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"?" "Vrr Tf T, ,, FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1922 Thb Dorant Webkly News THIBET i - ' ' uf -''" B Man To His Mate By j. ALLEN DUNN lustrations by trwm Myers Con i pobSJ Mmffl Co. BfSD' bit hut mountain," said I hi' government nnmes ...... i" P1"".' L. ,nrP life they do." .! eViAv I Lend " '"' rP s,uu,l uul ' CJ fcole.1 '' t.r,, ., .- "j M.ur hnd Imbibed enough w ..i.i..,i m his elation at the . i.... i ..-Moved The smn- nr " - -"r -? . 8 tutu On US pmrui, uuu no ', free hand. He half filled a with "hi-? "Here's to luck," rM Ami spilled a part of the o, on the tloor before he set the to his nps. , MM M nr's to ou. uoc, " "uucu. ot ,.. n. mlliul Hint 1 w reg " " , ' it t trine niuumum - - - hi relations nave gun "- ..i Uf i.unu. sue om 4"u' M glared at her half truculently. Tm mreeable," ne saia. -ab a liter, I disown you from now on, r - tinfA'a A . tat ttm rejgj. kit" Uore'i to ye, Jest the CHAPTER XII. PP llCF ; in M'ci up ' ':i rfv r ki. ti..i pi .i. r'l". p.ir,... law or',. flm il Vf Pin ii i, o part- r . Me , k, !' (r. Ntdi. I1 t' M rem . fvjr t , rat tur, My Mate. ,m the day following tne arrival rieDarture of the Japanese gun- i ihpv attacked the little U-shaped ith that lay between two buttresses the volcano and siopeu snarpiy to the pen. Twenty-one men, a and n woman, they went at the illinp nf It with a sort or oDses led, rather Hum driven, by Lund, o worked 'imonK the rest of them a inr-uii" f is.f-n - fiincj estimate oi a mu- doiinr- ln'Kan speedily to seem ill a Mif work progressed, system- Icallj -tripping the rocky ttoor or an fhlnii- f"t by foot, and cubic d bv 'iilili jurd, cradling it in lie rrnkprs llumlng It, vaporizing amalgam nf gold and mercury, ill atMing iinmiil after pound or n sold to the sacks In the schoon- i stroiig iiinin M uurketl at tlrst In alternating 'ts of four hours, by day and night, An the sun. the moon, the stars nnd flaming aiirnra. The crust was Ifted here ami there where It had ten Intu conglomerate, and explod- bydjniimlte, carefully placed so as it to dislodge the muses of Ice that trhnnc Hie schooner. Fires to w nut tlic ground were unavailable sN'fr Imk of fuel; there was no iftnimd between these forestless iore Wlui' fuel could he spared s ci'iismed for use utitler the boll- thai nipiioii ice to provide water r Hi" i-aillcs nnd flumes, anil help i .wK in- 'ui'iils that Tntnaila pre- rd on' oi ,rirs for the workers. Rijekf - nf .ntTee, .ti'W. nnd thick " - .mil lentils, musses of iiicnty of fat jiork, these i.i. nl nftrr liours nf .i .ii'. lt'-pite the i profUM'l at tlielr nxer-gtiriiieiit- as 1 -hiiNeleil or ernw r Ii gravel, it l.und wa- Mipreme ii iieiiilent. 'I'lii'iv was 'il'l nut, (lid nut, linnilli' i 'mi of them, and M d see a "-liiliikage, mi of his bulk, as day 'Hnd upon It for heroic n-ver viH'incd to tire, "(lot it ' lie vvoulit" siy In the in to le, an' the odds .- m a wii. Ilarrlng ' - what we got to count 'mi'i want them thltikln' weather don't break an' r glit- as S.OOH as we've we're -tung. Though I'll " out of this shore Ice, If ' 'lie worst, 1 saved out ne tin purpose." ' "ini bundling nil of the 1 "it It was not long before In gnu to scrape on the - 'hut underlay the gravel at ml work bwlftly back to "' the TJ. The outdoors ' I u established on top of r lietween the schooner 1 !i a primitive arrange- I ! slung from tripods " il'il on a flat area that hollered from the s-ea and - winds by outcrops of VII ' e men trooped from the e fed and warmed, and ' mg themselves at their more they got out the ns n it for them. But Mr overlord, tliijtr better, tr"'vv H, only Demlng one hand the handle of '(. nr fed the (Ires, and pinnacles, nnd providing xtreatys of moisture that, In the nights now grad ually growing longer, glazed every yard of rock with peril. The men worked In a, muck with their rubber sea-boots worn out by constant dialing, sweaters torn, tho blades of their Minvels reduced by the work demanded