The evening world. Newspaper, February 20, 1914, Page 19

! Werk tt rm ‘post-office wat 3 ‘ oth ; cow! ema, TS 288, by HL HESKETH PRICHARD) @tvorsw oF PRECEDING man with his arm in a rough sling Opened the door of the post-office, ae cent stamp,” he said curtly to the postmaster. The stamp handed ont, and on tho stranger turned to go he, held it DVetwoon nis ips, plunging ‘his lett hand into hin pocket. 1 out a long envelope, al stant Joe and Polloks leaped upon “‘cos he wanted to lo- cate the spot where he reckoned he'd slip off T told yeu he knew the Say, Steve, ain't there any aminute. “He jumped there, and that means ho had a ef time to think out what he'd do, his plan hadn't workod out to rule—to my way of think- “I'll tell you all that later.” “You're a fair terror, Joe. You ouglit te have that chap in @ net. Whero “Don't know. But it wasn't long he killed Buckman, ‘cos his imecassins hadn't had time to dry. And that proves, too, that he wasn't hid on the cars since the last stop. Now what we've got to think about in * chtehing him. 1 suppose 1 can get a fast engine at Seven Springs and wo hack down the line “Bure,” said Steve. Twenty minutes later we arrived at even ings, and in leas than tweaty minutes more November Joe van I, with a representative of the Vrevincial Police, were steaming *hack along the line. And we travelled at a apeed which I beliove was the mreatest ever attempted over those metals, At length our engine thun- dered over the Shimpanny Lake and new up. We descended and begun to search both sides of the line. call from Joe brought us running to “sfere's where he jumped,” he said. See! He lost his footing and rolled down re atand- bank,’ wt where we w ing the railway line passed al the of a high embankment, the south of which was grown with ry ing of wild raspberry bushes. Meside the permanent way there were the deep prints of two moccasined feet; from them to the bottom of the bank @ path had been ploughed through the broken canes to the foot of some spruces, pitched down here like a aack,” said Joe. “The train must have been going pretty fast—faster than he counted for. here ag'in’ he spruces he got to his fect. . on, there's his trail.” J followed it without difficulty: yards, and then we about a foot above the -@round; the head of it, with the lit- tle branches and Jeaves, Jay about. Joe and the police trooper, whose Polloks, examined the Iit- jagged cuts very ven lifting the rk which were “What he uy) der?” said Polloks. a fire. "No," said Joe shortly, and hurried |way upon the trail. For another hundred yards the tratks were plain among the rasp- berry canes, then they climbed ti embankment, and finally disappearea altogethe Polloks swore. “lle's done us here! he cried. “He walked along the metals; no one can tell which o here, T “He hasn't made , turn it into a gold one! the nearest pott-office on he Tin ‘At Silent Water.’ . “You go Polloks. It's Silent Water for us as fast as we can get there.” Polloks. wasted no time, and once More we were flying along the Iine. “The express passed Shimpanny Trestio at three-twenty this morn- .ing!* shouted the trooper through the din of our travelling, “and it's en now. Our man's got near four fours’ start if he's ahead of us, but it’s eighteen miles to Silent Water, 40 Wwe may just nip moon the per w came tn night ' us before we reached Stlent Water. ig a vory small township, beyond to give un time * We hurried to the post-offc “Any fellow with his right a a sling been posting a letter hei joe of the postmaster Jou pulled Polloks aside. “Quick! telephone and have every within twenty miles around itched, Ifa man with his right in a sling comes along % arrent nha, He'd is ans, and A good siz0, expected he'd aint Polloks had not to the tol- ephone when Joo swing round # eatehing hin by the shoulder, for him down belind the counter out of ‘sight. ‘fhe next moment a tall young * tidy pack comes out on the La ‘What in——" yelled the man. But November Joe had scised the letter, “Hold your man, Polloks. Look, this letter is addressed to the Giant Ollfields Head Ofticon It in the Tiger Idly Report, and that ts the murderer of Fletcher Buckman.” . 