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About The Bonneville Dam chronicle. (Bonneville, Or.) 1934-1939 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1937)
FOURTEEN THE B O N N E V I L L E I) A M C H R O N I C L E FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1937 with him, pace for pace. “ Hear good—square up. And I was sap me? I told you not to cross that enough to let him le a v e !” “ Passed over what?” lin e!” “ A check or a note or something. “ But I haven’ t been bothering Jeanne. Honest to God, I haven’ t. Got it upstairs in the cash box; She doesn’t even know I ’m in the probably isn’t worth the paper it’ s • Courtney Ryley Cooper. W N U Service. written on.” Annie sighed. “ Oh, country.” “ What are you doing in this test well, I ain’ t really out any dough. He owes me ten thousand bucks, pit?” C H A P T E R IX —Continued Kenning’ s cabin. In Bruce Ken make him the more insensible to but it was for chips that are all “ Just getting out a little gravel.” — 13 — ning’s bed!” trickery. “ To make cement with, I sup back in the racks now, seein’ he “ Well, Jeanne,” came slowly, “ I For the first time in his life, Jack But McKenzie Joe had labeled the lost as fast as he borrowed.” guess you’re right. M cKenzie Joe heard Kay stammer. Then she be first nuggets sniper gold, which pose. How long have you worked Hammond changed the subject. here?” knew what he was doing, after all.” gan to rage, her clenched hands ex could not possibly have come from “ You don’ t happen to know where He tried to frame a lie, but he There was a desperate quietness tended. But Jeanne Towers cut in her claim. The mistake had not this Lew Snade lives?” to his tone; the world was swim with; been made again; the gold with was too frightened. Around the World Annie screwed “ Since a night or two after your ming. This puzzling find could “ Shall 1 give you the hours, days which that gravel had been salted up her enamelec' face. mean many things. and dates? And perhaps you sneak thereafter had been the sort of gold partner left.” “ Well, now, let’ s see if I can tell out at nights just for the exercise? Of only one was Jack certain— “ And you work for Bruce Ken that would come from gravel, noth you how to get there. Know that that he had signed away valuable In your pajamas?” ning, don’ t you?” The big hands ing else. trail that leads off to the left after “ Jack!” Kay tried appeal. “ Are rights He hoped that was all— On went the reconstruction—the caught again at the shoulders of the you’re well along toward Sap this action was not beyond recall; you going to believe this wretched well-planted fable about the English trembling man. “ Don’t lie—you phire— ?” little liar? If you only knew—” it was the pounding of suspicion syndicate, the plausibility and sense work for Bruce Kenning.” A half hour later, Jack Ham that hurt, suspicion which could “ Yeh—I work for him ." “ He knows,” Jeanne cut in, “ if of honesty established by the fail mond crept slowly forward toward point in only one direction. “ You helped him salt that shaft you’re referring to my life with Lew ure of the main line of test pits, the little cabin set deep in the “ Before I do or say anything,” Snade.’ ' the surprise of finding gold where over on the bench land too, didn’ t forest. For a moment, he left the he muttered. " I ’ ve got to see Bruce “ Kay,” the man interrupted daz no one, even Bruce Kenning, had you?” trail, in hiding, yet watchful. The Kenning.’ “ I don’ t know what he did with edly, “ has all this been just a game expected it, thus absolutely pre door had opened, revealing Lew Jeanne Towers looked up. A with you?” He was groping, like a cluding the possibility of gold-bear the gravel I took over there.” Snade, who paused to say some “ But you did carry gravel for change had come over the girl, a man staggering to his feet after ing sands in the territory where thing to a remaining occupant, then queer, awakening sort of m eta unconsciousness. “ You’ve been just McKenzie Joe had put his faith. him.” hurried out along the trail; Ham It was easy to reconstruct the “ I ’ ve been working for him, ain’ t morphosis. She seemed stalwart, playing me—you never intended to mond could have touched him as determined, as though doubts and m arry me? Just holding me at rest of the picture. They had played I ? ” he passed. Jack waited long min on Joe’s taciturnity and his dis “ Where’ s Kenning now?” fears which long had harassed her arm ’ s length—” utes after that. Then he moved Lew Snade looked up. had disappeared. There was crisp “ Men are easier to handle that like for them. Kenning evidently slowly, carefully, through the tan “ Ain’ t he at his house?” ness in her voice, almost command. way,” Jeanne supplied. gled underbrush until he could look “ You know he’ s not there.” “ You should know!” Kay was “ I ’ll go with you. Jack,” she said. into the candle-lit cabin. A glance “ But I don’t. Honest to God, I “ I think you should see several pacing. Her eyes glared: her usu don’t. He said he was going to assured him; he ran for the door. persons. K ay Joyce, for instance.” ally smooth hair was in disarray. A kick and it flew open. Across be there.” “ I couldn’t help watching you.” Hammond threw the man aside the room, white-faced, hastily pull Anger conquered Kay completely. C H A P TE R X and turned again for the hill. A ing a chair before him, as if for “ Think what you please, both of light was burning