of them, the drills, shortened by steady sharpening, gone like the spare flesh of the laborers, who, at last, began to show signs of quicker nnd quicker exhaustion with occasional mutteiings of discontent, while l.und, Intent upon cleaning off the rock as a dentist cleans a crumbling tooth, coaxed and cursed, blamed and praised and bullied, and did the actual work of three of them. Dead with fatigue, filled with food, drowsy from the liberal grog allow ance at the end of the day, the men slept In a torpor every night and showed less Inclination to respond, though the end of their labors was al most In sight. "What's the use, we got enough," was the comment beginning to be heard more and more frequently. "Lund, he's got more'n he can spend In a lifetime!" Rnlney could not trace these mut: tertngs to Demlng's Instigation, but he suspected the hunter. There was no poker; all hands were too tired for play. As for Peggy Slmmi, she did not lose the polish of her culture, she was al ways feminine, even dainty at times, despite her work, that could not help but be coarse to a certain extent. She was fnll of vigor, she showed unex pected strength, she was a source of encouragement to the men as aha waited on them. And also a sourca of undisguised admiration, all of which she shed as a duck sheds water, Ralney gained an Increasing respect in her prowess, and a swift conversion to the equality of the seses. There were times when he doubted his own equality. Had she met him on his own ground, in his own realm of what he considered vaguely as culture, he would have known a mastery that ha now lacked. As It was, she averaged higher, and she hnd an attraction of sex that was compelling. Here was a girl who would demand certnln stnndords In the man with whom he would mate, not merely ac company through life. There were times when Rnlney felt irresistibly the charm of her ni a woman, longed for her In the powerful sex reactions that Inevltnbly follow hard labor. There were times when he felt that she did not consider thnt he measured up to her gunges. and he would strive to chance the atmosphere, to domlnnto the situation In which Lund was the greater figure of the two men. Lund was centered on one achieve ment, the gold harvest. He ordered the girl with the rest: there were even dggpv mWEAS8m&mxtiHNBImm times when he reprimanded her, while Ralney burned with the resentment she apparently did not share. A little before dawn on the eight eenth dny of the work up the bench. Lund was out upon the floe ex amlnlng the condition of the Ice. no had declared that two days more of hard endeavor would complete their labors. What dirt remained nt the end of that time they would transship. Rnlney had joined the girl and Tnmada. at the conk fires. The sky was bright with the nurora i.mvnlU Hint would pale before tho sun. The men were not yet out of their bunk Tbev were bone nnd muscle tired, nnd Rnlney doubted whether Lund, gaunt. and lean himself, could get two days of top work out "They're Drunk, an' They're Coin' on Strike," Said Dandy. The men had got to the Ice, hidden from Lund, who was walking to the Karluk on the opposite side of the vessel. The seamen were gesticulating freely ; the sound of their voices came up to him where he stood, tinged with a new freedom of speech, rough, con fident, menacing. As they climbed the trail their legs betrayed them and con firmed the boy's story. Behind them came the four hunters, with Hansen, walking apart, watching the sailors with n certain gravity that communi cated Itself despite the distance. Lund showed nt the far rail of the schooner with his bar. He glanced to ward the men going to work, went be low, nnd came up with a sweater. He had left the bar behind him In the cabin, where It was used for a stove poker. The men tiled by Rnlney, tlielr races flushed and their eyes unusually bright. They seemed to sbnre n prime Joke that wanted to bubble up and over, yet held ii restraint upon themselves that was eased by digs In one