CLANCY OF THE MOUNTED POLICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17159, 1 October 1923, Page 10

CLANCY OF THE MOUNTED POLICE.

OUR SERIAL.

(BY

OTTWELL BINNS.)

(CHAPTER XXII. (CONTINUED.) The sound that had reached him had come from a distance, and it had been impossible for him to locate the precise direction. But now, alert and eager, he waited for any repetition of it. The moments went by without any violation of the terrific silence, yet he waited patiently. Then, suddenly, once more the sound reached him, the sharp yelp of a dog as it feels cno lash, and on the heela of it a, rumbling sound, altogether jnaiticulate, which he guessed came from the lips of some swearing driver. The sounds were distinctly nearer, though as yet he could see nothing, and it was only with an effort that he was able to restrain himself from moving from the thicket into the open in the attempt to discover the team and its driver. But knowing that there was the possibility of a supremo effort being required of him, and that in his weakened condition he could not afford to dissipate energy in useless walking, he remained where ho was, every sense alert, eyes searching the dimness, ears open to gather every sound that might come to them. Once more he caught a yelp; and just as he located the direction of it, shadows loomed vaguely in the dimness; and at the same moment the sound of a. babbling voice reached him, and his heart gave a great leap. He had now no doubt that the oncoming team was tlio one the trial of which had led himself and the girl to almost complete disaster. By some providential chance, it had swung round in its tracks and was now' moving straight towards him. Jn a few minutes, if it kept it 6 present course, the secret of the mad driver would be made clear, and the fate of Mr Elkington also. With excitement mounting to fever pitch, he had much ado to restrain himself from anticipating events and going forth to meet the oncoming team; but with a supreme effort of will he remained where he was.

He had a feeling that for the moment events had passed out of his hands, that he needed to do nothing, since fate, so long adverse, was now' throwing the game to his hands, and that all he needed to do was to wait. On drove the sledge. He could see the team quite plainly now, and could make out the forms of two men, one breaking trail in front, the other following behind. Then quite suddenly out of the dumbness came a voice that, shrieked with fear. “ Non l Anton, Non I” The cry was blood-curdling in its quality of mortal fear, but he recognised the voice instantly. “ Jean Dubose,” he whispered, and slipping his hand from his mitten, lie threw off the safety catch of the rifle. The cry was followed by the crack : of a whip and tiiat by a chorus of l yelps from the beaten dogs, and then, j when not a dozen yards from the pop- | lars, the trail-breaker swerved as if ito alter the course. In that some nioi raent Clancy acted, running forward to j intercept the team. “Hands up, Jean Dubose!” The hail was answered by a maniacal shout, and a burst oi biood-curd-I ling laugnter, and close after sounded a voice madly imploring. “ Stop the | fiend, for Cod’s saxe 1” The voice was that of John B. 121kj ington, and a s he recognised it, Clancy ; dropped to one knee. At ail costs he i must stop that team and there was

uu.u uuv saiu »vuy iu au it. oignwng the leading dog less than a dozen yards away he tired. The dog yeiped once, leaping and then fell in its traces. Its companion overrunning it were in a moment in the wildest tangle and as, cursing and screaming, tne trail-breaker turned on them with the whip, the contusion grew more confounded. To tlie dogs, nor to the man behind the sled, who seemed strangely unequal to the situation, Clancy gave no hetd. Running forward he reached Dubose, who, with a maniacal shriek, turned on him with the whip. But the corporal got liis blow in tirst, the blow of a clubbed rifle, and Dubose went down like a log, right into the tangle of dogs. Instantly Clancy sprang lorward, and jerked him clear, then called out to Mr Elk ington. “Over with tfte sledge, quick. Anchor the brutes 1” “ I can’t,” came the answering cry. | The corporal did not hear the end. I Jumping forward, he heaved the sleu j over, and then ran to Mr Elkington. | “ Tin bound” cried the American in I a voice that had a break in it. “ That ! maniac there ” j Clancy did not wait for him to fin- ! ish. Drawing lii s knife lie cut the hide ; thongs which bound Elkington’s arms ! t*> his sides ; and cut the other thonga | by which be was attached to the sled ; j then he thrust the ride into the Amj erican’s hands. , “ Keep ?n eye- on Dubose, whilst I 1 straighten out the dog tangle.” Ihe hitter promised to be no easv ! task. The lour remaining dogs were rolling over each other, a snarling., yelping, lurry heap; but picking up tne unconscious Dubose’s dog whip, Clancy waned into the tangle fearlessi ly, and in a few minutes had the dogs ! l. v:n g in the snow, snarling but quiesi cent. At that moment lie hoary a cr*. - Terry! Terry!” ! He swung round to see Mollie, snowI shoeless, plunging across the space bej tween the last of the poplars and the , sled. lie hurried forward to meet her. ami she began a hurried question. “Ob, Terry what ” t gathered her up in his arms. tnJ without replying to the question, carried her to Air Elkington, who, with ; Jean Dubose beginning to move, was t torn beiwe*T; his task ana th« great «-P e which had surged within him. When close to her fathei, Clancy set ! the gtr. or. net feet answer*!”* 1 ” h -° cric - 1 * “ There's your Snatching the rifle, he turned tc ; Dubose who was trying to rise. Quite i callously the corporal dropped the ride- , but upon the half-breed’s head, and «« : the latter once more dropped into thf i snow running to the sled, Clancv ! se( ; u J ed “ m r e .oJ n t ie thongs that he hac to bind Ins captive, conscious nil +h< time of the sobbing, but joyful ex j Father’ 0119 ° WaS mst “g to he, i • he T t u e secured Dnbosc, h. righted the sled, and lifted the half breed on. to it. Then he called on! I m going to the camp. You twe had better come along also ” He faced the dogs gave a w - orc that brought them to their feet thei he cried, “ Moosh ! Moosh!” and re cognising their new' master, the dogmoved forward, leaving their deac leader in the snow. (To be Continued.)