Weekly coast mail., March 26, 1904, Image 9

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W E E K 1 V Q 15 S T ' M A I L
MAltwifl'tKt.D, ri ORKU0N
The Blazed t
Tril
i By STEWAK.T EBWARD WIITE. I
- CVyrteM, WW,
Wy JWewiirt MltMrtf H'hHt
, .! .-' " "if y" p-n r 1 1
0)iliiiH'(i fiotn 1' illil PiiKfl of I'upur
raid ho dimply In HI native tongue,
ii ntl with ii sudden gesture held out be
foro lheii-ii HCIllp.
The iiicdhuval barbarity of the thing
appalled them for a moment. Thy days
of scalping worn long since piiHt. hud
Itocii closed nwny between the pages
of forgotten histories, mid yet hero
again before them wan the thing In nil
JIh living horror. Then a growl arose.
Tho liumun animal had tasted blood.
All nt once, like wine. their,, wrongs
mounted to their bend. They 'remem
bered their dead comrades. They re
nicinborcd the heart breaking days and
night of toll they had euduntl on no
count of tli Ik man and hid associates.
They remembered the words of Collins,
the little bookkeeper. They bated.
They shook their Hutu neros tho Hide.
They turned and with emu iiccord
i struck hack for tho rnllroad right of
way which led to Shlnglcvllle. tho
town controlled by Morrjson & Daly.
The rallroadH lay for a mile straight
through it thick tamarack Hwamp. then
over a nearly treeless cranberry plain.
The tamarack wan it screen between
tho twp towns. When half wiry
through the Hwamp Ited Jacket Mop
ped, removed hht coat, ripped the lining
from It nnd began to faMlilou n rude
maitk.
"Just an well they don't rvcogtilKo
tin." laid ho.
'Homebody In town will kIvo tin
Bwny," suggested Hhorty. the chore boy.
"No. they won't; they're all here,"
assured Kerlle.
It was true, tixcept for the women
nud children, who wen not yet about.
the entire village had assembled, Kven
old Vnnderboof, the tire catcher of the
' yard, hobbled along breathlessly un hht
rheumatic lew. In a moment the
masks were lilted: In a moment more
the little band had emerged from the
titielter of the swnmp nud ko came Into
full view of It objective olut.
Hhlnglevllle consisted of n big mill,
tho ynrdii, now nearly enlply of lum
tier, tho large fraulo hoarding house,
tho olllce, the stable, n store, two sa
loons and a dozen dwelling. The par
ty nt once fixed Its eyes on thin vollvc
tlon of buildings and trudged on down
the right of way with uuhnstoulng
grlmncss.
Tholr approach win not unobserved.
Daly mw thorn, nud linker, hht fore
man, aavr thntn. The two nt once went
forth to organize opposition. When
the attackltig party reached the mill
yard It found the Ikms and the fore
man standing nlono on tho nawdUHt, re
volvcra drawn.
Daly traced n line with bin too.
. "Tho first man that crosses that line
iceta It," said ho.
They know he meant what he laid.
An instant's pauio ensued, while the
big man and tho little facet! a mob.
Daly's river men wero nt 111 on drive. He
STuTw tho mill men too well' to" depend
on thpiu. Truth to toll, tho possibility
of such a raid as thla had not occurred
to him for the ulmplo reason thqt he
did not anticipate tho discovery of hut
complicity with the forces of uaturo.
Skillfully curried out, tho plan was n
good ouo. No one need know of the
weakened link, and It waa tuo most
ii"
in turn! thing In tho world thut Sadler
Kuilth'a drive should go out wlUi the
Increase of water.
Tho men grouped swiftly and slloutly
on tho other aldo of tho sawdust line,
Tho pauso did not mean that Daly's de
fense wus good.
"Do you know what'" Bolng to hap
pen to you?" auld a volco from, tho,
group. Tho speakqr was Itadway, hut
tho contractor kept himself well la tho
background. "We're going to burn
your inlll; wo'ro going to burn your
yards; wo'ro going to burn your whole
shooting match, you low lived whclpl"
"Dyer," said Injun Charloy simply,
shaking the wot Hcalp arm's length to
wnrd tho lumbermen.