nnotber's j ribs, in laughs when one stumbled or hiccoughed. Rut Hansen was tolid as ever, and the hunters bad evidently not shared the stolen liquor. Only Demlng's eyes roved over the group of men as they gathered round for their cups and nnnnlkins of food, ne seemed to be calculating what ndvantnge he could lump "jou e'n'd can yore own for more'n ten mlnnlts. Ton honrdln' house loafer an' the rest of you scum o' the seven seas, git yore shovels nn' git to dlggln'. or I'll put you ashore In San Kranclsco flat broke, an' glad to leave the ship., nt that. .Tump!" The Finn snarled, nnd the rest stood firm. Not one of them knew the real value of their promised sbnre. Money represented only counters exchanged for lodging, food nnd drink enough to make them sodden before they had spent even their usual wages. Then they would wake to find the rust gone, nnd throw themselves upon the selfish bounty of n bnnrdlng-house keeper. But tliey hnd seen the gold, they had handled It, ami they were Inflamed by n setivn nf what It ought to do for them I'erhnps half of them could not add n simple sum. could not grnsp figures iipynud a thousand, nt most. And (lie sight of so much gold hnd mode It, In n mnnner, cheap. It was there, n heap of It. and they wanted more of that shining heap than had been promised them. "You talk big," sold the Finn. "Look ray hands." He showed palms cal loused split, swollen lumps nf chll- blnlned flc-h worn down and stiffened "I bin seaman, not navvy," Lund turned to the hunters. "Ton In on this?", he usked. Dem lng and Heiile moved off. Two of the others Joined them. "Neutral?" sneered l.und. "I'll remember that." Hansen nnd the two remaining came over beside Lund and Ralney. "Five of us," said Lund. "Five i i.-.i tin i ' K. I I. . I I t ii' .mil I'll' tm il" I.I.I t ' In lp plf-i I "I III v " wall l.e v '111 iir. iti- 1 I. unu n -'..'I i("ii A' ('kO'ii ttw, acri wtc M Wrt hc fen Oi Itcf'p. gain out of this unexpected happening. Peggy Stmnis, under cover nf pour ing the coffee, sweetened henlly with condensed milk, found time to speak tn Italney. "They're nil drunk," she said. "Not all of them, nere comes Lund. He'll handle It." Lund seemed still pmidcring the problem nf the floe. At first he did not notice the condition of the sailors. Then he apparently Ignored It. But, after they hnd enten, ho talked to all the men. "Two more days of It. lads, nml we're through. The beach Is nigh cleared. We can git out of the floe to blue water easy enough, an' we'll git a good "tart mi the pnlrol-shlp. We'll go bii'k vt -i full poikets an' he:i. "iii"- 'I lie Ii.ik.JI be half ' large again ih wove llweied. ' wouldn't vvouili'i- If Ibev averaged s teen or vovciili'i'M ilii.u-,iiid dollars npieie." Knlnev hsnl nicked mil a hl.n k-benrd- pd Finn u- the IciVi of I In 'nilor.x In their debauch. Tim liquor seemed In lime iiiicluilned In blni a "pirit of re vnll that bordered on Insolence, lie Mood with 111 bowed legs apart, inlt tened hamU on hips, staring at Lund with a invert grin. Nest to Limit lie was the biggest wan aboard. With the rum giving an unusual co-nrilliinllon to bis usually sluggish nervous .teiu. be promised to be a source nf tmnlile. Ralney was suiprlsed to see him Bhrug bis shoulders ami lead the wn to the bench. Pet haps luenkfast had sobered them, though the fumes of llqunr still clung cloudily on the nlr. Lund went dovvnr with 'Ralney be side him, reporting Sandy. "I'll work It out of 'em." said Lund. 