8 8 « “It was sure easy,” said Joe as we travelled up the line again, “from the moment I eaw the mud stains on the carpet in Buckman's car. They Were still wet, and when the murder was done we'd been going without ® stop for three hours—time for any boots to dry in them heated cars. So it wasn't any one on the train—that wan clear, “Then whoever done it must ‘a’ been young and active, or he could never board o train travelling at fifteen mile an hour, and ho must have been fairly educated or he couldn't have used the typewriter, Again, he must have been well ac- quainted with the railway.” “How could you tell that?" “You remember that t window—I could tell by the tracks on the carpet. Now, why did he do that, unlews he wan looking for tho place where he meant to Jump off, and how could he rec- ognize that place unless he knew the line?” I thought I detected u flaw November Joe's reasoning. “Perhaps he was just waiting for ee to slow down,” I said. in ‘h’ known that ho had twenty minutes to wait; and it proves that he was a mighty cool hand, too!” I nodded, o for Knowles,” continued Joe, ‘why, you heard more'n one reason why he was plumb out of it. The cigar and the matches and the wild- cat nails he carried.” “tut how could you guess this fel- low had his arm ina sling?" “You mind that cut sapling near where he tumbled o” the cars? He hadn't took away two foot of it. What did he want a bit of spruce that length for? It wouldn't help hint walk, or I'd ‘a’ guessed a sprained ankle. 1 fancied it might be for a splint. rouldn't fall soft off Mid aae -you bet bic you said it “nt was his right + Kk at the way he hacked the spruce! The clumsy way na un would with his left hand. That moant he'd damaged his right “But how did you know he’ 1o post that teat iter, and post it a Silent Wat Why, it would have seemed more likely he'd make away crows country." “The post-office at Silent Water was a dead cer Vi explain that, but you must go back a bit. You see, that chap only meant to get a for- ward look-in at the report; his game and the game of the people he was working for wan to forestall the rest of the world in knowing what Buck- man's decision was. Ho did not want to kill Buckman, only matters turned that way, “Then he had to take away the re- port, for it wasn't a cent use to him until it was In the hands of the Giant Oil Company, and he hed to got it there without any notion of It ing been tampered with, His Idea war to go back along the line and post ft just where Buckman might have posted it himself. He trusted to the suicide dodge to hold up sua- pion, til he was through with his jan." P “But would the Giant Oj] Company act on the report after hearing of Buckman's horrible death?” I argued. “Why not?” said Joe, “All they'd think was he'd had it posted the night before, just as soon as he'd fin- ished writing it. they'd acted on it and this chap—I haven't got his name yet—would 'a’ cleaned up a 4d many hundred thousand do! “Where is Buckman’ port Joe smiled. “On its way to Glant Oll_by this, We matied it.” “T wonder if it was favorable?” “We couldn't open it, you know, but the chap had a slip o' paper on him on which he'd written a telegraph Message. Just one word—'Buy,’ So I guess you can buy me fifteen shares in Tiger Lily as soon as you like, Mr. Quaritch.” replied November, e got tho money, for L trapped a ailv fox last winter; this report'll maybe You light out and buy some shares, too, and th T seo one once to a fair, near Levis, and you could hear him roaring out on the ferry halfway acroan to Quebec, I'd sure like to copy ‘T. 0! and down one of they.” CHAPTER VIII. Linda Petersham. WEMBER JOE had bidden me farewell at the little siding known by the ple- turesque name of Silent e Water. “'Spect you'll be back again, My, ) Quaritch, as soon us You've fixed then new mining contracts, and then, may be, we'll ry a wolf hunt here's a Noir ico when it's moonlight. ‘The forest's wonderful still them frosty nights, a fella cun hear a owl miles and milys," f aowed Joe that t weall de iy best ty return, but ox a matter of fact, fate was against me ail thot winter, and it wer only now and again that T heard from Joe, who had gone over the Maine border on a tropping expedition. Often and thy os 1 wat at