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. Y- |S«RV)C M-V. ‘Cfc /VALLEY //VOICES OU GEORGE MARSH AUTHOR. OF - ; T M TOILERS OF THE TRAIL") "THE WtfELPS OF THE WOLF * COPYRIGHT by THE PENN PUBllSHlHO CO. SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I—With D*vM, half-br«*d ctiliU, Brent Steele, of the American Muaenm of Natural History, le travel- ln* In northern Canada. By a stream 5^. BenU.', daughter of CoL Hilaire 8t. Onge, factor at Walling JWjWj play the violin superbly. He •otroduces himself and accepts an In* vltatlon to make the post his home durtn # his stay. Prom St. Onge he Isarn^ jf the mysterious creature or evil, the "Wlndlgo,” and the disap pearance of a canoe and its crew, with the season s take of furs. CHAPTER 11.—Steele hears the "Win* 4lgo." David and Michel, St. Onge'e head-man. leave for the scene of the canoes disappearance. St. Onge tells ateele that Lascelles, the company's ••thhhgsr at Fort Albany, seeks his ruin in order to compel Denise to mar ry him to save her father.- ,CHAPTER III.—-Hearing her violin playing, Steele realizes that Denise la \ sacrificing a brilliant musical career to' comfort her father. David and Michel return, but are uncommunicative. CHAPTER IV.—Teto-Uoule. Indian la I ‘ learns Ogoke, has made application to her father for hand of Denise. ^^ftpHAPTER V.— Pierre. Indian from wr ^- 0, te, visits the Walling Klver poet, BVtensIbly for gun sheila. David and Michel are suspicious of hint. CTIAPTER Vi.—Lascelles visits Wall- rtlver. He jeers at stories of the w Indigo. ’ To his consternation, De nise tells Steele she Is Lascelles’ fiancee. CHAPTER VIL—Steele. David jand Michel leave to visit an OJIbway camp, «a the trail of the "Wladlgo,” and ea route to Nepigon. CHAPTER VIII.—Talk with the OJIb- weya oonflrma the euaplcloa that Pierre **, * Tete-Doul# hie sccotn- plice. The "Wlndlgo" le beard aad hunted, but eacupee Michel returna to v» ailing Klver with meeeagee. Steele, la an effort to hold the terrified Indi ana taken the trail of the ‘'Wlodlge," without reeult CMAPTEK IX—Steele and David e'art for NcptgAi At Ogoke Lanamme weleomea the travelers, seemingly Larning with eurprtee of the Wln- 4igo end the lose of 0t ongs’s fur ceaoe. Steele meets Roes. Laftammee ii.lstreea, who la Introduced hr La- flemme as his sister CHAPTER X. —Hose remes to Steele la hie cabin to urge him to take her away from 1 at flam me The latter ap- r ears and le overpowered and bound r Djevtd who would have hilled him iat for Th« two wi«n escape, leaving H>>se David tells Steele La- flamme caused the death of De^ld’a brother, and the haif-breed has swore *•» have hie Itfo. Laflammee men am bush them, bet the voyagers escape by running the frying Pan rapids, a feet deemed Impossible CHAPTER XI.—From Nepigon Steele goes seal, returning with a bloodhound eltb which he hopes to trail the Win- <tigu" David aad Steele go beck te Walling River, where they had been given up as lost, drowned In the Pry ing Pan Steele Is mystified by Denises cold reception. CHAI'TER XII — Steele find* himself utterly at a loss to account for Denise’s changed attitude, end with a heavy heart he. with David. Michel, and the bloodhound, leavg to hunt the "WIn digo." CHAPTER XIII —St tHig. la decoyed from Walling River by a forged letter la his absence Imflamme cornea to the post to urgs Denise to liaiitt to his suit. She repulses him Krensled, sflei tsuntlag her with loving Steele, whom he declares would havs run away with Rose, he smashes the girl a beloved violin and escapes CHAI'TER XIV—Th# hunters hear the "WIndigo" and loose the blood hound on IU track. The creature kills the dog and gets away Next day they hear screams from a trap, and And Flarre. Laflamms’s henchman, gro- I rftquely disguised, dead In the snow, ft e myetery of the "Wlndlgo” D ftlved. Le flamme had used It to frighten he Indians Into deserting St Onge aad trading with him at Ogok,e. CHAPTER XV.—Steele and his two friends secure the promise of the In diana w ho, now that they Anew the dreaded ’Wlndlgo" was an Invention of Laflamme. are JAger for vengeance, to help them rldrfie country of the trader, and plans are made. CHAPTER XVI.—At Walling River Denise pines and fades. Her father learns she has received a communica tion from Rose Laflamme, placing Steele In a bad light, and she believes It. She insists that having given her word, she will carry out ner promise to marry Lascelles. Tete-Boule at tempts to shoot Michel from ambush, and in killed by the latter CHAPTER XVIL—Laflamme hears ol the death of Tete-Boule, and the de fection of his Indians, with the realiza tion that hla downfall Is at hand. Steele, with hla party of avengers, ap proach. Laflamme and his chief part ner In crime, Antoine, escape. me WK (CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK) CHAPTER XVIII From the blackness of the clearing At Ogoke rose a low whistle, which was answered from the gloom behind the trader’s quarters, where the kitch en windows shone, yellow patches in the thick dark night. The whistle was repeated and, simul taneously, swart faces appeared at the windows of both buildings. Kyes, glit tering with hate apd the pent excite ment of the stalk, searched the rooms for signa of life. Bat they looked on emptiness—on a table' splashed with spilled liquor, a Jug. an untouched glass of whisky; on a stove from which smoked a frying pan with Its burning bacon. knew you would stampede them, ^Pnehet,” said Steele, looking qulsslcat- ly at the happy Iroquois. 