"
 But you should-No. 1 suppose you did do right, since you didn't know the-uh. circumstances Sit down. I'll get some coffee for us.'
 X s LeNoir eased onto the wall bench his glance strayed out the window to the landwash where half a dozen lean ey.colored huskies were nosing along the water edge for dead fish. A pistol shot east of the hangar fourteen birch. bark canoes lay side by side on the sand like basking seals; and in the timber just behind them smoke was rising from three big campfres. The party was the Black Grizzly and his men. on their way south.
 They had come a hundred miles without stopping even for food, and another hundred lay ahead of them
 The sight of them comfofted LeNoir lot, after lis two dismal failures to wipe out Ralston's party He certainly could use thirty more men on the job One swoop and smash. and the business would be done.
 The Russian came out of the boarded-off kitchen with a pot of coffee. He poured two tins and laced them with brandy. LeNoir drained his cup at gulp. Slowly slipping his. Karakhan listened while LeNoir told him of the happenings down river.
 About the two suspicious strang- CTS who were drawing closer and closer to his hiding. the Russian asked no questions just then. He was unable to focus his thoughts on that pair-the sentences of Sonya Volkov's letter were galloping too madly through his mind. and his emotions were too much in a turmoil over her. She was near him. within a hundred milesi In five or six days more she would be there with him.
 LeNoir suggested carefully. She tell me datsyou be veree 'blige' for me breeng you dis letter and you pay me somet'ing. mebbe." He thought itsgood policy to mention the money matter while his chief was still in the first flush of elation and more likely to be generous. Wen 1 go on dat weelow islam take beeg chance on walk into trap: and den ! make his long treep fas'er'n he'll"
 Karakhan took out billfold. sc lected yellow note and passed it over. LeNoir blinked his eyes as he saw the denomination two 0's trail ing B His chief had always paid him very handsomely. but half thousand dollars. for one trip-the girls letter must have hit Karakhan hard,
 "Therell be others like that" his chief assured. when you bring her here to me. Several others. You'd better get some sleep now Siam-Klales outfit got in just little while ago and they won't be ready to start on till nearly noon."
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