my roll topped desk and studied the outlook of eaves smoth- ered in snow and bare telegraph poles, my mind would switch off to picture November boiling his 1 hh kettle tn the lee of a boulder, and Lt would feet ‘The Evéning World Dail irresistibly drawn to close the desk aforesaid and go to join him, I was very sure of my welcome. But the shackles of businevs aro not so easily shaken off, und the spring had ulready come before an- other vacation in the woods had be- gun (a merge into possibility. About this time I paid one of my periodical visite to Boston, and it was while I wa there in the office of my agents and correspondents that Linda Peter- wham rang me up on the telephono and demanded my presence at Junch, “But Tam engaged,” said J. “Then you must put your Gagement off.’ “I don't ree how I can, Will to- morrow— = to-morrow will do for him— rhe is. 1 want you to-day.” it is it?” “1 will tell you when you come. I want you.” I made another effort to explain my position, but Linda bad sald her last word and rung off. 1 smiled as T called up the picture of a small Gre head rowned with golden hair, a pair of dark blue eyes and a mouth weartng a rather traperious expression. The end of it was that I went, for 1 have known Linda all her life, and the fact that breaking my previous appointment lost mo the option of purchase of a valuable mine caused me little trouble, for to be able to pay for one's pleasures is one of the few assets of the very rich, and, speaking personally, | hav my life seized every opportunity of es- the tyranny of the mill- ave inherited and accu- I have cared little for the pursuit of money--the reason perhaps why everything I have touched has turned to goid, ‘The Petersham family consists of Linda and her father, and though in business relations Mr. Petersham is a power to be reckoned with at hone he exists for the sole apparent pur- pose of carrying out his charming daughter's wishes. It is a delightful house to go to, for they are the hap- piest people I know, and the moment one sets foot inside their doors gne's spirits begin to rise. I said as much to Linda as we shook hands. “That speaks well for my self-com- mand, for I happen to be feeling pretty mean to-day, Come, we'll go in to lunch at once,” I found myself the only guest, which surprised me, for the Peter- sham mansion has a reputation for hospitality. “Really, Linda, this is very charm- ing of you wonder how much ‘Tom Getchley or that young Van Horne would give to be in my place at this moment,” 1 suid, as we sat down. Linda looked at mo with far-away en- eye yewhat? You mean lunching alone with me?" “Yes, it is an unexpected pleasure.” “Dear James! {t is not a pleasure t all, it fs 2 meceasity. IT want to talk to you, ‘fo you maid before. Go ahead, then; I'm ready.” “Not now; after lunch, We carried on a fragmentary con- versation while the servants waited on us, and all the time T was wond- ering what on carth Linda could have to say to It wax evidently some- thing of the deepest importance in her eyes, for she was obviously abs sorbed in thinking about it, and an- swered my remarks at ran When at last we were together her boudoir, she began at once “Jamon, IT want you to do this for me, I want you to persuade l’op not to do something.” ks 1 persuade him? You don’t need me for that; you, who can make him do or not do anything, just as you wish.” “t thought I I find I can't." How is that?” "Well, he is set on Koing back to in could, but Linda opened her blue eyes upon me “Haven't you heard?” what?” the world were you last ihe woods of Maine Reauce.” “That accounts for It. have heard of Kalmacks?” “T know it is the place Julius Fischer built up in the mountatna, ie. used to go shooting and fishing re “That ia it, But you It's a place you'd love; lots of good rooms, and standing ‘way back on a mountain slope with miles of view and a stream tumbling past the very door. Father bought it last year, and with it all the sporting rights Julius Fischer claimed. The woods are full of moose and there are wer and otter—and that's where the trouble came in.” “But Fischer had trouble from the day he went up to shoot at Kalmac He had to run for it, so I told, Did your father know