The Coolidge examiner., 1934-04-13

Vas IN tNe tAa h44S AtAA Wy lNA
ment. perhaps and a fear such =
Steve had never known possesseJ
him.
lie sent quickly 10 the far end Of
the room and took down a rirs
from lts resting place on set o.
antlers. II was loaded lie slipped
more ammunition into h's pockc
and ran out. CLOSING the door beh.ng
him
he strained hls eyes up The luks
On where the FIRST stars struggled Z.
show through the edge ~ the smok
haEe. Franz and Kate must b.
somewhere not 50 far or. headlu
for the upper river and the hi
country 10 which Il gave access.
As he launched the canoe hi
only thought was swift pursuit. y.
Idea that old Tim might have beer
mistaken 10 what be had told cn
tered his mind. lie felt that the,
were out there on the lake. almost
within sight. perhaps stlil within
the distance that ordinary sounds
% travel might carry
ln the beginning the evening air
was clear and he could see fairly
well but no craft. no movement.
no suspicious shadow rewarded his
vigilance. lie stopped padding now
and again to listen. with an out.
nt and Kate In his canoe The fugl-
tive would b. unable 10 make much
speed The thing 10 be done then.
Steve reasoned. was 10 get ahead
Of him up into the river beyond the
smoke where be could lie In wait.
lie approached the northern end
of the lake. lie was tempted 20
cut across TO summon help. 10 call
the entire crew OF the FIRE which
was a menace only 10 property and
turn them on; TO head OF the
scourEe which threatened such a
precious thing as Kate Flynn.
And yet that would take time and
Kate was Franx's prisoner and he
knew he was capable OF eTectlng
rescue alone once he could locate
that other canoe. Ills eageruess.
his anxiety. therefore. upset his
usually good judgment
lie could not sit stiii. N he had
miscalculated. II old Tim had been
wrong about the time OF Frnnr's
departure. they might be eilll be.
yond him. The wood camp was not
FAR away: be would 90 that far.
anyway.
A solitary window CLEANED vel.
low as be rounded the bend below
the dump and he called. you.
Francolsi on the jump"
II was the French Canadian with
crippled foot who had gwen Steve
his directions the evening that be
arrived ai Good Bye lis crutches
were discarded now. anu be hob
bled with only the aid Of q cane.
Francois you been here all day r
~Oui, Dat foot. she hurt lax
h--l 80
"secn anybody going up the riv.
err
Sure ouL Wan man. Franz. she
90 op rlvair long taam--"
Alone. Francols9 Was he alone =
Tie grasped the mans arm and
shook II.
"oul! She cot canoe all load YER
heavy
Heavy packs, ehl Lots o. grub1'
"Oul. oui = The man nodded
Los siufr. Yong Jeem.
How iong % was Il. francois
-oh. mabby seek hour. mabby
four hour. After"
Good Lord. are you sure1 Why.
that can't be.
Out Mabby she can't be. but
she So he sun. she stan .? In sky
all rcd lank coal
Steve brushed past the man and
stepped into bis shaniy.
With the stub of a pencil be
scrawled hasty note:
''FranE killed Tim. took the money
and forced Kate to 20 with him. Is
headed up the river with long
start and I'm going my best. Send
plenty of help on my trail and In a
hurry. Not for me. understand. but
Kate may need IL"
There. he muttered. Now. Fran
coIs. you've got 10 get this note TO
McNally somehow. Franz killed
Tim Todd and stole money from
Old Jim. Understand IL you take
long time getting this to McNally
you're likely to sizzle In HI for II -
And leaving the bewildered chop
per duly impressed, he ran down
10 the river and began padding up
the current. believing that a man
planning getaway would take the
first portage into the Mad Woman
CHAPTER X