The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-05
Chapter 50
CURT DECIDES


DAUL wondered II Curt would
throw up this Karakhan case
altogether. What = stew sonya had
made Of It! Except for her. they
would already have closed in on the
man. Not only had they wasted
precious days. but their best hope
had gone glimmering. the hope Of
shadowing LeNoir, for without .
doubt he suspected them now and
would never let them follow him to
his chief.
Occasionally he glanced down
toward the Iskitimwah mouth, but
saw nothing Of his partner. 4 little
before noon he could stand Il no
longer. Dropping down lake, he
landed and walked back into the
pines.
Curt was sitting against . boulder,
tracing meaningless patterns on the
wolf-foot with . stick. He was
plunged into deep thought, motion
less. . dead pipe In his teeth. His
face was gray and haggard. his eyes
had hard light IN them: and when
he looked up and smiled. It Was Z
bitterly cynical smile.
But in spite Of those ravages and
Of the many times when Paul had
seen the steely self-control that lay
deep-down in Curt, he was surprised
that his partner could have taken
so terrible blow and then. within
the space Of few hours. could have
shaken it of and got himself n
hand. He no longer seemed confused
and bewildered. as last night at the
sentry rocks.
Curt pointed with the stick. "see
that pair Of black lilies there. nod
ding their heads together? Tht
smaller one is Sonya volkov. and thu
other Is her Cossack. I'm going t
pull Karakhan's head of In . min
ute. I'll do it a. IN agent Of the Law
and not out Of any Jealousy over her
Lord. no!-I couldn't bs Jealous o
anything that he owns. I'll take TIL
blossom over and give It to her, and
then. after we nail him. I'll tell hel
what meant BY It"
Nail him'3 You're still goinl
ahead with this hunt?"
why not? We started II, wen Z,
through with It. And from now Of
there'll be no more pussyfooting O
generosity to strangers. I want {,
get through with this mess and &c
back down north to our Tire,
Rivers country. i've been thinking
OF the Nahanni Mountains. Pros
pecting IN the Nahannis viii be- /
good way for q fellow to forget"
He got up. put on his jacket. an
plucked the taller Of the two blacl
lilies. Over the other one DO hes,
tated moment A shudder wen
through him % no took hold Of Il
But then with I savage gesture b
jerked II up By the roots and funl
e away, and brushed his hands.
How're You going TO ind himf
Paul queried. sLeNoir II suspicion
Of ~. He won't ever let % shadoy
him now"
I'VE won't try to shadow LeNoi,
We've got an easier way Of llndinI
Karakhan. Sonya volkov has beel
hard luck for 10 90 far. but we're &
Ing to turn her into good luck. WEI
use her. IT. only fair: she used %.
"'Use her."
well. shes going to him. ism
she? What's to prevent you and u
from following hsri She'll b
dozen times easier to shadow thu
that bush-slinker. Wen uso her Z
our bait She's = pretty bait Whe
she goes to join him. we'll 50 along
and when she gets there, ven b
there tool"
n FTER . day and night oe har
: , travelling. LeNoir stood n &,
rakhan's cabin once again. ~Dis !,
Jour-" he said, and with no other .,
PLANTATION he handed over sonya
letter.
"Mins7" Karakhan echoed. strue
Ill il ! heap. ITS Tor me, you say1
His face turned ashy. "Who know
I'm here! Who IN hell pumped tha
ont Of you7"
LeNoir trsmbled. Read hsem,"
urged. you understand. den.s
His eyes won't 70 tho table bshir
Karakhan whore ny biz chief
heavy automatic. He backed up
step. and his fingers closed over I
iron-tipped ski star leaning again
tho wall Il this sri Mae NJ kiel