that?) Why did Petersham have anything to do with the place?” “Oh, it was just one of Pop's no- tions, 1 suppose,” said Linda, with the rather weary tolerance of the modern daughter, “They are wu dangerous lot round there!"" “He knew that. They are squat- trappers who have squatted those woods and hills for gen- rations. Of course they think tne untry belongs to them. Pop knew that, and in his opinion the compen- tion Julius Fischer offered and gave them was inadequate.” “It would b&!" I commented. [ could without: effort imagine Julit Fischer's views on compensation, fo 1 had met him in business. “Well, father went into the matt and he found that the squatters 1 to be sald for their si 0 that he did what he ‘fair by them.” I know him, he did “That's nice of you, James, Any- way, he paid them good high prices for their rights, or what they con- sidered to be their rights, for in law, of course, they posse: none. Every one seemed pleased ai jatiafie we were looking forward to there this spring for the fishing, when news came that one of father’s game wardens had been shot at.’ “Sho! ? linda nodded the Greek head 1 ad- mired so much. “Yes. Laat autumn father put on a couple of wardens to look after thi game and they have been there winter, From their reports they have got on quite well with the squatters, and now suddenly, for no reason that they can guess, one of them, William Worke by name, has been fired upon Jn bis camp.” ied?” [ asked. “No, but badly wounded. He said he was sure the bullet could have been put into his heart just as easily, but it was sent through his knee, by way of a notice to quit, he thinks,” “Phone folks up there must be half savages.” “They are, but that’s not all, Three days ago a letter came, meant for father, but addressed to me. Who- ever wrote it must have seen father and knew that he wan not the kind of man who could be readily fright~ ened, so they thought they would get at him through me. It wae a horri! letter.” “Can I see it?’ Linda unlocked a drawer and hand- ed m piece of nolied paper. The words were written upon a sheet torn from an old account book. They ran ap follown: You, Petersham, you mean skunk! Don't you come tn our wods unles yor willing to pay five thousand dollars. Bring the goode and youl be told wher to put it, so it will come into the hands of riters. Dollara ain't nothin’ to you, but they can keep an ex- panding bullet out yor hide. “What do you think of that?" asked Linda. “R may be a hoax. “Now, James, what ts the good of saying such silly thing to me? Yather pretends to think the same. Kut, of course, T know these men mean business. And aqually, of course, you agree with me?” 1 henitated, “Do you think It “Well, no, I can't do. Which m that if fathe five thourand shot.” “Not necessarily, He need not go up to Kalmacks this fall.” “Hut of course he will got How more set on going than ever, You snow father when he's dealing with wien, And he persists in bis opinion Uti the letter ix propavly only is a hoax” honeatly say T », in plain language, does not pay up that dollare he will bo oon he guess who wrote it?" fo, he has no idea at ali.” I considered for a little before xpoke, "Linda, have you really sent for me to try to persuade your futher that it would be winer for him not to go to Kalmacks?” Linda’s Hp curled acornfully, “1 shontd not put it just ke that! con imagine father’s answer if you aid! ° it will be no good letting you way anything, you aan fihe amiled at me, and ft forgave her. “Weil, perhapa Ut do, but you know it is far better to be able to kive help than just to talk about | “1 am ready to help you in any pos- slbie way." Lrelied on that.” T help?" er in determined and T want you going.” Your father would james,” what is “He can't prevent it, dear tne sald softly, "Besides, inst my going 7" ner.” dai ! She thrust out her round resolute chin. “I don't for a moment suppose that even the Kalmacks people would attack «a wonan., And father In all 1 have in the world, 1 rs “Then 1 powe L shall have to Ki too, But tell me what purpore does your father think will serve by un- taking this very risky expedi- “He believes that the general frel- ing up at Kalmacks ts in his favor, end that the