in K ay’s cottage; defense, was Bruce Kenning. you!” she exploded. “ If her word They reached the top of the hill There was a moment of glower he could see her shadow as she means so much to you—go ahead— and followed its crest to Kenning’ s ing survey. Neither spoke; there passed a window. But strangely, only don’ t come to me with it !” A cabin. He was not there. At last was no sound, in fact, save the the sight of her held no poignancy they turned away, Jeanne in the queer laugh passed over her thin queer, blastlike sounds of heavy for him; instead, there was some lead, heading for K ay Joyce’s cot d:-awn lips. “ Thank God for one breathing. Then Jack Hammond thing of the same disgust which he thing. I won’ t have you pawing tage. Jack Hammond acquiesced; started forward. felt for Lew Snade. Then he went me any more— that’s a consolation.” horrible thoughts were running on to the Kenning cabin. It was Suddenly he dodged. A queer cry “ K a y !” through his brain; he could not dark and no one answered his had come from Kenning’s throat, “ Don’ t speak to m e!” she shot thrust them away. knock. Loosening the leather latch, as though restraint had broken un at him. “ You’ve got your own in “ K a y !" he called at the edge of he walked within, stumbling about der the pressure of tensity. His formation bureau beside you— talk the veranda. “ K ay! Come out the two rooms. Kenning was not hands had tightened about the back to h er!” here.” there. At last the lights of Whoopee of the chair; suddenly he raised it “ And you know it’ s the right in The door flew open and K ay came lured him. and threw it with all his strength. formation,” Jeanne insisted. bubbling forth. Her expression Hammond moved only enough to “ You’ ve cooked it up—every word He did not find the man. Game- changed at the sight of Jeanne, and allow it to go harmlessly past, of it.” keepers merely stared at his ques Jack Hammond, grim ly silent, be “ Then why do you admit it?” tion or said they hadn’ t seen him. clattering against the opposite wall. side her. The Northern girl advanced a step Hammond took it for what it was Kenning grimaced, his lips pulling “ K a y !” he demanded. ’Where’ s toward the veranda. “ Call out Mrs. worth; a good gamester leaves the back from parted teeth. Bruce Kenning?’ 1 “ Well, say something!” he broke Carewe. She’ s tired of her job; giving of information to the pro “ Isn’i he in his cabin?” Then, she won’ t be afraid to answer prietor. Dulled by mental fatigue, forth. “ Staring at me like that—” “ What’s come over you—so excit questions. She’ ll tell you how many The answer was only a low rum Hammond at last approached the ed—” times she’ s seen you go over to bar. Then Around the World Annie ble of hate. Kenning turned dazed “ You’ve *. good idea of what’ s Bruce Kenning’ s—nights when she strolled through a doorway and ly, as if seeking escape. But Jack come over h im !” Jeanne interject couldn’ t sleep and watched you—” edged beside him, an elbow on the Hammond was between him and ed coldly. K ay shot her a glance “ Oh, the cook’ s word.” mahogany, a well-shod foot on the the door, still coming forward slow of unconcealed enmity. ly, as if he took joy in this creep “ A good woman’ s word! If she brass rail. “ So?” she asked and dismissed had only come to me before M c “ Well, Prospector,” she queried, ing approach. her for the man. “ Jack, whatever Kenzie Joe left, Kenning never “ celebrating?” Yet, he knew he was not going is all this about? Is something ter would have gotten his hands on “ If you want to call it that. I ’m into an easy battle. They were knew his breed, quick disgust, the looking for Bruce Kenning.” ribly wrong?" that property!” matched men, in height, weight and “ Terribly. That’ s why I ’ ve got K ay straightened. White-featured, desire to pull out and go on, once “ If you find him, tell m e,” came agility. One was fired with revenge, to find Bruce Kenning.” her hands half extended as though relations had become intolerable. caustically. “ I ’m still wondering if the other burned with desperation. “ He wants to tell him,” Jeanne they longed to claw the brown eyes So McKenzie Joe had gone. And that guy pulled a fast one on me.” Foot by foot, Hammond went on. added, “ that he’s found out how of the woman who accused her, Bruce Kenning had continued, sur Then suddenly, they met in slug “ Was he here tonight?” you two have been tricking him.” she stood a moment transfixed with reptitiously, to dig where McKenzie “ Was he here?” asked Around ging combat. Joe had dug; mining and geological Kay Joyce advanced sharply. There was little science. What anger. the World Annie. “ He came in experience had told him that Mc “ What do you mean?” like a fire alarm. That guy’ s nuts boxing ability they might have pos “ But he’ s got it!” she snapped Curiously, Hammond found him at last. “ And what are you going Kenzie was right. Then, with the on roulette. He couldn't get to the sessed had been overwhelmed by river bed discovered, a quantity of self hurrying to Jeanne’ s defense. It to do about it? ” table fast enough. Had a lot of rage; now Hammond bored in with screened gravel had been taken to amazed him as much as it amazed gold on him. Making bets like a a series of straight-arm punches She whirled. The door slammed. K ay Joyce, now staring from one Jack and Jeanne stood alone in the the worthless test pit on the bench crazy man.” which drove his antagonist, gasp land and