Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1936-04-02

1
ing line, the pontoon stems smashed
like eggshells on waterworn rock,
across the narrow channel from the
tail Of the ether plane
Before the current could float the
three scatter back into deep water,
Garth leaped ashore. Lilith had opened
the cowl of her cockpit and was start
ing to climb out. Garth glanced at the
threatening sky.
"She has settled down hard and fast,
Miss Ramill. Better stay snug aboard
until we return"
The girls reply was to scramble for
ward On the shoreward wing of the
plane. Garth waded out in the icy
water and had her hand down his rifle,
| the three pairs of snowshoes, and all
the blankets He tossed everything to
Dillon, then took the girl on his Shout
der.
The policeman had started upstream
with the outfit. He walked across the
now shallow ford without getting a
drop of water over the tops of his
heavily creased shoepacks Garth slung
Lilith on his shoulder like sack of
meal and splashed across after Dillon.
At the far bank Dillon stopped to
put on pair OF snowshoes Garth
lowered the girl upon a bare rock, and
ran down the left bank to swing aboard
the cabin plane. With him he took
the blankets. When he came ashore
he had on dry socks and moccasins.
He frowned at Lilith. She was flop
ping awkwardly along ON snowshoes
behind the policeman.
''Take off those webs and get into
the cabin" he ordered.
II will not" she refused. "Tm go
ing with you. came to see that beast
arrested"
Don't be fool. Well be there and
back before you've more than got
started. There's no time to wait for
| you. Blizzard may swoop down any
minute"
He had slipped on the third pair of
snowshoes. He took his rifle from Dill
lon and started off as guide. The con-
stable followed at the same rapid gait.
He was an experienced snowshoe run
ner. Lilith tried to initiate their deft
swinging stride with the webs. She
tripped and plunged face-down into q
drift.
Instead of turning back at the girls
cry Of appeal Garth quickened his
stride to run. A severe blizzard
would thicken the skim ice and close
the water lane out from the stream
mouth. That would mean wait I'M
til the stream ran dry with the freeze
up Of the glacier. Not until then would
the lake ice become thick enough for
the cabin planes pontoons to be
chopped free and pried up on the sur
face.
Above the site of his old camp Garth
halted and signed for his companion
to listen. Down through the snowy
stiffness came clear ring of metal
on metal.
They're drilling below the frost-line
to blast a shaft" he said. "Richer
gravel on bedrock, at the foot of the
placer trough"
Dillon forged into the lead. you'll
trail me now, SIR"
Without any protest, Garth fell in
! behind. The Law was now in COM
mand. A few strides brought them to
the dyke of igneous rock that walled
the lower end of the placer trough.
From behind stunted spruce, they
1 peered across the treeless width of
rock to where large fire was flaming
at the edge of the matted timberline
scrub.
Over the fire hung three big iron ket-
ties Beside 1t stood a small cradle
for rocking gravel. But there was no
one working. the rocker, nor was there
anyone in sight. Even the ring of
sledge on drill in the newly dug pit,
just beyond the fire, had ceased.
"Not so good" Garth murmured.
"Tm not so sure it's surprise"
you'll stay here, SIR"
mo"
Constable Dillon spoke with cool
logic: "If it's surprise, need NO as
sistance. If he is warned and prepared
to resist, better for you to support me
from cover"
"Well--perhaps."
"The only way, sir. You stood re-
sponsible for bringing the young
lady,"
That clinched the argument against
Garth. Having brought the willful
girl with him, he now had to look out
for her.
Every well, Dillon" he agreed
wait till take position"
He shifted to the left side of the
stunted spruce and crouched down
where he could peer between the lower
branches. AT the other side, the con-
stable stood up and stepped out into
the open. Hardly was he clear of
cover when harsh shout came from
the scrub beside the fire:
Halt! Throw up your hands,"
Garth caught the menace in Huxby's
voice, and leveled his rifle There was
nothing of the four-flusher about the
engineer. He was coldblooded killer.
Constable Dillon paused. But he did
NOT MT I'M his hands Tho Nortbpoc+