shooting of the warden « well as the writing of thie letter te the work of a small band of individ- uals who wish to bleckmall him. We will be quite a strong party, and he hopes to discover who is threatening him. By the way, didn’t [ hear from Sir Andrew McLerrick that you ha been in the woods all these last fully with a wonderful guide who could vond trails like Uneas, the last of the Delawares, or one of those old trap- pors one reads of in Fenimore Coop- er's novels?” ‘Nov oe," who reper visualize him at once, A wint jug old man, with # gray goatee and plereing eyos.” T vurst out Inugbing, “It's oxtraor- dinary you should hit him off so well ite muuit come too,” #he command. ed. “He is probably a hundred miles deep in the Matne woods. “Then uu must fetch him out, if Give me two cable forms; there is no time to. lone.”" Linda found me what | required, and bent over my shoulder while [ wrote, I cabled to Joe: Come to Quebec immediately, prepared for month's camping trip. Most important, QUARITCH. ‘That was my first cable. My sec. ond wan addressed to Mrs. Harding, a Berding's Farm, Beauce, the lit pe Mice where November porto feally called for hin letters. Am sending cable to November Joe. jal with it to necersary. meanenger f Maine if MES QUARITCH, Linda read them both, “Why Mrs. Harding?" she asked, “Because one capable woman worth ten ordinary mon.” Linda looked at me thoughtfully. “[ do occasionally realize why you've been #0 successful in business, In spite of appearance you Hy quite @ capable perso she added {mpulsively, “you and I am immensely grateful Boon after 1 took my leave. ‘The next day | received this reply from is sald she Expect me dawn, Friday. NOVEMBER. 1 rang up Linda and read ont od O14 Monsback CHAPTER IX. Kalmack Fridey [ got Joe-who, true to hin promise, had, I beard, arrived at dawn in Quebec-on the long-dis- tance telephone, and by that means arranged that he should meet us at Priamville, the nearest point on the railway to those moun- tains in the hoart of which the estate of Kalmacks was aituated. 1 myself arranged to accompany the Deter- shams, Into the story of our journey to Priamyillo | need not wo, but wilt pick up the sequence of events at the moment of our arrivel at that enterprising town, when Lindu, look- ing from the car window, suddenly exclaimed: — “Look at that magnificent young m “Which one’ I asked Innocentty, L caught sight of November's tall figure awaiting us. “How many men in sight anewer my description?” she retorted. “Of course | mean the woodaman, Why, he's coming this way. I mnust speak to him.” Before 1 could answer she had jumped lightly to the platform, and turning to Joe with w childhke ex- pression in her blue ey maid: “Oh, can you tell in ininutes this train “It don't generall: but they flaxged her because they're expecting passengers. Can f help you any, mine?” moment | appeared from the car, “Hullo, Joe!" aaid 1. “How are things’ “All right, Mr. Quaritch. Thero's two slick buckboards with a pair of hornes to each waiting, and « wag- onette fit for the King Th road between this and the mou in flooded by working backwater ‘bout ten mile out say we can drive through all right, Miss Petersham needn't fear fretting too wet.” “How do you know my name?" ex- med Linda. heard you described, min plied Joo, gravely. Linda looked at me, “Goad for the Old anid I, Hor lipe bent into a sudden amilo, “You must be Mr, November Joe, I have heard so much of you from Mr, Mossback!" Quaritch. You were in the Maine Woods when you got his cable, weren't “Yes. Mra. Harding sent it along ‘y an Indian, He near missed ine, but Lt come on his tracks following tiny line of traps, 1 guensed from them he had @ measage for me.” Linda opened her = eyen, ‘You Ruosned from his tracks that he had a message for you! [ don't under- stand.” “He tall along tho line of traps, but never vinited none of the An Indian won't never down a line of traps without & look to nee what's ca hit; he’ curioun unless he'a ina hurry and got Rome object. And why should this In- dian come chasin’ after me no fast Unters he had a monsage for me? But im talking, and, onyways, T got the Mensage, Give me them bags, Mr. Quaritch.” We went out and loaded