Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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7 Page Two THE BARNWELL PEOPLE, BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA. Thursday, March 5, 1925. I The Free Traders By VICTOR ROUSSEAU , WNU 8ERVIC* (Copyright ky W. O. Chapman.) SPRINGING THE TRAP SYNOPSIS.—Lee- Andrrson, Roy al Canadian Mounted Police ner- Kcant, I* sent to Stony ranRe to arrest a man named Pelly for murder. He Is also Instructed to look after Jim Pathway, reputed head of the "Free Traders," Illicit llguor runners. At Little Falls he find.) Pelly Is credited with havlntc found a Kold mine, and la mlsslnfc. At the hotel appears a Klrl, obviously out of place In the rouRh surroundings. A half- breed, Pierre, and a companion, "Shorty," annoy the Klrl. An derson Interferes In her behalf. The Klrl sets out for Stston Lajcc, which Is also Anderson's objec tive. He overtakes her and the two men with whom he had trou- ilRht before. She Is sus- >f him and the two men are^ostile. vtvvs in v ii i ble the nl ptelous of CHAPTER III—Continued 3— Shorty glared at\hlin. “Say, what klnda game are yok plnyln, thafs what we want to know?’kje demnnded. “Is this n showdown or nlhJt It?" “Not for tne," answered I>e "All right!" Shorty clambekfl on his horse with an oath and cantered hack to where IMerre was standln cursing as he tried to tighten his girth. A colloquy ensued. The pair rode up to the girl, who was already in her saddle. There followed an ani mated pantomime, with gesticulations toward Lee. The girl seemed to sit obstinately mute, as If she remained neutral. Suddenly Shorty wheeled his horse about. “Come ’long, Pierre, I guess we’ve give the fool his clumst!” he shouted. And, to Lee’s surprise, the pair kicked their mounts In the rlbjj, and In a moment were off at full gal lop, along the trail leading Into the range beyond the valley. The girl and Lee looked after them till they were out of sight. Then she rode slowly up to where Lee was sit ting on his mount. ‘T understand that you Insist on ac companying me?” she asked. “De spite the fact that I have made It clear I do not require your company?" “I’m sorry you take my presence in that spirit. I assure you I have no de sire to be troublesome. But under the circumstances I must ask leave to go with you ns far as your destination.” She bit her lip. “I suppose you mean w.bat you are doing as a kindness,” she said. “And since you appear determined to ac company me, I suppose there is no use in our sulking, with each other, Is there ?’i^ “I wish we could he friends," answered Lee, offering her Ids hand. But the girl's Utile hand did not advance to meet his. “I mean," she said, "if we are com panions, we may as well acknowledge It, though I assure you. I am a very unwilling one. That does not imply friendliness. I hope your persistence will be properly rewarded."” “Let me say once and for all," Lee answered, “that 1 have no desire to pry Into your business. 1 don't even know your name, or wish to ask it.” “If I dared to let myself believe that you hfive no other purpose in view than just to protect me—-’’ she began. “Rut it is impossible. Mt n aren't like that. They are wolves, they are wolverenes, treacherous, cunning, re morseless. Oh. if I cmiM believe you, if I dared trust you—" "T would (I<> rfnTTrTnT: _ ”'TTf~';ir)li fTT help and serve you,” answered Lee. "If you mean seriously that you find It so difficult to make your decision be tween those men and myself—I don't think it's conceit to say this, and, if it Is, this Isn't the time^ to think, of any- 1 thing like that—a man is said to bear the stamp <>f Ids lift* and cjiaracter on bis face. I don’t know what impres sion 1 give to others, hut I know what Impression those two men gave me. Can't you read their faces? If you can't trust me, can you, at least, .say honestly that you trust them?" "But you—what tee you—why—?" She looked at him fearfully. “It isn't that. It isn't—Cod forbid.'