At thla grim Interruption a sllcneo
foil, Tho, owner paled slightly; bis
foromuu cbowed a nonchalant straY.
Down the still dpHfjrteU ntjeQt crossed
ind relTosfled tho subtlo occult mp);
encea of a half hundred concealed
wutchers. Daly and his subordinate
wero very much alouo and very much
In danger, Their last uour had com?,
and they know It.
With the recognltloh of the fact they
Immediately ranted their weapons In
the resolve to do as much damage as
possible before being 'overpowered.
' Theu suddaHly, full In the back, a
heavy stream of water knocked 'them
coihplotely otr tholr foot, rolled them
over on tho wot sawdust and finally
Jammpd them both'iigalnst tlijHresiloi
TTwnenJ it Held theHijf kluKtHg 'hIi m
Ling for bfeath, Jn a choklnx cataract of
fwaten A;iiphi)ofs tl'UnfiiWelmltJtu
. to the a,lr, For an liwtant tho Fighting
ruriy mrvu in (mrnieu, HHWJiiinu-
meht. Then a treiiieHdoiis roar of
laughter Minted, thin, my vanijulsh:
niewt of a fornil(3fll)le wiqny,
Dflly and jjuker were pounced upon
and (wpjured," Titers was no reslMtnnce.'
They were, too nearly strangled for
that. Little Holly and old Ynnderliodf
turned off, the watw lu the Are hydrait
niKl djiHwnnecfed the hose they had so
effecUvely employed,
"There, blast ypul'' sJd Kollway
Charley, Jerking .the mill man to Ids
feet "IlW do you like too much w
ter, lwyTf ki-
The unexpected comedy changed the
party's mood, It was no longer a ques
tion of killing. A number broke Into
tho store and shortly emerged bearing
valla of kcroeene; with which they del
uged tho slabs on the windward .side
of tho mill. Tho Haines caught the
structure Instantly, A thousand sparks,
borne by tho offshore breeze, fastened
like so many stinging Insects on the
lumber In tho yard.
It burned us dried balsam thrown on
a camp fVrc, The heat of It drove the
onlookers far back In tho village, where
In silence they watched tho destruction.
Daly and his man wore slapped and
cuffed hither and thither at the men's
will. Their faces bled, their bodies
ached as one bruise.
"Thot squares us." snld the men. "If
we. can't cut this year, neither kin you.
it's up to you now!"
Then, like a destroying horde of lo
custs, they gutted the olllce and the
store, smashing what , they could not
carry to the lire, 'The dwellings atid
saloon they did not disturb. Finally,
iilxiut noon. Uiey kicked their two pris
oners Into the river and struggled back
along the right of way. '
"I surmise wo took that town apart
some!" said Hhorty with satisfaction.
"1 should rise to remark," replied
Kerlle.
At tho boarding house they found
Wallace Carpenter and Hamilton seat
ed on the veranda. It was now after
noon. Tho wind hud abated somewhat,
and the sun was struggling with the
still Hying scuds.
"Hello, boys." said Wallace, "been
for n little walk In the woods?"
"Yes. sir." replied Hyland. "we"
"I'd rather uot hear," Interrupted
Wallace. "There's quite ,n lire over
cast. I suppose you haven't noticed
It."
Hyland looked gravely eastward.
"Sure 'notiRli," salJ he.
"Hotter get some grub." suggested
Wallace.
After the men had gone In be turned
to the Journalist
"Hamilton." he began, "write all you
know about tho drive ni4 tho break
and tho rescue, but as to tho burning
of the mlll"
The other held out his hand.
"dood." said Wallace, offering his
own.
And that was as1 far as the famous
Shlnglovlllo raid ever got. Daly did
his best to collect even circumstantial
evidence ngnlust the participants, but
In vain. He could not even get nny
one to say that n single member of the
village of Carpenter had absented him
self from town that morning. This
might have been from loyalty or It
might have been from fear of tho venge
ance, tho Fighting Forty would sure
ly visit on n traitor. Probably It was
n combination of both. The fact re
nin Ins, however, that Duly never knew
surely of but one man implicated lu,
tho destruction of hit plant. That twin
wus Injun Charley; but Injun Charley
promptly disappeared.