our bag- Fage upon the waiting buckboards, One of there was driven by # mmnall, sallow-faced man, who turned out to be the second game warden, Puttick. ed how TMi ed man, wax pro- ming along pretty tidy, Mr. Petersham, but he'll carry a stilt low with him all his life.” “I'm sorry for that. I suppose you have found out nothing further ax to the Identity of the man who fired the ° ‘ hot?” “Nothing,” said Puttick, “and not likely to, ‘They're all banded together up there.” ’ On which cheerful information our little started, At Linda's wish J place of the driver of Mr. Peteraham's Heht imported wagonet ve went along whe neq he lintened racterintte rertos of “Well, and “You don't 8a: with which he was in the habit of punctuating the remarks of a lady, Ho sald them, an usual, in a volce which not only emphasized the facts at exactly the right but aivo tent an air of subtle ment to the eloquence of the ni And xo we went onward, at over Mut expanses of nae, sreen as we neared the foothill all the time Lt found myself envyiag November Joc When we stopped near a pine trees to partake of promptu lunch it was his q that prepared the camp fii skilled axe that fashioned the rude but comforta seats, IL was he nino who disappeared for ar nt to return with three half-pound trout that ho had taken by some swift process of hix own from the brook of which we only heard the murmur, And for all these doings he received an amount of open admirat wich of mn want vealp to all the others, “Many of the others are bald,” sald sho. “His hair would furnish « dozen of them!" So the afternoon 7 ed away, and as it became late, we ent wreat tracks of gl pine woods, A wind, which had risen with the eve- ning, moaned through thelr tops, and flung the dark waters of innumerable little lakes against thelr mons bor- dered shores. I noticed that Puttick unslung bis rifle and Jald It among the packs upon the bu to add his sombre detile, hin eyes, quick and restless as those of some. forest animal, darted and peared into tho shadows, ‘The light of the sun was fading when there occurred the one incident of our journey, It was not of real importance, but I think {t made an impression on all of us The road alony which we were driv- ing came suddenly out into wn open Space, and here in front of @ shack of the roughest description a man WAS engaged in cutting logs. As we passed hoe glanced up at us, and his faco was like that of some mediaeval prisonor—a tangle of wild beard, a masa of grayish hair, and among It all a palr of eyes whic scomed to glure forth hat It may have been, indend, it probably was, arely ‘ooted and natural distt strangers, so comn tot mountain districts, but to 4 Wrought up with the stories wa hy hoard, ther was something omnious about the wolfish face. It was already dark when we ar- rived at the houe, a long, low build- Ing of surprising spactounnenn, set literally among the pines, the fr: Fant branches of which tapped an rustled upon the windows. In the midnt of w peaceful countryside it would be hard to imagine a more de- Ughtful summer residence, but here, in thin wild diatrict, the gloom of the thick woods that surrounded us on all sides way daunting. We went in, and while dinner waa preparing Mr. Petersham, Joc and f went to the room where the wounded 4 kame warden, Worke, lay upon a bed smoking 4 pipe with a candle gutter- 4 chair beside him. erahar: ratd he, in anawer to a question. “When you went away last fall Lid think things Was settling down a wan quiet enous r, Fm not saying that ping done, Was most all over the land you gave liberty. The w is they are, seemed cont and though the: kame ward pected —they wi . Prtday was « vd last nette there ut it , wi nted-like, 1s with uldn't be n't enemie aKo, while eastern boundar up to Senita Lake, the but I starting, ao that it was Kot iny camp tidied up I was making @ fre to boll as fired from and the next T nit protty bad tlel thourht where brook Ko to rights. ny kettle yards, or maybe a hun “As L say, it was coming on dark, into a bush for cove: it were d t fire at me @ wanted to H wud never told her? , Monday's Byening World f he had he could have put y heart just ae easy as ino my leg. E tied up the wound th best