M. M. Oblinger

“ Faintly at first, then louder as it approached, they heard the scraping of the raft. Human voices sounded eerily out of the gloom. A thrill of excitement coursed along Dick’s spine. The suspense was nerve-breaking. He had become almost as limp as a rag, when finally he discerned a dark shape ahead and the raft pushed in closer to shore. A few minutes later, using the long poles which had served them so well in crossing, Sergeant Richardson and Corporal Rand vaulted across the intervening space separating them from the beach. ”

“ He drove straight toward them, striking Sandy’s opponent with a jarring impact. The three went to the ground in a squirming heap. The half-breed, who was fighting for his life, struck out with arms and legs like a madman. As Dick’s unguarded left arm swung across his adversary’s face, the outlaw sank his teeth into it, hanging there very much after the manner of a bull dog. ”

“ Indian women, resplendent in bright shawls, bright-faced children from the Catholic Mission, here and there the dark, expressionless face and sinewy form of Cree hunters and rivermen from the south—all of this queer blend of humanity jostled forth and back, chattering excitedly.
At one side of the room, surrounded by an admiring group, a tall, lanky half-breed youth was playing a violin. Glancing that way, Dick’s eyes lighted up as he perceived the familiar figures of his two friends, Sandy MacClaren, the factor’s nephew, and John Toma, the young Indian guide. ”

“ Straight ahead, scarcely ten feet away, he saw the silhouette of one of La Qua’s sentries. The man was alone, a rifle slung carelessly over the crook of his left arm. He paced silently back and forth, occasionally turning his head in the direction of the cabin.
After a moment’s deliberation, Dick decided to steal past the sentry. At all cost, he must go on to the cabin. Inch at a time, he wormed his way ahead, contriving to keep a screen of underbrush between him and his enemy. Once the sharp crackling of a twig caused his heart to leap in apprehension. His hands shook. ”

“ Night came as slowly as a limping beggar to a gate. Shadows deepened. Strange silhouettes appeared along the slope. Not a breath of wind stirred the trees below. The sounds of the forest were buried in the evening’s hush.
One hour more—and he would make his final break for safety. Impatiently, he rose and began pacing back and forth in the narrow, confining space, swinging his numb arms against his shivering body.
Suddenly, Dick’s hand went to his automatic in a quick, convulsive movement. But he did not draw his gun. ”

“ The very imminence of the thing was not conducive to Dick’s peace of mind. Lying there, not daring to stir, expecting at any moment to hear the ladder creak under the weight of one or more of his enemies, he sweated in an agony of apprehension. He had left his rifle below and, unfortunately, his revolver was empty. Desperately, he looked about him for some sort of weapon that he might use in his own defense. He could see nothing. Except for the blankets in the far corner, the loft was bare. ”

“ No sooner had Dick picked up his rifle than he realized that he could not possibly escape the second half-breed and the sailor who stood by the fireplace. The odds were against him. The sailor had covered him with an ugly-looking automatic, while the breed’s rifle was held at a threatening angle. He put down his gun as quickly as he could, deciding to face the situation squarely. Reaction from his first spasm of fear had left him calm and cool, his mind on the alert.
“You’re too many for me. I’ll give up.” ”

“ Darkness was quickly descending. As is frequently the case in the North, the wind subsided as night approached; but the snow continued to fall. If possible, it came down thicker than ever. About them was one all-enveloping mantle of white. Even the trees and underbrush bent under the weight of their snowy burden.
The three ponies, warmly blanketed, each one tied to a long picket-rope, pawed away the snow in order to browse at the dead grass and moss underneath. Dick felt sorry for the little beasts, almost wishing that he had left them with Constable Pearly’s horse at Wandley’s. ”

“ The silence that fell over the little party was so deep, so breathless that they could hear the thicket rustling in the faint breeze. Corporal Rand stared at Dick, and that young man returned the gaze with an expression that was indescribable. Toma whispered hoarsely:
“How him get here? I thought he go back to Fort Good Faith.”
“Apparently not!” Rand gritted from between set teeth. “A ruse, a trick—he’s full of them. One never knows what Nichols is planning, or where he is likely to be at any stated time. He bobs up everywhere. It has always been difficult to follow his movements. ”