—that 1 think you capable of—of what you told me about them. If it were simply a matter of choosing between yourself and them, I should put my trust in you without the smallest hesitation. But—Oh, I can't say any more. lt l s hopeless—It is worse degradation than death to me, and yet I must keep up my strength and resolutien—I must—" The breakdown came upon her like a lightning stroke. She seemed to crumple up; she sobbed desolately into'; her liaijils. Lee moved to her side. “Do you know,” be said, ”we have to trust people in this lift*, even If they de ceive us. It doesn't harm us to he .betrayed.” But he was thinking of Estelle as he spoke, and he wondered bow far that was true. Estelle’s be trayal had changed the whole setting of his life for him. “Trust me," he said. “Let jne help you. Tell me where you are going, and why, and what those men are to you.” It was a full half-minute before she » took her bnndsi from her face, but sin , did not reply. All that day they rodi together. But not until they had pitched their tents again for the night did she refer to the men who had threatened her. “Will you be frank with me?” she asked. “Will you tell me what you are doing in the range?” “I am not free to do so." “And am I free? Is any one of us free?" she cried. “No, It’s Impossible I must Just go on and ask Clod to give me strength to bear It! Don't speak to me for a few moments—there, I'm sorry I made such a fool of myself!" She smiled. "At any rate, we are going to acknowledge each other's existence, aren't we?” she said. “And If you Insist on riding with me—well, I can’t help It. Only, I warn you, you are going Into danger—grave danger. Those two men—I am afraid they may be planning to do you some injury.” “I don’t think they are likely to try very hard," answered Lee. “But—but others—" she whispered, ‘‘ft Is” ndt only they I “You begged me to trust you. You said that you would do anything to serve and help me. Did you mean that?” “Anything that is possible. "Anything?'* she persisted. “If It lies In my power.” "Then would you—would you kill a man for me?- A human wolf, one of Jiose devil creatures that does not de- s ;ill him to r. He Is a hose who 1 imanity a t thing that c ‘th should i, will you s ivnge dog t bout dan- K sleeping? If I help you?” i “No,” answered Lee quietly She laughed In mocking scorn. X'So I supposed,” she answered. "You with your professions of loyalty and service—you’re all the same when It comes to the test.” "I won't commit murder In cold blood and without provocation." “No, of course not. You see, there might be JiM a little danger In If.. He is very crafty, and yoyr offer of serv ice didn't Include personal risk—” Lee’s Ungers closed on her arm. “That’s not the way,” he said. “One doesn’t right wrongs with wrongs, or even up scores by murder. Tell me everything, and I pledge myself to see that whatever wrong you have suf fered shall be redressed.” “Oh, I’ve heard that before, and .when I put you to the test I found Just what those words were worth," she answered lightly. “No, please for get what I have Just said to you. I didn’t mean It, anyway. There is no such man as I spoke of. There couldn't be. for he would have been killed long ago. 1 was Just wondering whether I was to take you seriously or not—and I found we were both playing a game. Good-night I” She moved away abruptly and went Into her tent. , And all that night be lay, hardly dozing, bis automatic beside his hand, waiting and wondering. CHAPTER IV swered; and she fixed her eyes on his face with her peculiar scrutiny for a few moments, and then started her horse. The afternoon began to wear away.* They were slowly descending toward the northern pass of the range, beyond which lay the Immense territories that they fiad seen. They began to traverse precarious defiles, overhung by huge boulders, prismatic from the corrosion of the season. Underneath them, at the bottom of a long descent, in places nearly perpendicular, the tor rent raced among the rocks. It was so still upon those heights that the rush of the torrent far under neath them sounded thunderous; and the air was so culm, the sky so blue, that It might have been an Italian summer, rather than a Canadian au tumn. An eagle, floating motionless, high overhead, seemed to have been pinned against the background of the blue void. The girl reined in and waited for Lee to ride up to her. “Be very careful with that horse of yours,” he said. "There’s a difficult bit a little distance ahead, l,»ut it's the last, and then we’ll have an easy Jour ney down through the pass.” She started off again, Lee following some twenty paces behind her. But of a sudden Lee's horse balked, laid back bis ears and snorted, planted bis fore feet firmly and refused to move. rt was almost Impossible to dis mount and lead him, for at that point, the narrowest part of the trail, there was hardly standing room for man and beast together. Lee held 111 Jhe ani mal with a tight rein, and Tit ted his quivering flanks. He could not understand what had alarmed it, but now some Instinct, per haps communicated from the beast's brain to his, seemed to