way FE could, lucky the b t hadn't touched any big artery. it. hoxt morning | crawiod up the bill Yeu would be shot.” and Ht signal smokes, till Puttick “I salt we would get shot, not me came. He brought me in here.” alone, ‘Three men can't go quiet 1 suppose Puttick had a loon Where one can.” round for the tracks of the fella who ("You think they will be at Butler's kunned you?” asked Novembe: Calrn whether I go there or not?” “He did, but he didn’t flad out “Sure. They want to ki w it youre nothing. ‘There wan a light shower /iving in, and thay won't be able to between dark and dawn, and tho {ll unless they go and nec. Now, Mr hilt above there is aritch, you tell Mr, Petersham there ain't much danger for me, seeing ve learned to move quiet in the woods, Ui try my luck to-night.” The evening fell wild and windy, Wat with a clear sky save for occ! sional fleecy clouds that raced acrons the face of the moon. ook ads Vantage of one of there dark Intervals to drop out of one of the back wins dows, and was immediately swallowed Up into the nikht t Wan past mi peared again. nikodt N Kill me; “twas thinkl tue by ‘as thinking { might slip right ah to Buders Cair Petersham, m worry you mot w ded this way in my employ. F suppose you lave not the slightest suspicion as to who it was fired at you rke shook his head. “Nary no- CHAPTER X. The Men of the Mountains. then, was the story of our coming ty Kalmacks, tor the next two days we spent our time fishing in the streamy, the only move in the direction of the main object of our vistt being that hy . Whom Linda insisted upon ac- t. There's is oa good corne: ” ypanying, walked over to Sonlis ‘You could see wall’ Fouad, thea, Take and had a look at the scene of peed hd hogy eo had come you would ‘ 7 not have failed to observe them. Worke's accident. ; “Couldn't be too sure. ‘Thore wai ‘The old tracks, of course, were lov geome dark timex when the moon wa vince washed away, and [ thought shut In by clouds. ‘They imight with the others that Joe's vinit nad jm Fae nse though FT don't § 5 re been fruitless until he showed me the tin front pe a4 conn ae, Raa shell of an exploded cartridge, rain, © * © ‘There's a fine little lake “The bullet which went through they calls Butler's Pond up there. Iti Worko's leg came out of that, (20 take your fuhpole, Mr. Quaritely, found Hoon the bill above, It's a 4é- und we'll go over at sunrise and try for sone of them ‘trout, wi 6 contral fire Winchester, the old ‘76 ¥ Thin we did, take @ scout round for tracks.” but search aa Joe would, be failed to'discover any ata Joined me at breakfi He told m ¥ is whon After | had caught a nics ut we walked back to Kali night when Joe aps Petersiiom and I both * for hin nows, ember shook “ree at al thing to tell didn't wee no one, mean tiat no one all?” exclaimed Peter+ “What? You came, after sham, ot that T saw. were you ne down on top of the Cairn ite hin in oth ing model "This Is a great discov Mins Potersham have made. “She don't know thing about 11," wuld November, "It's best sae t tan't, Bt ‘t . ing round sthe house before we uldn't, Mr. Quariteh. entered it. ‘The sand lay undisturbed Do you mean to nay you found thin by any strange footsteps, but when we got in we found Mr. Petersham im tate of the grentest excitement, “One of the blackmatiors has had @ ik with Puttick!" he told us, ~ you and Joe emited. “The: oth liag to it, anyway; sho lost her brooch 4, romewhere by the lake, and was look- 4a’ for it when T found this." cieated the exploded shell, mountains ts full of 45-75 Win you and Joe started. This fern, 1876 pattern, Home years back happened. Puttick had just got up 4 big ironmongery store down here gone down with a tin of rosin and went buat and threw a fine stock of pare canvas and tin to mend ti them callbre rifles on the market, A xnoe we ripped on the rock yesterday. fow dollars would buy one, so there's In fact he had only just b nm one in pretty nigh every house, And 1g, when he was startied a voice two and three in som. Howsoever, ordering him to hold up his handa’ it may be uaetal to know that pele sis: Ra Prrdiecy ie te tania t ehot ‘orke cari in . a 4 fe. atti wed beat keep ite te choke, “And then a man stopped owt from