“ How far we go before we get to bend in river?”
“It’s only a short distance,” Dick answered, yelling at the top of his voice.
At a brisk canter, they passed the place of the recent ambuscade, soon afterward following the trail across an open meadow in the very teeth of the storm. For a moment a white, driving curtain of snow almost suffocated them. Only with difficulty could they drive their ponies into it.
“We’re licked!” shouted Sandy. “I dread to think of waiting for anyone in this blizzard. The pack-train will never be able to start tonight.” ”

“ Corporal Rand paused to fill his pipe.
“Nichols is shrewd and clever,” he went on. “He’s amiable and well-liked. He has many friends in every part of the country. Notwithstanding, there’s a deep, treacherous side to his nature, a diabolical cleverness that can find its outlet only through criminal channels. Your friend, Sergeant Richardson, believes firmly he’s a master crook, a sort of genius at crime, and that he contrives to distract attention from himself by assuming this role of genial, lazy, ignorant prospector.”
Dick laughed outright. ”

“ The boys rose to their feet with a cry of joy. Well they knew the meaning of the half-breed’s actions and the sound they had heard. Toma was still alive! Not only that—he was carrying on a sort of running fight with the outlaw. Sandy flourished his own gun, and, had Dick not prevented it, would have fired point-blank at the figure, which, though sheltered from Toma’s fire by the poplar, offered a splendid target for the boys.
“Here, Sandy!” remonstrated Dick. “Don’t do that. Stop!”
“I haven’t forgotten Constable Pearly,” Sandy retorted angrily. “The fellow deserves it.” ”

“ Even death was preferable to this. Time after time, he rose and with bloodshot eyes stared out toward the west—to the broad, green expanse of the Pacific. If only Corporal Rand or Toma knew of his trouble, they would come to him. Sometimes, sitting moodily, chin resting in his hands, he thought of Sandy back at Settlement Mountain and wished that he were with him. Why had he been so eager to come in pursuit of the pack-train? ”

“ The policeman held up one hand in an impatient gesture.
“You’re about to tell me that I have made a very serious blunder, aren’t you, Dick?”
“We-well,” stammered that young man, “you can hardly blame me, corporal. The man you just released is guilty. I didn’t see him when he attempted to stab Murky, but I did see him when he escaped. In spite of what Nichols told you, he did recognize the breed. Murky lied. He’s the same one who received the roll of bills.”
Corporal Rand grinned as he looked across at Dick’s puzzled, serious face. ”

“ The sentry had turned his head and was looking straight in his direction. Dick thought that he could see the other’s eyes, shining like those of a cat in the darkness. Then abruptly his heart almost stopped beating. For the first time he became aware of another presence. He perceived now the reason why he had not previously seen the second outlaw. This person, short in stature—unmistakably an Indian—had stood with his back against a large spruce, seeming to form a part of the trunk of the tree. ”

“ The girl’s head had appeared in the aperture, when he jumped past her. Feet foremost, he crashed into the repulsive up-turned face; crashed into it, then went down—girl, outlaw and ladder together—landing with a terrific impact that shook the house.
Stunned, he and the girl separated themselves from the confused muddle and struggled to their feet. The outlaw, however, did not stir. When Dick sprang forward and seized his rifle, the man still lay there, one brown, claw-like hand still retaining three or four unstrung beads. ”

“ Take your blankets and a few supplies—if you can find any. If you have not discovered any trace of him by noon tomorrow, come back and report to me.”
Dick lost no time in making his departure. All that afternoon he trudged through the snow, sometimes picking up the track of a pony and losing it again, on other occasions, coming across human footprints or the charred remains of a campfire. When darkness descended, he was miles back from the coast, with nothing more encouraging to buoy up his spirits than the thought that he must soon reach the main-travelled trail. ”

“ You just tell ’em Toma what to do.”
“What’s our first move?” asked Dick. “Do you intend to meet the outlaws face to face? Aren’t there too many for us?”
“The best way to defeat a gang like this is to capture its leader. That’s what I propose to do now. Murky Nichols is the man I want. He’s the directing force here, the brains behind every move. The others are mere chessmen. He’s the player. I intend to walk right over in the presence of every one of his men and take him prisoner.”
“What!” gasped Dick.
“I can do it.” Rand’s voice was calm. ”