tell of danger threatening. He glanced at the girl, and saw that Jie was almost across the danger He dared not call to her, for fear of startling her. And, indeed, Another explosion; and between the sound of the dull roar and the up heaval, Lee, seeing the girl apparently trying to urge her plunging animal hack toward him, stood up In his stir rups and waved his hand frantically faward her. "Go, back I Go back!” he shouted. But the girl seemed bewildered, and only clung to her plunging, snorting beast, over which she had lost con trol, the while it pawed the. air and danced desperately upon the narrow way. Lee vaulted from his horse, strug gled upon the edge of the precipice, re gained his footing, and ran toward her. He caught at her horse’s bridle. "Jump! Jump!” he shouted, holding out Ids arms. And the few following seconds seemed to extend through all eternity. Another roar, and the whole face of the mountain wall appeared 1 to crum ple Into a landslide. As in a help less jlream Lee saw the falling wall strike the girl’s horse In the flank and sent It screaming into the chasm. And, as lie vainly grasped at her an irnphet shot hipi over the precipice as if he had been hurled from the mouth of a cannon. He felt himself hurtling into space, he grasped at emptiness and went tumbling far down into unconscious ness. The Trap Is Sprung In the morning she greeted him with a forced gaiety. She nodded and smiled when she came out of her tent. —“Well, we sbnll ndc on together to day, I suppose,” she said. “I have told you that I do not desire your com pany. and that your enterprise Is prob ably a dangerous one. You have taken the responsibility upon yourself. With the understanding, we go as com panions instead of enemies. Is that ryot so?” And this time it was the girl who extended her hand. Lee took It and held it for a moment in bis own. HTIint's the understanding," he an swered. “I intend to see ydu to your destination, dherever that is. and after that you need not lie afraid of my troubling you any more.” “And us fur yesterday," .said the girl, “you will forget, that 1 was a little hysterical add upset-? You see, it is quite an ordeal, going on so long a journey, and I was tired and said foolish things that bad no meaning in them at all." She w(itched Lee's face closely- as she said this. But Lee djd not re'ply. They UH'punt» i ;d and continued the journey-.- ^It \ias ab<mt ten o’clock Tvdien they beard—two or three full reverberations in the distance. The girl, who was riding a fer yards ahead of Lee, reined in and stood her horse upon a turfy hillock, waiting for him to catch up with her. “What ivas that?" she asked, look ing at him with (startled eyes. "Dynamite," Lee responded. “Dynamite? Why—who would—?" “Some prospector blasting rock on bis claim, no doubt," answered Lee. and •again there sounded a detonation. She seemed to tuuse a moment or two. “It rather startled me." she said. “I have been afraid since those 'wo men left us—afraid some harm -my come to you from them. You will * on your guard, won’t you?’" “Yen. I promise you that," Lee an- He Caught at Her Horse's Bridle. “Jump! Jump!" He Shouted, Hold- ing Out His Arms.; there was no reason to call, although that baseless instinct was now liechm- ing so strong that it almost amounted to conviction. - 4, He could not see the least cause for apprehension anywhere. His fears ap peared absurd; and yet that electric message of w arning went Hashing back and fnrth between bis mind and that of bis frightened mount. Then- suddenly there came the roar of an expulsion, muffied underground; the“ next the rocks. over his head seemed to upheave. An enormous crack appeared in the face of the wall of solid rock, which trembled and ap peared to move toward, him, as if pushed by a gigantic harrd; umd before the reverberations had die^[ away—Uce, heard a faint, crepitating 'sound, like the rustling of paper—the sliding of the interior strata, -om*! upon another. A little avalanche of stones, dis lodged from .the surface, came rush ing down' the. face of the cliff midway between the girl and himself. Had Lee’s horse not stopped, it must liave been swept over The edge of the preci pice. , j * Another roar, and a huge rock top pled and fell, this time behind, and smashed into a score of fragments which went rolling into the chasm be low, waking a hundred reverberations among the hills. And with that Lee understood the devilish scheme that was in the work ing. The dynamiting which he had heard that afternoon was the prelimi nary work of the Jwo men