behind the big rock that’s junt above where the canoe Hea.” "I hope Puttick recognized him? ‘Incredible as it sounda, tt In ao. “But when was this?" “Karly this morning, some time after i way, thore's ‘a side to the altuation f don't understand. We've been hero “No: the fellow had a red four days and nothing has happened, chief ted over his nose and To mean Mr. Peterahan haa had no only hia eyes showed under the word of where to put the five thou- of a felt hat that was pulled low sind dollara blackmail these erimi- over them. He carried a rifle that be nalw are demanding of him,” kept full on Puttick's cheat while they. yhe there’n a reason for { talked © ¢ * But Fi call Put Tean't think of any, he can finish the account of the af> What about the sand?” fair himself, ‘That's beat “The sand?” [ repeated. Pp woered to the call, and Yen, haven't you running over the story which Petersham to have xactly similar to that w 4 brought up from t «from Petersham, he continued? Wo ali round the he tough had a red hanker ted k wonderful, | guesn it's pretty © his ugly face, nothing but his n impossible to come nigh the cyes showing. He had me co: ‘ houxe without Inaving a clear trail, With hie gun to rights all the time,’ Hut the first rainy nteht, T mean t kind of gun was it? when there's rain enough to wanh | An't nee; leustways, L didn’t out tracks © © © an hey"H comet” ‘Well, had he anything to say? “Vou, they'll Hicely eon," “He kep' me that way a minute bes. an wrong, fore he atarted speaking. ‘You tell t aw It happenod won wrong, fee Ue em a Beaie' ap to Nae I Dolteve that hin reasoning Wil Cor eit away. ‘Tell, hi, th Fect enough, and that 10 wan the fo0r eee ee eee tiers in, sae of loaving such marke ax would @n- (iyee the goods and leaves the ana nble un to gather something of thelr othe big Mat stone by the rock Identity that kept tue enemy from jeer from un afore evening, and pinning upon our door the letter pear ina way that'll make hin Sorry which finally — arrived milcally all hin lite. And ae for you, Bon Pute enough ina cheap atore enveiope thot, aks a hint aud ancien thet bore the Priainville postmark. man Petersham to buy us off, an@ The math of this letter were un be too quick about’ doing it follows If ho tries escape phd ng Petersham, on the raad down to Priam : tor’a Cairn fter he'd done talking he made _ me put my watch on the canoe--that I'd turned bottom up to ret at that a rent—and warned mo not to move for half an hour, When the half hour up T come right away and tell 6 Hitler's Cairn?” he asked, How was the chap dressed?’ tne wit," suid November, “But. quired Joe. Irn iv on a AM about two “Like most of ‘em. Dark old coat ~ went of hore,” and ragged pair of trousers and — 1 supposo you won't Ko?" said 1, hh the inoney? mu can hardly go without it,’ ‘Couldn't see Fy ny not? stuffed into them kind o' haffel “You would be shot down.” joceasina that buckle at {i Bees “Vd tall to the rumana frat Pi ile are ft then if there was any shooting, I A guows I'd be as much in it as they would.” "1 Munwent that we all three go," T wai But “West; right along the hank.” plan. You followed hin trail after the there's nothing to be gained by half-hour was ove + Mr. Quaritch. You bet these Puttick opened his “He ki pretty bright lookout. didn’t three of us coming, they'd shoot an like as not." “We can shoot also, | suppose!” “That's true, Mr. Petersham, but it ain't Hkely we'd hit any one. These ‘hide in among the rocks. nd, anywa hey'd see us plain, for there ts a fooling lookin’ for his tracks ['d ‘a’ « bit of @ moon, but we wouldn't get an got a bullet in me same as Bill 656 on them: No, we can't do no Works.” ended the little mam, woud that-a-way sald Joe. “They're all watching for us.” > “How van we do any good, as you call It, at ang’ WO nione to But- ck Friday night. wh he It over. of cola, Vetersham read the note out to Joe w and myrelf. HANI ie had hi ‘Tall or short wi Medium-like.” Joe would have none of this eyes, 1 interposed, “You mean he in the bed of the wed (To Be Continued.) Next Week’s Complete Novel THE SKY MAN] By Henry Kitchell Webster WILL BEGIN IN NEXT nd only better, and ; from an entirely ee Which way did he go when he left | =.