'That liooe'll be an expensive luxury to 'em. paid for In bard labor." They found the men ranged up In three groups. Demlng and Benle. against custom, had gone down to tho beach. They were supposed to help clean the food utensils, anil nld Tamil da after a meal, besides replenishing i the fires. I They stood a llltje nwav from the It wa ii two- hunters and Hansen and the s-aiiors handled affair holding live g.ilioiis, a snnnlv of strong rum iroin ii fljflifj iliuntA3wfvv3 HHaVSifflal eif flftfl mttQiillunraDlinHH lUJaVaVi III If yl ' UiiiljillHifiB'ftOTftMi uiaWEJ Lund's Face Turned Dark With Burst of Rage That Exploded Voice and Action. i'.IS lor of tlll'ln 'llg. til'' I lll.lt v el tnoN l ' '' ' limit lei'ipel The .iiil'ora M'li rnliilej-ii'iice a- I'lilln'J nniililli. It le lion Id bar. The nl en- bu-v with ll'e cofTi ml Y.imiidii was nuiipoiiiiilliij two puis of slew and bubbling I imilillit" fn- the biiakfn-t. food beat and inii-cle making. s: i, I'.iie.'iieil oi. deck and ciimh swll'llv over Hie side nf the vessel ,, iii uoiii trail to the lire. showed cm lleiiiont sure of II us the hid lug illstmice. "Where Is Mr. Luinl?" be panted Itnlnev pointed to Lund, now iiiiilnliiL'' n lack thai hud open III the floe, a pos-lbV line "f ell for the Karluk. later mi. The men were liegltinlng to show on the schooner. They. loo. he noied somewhat I'll, ncte'd dinVieiill.v llils morning I'simllv thev were sluMi until the.v had eaten, sleepy ami indifferent mull the coffee stimulated tl i. nnd Lund took up this stimulus ami faiineil It flume of work. This tlinllllllg wnlked linereutly. nblionnallv active. "Thev-'re drunk, nn' they're ir.iln' on strike."' said Sand v. "Tmi know the big (lemllohn In the Inreietto?" Italney nodded aril lie Rtilnej funded, got within speak- ev I up to II they 1 ''('Chili day. with the work i aif done, with more than "a of vmai gold In colors, that "vm crnm fl(mr 0lst tQ nUKKet9, in ' "rWiSro(..!ii, ihe weather began to ," Ii misted continually, and ,. '" '""'icing, prophesied the break- OP of tlC cold snap. "J the eighteenth day a regular w.nnk was blowing, melting the s'Uirptr outlines of the lev rrnn and roenrvo which Lund dispensed the grog allow ances and stimulations for extra work toward the end of the ship, the nlsht enps nnd occasional rewards. "Tliev've swiped It." he said. "Put nn eniptv me from the bold In Its place. We got plenty without usln" that one for a while, an' I only hap r.,..i t.. notice It this morning by chance Tliev've bin drlnkln" all night. I reckon. They're ugly. Mr Rnlney. It's the ciew this time. The.v got the booze. The hunters nre sober. Demlng ain't In on this. They did It on their own. I don't know how they got It. I didn't get It for 'em. sir. They roust hnve worked plumb through the bold an got to It thnt way." "All right, Sandy. Tnantts. r. can handle tnem. i gu" Ing now." He's com- The Finn, miking to his comrades in n low- growl, was with n separate group. There was nn air of defiance mani fest, a feeling of suspense In Hie tiny vnllev, backed by the frowning cone, ribbed by the two Icy promontories Lund surve.ved them sharply. "What In b 's the matter- with jou?" be barked. "Hansen, send np a man for the drills nn' shovels Tore work's laid out: hop to It'" "We ain't goUi' to work no morp.' said the Finn aggressively. "Not fo no lch wnge like you give." "Ob, jou ain't, nln't you?" mocked Lund. He was standing with Rnlney In the middle nf the space they cleared of gravel, the seamen lower down the beach, nearer the sea, their ranks compacted. "Why, you bnoze-hltten, lousy hunky, what In h 1 do you want? You pever iaw rwfjniy dollars la ?. men against twelve fo'e'slc nits. j"j give you two mlnnits to start work." "Ycmi talk big with wire gun In pocket." said the Finn. "Me good man as jou ennj day" Lund's fine turned dnik wllh a burst of rage thai exploded in vob-e and action. "You think I need mj gun. do ye vou pack of rats'; Then Ir.v It on without it." Ills hand -llil In his boUtei nisile lil heav'j (oat Ills arm swung, there W;is n stieiil; n gle im'lig inclal in tin lll'ili'. siiui'iijs llviir, over the bends ol Ihe s,..,in,., It plunked In the free wnlei bejonil ll" Ice. (mm ." ne I'd l.und "or I'll insli jou to the bisi li.iih .wiii'w bad in live ji'i.rs" 'Ihe Finn loweleil Ids be nt. and han.cil: lln- rest followed il.. .ii- I l..i- 'I'lie hoi food hail i-tcad led Ihelr motive cunt ml in a certnln cxleiil. Ihej weie tinner on their feet. Ies vugile nl eve but the crude nic'ci hoi slIIJ fumed In their brains. With