In prepar ing their trap; now theySwid^Se^ fus^ among the rocks at the nnrrow^sUpoint of the trail, with the purpose of blow ing him to destruction. CHAPTER V The Severed Strands And the returning scene of con sciousness was at first only the dim knowledge of pain, In terms of which he visualized existence. That pain seemed to have existed from all eternity, filling all space and time. It usurped all the functions of the body. He was the nucleus of Itji sprawling like an inert being at the heart of creation, and out of him pain radiated through the universe. And then came sight—chaos of brown and green, fantastic mountains clothed with sparse, unbranching trees, earth's primitive creation, huge con tinents that he bestrode, a Brobding- nag of his species, solitary In the world. -. Lee became aware that his eyes were open. And very slowly he grew aware qf his own Identity. He began looking about him. Then he made the discovery that the mountains lie had seen were boulders, the vegetation moss and grasses. He was lying upon the ground, with a great rock on either side of him, half way down the gorge at the bottom of which the torrent coursed.. Xow scrub alder and ether growth formed a sort of fan-work over him, completely concealing him. Above this fan- work was a glimpse of the gray sky. * He began to remember tilings. He had been riding, had been thrown from his mount. The inspector had sent him to bring somebody in—Snell, Kelly—Belly I He must have encount ered Belly and have been shot. Belly had been a fool not to finish the Job. He must get after him again. And what had happened to his horse? Now from where he lay lie had a impse of the fawn flanks, the shin- ing\steel circlets beneath the hoofs. His hm-se was lying lower down the slope, al the very edge of the rocks beside tluMorrent. Belly must have shot his iior^e as well. Or perhaps it was only tho lifirse. and Lee had been stunned by the hill. The red rim of\ho sun was just dipping into the horizon and Lee re membered that when heNjad last seen It, it was midway in flip western sky. But he had seen it from a top. -With that the girl flashejj- imtn the picture. Lee saw her and her imj-se toppling down the ravine. He reme hered his own fall, the landslide, the dynamite. Memory grew complete, the last links snapped into place. He realized tlrafjhe had been flung from the heights above, and that by a miracle of luck ills descent into the roek-strewn torrent had been arrested by the scrub growth which held him Otherwise those rocks would have him, assisted In reviving strength. Ht would follow her murderers and shoot them down like the wild beasts they were. , ' Before leaving the side of the In jured horse Lee drew his automatic, which had remained buckled In his belt hdlster throughout the fall, and merci fully ended the animal’s life with a single shot over the heart. Now there remained the pursuit, vengeance—then the original duty of picking up Belly. But he swore that he would take one man, not three, to Manlstree. And, with the decision, he retraced his steps, until once more he stood be side the gorge between the dead horses. The contents of the packs had burst from the broken canvas and lay scat tered everywhere, but the rifle was not to be found. Two or three cartridges at the edge of the chasm, were all Lee found. Reluctantly he came to the con clusion that his rifle lay at the bottom of the river. He turned doggedly to take up the pursuit again. But ns he was passing the girl's horse, something yellow and shining on the ground caught his eye. He stooped to examine It. Long tresses of pale, yellow-brown hair coiled round his fingers. It w ns the hair of the girl I He tried to pick It up, but the ends were pinned under the dead animal, probably caught in the broken girth. The ends that lay upon the ground ap peared to have been roughly severed with a knife. There was no doubt it was the girl's hair, and the tresses must have been severed within a few inrhes of her head, for there was more than three feet of them in view, trailing along the ground. He tugged at them to detach them, but it was a matter of considerable effort, and he only succeeded In re leasing tVm strand by strand. At last, however, he managed to detach them, and, after a moment's hesita tion, he thrust them into the bosom of his shirt. * And then of a sudden he understood what had happened, and his heart gave a hemnd. The girl had not been flung into the water. She must somehow have become pinned by the hair beneath her horse after her fall; it had come near