After an Interval Tim Shearer, Itad
way and Kerlle came out again.
"Whero'a the boss?" asked Shearer.
"I don't know, tlm," replied Wallace
.seriously. "Pvo looked everywhere.
He's gone. He must have been all cut
up. I think he went out lu the woods
to get over It I am uot worrying.
.Harry has lots of sense. He'll couiu In
about dark."
"Burar said Tim.
How about the boys' stakes?" que-'
rled' Radway. "I 'hearlhtiTls V bad
tmnab for tho firm,"
"Wo'll sco that tho men get their
wnges all right," replied Carpenter, a
little disappointed that such n question
ihnuld bo askod at such a time.
"All right," rejoined the contractor.
"Wo'ro all going to ucod out; money
this summer."
CHAPTER XXXV.
mnORPB walked through the si
lent group of men without see
ing them. Ho had no. thought
for what he had done, but for
the triumphant discovery, ho had, made.
In uplto of himself.
It was then, nbqut 0 o'clock In the
morning. Thorpe passed ttlo board.
Ing.bouHo, tho store and the ofllcc, tq
take himself as far na the little open,
shed that served as n railway station,
There he sot the semaphore to flag the
last bound train from Duluth. At 0:39,
tho train happening on time, he climb
ed aboard. Ho dropped houvUy Into a
soat and stared, straight In front of
him until the conductor had, spoken to
him twice.
"Wheroto, Mr. Thorpe?'' he asked.
"Ohl Mackinaw City."
Thorpe descended at Mackinaw City
to And that the. uoon train had. gouc.
Tie ate numb atTtltetJCKei, norrewea
1100 frtHM'the Ktfentfff Xetil &ih4, a
lUHlbwiHHH f hi sUfttMflttlMMSY ftd
seated himself. rlgWsy in the little wait
ing roew,, there to rewsi'ttMll.tliee:,
that night. WhetMhe curs were backed
down from the , hJkg'.b bearded the
sleeper, In tkederway, 4oed a diMp
proving colored porter,
"Vo'li fln the mhIAJi up fVwtJ'd,'
ash.!! Mid the latter, irsel barrinr the
uaw. t ttt
if mj m m -.-. i
"It's senerally fertwtri," answered
Tltor)e.
"Th s yea h's the sleenah." orotested
tho functlotmry. "Vo' pays extry'
"I am 'a wave of It," -replied Thorpe1
curtly. "Olve ie a lower."
"Ves, mh," ;aenileccd the dsrky,
giving way, but still In doubt. He fol
lowed Thorpe eaiitlotndy, peering Intd
the Hmoklng room on him from tiwe te
time. A little after 12 his patience
gave out The stolid, gloomy nan of
lotver Q sMtned tn Inlea4 lttlnsr ta all
night.
"Vr bertli Is reatlrv Mb " b dllentn.
ly suggested
Thorpe arose obedjcnUy, walked to
lower 0 and without undressing threw
himself on the bed, (Afterward the
porter' In eonscIntleHS discharge of his
duty looked diligently beneath tho seat
for boots to polish, Happening to glance
up after fruitless search he discovered
the boots still adorning the feet of their
owner,
"Weil, for the land's Mker ejaculat
ed the scandalised negro, beating a
hasty retreat
Thorpe descended at Twelfth street
In Chicago wlthoutany clear notion of
where ho was going. For a mouient he
faced tho long, parklike expanse of the
Inke front, then turned sharp to bis left
and picked his way south up the inter
minable reaches of Michigan avenue.
Block after block he clicked along, the
calks of his boots striking tire from the
pavement.
After an Interval he seemed to have
left tho smoke and dirt behind. The
street became quieter; boarding bouses j
and tailors' shoos ceased: her and .
thero appeared a bit of lawn, shrub-
bcry and flowers. Ily and by he came
to himself to find that he was staring
at the deep carved lettering In a stone
horse block before a largo dwelling.
Ills mind took the letters In one nfter
the other, perceiving them plainly be
fore It accorded tbetn recognition. Fi
nally ho had completed the word "Far
rand." He whirled sharp on hht boel.
mounted the broad white stone steps
and rang tho bell.
