“A HAZARD OF THE SNOWS."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16307, 23 December 1920, Page 5

“A HAZARD OF THE SNOWS."

£ *** * i, • * * (By OITWELIi 81NN5.) % * i. CHAPIER IX.—Continued.

Ho wont outside and, walking all trodrf 'f -; ll T\ ■ iiscoTO red a wellUodden trail jead.ng to the wooes. lu !m U . nS .ir J ?i hje i P rosoatl y reached a | U °° wi«dfaU, where a score of great trees, blown to earth by some fierce gale or tho north, lormed a most amass*»an. e ’ f h ° . t «'' uniCs criss-crossing and the branches interlacing in a wrldlv f J. ea , k ,? 3 } ii!siilon V 110 feosod at the ttindlall m perplexity for a moment, tlicn he examined it carefully. A simlo came on bis face, as ho caught sight 0 f a largo leathery branch, broken from its .parent trunk which, as Jre was ommeed, could by no conceivable accident have lodged just where it was. Apparently it formed part of the tangle, and any one glancing at it casually would not have looked at it twice. But he was convinced that it was placed just where it was bv design, and turning away, ho went back to his team, righted the sled, and took an ax «- Takm S tho dogs forHard, ho went back to the windfall, and set to work. Within five minutes ho had cut his way into an artfully constructed dug-out, and striking a match saw about twenty tins stacked together. He lifted one of them as the match went out. It was full, as ho guessed were. the others, and ho did not trouble to ascertain the contents of them. Of that he nad no question whatever.

Making his way out again, h e returned to the cabin to consider his fur--ler csnirso of action, ho had found the whisky-runner’*; ’ocation, but the man had gone, and it was the man he wanted, whether he was Ginger Bob or another. The man knew that he was being pursued, tie had fled from the scene of his opentions, and having probably travelled through the night would now be miles awny. The question for him was whether ho should %ko up the pursuit, 0 r make a camp m the district and keep *an eye on tho cabin in the hope of tho whisky-runner returning to it? Instantly ho decided on the former course, for the ardour of the chase was on him, and a running quarry is always more attractive than one which merely steps into a trap. The man would bo well ahead by this time, but, as he argued, he would have can JP before long: and it was possible that by pushing on he might overtake him. He would give the dogs and himself two hours’ rest, make a hot meal, and then follow the trail as fast as he could.

. Accordingly he lit a fire, and whilst it was burning up, went outside, fed ms dogs, and then began to cast abom for the fugitive’s trail. There were many tracks about the cabin, and more than one on the river, but the most recent of all led up-stream almost due north. He knew that was the trail of the mnning ham. And two hours later, refreshed by the food and rest, he once more set his face to the frozen wilderness, hope singing in his heart. CHAPTER X. Miss Betty Marlowe was not quite her old self, or so her friends said. They attributed the change in her to the shock of the accident through which she had passed, and the further shock of her'aunt’s tragic death. And they were all wrong. • .Betty’s youth was proof against . both these shocks, and though she naturally was grieved by the loss of her only near relative, a few weeks sufficed, to place that event in its proper category of inevitable things that repining could not alter. But the change in her was certainly marked; and though she confessed it. to no one, it was attributable to Nci) Musgrave’s silence.

Since he had left her on the station i < fl^or l oo she had heard no word or linn. Her letter had gono unanswered, and the fears she had expressed therein mounted'daily. Maior Andover and Maurica Endicott had departed from her ken—westward on their liuntiiiK trip; apd her fears as to their real quarry disquieted her heyond words. That ,disquiet had not been lessoned by. an incident which had ocourred on her arrival at the station of Ottawa., fitter the • accident. Mr Bouchard, her aunt’s lawyer and one of her own trustees, had been on the station to meet her, and, as she had descended from the train in the company of Maurico Endicott and tho Major, had met the latter face to lace! That thev knew each other had beeii Tfiano plaiu by Major Anjlovor’s greeting. v

‘'Hallo, Bouchard!” 'Tho' lawyer’s-response or rather lack of_it had been surprising to Betty—and . perhaps to the Major. Into‘his usual kindly eyes had come a .contemptuous look. He made absolutely no reply to the-Maior’a familiar greeting;. Turning to Betty, ho had said almost sharply. “ Come away, m\ uear v and in the drive homeward had questioned her closely , as to her assn nation with Andover. He had been undisguisedly relieved on learning how httlf) «ne had had to do with him, and Btill mere relieved on learning tho explanation of the presence of tho Mai or and Ins companion.in Canada; hut'jio had warned her against him in unmeasured terms.

"dlave nothing to do with him, Betty 1 If you should meet him in tho street, cat lii.rn; if you meet him elsewhere, avoid him. He is an unmitigated rascal.'* Recalling her aunt’s attitude to Major Andoreir, fresh curioeity had surged within her and she had pressed Mr Bouchard for further explanation. Ihe kindly old .lawyer, however, had shaken his head.

«ear child,” he had replied, I shall tel! you nothing. It is hotter that, you should remain in ignorance. \ou may hear the explanation will” di,y ~ bU ' * S' ou never

There the matter had rested; but aa she dwelt on tho silence of JVeil Mucpnve and oil the words winch she had heard mi she passed out of the swoon the lawyer s estimate of tho Major’s character, her vogue team lo r ‘ her over a safety mounted, till she felt that she could remain inactive no longer and one snowy day she went letter t0 J?oUcsiar< Rs house with a .‘‘l am going to Edmonton on a written "I’ 6 RllU ‘ " ® teßa Rerguson lias viitten to me, pressing me to go to'see Mr Bouchard looked out of the windon and smiled. “Edmonton—in this Bafc T , thin , k you aro right, J letty. mu need a change, and Stella 1 erguson.has tonic qualities. A month with her should be better than gallons of medicine.*’ b OKS

“I shall bo away 'longer than a month I expect/’ replied Bcttv. " I may stay the . winter.” “You will please yourself, of course my-.dear. Tenure your own mistress; hut you won’t xorget an old buffer like me. Ton will let me hear from you Bomcsttnes. ■ )OU r< “ ® course.’.' replied Betty, smiling* and if you like you can come and £Oo me off tomorrow •» and