“ We’d better conquer our curiosity and our appetites and keep right on.”
They were now directly opposite the cabin. Dick and Toma turned longing eyes in its direction.
“Look! Ponies!” exclaimed Toma.
“Where?” sharply demanded Rand.
The guide pointed. Back in the heavy underbrush, near the edge of a natural clearing, were three ponies staked out in the snow. The policeman’s face instantly became serious, though for what reason Dick could not decide. From that moment, he grew more and more thoughtful. Once or twice, as Dick looked his way, he saw Rand shake his head. ”

“ In an effort to find out, he slipped gingerly over his barricade and scrambled down to the ledge below. He could command a good view here. His eyes roved the surrounding woodland. Everywhere he looked—but he could see no one. The silence was intense, deep, a sort of rhythmical beat pulsating through dead space under the vast dome of the sky. ”

“ All that remained of the bulky pile in a few minutes more were a few scattered bales, lying on the floor at the far end of the room. Corporal Rand and Dick were waiting impatiently for the completion of the task, when suddenly the policeman’s sharp intake of breath drew the other’s attention.
“Shades of Lucifer!” gasped the corporal. “Look at that!”
128
At first Dick did not understand, but presently he saw the cause of the corporal’s excitement. A low cry of admiration escaped his own lips.
“Why—why, it’s Toma! The nerve of him! Can you imagine anything more foolhardy?” ”

“ The old Indian and his wife and daughter retired to the loft, leaving the outlaws in full charge. The man, whom Dick had hurt in his leap from the top of the ladder, had recovered consciousness, but was as yet too dazed and shaken to do more than lie groaning in the corner, where he had been carried. His friend—he who had bound Dick—paid little attention either to this manifestation of suffering or to the conversation between Dick and the sailor. ”

“ Sandy turned eagerly.
“You bet! We shot two moose,” and the young Scotchman immediately commenced a somewhat rambling and disconnected account of their experiences.
At its conclusion, Dick feigned scepticism, winked broadly at Toma.
“Pah! The whole thing sounds fishy to me. I don’t believe you shot anything. If you actually killed a moose it was because the poor thing fell down and broke a leg. At two hundred yards a blind man with a bow and arrow could out-shoot you.”
“All right, wait and see. An Indian packer is bringing over our two moose tomorrow.” ”

“ Malemute Slade will continue in his search for the pass; Constable Pearly—a new man just recently transferred here from the Peace River Detachment—will be detailed to keep close tab on Hart and O’Connell, while Sergeant Richardson and myself will study every movement of the two half-breeds and Murky.
“It may take weeks, possibly months, before we’ll be able to accomplish much. We are compelled to move very, very cautiously. If Nichols discovers our interest in his affairs, we’ll lose our only chance of getting him. He’s as slippery as an eel, and as crafty as a fox. ”

“ Sandy broke forth enthusiastically, “Sergeant Richardson is sending us out to the coast because he believes we can find the cache.”
“Yes,” answered Dick. “It’s an important undertaking, and we ought to be proud that the police have faith in our ability. Of course, we would never have been given the chance if Inspector Cameron wasn’t so short of men.”
“We make ’em mounted police glad they give us chance to go,” cut in Toma. “If cache anywhere along coast, we find it.” ”

“ From different directions they would creep up within rifle range of the policeman and, when the first opportunity presented itself, would riddle his body with bullets. Later on, they would shoot Toma. As soon as Murky had been released, they would recover the fur and travel south.
Then, with a start, Dick heard them mention him. He too would meet the same fate as the others—only much sooner. Was it not a tedious business to drag along a prisoner? Much more simple to dispatch him with a knife or bullet before starting. Anyway, it was no more serious an offense to kill three men than two. ”

“ Dick spoke up, rubbing one shaky hand across his forehead, “I want to warn you, corporal, that those packers may return. They were planning to rescue Murky and the others and to murder you and Toma. It’s queer they haven’t already come. You must be very careful.”
“Are you quite sure about this, Dick?”
“Yes,” the other answered. “An ambuscade! A treacherous, cowardly thing! They planned to secrete themselves in the brush and take pot-shot at you. Later, when they had released Murky and the prisoners, they intended to go south with the fur.” ”