It was answered almost Immediately i
by a clean shaved, portly and dlgnlfled "yes." said Thorpe
man with the most Impassive counte-J "Tbon b renounced all his most val
nance In the world. T,hht man looked uable possesslqns because a poor.com
upon Thorpe with lofty disapproval. I'mon man needed, tho sacrifice."
"Is Miss Hilda Farrand at home?" he" "Sounds like a roedlmval story." said
nuked. he, with unvonsclous humor, ,
T cannot Bay." replied the roan. "If "It happened recently." rejoined HII
you will step to tho back door I will da. "I read It In the paperr."
ascertain." I "Well, he blazed a good trail." was.
"The flowers will do. Now scp that Thorpe's sighing comment "Probably
the south room la ready, Annie." float
ed a volco from within. s. J
Without a word, bat with n dpadly
earnestness, Thorpe reached forward, j
seized the astonished servant by the (
collar, yanked him bodily outside the,
door, stepped Inside nnd strode across i
the ball toward a closed portiere whence
had come the voice. The river man's'
long spikes cut little triangular pieces
from the hardwood floor. Thorpe did
sot notice that He thrust aside the
portiere.
llefore him ho saw a young and beau
tiful girl. She wan seated and tier lop
was tilled with flowers. At his sudden
apparition her hands flew to her heart
nnd her lips slightly parted. For n
second the two stood looking at each
other, Just as nearly a year before their
eyes had crossedovcr the old pole trail
To Thorpe the girl seemed more, beau
tiful than ever. The red of this vio
lent unexpected encounter rushed to
her face, her bosom rose' and fell In a
fluttering catch for breath, but her
eve were steady and Inquiring.
Then (lie butler pounced ton Thorpe,
from behind with the latent to do great
bodily harm.
"Morris!" commanded Hilda sharply,
"what are you doing?"
Tho man cut short his heroism In
confusion.
"You may. go," concluded Hlldn.
Thorpe stood stralghfani? unwinking
by the portiere. After a .moment he
spoke. -a'
"I have come to tell you that you
wero right and J was wrong." nald he
steadily. "You told me there could be
nothing better than love.' In the prhV
of my strength I tbld'Jrou this waa not
to. I whs wrong.'
He stood for another" Instant looking
directly at her, then turned sharply
A&CheatferecVVft'troQ toon,
.Before he had, reached the outer door
the girl witB at his 'side.,
"Why are you going?" she asked,
"I havo nothlug more to say,"
"Nothing?" V
"Nothing at.all,''
She laughed happily, to. herself..
"Rut ! ibaveetnuch. Coine,ba,Qk"
They returned teheiHttle morning
room, Thorpe's '.calked boots gouging
eut the Httle triangular furrows tu the
hardwood floor. Neither noticed, that:'
"What are you goingto do uaw?"
she catechised,- facing, hiut'lu the mld
dlo'of the room. A longvtendrll of hor
beautiful corn silk hair fell aoeosa her
"eyes; her red lips parted In a'falnt,wlt
ful smile; beneath the draperies of her
loose gown the pure slender linen of
her figure leagued toward him,
riwrMttMeKkemmci:
ttwitly,. k ,- . , V
"I knew ye wl4 eeme." mMsm.
"I iav-,ljffn,extetlng,yeti. Oh, Har
ry,'' sli IM-Mtli, with i mxideBj'i Hf sJ
of )MtgM, "y.tMt aw f jmk. bof, le,
imich lwseftood," 1 '" ' & ,- '.,
U held blmseif sfeM, ImK in ht
veins Was' creeping fljssblteii'flre, awl
tlMi Are -as begjaulHg to glowdilIy In
his eye. Her wliehi.bilig jMlled, jrim,
i
Am sun sue efi ?re perne Him
; y'"K wvwwm migHtiy.ant
I "''"' 'ier rd Ups half parted,,, her eyes
"" hijwbw wmtiuuy h'smhw
''(Jo awayl" ,he whispered hoarsely at
last The voice was, not ,hls ewn, "Go
awsyl (jo awayT
Stkldenly she, swayed to hits.
'Oh,- Ilarryii Harry," site whispered,
"must I tei).yoH?vDH'i you see?"
