Nogales international., 1936-08-15

Speed waited another instant TO
watch the door. The foremost of
the marshars men rushed into view
a thought sooner than he had count
ed on. Too soon for Lefty, anyway;
the door was still shut.
Speed raised the gun for a shot
that would draw them away from
it. The revolver spat fame with a
stunning roar. -.
For a priceless second, he stood
dazed and half blinded, stumbling
to keep his balance and conscious
of no more than the fact that he
was alive. A numbness centered in
his arm and hand. AS the haze
cleared he realized that the gun had
blown to pieces. Probably frost in
the barrel he should have
warmed it on the lantern before he
left Steiner's tent.
And in that tick of doom, the
pack was on him. The last thing
he knew was the writhing twist he
gave his body SO as to land on his
shoulder, and a flare of fire in his
head. Then the snow went black.
He was still on his shoulder when
he became conscious again, but his
hands were trussed behind him with
a rope; his ankles were bound; he
was gagged and lying on dry
ground.
Gradually murmur of low voices
in the tent became articulate. He
recognized Fallon's and lay notion
less.
&c. so we didn't find the kid
through the winter till Chik Hotter
located camp on the Teslin ways
above where we camped on the
Lewes. An outfit was cuttin' tim
Der there for a raft, and Pete had a
job cookin' for them. Hotter picked
up the mares trai! headin' west,
alone. Picked it up and lost it."
How" another voice inquired.
"The blizzard, l reckon. But l
figured the kid was making for the
coast. We had to come down for
some gear anyway, and we'll head
Pete off here at the same time"
Speeds ear caught sharply at
some hidden implication in the mans
voice.
The other voice murmured an in
terruption. Seems to me like your
prisoners ears is awake"
Pm speakin' to him." growled
Fallon. "He likely knows plenty.
1t always looked to me like he had
somethin' figured about Pete, and
about Owens too"
well, if he won't explain hisself
it'll be tough. He shot and killed a
man in this camp, and was charged
legal. He busted Jail, stole a gun,
and would have done plenty more il
the gun had been good. He amt a
Canadian. We tell the 'mounties
we don't figure they'd choose a man
Of this character to run their mail
We suspect he stole it; he was seen
gamblin' in joint with the mail in
his pocket"
Through this talk, Speeds mind
had been shutting swiftly, trying tc
weave the full pattern of what it
implied. The picture that began to
emerge made him writhe at his
bonds and at the gag in his mouth.
"The Golden Pass" at Skagway
under the protection of Soapy
Smith, was a lathering vortex of
carnival. 1t had "a slick and spa
cious floor lit by hanging lamps
which depended from the cross
beams of the lumber roof. A piano,
banjo and accordian were in the
swing of what sounded like mu-
sical steeplechase. But they made
a spirited noise, and served to in
dicate that the romping riot on the
dance floor was sociably intended.
In attire, the crowd was various1y
informal, mixing corduroy, rough
flannel and heavy miners boots
with the "store clothes" of new
corners.
The bar had its own supporters,
who somehow remained audible.
In their rumble of talk there were
echoes of rumor that dangerous
gunman had broken jail and tried
to shoot up the camp.
In the tumult no one, therefore,
Immediately noticed that group of
armed men had entered, pushing
before them hatless captive whose
hands were tied behind his back.
! STLo 1nodar of fha 0ooea rovu0oapded