Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1941-12-11


OF the six, and Blaise, half-breed guide,
arrive at Nottaway posing as surveyors.
4 4
There was the scuffing of mecca
sins in the trade-room below. "Ser-
geant!" called McNab, in voice
thin with excitement, "Who do you
thinks heading in here in that ca
noe?"
IF it's Blanche, McNab,
watch your step. Have David and
his boy stand by, outside. We can't
see much through these cracks"
Its Jules Isadore!"
"Isadore?" The three in the loft
Strengthened where they lay. Fin
lays fingers bit into Reds arm. Isa-
dore, walking right into their hands!
But the time was not ripe. There
was Lise! There was that plane
from the Bay and the evidence they
lacked.
To have Isadore disappear, now,
would put them all on their guard,
at Waswanipi. Lise must be safe,
first. No, the time was not ripe to
arrest Jules Isadore.
"Get him to talk his head Off"
Garry called. Garry on as we
planned!"
"Aye! Aye! I'm off to meet the
blackguard!"
"Now what the hell?" drawled
Red. whats he after, here? He
must think we ran his guard on
the Quiet Water. He's come here
to pump McNab."
Hes worried" said Finlay. "He
thinks we've slipped him and are
making for the steel or Rupert"
"And he knows if we reach there
it will cook his goose!"
After an interval Finlay recog-
nized Isadore's voice as he entered
the trade-room with McNab.
"Well, McNab," began Isadore
with the purr of a cat in his voice,
"1'm here to let by-gones be by
cones and hope you are. We've
fought for the fur in the past but
I've got proposition, now, that's to
our mutual advantage" There was
/. dramatic pause, then: "McNab,
you and l can make big money to-
gether."
Garry's elbow pressed Reds arm.
"Oh, l know how to take lick
ing!" laughed McNab. Before you
60 into it, sit down and have a
taste of the best whiskey the Hud-
sons Bay ever imported"
Thanks, I will" There was the
pop of pulled cork, the tinkle of
glass and an interval of silence,
then: "By the way, did a party pos
ing as government surveyors stop
here in June?"
"No, but they stopped yesterday"
Through crack between the
planks Finlay saw Isadore's hand
stiffen with the glass it held half
way to his lips. Then the hand re-
turned the glass to the table at
which the two sat. event through
yesterday" Isadore's voice was as
brittle as ice.
eyes, bound for Rupert"
"They lied, McNab. They came
here for supplies. They're bound
DoSh W WooWdllpl. WlldI hlllu VI
cock-and-bull yarn did they tell
you?"
McNab laughed. "Why, they had
a wild tale about a medicine-man
filling the Montagnais' heads with
mumbo-jumbo and their stomachs
with your whiskey, Isadore."
'My whiskey? That's criminal
offense! Do they think Pm a fool?
The Indians believe Finlay's transit
is an evil eye that has sickened
some of the children. There are
parties of Montagnais hunting for
him, now"
"They're wasting their time. He's
gone north"
II don't think sol" There was an
interval of silence then the trade
room ratified with Isadores metallic
laugh. "McNab, let's be frank! Just
what did they tell you about Jules
Isadore?"
1t was McNab's turn to laugh. 1T
wasn't complimentary. They seem
to think you know something about
the drowning of those six men,"
Inc muscles IN Flnlay'S body
frightened as he listened.
81 do" Isadore replied, in voice
as cool as wind off frozen tundra.
"My people found two bodies and
the Indians picked up pieces of ca
noes the year before that. But here's
my proposition, McNab. 1t means
comfort for you and your family for
life. Man, I'll make you rich if you
show the brains think you've got. "
"You mean-you've struck gold
on the Waswanipi?"
81 have. And I'm here to cut you
in on it,"
Finlay could hear Reds breath
slowly leave his mouth. So Isa-
dore had been protecting gold
strike on the river! That was the
answer to it all.
"Gold! You've found gold in those
sand-bars?"
"They're as rich as the beaches
were at Nome, McNab. And I'm
Offering you an interest Are you
listening?"
"Am l listening? Man, you've
knocked me fiat as wind-fall! A
= glass of scotch with you, Isadore