The flood breke through, him. He
seteed her hungrily. He crashed her to
j Mnl ' '' Bnfed;, be pressed bts
upn against hers, until site all hut cried
i o". with pain of, It; bfi ran hi grenti
brown bands blindly through her,, hair
unui ii ame.(iown auouttuera uoin in
a cloud of spun light
"Tell mcl" ho whispered. rrelL.ntor'
"Oh, ohl" she cried. "I'kwri? )y,Wh.t
Is It?"
"I do not lelteve It" be murmured
savagely.
She drew herself fro him with gen-,
! tie dignity.
"I am not worthy, te say It." she said.
soberly, "but I love ypo with' all, say
ncart anu soul." r
Then for the first and only time In hi
life Thorpe felljte .weeping, while she.
, understanding, stood by and cea(orted
nlm.
The few moments of Thorpe's , tears
cased the emotional strain under whlcb
perhaps unconsciously he bad been la
boring for nearly a year past The
tenseness of tils nrrres relaxed. II sa
vored deliberately the Joy of a luxuri
ous couch, rich hangings, polished floor,
subdued light wanned atmosphere. He
watched with soul deep gratitude the
soft girlish curves of Hilda's body, the
poise of her flower head, the piquant
half wistful, half childish set of her
red lips, the clear starlike gllramer pt
her dusky eyes. It was all uear to him
-his.
"Kiss me. dear." she sad.
She lesti'.Hl her cheeks against her
hand and her hand against, his shoul
der. "I have heen reading a story lately."
said she, "that has Interested tne very
much. It was about a man wbo re-
nounccc). all ho held most dear to shield
a friend.!'
"Wo qirqu." he xchtywrcd
he had his chance. We dou;t al of u
get that Things go crooked add pet
tangled up, bo wo ,haye to, do the host
we can. I don't believe I'd have done
K."
"Ob, you are dellclousl" she cried.
After, a time she said Tory .humbly;
"I want to beg your pardon for mlsua
derstaudlng y.on .and causing vou so,
much sutrerlng. l (was very stupid urn?
didn't jtee. why you could not do, as I
wanted you to."
VThat Is nothing to forgive, I acted
Ilk A fool,"
t"I have known about you." she went
on.' ".It, has all. come out lu tho. papers,.
It haV.tpeen very exciting. Poor, boy
yon loojk tired,"
He straightened hlinstjlf .suddenly.
"I haVi forgottenRctually forgotten,"
be cried,; Jttlo bjtferly., "Why, I
a pauper, bnntarupt. ..1" h-
tfarrjirp Interrupt ten'tly, but
Very Irmly, "you! muit not "say what
you were, going to say.' 1 cannot alkW
It. Money came between us befere.
It must not do'tte'lgaln. Aia I not
right, dear?"?'" ' r : " - '
guVtoniled Whim, with the HperW a
child and the. eyes? of a' woman.1
"YeV' be agreed after a 'struggle,
a l
jgln all over again. It will he; kwsg
time nerore i nmu w, ate ,w swmi,
fmu I have my way te ssake."
"Yes' said she diplomatically,
r VBivHeledMdlK,i'Tbj.J
fiUn rlnfliidaie, "nhtajtthff J
astoiilshidr 'lie' hi 'TesHtilyfeH-l
gajed." . , 4.-. j
Thorpe's Utm, tHwiy Mled with &
(You'll break the engagement at
ence.'VheesmWHtided. S!sXtljh;nihjy.
JWhy sitould I break the'' engage
ment?" demanded JHlds, 'eying blm ;
with some ala.rm , ' " ,
f You actually don't think he's a- v
gag4'nwrslte'brkjftfna!ly,. s
"iBU't he? asked Thorpe ,v
"Why. ho, stupid!, He's engaged to
EllzabJh Carpenter, Wallace's sfster.
N'nw wljerp did ' vou set that silt?
,ucnr- ,
, "I saw It In the paper."
