The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-04-01

the train up here"
"Yeh, and I came from Prince
George" cut In another member of
the crowd. 81 thought we'd 60 in
from Alaska-around Wrangell."
Look here" asked Olson, "you
didn't try to throw us off the trail,
getting off here, at Prince Rupert"
Hammond spread his hands in a
gesture of disgust, and for a mo-
ment silenced them.
How in the world could / try to
throw you off, when l didn't even
know you were on my trail? None
OF you came near me on the boat. !"
"Yah," laughed Olson, ''how
could we? You were in your cabin
most of the time. Getting over
that head you must have had when
YOU got aboard down at Seattle.
Some time you had down there.
yah?"
H mmond Strengthened. He
raised a work-thickened hand and.
removing his hat, allowed the cool
ing rain to fall for a moment on
his dark, tousled hair. He regarded
the crowd which hemmed him in
with a look almost OF pity in his
dark eyes.
Listen, fellows" he began, "you
don't know what you're getting into
by trying to beat that country"
"But the map shows that it's just
back OF Wrangell," Olson insisted.
ITO hell with the mapl" Ham,
mond broke forth angrily. Ger
tainly it's back of Wrangell. Maybe
seventy-five miles, . hundred, I
don't know"
"Just below the Stikine river.
against the Alaskan border" sup
plemented the red-faced man from
Winnipeg. 1.-THE newspaper said
So"
II suppose that makes 1t fact, :"
Hammond answered sarcastically.
"Then why don't you 60 on to
Wrangeu by boat and up the Stikine
river?" 49,,
"You can't go up the Stikine this
time OF year. an outsider argued.
might as well try to walk on ici-
cles.n
"Will you let me explain the set
up?" Hammond insisted. If you
60 in by way of the Stikine, you've
got to make nearly 200 miles and
double back. You can't turn of $3.50
that river runs through canyons al
most to Telegraph creek-'way past
the discovery. It's next to impossi-
BILE to cover the Stikine route on
the ice
Boats make that river In the
summer time" someone insisted.
Certainly; paddle Wheelers. But
this isn't summer. The spring
breakup in that country isn't due
for months. Think that over"
Then Jack Hammond stood silent,
listening to the jangle OF words
about him. Men were arguing about
whether or not the newspaper was
correct, as if any inaccuracy were
a personal affront. All In an instant,
the thought of gold had torn reason
to shreds. Then Olson caught him
by the arm and shot the question:
yah! If you can't go in by way
OF Wrangell, how do you 60 in7"
BY Fourcross, If you want to be
a fool and try it"
whats so tough about that?"
"The weather." Jack insisted,
"You don't get any warm winds
from the Japanese current, once
you're over the Coastal range. It's
IS and 40 below, all the way to the
Stikine.'
Il know that" said Olson lacon-
ically.
But why fight the bush for 2OG
miles with dog team when in q
few months, there'll be airplanes, OF
easy travel along the river and
mountain trails"
"Yah , = said Olson, land find al
the claims gone"
"Or you've gobbled up the whole
country through a set of dummies, :
the red-faced man added.
"You can figure that out for your
self" Hammond answered abrupt
ly, and shouldering through ths
crowd, again moved up the street
leaving the throng muttering behinc
him. But again, block farther on
his progress was halted. This time
it was a woman.
well, Prospector," she asked
Cant you say hello?"
Hammond looked up into the fea
lures of a wrinkled person, valiant
ly battling her age with thick foun
dation cream, high rouge, mascar
aed eyes and a heavily lip-stickes
mouth. Yet it was sprightly face
blue eyes set in crows feet of hu
NOR and experience; lips which lif1
had hardened without leaving then
grim.
ITO BE CONTINUED