roll ing on her, and her hair had been cut off to effect her quick release. She was not dead. She had been carried off by the two ruffians. It was nearly dark when Lee crossed the pass a second time. And he went on, under the light of the moon, scanning the trail ahead of him and the rlwr hank for the kidnapers’ encampment. But hours went by, and he did not come upon It, and only the dark river, with its twisted, desolate bunks, and the eternal forest dis closed themselves. In the small hours the wind veered, bringing with it a storm of Icy, pelting rain, ^hich changed to a driving sleet. The whistling pellets stung and whipped ids face, and all through the storm Lee continued to struggle on ward. It was a superb exhibition of the force of will. Hour after hour he went on, until, in the beginning of that hour before the dawn when everything grows still, when the first faintness of the, dawn begins to mingle with the darkness, lie became conscious that the river had widened into a lake, one arm of which, thrust out before him, barred his course. On either side of this lake the forests had given [dace to reedy swamp. And, lifting up his eyes, he saw, upon a low elevation in front of him. Ihe log huts of the Free Traders' camp. Then he knew that the long chase had come to an end. And with that the man, shook the fntr&ue from him, knowing that he rnustHmld on to all his strengtli and wit foi\an hour or two longer, and that what\he had' to do lie must do quickly, crart^ly, boldly. Take" 5 ® 8 ®] Laxative' Brom6 Quinine, tablets The First asd Original Cold and Grip Tablet Proven Safe for more than a Quarter of a Century as an effective (remedy for COLDS, GRIP., INFLU ENZA and as a Preventive. The box bears thh signature Price 30c. 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Resinol Ointment soothes, and heals the in flamed, irritated spots. Tlie most ag gravated cases of skip affection have readily responded to this treatment. Can ^^ uned ^ rom druggUu. And It was a murder plan that would leave no evidence behind It, surer and safer than a rifle shot ground and battered him almost out of semblance to a man. or tossed him info the whirling torrent. As it was, it was a iijiracle that he had survived the fall. Brobabfy he was badly injured. He must count on broken limbs. He tnied to rise, and instantly the body screamed its jprpfe.st. With im mense difficulty -li^ 1 succeeded in get ting upon his hands and knees. He flexed each of his limbs in turn. Up felt his body and ribs, lie patted him self, a! I over. It was incredible, but though every’ muscle in.liis body seemed twisted, and he was aching and bruised from head to foot, • no bones appeared to be broken. 1 Leering along the edge of the ravine, Lee saw the girl’s horse lying a little distance away. The effort to get upon his (feet seemed to consume an incredible period of time. By the exercise of all Ids will Lee managed to keep. Jus balance until, tile rocking earth had grown comparatively stable. Then, forcing his rebellious limbs and muscles into co-ordination, he stag gered toward the girl's horse. It was alive, but its back and limbs were broken, so that It was completely paralyzed. It looked at Lee as be ap proached out of its bright, pathetic eyes, instinct with the foreknowledge of death. Lee was sick with the fear that hq wo||d_jHther And the girl dead—hat- terefl almost out of recognition among the rocks—or missing; drowned'in the •■rrent below. He searched every inch of the sur rounding terrain within a radius of three hundred yards, and then aban doned hope. Anger, boiling up within He did net Tynow how many men were in the FreX Traders’ head quar ters, hut he must saYp the girl, get her a ways 4 The arm of the lake that was thrust out between the elevation and the end of the trail was no more than two hun dred yards, if as much, In width.. Nice job, tackling the Free Traders' camp all alone! But does he find the girl? FOR OVER ZOO YEARS Haarlem oil has been a world wide remedy for kidney, liver and bladder disorders, rheumatism, lumbago and uric acid conditions. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Fine Mahogany Trees A recently discovered species of ma hogany of gigantic size exists on the western coast of Ranama at the San Lorenzo river, and the American mu seum bird-hunting expedition of Lud low Griscom and three assistants found it to he one of the commonest tret's of the primeval .torest of that little-known region, according to the Ralthnore Sun. 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