dumped there. No won to the other. ing, to the wall. But there, Bruce deepening night. “ Who won?’ der the bottom of the pan, when Around the World Annie pressed Kenning took new strength. Now “ She means,’ he snapped, “ that “ I'm going to find Bruce Ken Jack had washed that sample, had it was he who, laying himself wide someone’ s been working McKenzie ning,” he said abruptly. “ This time been covered with gold. And now her lips. Joe's old claim.” I'd better see him alone.” “ Am I running a charity bazaar?” open to the thudding thrusts of his the real discovery was in the hands enemy’ s fists, swung blow after “ Suppose someone has?” She She begged him to wait for morn of Bruce Kenning. Jack Hammond she queried. Answering her own stamped a foot. “ I can’t help it if ing; Jack countered with hastily had signed it over that afternoon. question, “ Come to think of it, I blow against Hammond’s face and people go wandering around other fram ed excuses. At last he was He knew that already the transfer guess I am. He didn’ t make a good head. people’ s claims. Just why you alone, moving through the shadows had been recorded. Suddenly Hammond began to use bet all night. Then he began get should come storming up to me toward McKenzie Joe’ s test shaft, strategy, staggering, pretending to ting chips on tick. Say," she ex Suddenly Hammond crouched, about it—” progressing more by instinct than alive to his surroundings. He was claimed, “ he was into me for ten sag at the knees. Kenning shouted and rushed him. “ I ’ m not storming. And I ’m not by direction. within fifty yards of McKenzie Joe’ s thousand berries of borrowed money before I could tell him I didn’t lend making accusations. But Kenning Instantly, Hammond leaped aside Mentality had concentrated upon workings. A faint sound, borne by got me to deed that property over a sequence of events which now the brisk wind, carried the rasping to gamblers. I ’m givin’ you the and thrusting forth a leg, tripped to him this afternoon—” were becoming horribly, truthfully of the old ladder as someone began facts. Fine chance I ’ ve got to get the other man off balance. Then She gestured futilely. the prospector was on him, catch clear. McKenzie Joe had been right an ascent of the shaft. A shadowy, it back.” “ Oh, he can pay it. He's got the ing him with one arm about his “ A lot of nonsense about some after all—from the very beginning! burdened figure appeared. Ham worthless old hole in the ground—” neck, and sending his free fist Now the episode of the sniper mond called Bruce Kenning’ s name. money.” “ Strange,” interjected Jeanne. gold was explained and the reason With that, the figure reached the sur “ Yeh?” Annie became more against Kenning’ s face with a crash “ Kenning knew it wasn’t worthless. that he never again had found such face, threw the heavy sack of gravel heartened. “ You know, I ’ ve been ing force which seemed to drive K ay blazed with anger. nuggets at K a y ’ s claim. He knew from his shoulders, strove to run, wonderin’ if it wasn’t a gag. This his knuckles into his wrist bones. “ Am I talking to you. Jack? Or now that her placer workings had stumbled, then turned, weakly sup little rat of a Lew Snade comes in Kenning winced. He cried out. Ham to this little tramp?” mond, gasping for breath, allowed just when we’ re arguing—” been worthless and that they had pliant. “ K ay! Don’ t say that!” Jack been salted with metal from Ken- “ Don’ t hurt m e,” he begged. “ I ’ m “ I thought he worked for you.” a grunt of triumph to pass his lips. was half up the steps. She turned ning's workings up the creek. It not Kenning.” “ Snade? He did. Until I fired This was joy—to hear an evidence defiantly from him; suddenly Ham was her alibi, her excuse to thwart Hammond caught him, lifting him him for stealing. Tonight, he was of pain and suffering. Desperately mond realized that her indignation any plea that Jack might make to clear of the ground. For an instant, all excited. He rushed up to Ken the geologist strove to turn in the had been too carefully timed, her give up this quixotic idea, to marry he held the man shaking in his pow ning and whispered something, and other man’ s grasp; slowly he began amazement unreal. Then, with a half Kenning started to beat i t But I to succeed. Now, in better position him now, and forget pride and fool erful grasp. “ So the pot calls the kettle ish inhibitions. To cover also the fling, he gave him freedom. wouldn't let him go, not without for defense, he began a counter black?” asked Jeanne, with tense matter of money, explain the pay “ I told you never to cross that some security on that loan. That’ s attack upon Hammond’ s midriff; calmness. ment of workmen—Jack knew now Alaskan lin e!” he growled. It was when he pulled the fast one. He the prospector retaliated by driv Hammond turned amazedly. who had paid them. Bruce Ken Lew Snade, almost groveling as he yelled for a pen and signed his ing blow after blow against the “ You've no cause to say that!” ning. To make Jack believe that strove to back away, to reach a name for me and passed over the other man's face until his hands “ No? Ask Miss Joyce how many she was a trifle nearer him. and distance from which he could run damned thing and said he'd be were slimy. nights a week she spends in Bruce thus, fevered by her approach, for safety. But Hammond moved back tomorrow morning to make it (TO BE CONTINUED) POOR MAN'S GOLD COURTNEY RYLEY COOPER