out il they would novel have nnsweied Ihe Finn's mil to ichclllmi. lie bud promised, and Ihelr drunken minds believed, tb.it lefii-lng in a mass to work would aiitomalii nllj hull things until the.v got their "rights." They had tmt exnecled nil open light. The spur of nlcoliol had thrust them over the edge, glw'ii them a swifter flow of their Impoverished blond a tern- I irj cniilldelice III their own prow- ,s n iii.ii-k vnlnr thai answered Lund's contciiiptiimis challenge I.uiid. thought Itnliie.v. had done ii fool-lmrdv thing In tossing wu hN gun. Il was magnificent, but it was not war. Pure bravado! lint he hud scant time for thinking. Lund tossed him a scrap of advice. "Keep movin" Don't let 'em crowd you!" 'I hen the fight was Joined. ' The girl leaned out from the prom ontory to watch the tourney Tnma da, impassive as ever, tended his tires. Pandy crept down to the bench, drawn desnlte his will, nnd sliullieii in out, Irresolute, too weak to attempt to mix In. hut excited, eager to help Demlng, Ilenle and the two neutral hunters, stood to one side waiting, perbnps. to see which wnj the light went, reserves for the apparent vic tor. The Finn, best and biggest of the sailors, rushed for Lund bis little eyes red with rage, crazy with desire to make good his boast that he was as good as Lund In bis barbaric way be was somew hat of u dancer and his legs were as lissome us bin arms. He leaped, striking with list" and feet. I.nnd met blra with a fierce upper- cut, short-traveled, sent from the hip. His enormous hand, bunched to a knnckly lump of stone, knocked the Finn over, lifting hlra, before he fell with hlj nose drlyetl In, U bojys. shat- tered, his lips broken like overn. fruit, and his discolored teeth knocked out. He landed on his back, rolling over nnd over, tn He still, half stunned, while two more sprang for Lund, Lund roared with surprise and pain as one caught his red beard and swung to it, smiting and kicking. He wrapped his left arm about the man, crushing him close up to him, nnd, as the other came, diving low, butting nt bis solar plexus, the giant gripped him by the collar, using his own Im petus, and brought the two skulls to gether with n thud that left them stunned. The two dropped from Lund's re laxed arms like sacks, and be stepped over them, alert, poised on the balls of his feet, letting out a shout of triumph, while he looked about hlni for his next adversary. The bedrock on which they fought was slippery where Ice bad formed in the crevices. Two seamen tackled Hansen. He stopped the curses of one with ii straight punch to his mouth, but the man clung to his arm, bear ing It down. Hansen swung at the oth er, and the blow went over the shoul der as he dodged, but Hansen got him In chancery, and the three, staggering, swearing, sliding, went down at last together, with Hansen underneath, twisting one's neck to shut off his wind while he warded off the wild blows of the second. With a wild heave he got on all fours, and then Lund, roaring Ilka a bull as he came, tore off a seaman and flung him headlong. "Pound him, Hansen 1" he shouted, his eyes hard with purpose, shining like ice that reflects the aun, his nos trils wide, glorying In the fight The Finn had got himself together a bit, wiping the gouts of blood from his face and spitting ont the snags of bis broken teeth. He drew a knife from Inside his shirt, a long, curving blade, and sidled, like a crab, toward Lund, murder In his piggy, bloodshot eyes, wilting for a chance to slip In and stab Lund In the back, calling to a comrade to help him. "Come on," he called, "Olson, wit' yore knife. Out the swine!" Another blade flashed out, and the pair advanced, crouching, knees and bodies bent. Lund hacked avvny war ily toward the opposite clirf. looking for loose rock fragment, lie bad for bidden knives to the sailors since the mutiny, and bad forced n delivery, but these two bad been hidden. A knife to the Finn was u natural accessory. Onlj his drunken frenzj had made hlin try to beat Lund at his own game One of the two hunters, lamed with a kick on the knee, howling with the nnln. clinched savagely ami bore the Kciiimiu down, battering his bend ngnltist n knob of rock. The other friendly hunter nnd nasneu aim inn feted Ills opponent to submission. Rut Ralney was In bard cnRe. A seaman, half Mexican, Hew at him like a wildcat. Ralney sirucn inn. nnd bis fists hit at the top of the breed's bend without stopping him. Then he clinched. The Mexican was slippery as an eel. He got his arms free, his luimls shot up, and his thumbs sought the Inner corners of llnliiey's eyes. The slid den. burning anguish was maddening and he drove bis clasped fists upward wedging nwnj the drilling lingers Twn bands clawed nl his shoulders from behind. Someone sprung fair ly mi his hack A knee llirust agiiliisi his spine. The iigonj left him helpless the vertebrae seemed about to crmk SlKir-'Hi nnd will veie shut oft", nml the vvoihl went black And thel of the hunters cutiipulled Into lie sllilggle I Ihe lour of tbein will down III a iiuiibb tied licii.j ol blows and stilled shouts The sailors, foii. like hi .Ms, stl'lv ing lor blows li.nvd bj all miles of lleielicj lllnl I. HI' plllj llltellt to lllllllll l.uml had go: his klimilders against Ihe rocks and stoiil with open hands. watching the two with Ihelr knives, who eiept III, font h foul, to make a liiilsh PeggV Slliniis. a strand of her pale jcllow hair whipped lim-e, Hung it mil nl her ejes as she slimd on the edge of Ihe cliff, her lips apart, her brcisls rising siormlly, wntihlng; her fen lures changing with Ihe tide of battle as II surged beneath her, puncliialed wllh mnllled shouts and wind-clipped oaths. She saw Lund nt baj, mid snatched out her pistol. Rut the dis tance whs too great. She dared not trust her aim. Siimlj, diiiicliig In and out, willing but helpless, bound by fear and lack of muscle, saw Demlng, followed by Benle, stealing up the trail, unnoticed by the girl, who leaned far forwaid, watching the light, her eyes mi l.und and the two creeping closer with tlielr knives, cautious but determined, Tn Hindu vtnod farther back and could not see them. The lad's wlls, sharpened bj his forecastle experience, Mirinlscd what and I Demlng ami Iteale were nfier its Ihej gained the promontory nut and ran toward the fires "lley!" he shrilled. "Look out; they're after the tools!" Demlng's hand was stretched toward ' a shovel, Its worn steel scoop sharp I as n chisel Benle was n few feet be hind him. They were going to toss the shovels and drills down to the ! seamen. Tamada turned. His face did not change, but his eyes gleamed as he thrust a dipper In the steaming rem nants of the pea soup and flung the thick blistering mass fair In Demlng's face. At the same moment the girl's pistol cracked with a stab of red flame. Betle dropped, shot In the neck, close to the collarbone, twist lag like a scotched snake, rolling down thtj.tra.il to the beach again. Doming, howling like a s "r.-efll devil, clawed with one hand ,v t stlcky mass that masked hlnr ran blind, wild with pain. He rrlpp clutched, and lost his hold, slid tux at plane mf Icy lava, smooth as gtmvt,. struck a buttress that sent htm off nf n tangent down the fnce of the- tAttt. hounding from Impact with an- oatt thriist elbow of the rock, whirling: Hs to space. Into the Icy turmoil of Omr waves, flooding Into the inlet. Peggy Slintiis fled down the trnSQ with a steel drill In either lintrft straight across the beach towurCl Lund. The Finn turned on her vrttlri a snarl and a side swipe of his knife., but she leaped aside, dodged the o er slow-foot, and llirust a drilr at Lund, who grasped It with a cry cjf exultation, swinging It over his ncsC ns If It had been a bamboo. Hat.str hnd shaken off bis men, and ct&nm leaping In for the second drill. The knife fell tinkling on the frroea rock ns Lund smashed the wrist of 46t Finn. The girl's gun mnde the sece would-be slabber throw up bis hand, while Hansen snatched his wenpaav flung It over the farther cliff, aaff knocked the seaman to the gtouuS' before he Joined Lund, charging- that rest, who (led before the sight of than, and the threat of the bars of steeJ. Lund laughed loud, and stoppa: striking, using the drill at a gwtft. driving them into a huddled horde;, like leaderless sheep, knee-dexvt, thtgh-deep, Into the water, where triey stopped and begged for mer Hansen turned to put a flnlsi . ,. separate struggles. It ended as swiftly as If Mr One hunter could barely stmn kicked knee. Ralney's bin strained and stiffening, Lund had !m" a handful of his beard, and Hanson" cheek was laid open. On the other side the casnaltfav were more severe. Demlng wsa drowned, his body flung up by m tide, rolling In the swash. Beala-ma coughing blood, though net daneatt ously wounded. The Finn was crxUag: over his broken wrist, all the fight aaO. of him. Lund took swift Inventory, Iteifc" them up as they came tltnorouety ewit of-the water or straggled against; Ohe- cliff nt his order. Tnmada had- down from Ihe (ires. Peggy had' of his share, and Sandy's tlrcosty shout. Lund nodded nt him to a frlendlj manner. "You're u white mini, Tauiadov" Ite Bald. '"You, too, Sandy. I'll not fl get It. Italney, round up these tr llcts an" help Tnmada fix 'em up. TO settle with 'em later. Huuscn, pattbas rest of 'em to work, an' keep- m to It! Do jou hear? They got U' the work of the whole bunch." Lund turned to the two htmcctst who bud stood uport. "Wnl. jou yellow-bellied neatraM he said, bis voice cold and his. crjwc hard. "Thought I might lose, no hoped so, didn't you? Pick up. teat skunk Ilenle an' tote him abcML Then come back an' go to wdk You'll git J ore shares, but yoult w gll what's coiulii' to those who by. Now git out of my sight Xmm can burj That when you come baeSc."" He nodded at the sodden corpse T Demlng, flung up. on the grit "Twa can Hike jure paj as grave (Ilpjrrra: out of "hut jou owe him Ht prer. He ain't goin' t" ollecl, this- trip."" Rnlney. lame .iiid sore, helped Ta mada patch up tin wounded. InrtVurgr the hunters' quarters Into u slcl. tny, using the mhle for operation IfrttTa was the vv oi'st on. inn ' """ (- noiinied him on1 vltallv d " Uici he II". I fiiiM-cl wllh ls.si d up Hi IS'ni.i ,'s Ivii b wn on ihe tabic, s'lipin i Vlllst while he l lilibid I V'l mil llicii I.iicihI.iI I still. loll. IWISlltl law .1 blni (d li.ippeil mm pl.o blni. ' Clin e ho p e vn'in b. and ltim"- I irs ns somi'iljjvs o wilb n lick "I lli'nk vou soon nil light. iiowV .ii hi 'l.ini.ol.i. - "on nnd Miss Simms tin ned the Idc, ' s, Italney. "If Ihev'il pot I tools In s-t thej'd ham !iimV.im1 is in shnri older." "Fools'." s.ihl Tamiiilii. "Siipost hej kill l.und. how Ihey get nwr5l No one to navigate. Prescntlj i'- gliubo.it would Hud Ihem. I Illicit; Mr. Lund will luajlie trusi me nov'." le said (inlet ly. "What do ymi mean?" "Mr l.und think In the back or UU lead I arrange for that gunboat :o :mae. lie ciiiimt understand hw hey know the schooner nl Island tie: lilnk In come Jus' this time ton niivtr iirlous, f think." "II was a bit of a coincidence." Tinniiilii shrugged bis shoulder dlghtlv. "I think .lapiini'se government knan ill that gin s on In North Polnr r rlnti." he said. "There Is wireless St Ion on Wrangell Maud We pass bj hnt preitj dose." Raliiej chewed that Information w 3e put on ins clonics, wmiiicmin, is thev had si'in the hist of the gunhont I'hev would have to puss couth through tiering strait It would I nsy to jverhaul Ihem. halt them, search Phr lehnoner confiscate the gold They were not mil of I rouble yet. When he went Into the tnbln to re place his torn cent- he hod hardly a Sutton Intact above the waist, from Jacket to undershirt- he found' the -lrl there with l.und. Apparently, thev had Just ennm In Peggy Rlmms tilth fare aglow with the excitement thnt had .not subsijeil, was proffering Lund her pistol. "Keep It," he said. "You may need It. I've got mine." "Rut ypn threw It Into the water. T snw you. (To be concluded next wi