Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-01-06
CHAPTER xI-Continued


IL
A half mile below, three men and
a girl waited for the return of
McCord. After dark he worked
his way cautiously down to them.
The story of his narrow escape dis
quieted them.
The following day the valley
steadily widened. The Hills to the
west Of the Koksoak entirely fat
tened out and in the afternoon they
reached their goal-the mouth of
the River of Skulls. The western
slope of its valley rose in a success
sion of spruce clad terraces to
merge with the white moss tundra
beyond. 1t was unmistakable. Eyes
moist with emotion, McCord gazed
up the valley of the branch. Here
was the picture that Aleck Drum
mond had indelibly etched in his
memory. The thousand-mile trav-
erse of forests, lakes and roaring
rivers was behind him. He had kept
his tryst with the spirit of Aleck.
He had reached the River of Skulls.
There she isl" he cried, his
voice husky with feeling. "Just as
Aleck described il a thousand times.
The western shore terraced for
miles. and cast your eyes on that
rustsd limestone over there!" He
pointed upstream with his paddle.
Plenty of iron there, boys!"
Well, here goes for the River of
Skulls!" shouted Alan, carried away
by McCord's excitement as he
swung the bow of the Peterboro
from the main stream. Heather,
you'll soon be picking gold nuggets
right out of the sand!"
Heather smiled bravely back at
the sherman but her eyes were
haunted by fear. Although the men
had refused to talk, she had guessed
what had happened back at the
gorge, what had driven them down
river through the night. Again the
Naskapi had struck at the white
men entering their country. All
through the summer and fall would
hang the menace of sudden death
to the gold hunters. And later,
somewhere on the long trail back
over the river ice and snow, Nc
Queen and his halfbreeds would be
waiting. She smiled calamity at
the bronzed sherman whose gray
eyes SO reassuringly met hers, but
in her heart there was a lurking
fear.
The actions of Noel in the bow
drew the attention Of those behind
him.
what d'you see, Noel!" asked
Alan, as the bowman squinted at
the long gravel point piled with
boulders forming the tongue of the
fork.
'.Somet'ing cen de edee ovair
dere," replied the Indian. I'VE have
a look
The canoe approached the drift
ing object caught in an eddy, in
shore, which had held Noels sharp
eyes.
"a broken paddle, White mans,
tool" cried Alan.
"Ah-hah! Mcqueen lose dat pad
de-" commented Noel, lifting the
broken blade from the water. by
gar, she ees split by a bullet!" he
went on excitedly. Look"
He passed the shattered paddle
back to McCord.
True as you're borni" grunted
the giant, showing the paddle to Al
an They've been shot at by the
Naskapi, above herel That was
made by the ball from a muzzle
loader"
maple paddle, that's Nc
Queens" agreed Alan. '.He had
two he brought with him to Fort
George. saw them coming I'D
the river. That's his paddle! And
1t was dropped in the river below
the last lake, or it would have
grounded there. I'll bet the Mas
kapi ambushed Mcqueen at the
long rapids of the gorge, JOHN
The giant laughed loudly. THAT
would save US heap of trouble if
they had. didn't figure he was
90 close on our heels"
Neither did II Did you, Noel?
They're only average river men and
we"
"You two are the best white-wa-
ter men I've ever seen and I've
seen plenty" interrupted McCord.
Il don't see how they came so
fast" Then the big man shook the
broken blade savageIy at the valley
through which the Peterboro had
come. Come and take it, Nc
Queeni" he roared. IF you're still
alive, come and get our dust after
we've shaved for it! But when you
do, have your guns in your hands!"
"Golly. dad! that was pretty dra-
matte, wasn't it?" said Heather
with forced smile that belied the
uneasiness in her eyes.
"uh-huhi" grunted the giant,
studying Drummond's sketch map.
Mf. Mcqueen has asked for
drama. He's going to get i'll That
right, boys?"
Alan and Noel nodded.
Late the following afternoon, as
~ 1cur men were polling around .
~ Mar1nvo ensdr3as.1vv bAld HE v>s,1~