. . . .IV
i, rtliu juu uroeir. ail ,;itoi . at
didn't yoi' ask Wallace? MM at eenrs?--yor
wouldn't Harry, yon .arei'the
most Incoherent, dumb old brate I ever
saw, 1 could shake yon: Yon need.,
wife to .Interpret things ,for yon. 'Yin
peak a different language frctn BMtst
people." She saM this between, Is ngb-
,tng and crying, between a sensevef the
ridiculous nselcssneM or.wminowjng a
slnzlp tlmelr word and a tender nathet-
,1c Intuition of the suffering, sseb" a ,na-
Suddenly she Junsped to her fet with
an exclawation,
"Ob. Hrrry., I'd forgotten 'ntterlyr
she cried In Jnugh'Iag constemtlen.
"I haye a lancbeoa here at half past
1. It's almost ih'at now. I in net run
and dress. . Just look at son; Just look!.
You did that"
"I'll wait here antll the confounded
thing Is over." said Thorpe.
M6h. no, you won'tn replied Hilda
decidedly. r'You are going downtown
right now and get something to put on.
Then you are coming back bere to
itay."
Thorpe glanced In surprise at bis
driver's clothes and bis spiked boots. .
"Heavens and earthl" he exclaimed.
-1 should think sol' How ani I to get
out without ruining the floor?" ,
Hilda, laughed and drew aside the
portiere.
"Don't you think yon have dene that
pretty well already?" she askod.
"There, don't look so solemn, We're
not going te Lm sorry for i single thins;
we've done todav. are weir lw, stood
clow to blm. searching htofae whK-.
fHlly with her fatbomlesw dwky, eye..
-No. sweetheart we urn of replld
Thorue soberly.'
CHAFTKR XXXTI.
RELY It Is sMehsM te fellow
the sequel In detail, te tell how
Illldii persuaded Thorpe te take
her money. To a woman such
us she this was not a very diflscult task
In the long run a few' scruple 'of
pride;, that was nil. '.
"I bate to dolt" he said, "Iteteesn't
look right" ,
"You must" she. insisted". "J will not'
take the position ef rich wife to a poor
man. it ia'hum'lliatlng to both. I'wilf
not marry yon until you have made
your success." v
.-rhaf Is right" said Thorpe heartily.
""Well, theu', are, y on going to-be so
seltlsh as o keep tne waiting 'While you'
make an entirely new jitart when a
Jlttle help ou my part will bring your
plans to completion"
She saw the shadow of assent In his
eyes,
"How, much do you need7" she asked,
swiftly, " '
"I must taJe up the. notes," he ex
olalned. "I must pay the men. I nay
need something on the stock market If
Igp fn pu. ti;ls thing. I'm going ln)for
keeps. I'll get nfter those fellows who
have,, been swindling" Wallace. Say
SIOO.OOO." s ""....
"Why, It's nothlngr ahe cried. v
"I'm glad, you think .so.!' he replied
grimly.
She ran to her dainty, escritoire
where she scribbled eagerly for. a few
moments. , f
"There." she cried, her eyes sblnlug
"there is my check book all signed in
blank. And I'll see that the money: 1
there." .. ,,
So Iti wrs that Hilda ,Farrand gave
her lover contldence, brought' hint oat
from his fanaticism, launched him
afresh1 Into' the current of events. He
remained In Chicago, all' that," auntmer,
giving orders that all work a the vllt
lage of Carpenter should cease. With
his attaint that summer we hove: little
to do. His common sense treatment ef
the stock market by which' policy of
qtttescencef following an1 outright bnyr
Ihg of the stock which be had previous
ly'lietd on margins, retrieved the toaaes
nlreadytsnstalned and Inally rt both
partners-on a firm flaanolal footing,
That is another story,' So. too. 'hi hit
reconclllatlen with nn wderstandlng of
his sister.; It cae. aboat thWugh nil
da, of course, PerhH in the hiscnitH
ble way ef Prertdence 'the estrange-
wnP'waHef-best. even ucp&wmiV.
ac.Itad thrown Um entirely within
hlmsem during bib mllUaat'yeara.
Let i rather look to the end ofr tl
snmmer. i!t now beeame.a qae&tlon.'of
reopening ttie,emia. iXlerpe wrote to
Shearer anil Radway. who he, mid re
tained, thkte;wcHild' arrive en Satur
day noon, and snsjaehted that' the two
begin! t look about for men. Friday.
tdiWMtKAWalMte'GeiaeMfeK Blhwibeth
E
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