The Coolidge examiner., 1936-04-17

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one will who evades an issue.
Il like to see country. l like to
put in this time of the year, at the
headwaterS of a river I've never
been on and follow her through
to the mouth. Rivers are wonder
full experiences, Mr. Burkhead. You
never know, on the new ones,
what's around the next bend or at
| the foot of the next rapid!'
Il understand all that. But isn't
there something else?' the other
persisted. Something else that
keeps you forever on the move?"
YOung's smile faded.
"Once, when 1 was a kid, 1 was in
one place too long. It's while he's
a kid that a mans habits are
formed"
He broke short and the smile
swept back into his face.
mo use trying to explain. l
just want to be gone yonder; that's
all r'
Some day you'll light and do a
lot for yourself. What rivers it
going to be this year?"
"Oh, any one of several. 1 know
lots of 'em." He looked at a large
map of the Great Lakes section
which hung on the wall. "There's
the Zhingwauk, and the Mad Wom-
an and the Blueberry."
They're all fine streams" Burk-
head rose and walked to the map,
putting on his glasses. 1--WE had
an operation on the Blueberry
years ago. We could have one on
the Mad Woman now, If we wanted
it. A chap up there in trouble
bit off more than he can chew, /
guess. West. Tod West. Know
the property?"
For an instant Kerry did not re-
ply.
NO" he said. "I've never been
on the Mad Woman" He rose, a
bit stiffly. TOD West? You're
sure?"
''Sure. Had considerable CORES
pondence with him; sent a cruiser
in there last winter. Ever run
across him?"
He looked around sharply when,
instead of answering, his caller
laughed, a hard and brief and
mirthless laugh.
"Once," he said after that. "Yes
-. Once. ="
You never know what's around
the next bend or at the foot of the
rapid below you when travelling a
strange river, he had said.
For week he had been on the
Mad Woman, now. One night he
! had camped by a fire tower and
talked for long with the lonely
lookout. Yes, Tod West was big
man in this country.
Another time he stopped for an
/ hour with an isolated trapper.
Vests Landing was thirty miles
below. Pretty soon, now, he'd be
going through Vests upper hold
ings. A great fellow, Tod, but he'd
been hard hit lately, folks said.
And so on.
Occasionally as he padded easily
with the current he would wink at
Tip, seated by the packs, and
throaty laughter would rumble up
from his chest.
"Chance!" he said at one OF
these times. 1.-The part chance
plays in mans life!"
And at night, in his camp be-
meath the stars, he would lie awake
hour after hour, wondering, re-
membering, teasing himself with
the thought that finally, perhaps,
he was going to know.
Since rounding the bend tar
above the murmur of racing waters
had been in his ears and, approach
ing the head of the rapid, he went
cautiously.
At the right was landing, with
signs of many portages on shingle
and trees.
Young was about to step into the
shadows and lead his canoe to
shore when a flash from below
caught his eye.
He lifted the glasses, leveled
them and went slowly rigid.
Two people on the bank at the
foot of that rapid were in failing
combat!
He could see a red shirt, it's
wearer evidently having just leaped
into a boat beached there. Trying
escape, he was, but another gave
pursuit. A larger figure this, and
as he leaped into the boat he stun
bled.
Again Kerry had that bright
CLINT of reflected light and saw that
it was from an OutbOard motor.
clamped to the stern. And now
the larger figure was up and the
| red-shirted one seized an oar,
raised it high and swung it smart
| ly at the other
On that gesture word broke
from Youngs lips. One word: