THE KLONDIKE GOLD MYSTERY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9107, 7 March 1898, Page 4

THE KLONDIKE GOLD MYSTERY.

BY JOHN R. MUSIC K.

CHAPTER VI. Paul was unable to make anything o.Utof the mystery. The more he read the note, the more he was pussiled and the further he seemed to get from the solution. Unable to make anything out of it, he folded the paper and went near enough to the aperture in which it bad been stuck to replace it, but did not do so. It was now quite evident to him that the man who had been wounded waa conscious that he would be captured, and, being too feeble to destroy the tell-tale letter, had made an effort to conooal it in the crack of the cabin. ' There has been a carefully laid plot to ruin me,' he said to himself, as he sat upon the stool trying to study the missive. ' Who is ' L.T.,' and why should he wish me to remain in the Klondike ?' The letter was written at San Francisco. Had it been addressed from Fresno, it would have led him to believe that some person of his own town wished to detain him. He left his shanty, carefully locking the door after him, and was making his way to the cabin at which he had stayed since the attack, when he met Glum Ralston. « Hello;, Crack Lash, gettin* under way agin ?' ' I am able to be out, Glum,' he answered. 1 Glad on it, boy—glad on it.' The ex-sailor was about to pass on, when the young man said : ' I want to talk some with you, Gliim;' ' Well, let's sife on this 'ere rock an' hear wat ye got t' say,' said Glum. ' Do you think the three men who escaped have left Alaska ?' 'No.' ' What reason have you for thinking they have not ?' ' A new miner came from Dawson City and said three men had been seen below there who answer the description o' these robbers. He says they can't cross the Chilkoot this winter.' ' Could we catch them, Glum 7' Ihe old man rubbed his hard hand over his stubby, grizzly beard and said : ' M-yes, but what's the need, Crack Lash f You can take out twice as much gold as you lost while hunting for 'em, an' it's moro snug in port than cruisin' about in the snow.' ' But I have other motives than money,' said Paul. ' What are they ?' ' There was a deep-laid plot to rob end murder me. I have an enemy, or enemies—l know not how many—who have designs on my happiness. . Glum Ralston took a fresh chew of tobacco and, again rasping first one unshaven cheek and then the other with his horny hand, said : ' M-well ? Don't think they are goln' to bother you, do you ? They won't dare come back l here again.' ' You don't appreciate the situation, Glum ; you can't. The danger is not local. I have some powerful unknown enemy who is here and in 6an Francisco at the same time, a conspiracy against me.' Ralston was not a man to be moved by emotion or to jump at a conclusion. He sat a long time listening to the unquestionable evidence of the youth. When he was fiuished there was no longer a doubt that there was a conspiracy to injure Crack Lash, and perhaps take his life. A new lignt was breaking in on him, and he became more interested in the youth than he had ever been. ' M-well, Crack Lash, I think we'd better run 'em down.' ' Will you go with me, Glum ?' ' You'd better stay here an' let me go and shoot them rascals.' ' No, no ; I must go, Glum. ' Are you strong enough ?' ' I will be in a day or two, for my strength is returning rapidly, I am sure that in a day or two I will bo able to start.' 1 Wonder how many we cau git to go with us.' ' I want no one but you, Glum,' said the youth. ' You and I are enough, for I can truet you, which is more than I can do with all. Glum, are you superstitious ?' 1 M-no ? reckin not.' ' Do you believe in mysterious warnings—impressions V < yes—l don't know.' ' There is a beautiful girl back home—' ' Umph ! Urnph !' interrupted tho old prospector. ' She is more than life to me ; for her I came to this wild, frozen region. I have a strange impression that these common enemies threaten both of us. You may call it superstition, intuition or nonsense —I care not which. I believe that if I can capture those, men they will not only tell me where to find my lost treasure, but also inform me who this enemy ' L.T. is.' ' Then by the trident o' Neptune we'll go, an , never stop until we find 'em.' The youth went to the cabin and slept better that night than he had for some time. He seemed to realize that his success in recovering his gold depended on a speedy restoration to health, and determined to recover. He awoke next morning refreshed, and told the old prospector that he would be able to set out next day. After consulting over the matter, they decided to keep their departure a secret from their companions, and to start before they wore awako next morning. During the night a snowstorm raged. Next morning, long before the miners were astir, our two friends wero attired in furs, with several dows, provisions, blankets and rifles, and set uil on snow-shoes in search of the three men who had robbed and so nearly killed Paul several weeks before. Glum Ralston had received reliable information that the men he wished to find were in a valley up the Yukon, and they acted on that information. They found tho snow still falling, though it was not very cold. For several miles they trudged along on their snow-shoes in silence. At last Glum said : ' Stop !'

; • Why f asked Paul. J < We f ll rest.' ' I am not tired.' ' Ye don't think ye are, mate, bat yell have all the wind out o' yer sails afore ye know it. Set down.' There Was a log lying near, and both sat upon it. Balaton fixed his Weather • beaten eye on the youth at his side, while a look of tender emotion came over his face. At last he said : ' Crack Lash, I like you.' 5 Paul looked up in surprise, and a * smile played over his pale features, as hs answered ; 0 ' I am very glad you do, Ralston. I esteem your friendship as much as any '' man'a on the Klondike.' r ' 'Taint that, Crack Lash ; 'taint ' that. I can't explain what it is, but it'a somethin' anchored deep down in 4 th' hold o' my affections. I'd do more for you'n any one elae. 'Taint no use to ask me why, because I don't know.' 0 ' It is sympathy, Glum.' c ' What's that ?' ' You feel sorry for me because I was uniortunate in being wounded and ' robbed.' 6 The old ex-sailor shook his hnad and 6 said : F ' No, it's somethin' stronger'n thfit. c I seem kinder anchored to you my boy, as if we were to make a long voyage together.' Q After several momenta' silence, Paul returned : ' I hope we may, Glum. I a feel a strange trust in you. It seems as if I would be perfectly safe with you ? and as if we had known each other all ? our lives.' 1 • You've hit it, mate ; you've hit it '* exactly. That was just what I wanted to say, only the plaguy words could r not be found anywhere in my memory. The memories of some people are liks ' the holds o' ships with mixed cargoes; They've got so much ballast an' trash in 'em you can't find the word you » want,' ' I am sufficiently rested, so lot's go '» on,' said the youth, starting to his feet. ' Don't be too certain, ye know, ye 1 kin stand it. I tell ye it's a longer voyage'n you think, an , there's rough 0 sailin' between this an' the Chilkoot.' They reached Dawson City next day at noon. Here they found a number ? of men who had heard of the wonders of the Klondike, and who were prepara ing to set out for the gold diggings. 1 Dawson City had a publichouse which a comprised a hotel, a bar and a dance * hall. As Paul was etill weak, ho secured a room in the hotel and went to bed to rest. Being overcome by * weakness and the journey, he was soon * buried in profound slumber. He was awakened by some one £ shaking him by the shoulder and s whispering : I ' Tumble up, Crack Lash !' 1 'What is it, Glum?' he asked, starting up and rubbing his eyes. 1 ' They're here.' ' Who ?' ' The rascals that robbed ye. I saw ° th' face o' one o' them fellers we'd seen r a-hangin' around our diggin'a before 3 you were robbed, an' I'd bet my wolfskin cap th' others ain't fur off.' * Paul Miller hastily donned his " clothes. It was' now night, and Glum 1 Balston was lighting a candle. The , pale youth drew on his fur boots and buckled his revolvers about his waist. 3 There was a look of firm resolve on his face. He was in a frontier land, where » every man was a law unto himself. A * man's life depended on the rapidity and 1 precision of handling a weapon. Paul was not reckless. Hβ realised * how dangorous an encounter would be, and he knew he might be a corpse in 1 twenty minutes. He breathed a silent '" prayer for Laura, mother, and lastly himself, and whispered : '• ' I am ready.' 0 They went do»vn to the room below, " where they found a wild crowd carousing, but no sign of the man who was 3 suspected of being an accomplice in the 9 robbery. 9 ' Wait at the door, Crick Lash,' Glum whispered. ' Have yer weppin ■* ready t' give him a broadside the minute he comes in sight. . The ex-sailor left him and hurried 0 away. He was gone but a few minutes, when he hurried to his side, saying : ' Thoy're gone.' 1 Where ?' y ' Up the Yukon ; we'll rind 'em in a the valley.' 9 ' Let's go at once,' said Paul. They set out for the upper valley. An Eequi--0 maux was engaged to take them several miles on his dog sleds, and from there ■* they travelled on foot, sleeping on the ' snow securely wrapped in their blankets. 1 On the morning of the third day 1 they came upon the trail of these men and followed it until nightfall. They built no firo that night for fear it would warn the three fugitives of their presence. Next morning they were early on their trail again, and after four c hours' hard travel Glum Balston said : ' There they are, Crack Lash !' 3 He pointed down a narrow valley which diverged from the main valley, r . and three specks oould be seen upon a * slight elevation. The youth had a 3 field glass through which he gazed * upon them. They had halted for con- ' sultation, and were pointing up the !■ valley, as if discussing the route they 1 were to take. ' Glum Ralston was an experienced 3 scout, and began at once to put in play his woodcraft. They crept forward to ' some trees and advanced rapidly, i ' keeping themselves screened from the observation of the men they were try- ' ing to overhaul. : Wight fell again without coming up " with them, but a glimmer far up the mountain side told them they had 1 camped there. The pursuers slept and 1 rested a few hours and then again ■ started on the trail. 1 They wero now in the wildest mountain scenery, and travel becamo every 1 moment more hazardous. There were 1 deep, terrible chasms and pitfalls, where 1 a single misstep meant death. What 1 made the path more dangerous was the snow, which concealed many a treacherous stone that gave way beneath their weight and went tumbling down to the awful depths below. At last they came in sight of the thrco men not over two hundred paces away. Raising their rifles, they shouted to them to halt. Tho fugitives cast quick glances behind, and then, with defiant yells, fled. Two darted J around ono side of a huge, projecting j cliff that formed the extreme spur of the mountain, and one went the other way. Two rifle shots rang on the mountain, and two bullets whizzed through the air. ' Ye winged yer man, Crack Lash,' cried Glum. ' Follow him and I'll give chase t' the others.' Paul needed no second command, but darted after the man at whom ho had Mred. Running around the spur of tho mountain, he saw him speeding along the rocky ledge and sent a shot whizzing over his shoulder with another command for him to halt. Tho fugitive threw away his gun and fled for life, and for an hour Paul was in doubt whether ho was gaining on him or not. At the end of that time, to his great chagrin, he saw him dash into a thick forest of pines and firs. When next ho saw him ho waa creeping along a ledge (ivo hundred feet above him. A glance showed that the path descended tho mountain until it was no highor than the top of a decayed j oak by winch it might be roached. The I pursuit had taken him into a wild, I rocky doll, whese perpendicular cliffs J j lined by pinoa and hemlocks, fringed j tie glen. Plunging into tho place, S J which seemed almost like a vast cavern, (

he noon cama to the steep precipice below the tree. With no other thought than the capture of the fugitive and recovery of hi 3 treasure, he threw off his snow-shoes and clambered up the steep precipice with great labor and n? little danger. His rifle was swung on his back, co that he had both hands and feet free. At last be reached the tree which leaned from the cli.*? over the valley beneath, with one giant branch extending to the lower end of the ledge on which he had seen the fugitive. He immediately began to ascend the tree, not observing, in his eagerness, that it was rotten to the very root, and trembled from top to bottom under his weight.

Up he went, heedless of ererything but the solution of the my3tery vfhich threatened his life and happiness of himself and Laura, He reached the fork and began to climb the great dead limb which touched the coveted ledge. At that moment he heard a crackling ac the root of the tree and became conscious of a descending motion in the limbs to which he clung.

He knew he was falling, and that with the vast mess he must descend into the valley beneath. The moment was terrible for thonght,- yet his mind turned to his mother and Laura with a feeling of farewell and a prays* to Heaven for his soul. How swift the swing of thought in the moment of peril 1 He felt himself rushing downward through the air; he closed his eyes ; there came a horrid crash on his ears, and he knew no more. [to be continued/}