'They- got out Just ahead of na. Ton did that for David, you rascal T The hoar, of the man from Nepigon had struck. Like a hound at leash he yearned for the Rouge river trail— ■an whs travaiad It. SrtHg.thiJird hand ef kis q-i-L.r-v friend In* silence. There was nothing to say—no turning the OJlbwuy from his heart's desire. With a word to Michel, Davld # left them to get his dogs. “What shall we do with last year’s hunt, if we find he hasn’t shipped It?” queried Steele. “Give eet to de Indian. Dey trade eet at Wailing Riviere.” “Yes, he got most of It with his whisky—by fraud. It ought to go back to them.” , To the surprise of the men as they reached the far-storing loft, the candles lighted row on row*of otter and mink, lynx and fox marten and fisher pelts, hanging from the rafters. “Here's hla whole last year's trade!” cried Steele. “He’s never shipped it !’* The yellow light of his candle lit eyes snapping with delight, as Michel looked at his chief. “Much fur here for M’steu St. Onge I He be happy man, now. De poe* not dose.” “Yes. they will trade It et Walling River, unless—” The Indian waited, wondering at the qualification—“unlesa Lascelles refuses to sign a certain pa per." “Ah-hah ! He not get her—now V’ The grave eyes of the Iroquois ques tioned Steele's. “Not If I cen help It I" , Satisfied, the Indian turned to ex amine the far. Steele began counting the rows of rich pelts. In an enceavor to make a rough estimate of their value. He had reached the far ea<! of the loft when the dim light of the candle fell on eume bulky shapes on the fhx>r in a corner (‘urloua. he Item over the lashed bundles. On the can vea covering of the nearest there was lettering. He loeered hla candle to read It “H—F," he sabl aloud; then, with a gaap, “Walling Klver!” Michel he railed, “Kevlllon Kre- ree. Walling Klver! Well. 111 be- The fur-phrks fn»m the lost canoe! Murdered—ambushed, they were, for the furl* Michel knelt Iteslde Steele. “By gar! our fur!” he said, iteeriug at lit* wrap- plnga, hla voice hoarae «lth excite uwni. T*ey keel our men al de Devil's mile!” The iiium lr« of his lean face knotted ‘’Hut Luflauuue ees dead inao now. Tonight Dnteed lake Ids trail." They rolled out the fur pack* with the eighteen thou»and dollar* in pelta. which hid left the |»o«t In the spring only lo vanMi on the lower Walling ‘‘M'aleu HI. Onge Ite happy man dls night, eef Ite know dia.” “He'll know it a* eoon a* one of the Itoya ran reitch hliu," replied SteHe jubilantly. “We'll send him this pres ttm lu tlie morning.” After the gmy days the sun waa Indeed breaking through. She aeeuied nearer—more |Mtaalhle of attainment, there In the dqrk fur-loft at Ogoke, than she had been for weeks, to the man who tolled for her. In the morning Steele gathered hla red henchmen together In the trade- room and talked to them, through Michel. “My frienda. we have worked to gether to drive from this valley the man who would destroy the Indiana We have won. • He has gone. You have toiled, you have kept your prom ises and obeyed orders. You will take to your families what food and trade- goods your dogs can pull. Also, there ia much fur In the loft, for which La- flamme paid the OJIbwaya In whisky. This the government will take, If It remains here. But It belongs to the Indians. You shall ha've It to divide equally among the hunters of this val ley, hut first It must I.e taken to the fork of the Stooping nnd cached. I am Volng on the long trail to Fort Albany. When I return I will meet you at the cache, divide the fur among you, and .‘ell you where you are to take it to be traded—to Walling River or to Fort Hope, of the old company. “In the loft we have found the fur that was lost this summer with the canoe on the lower river. Laflamme murdered the crew and stole the fur, to drive the honett trader, St. Onge, from this valley. This mornlftg It goes back to him. Will yon cache the rest* of the fur at the Stooping and wait for my return from Albany?” I “B-nh, yea!” The OJIbwaya, de- lifhted with their snddea wealth, read ily agreed, surprised that the man who had caught the Wlndlgo reserved noth ing for hhnself. , The following morning, as Michel and Steele .watched the last sled fade from sight on the white aurfsce of Ogoke, bound with fur for the fork of the Stooping, n moving spot on the anew, fur te the west, attracted tbefr attention. “It can’t be David, as soon?” queried the American. Tbs Iroquois shook bis head. “Ha not kocb dam so qoosk. Dey drive deg htri !• J* 1E1K." r Steele west Into the returned with his binoculars. “There reeiu te be two sleds,” he midi adjusting the glasses. “The driv ers are Hdlng. I Cqn’t make them out. They may b« police." He handed the glasees to Michel. For a long time the Indian studied the distant spots on the snow. Then he said, drily,- “Onlee one man—odder team hitch to front sled. Dogs tired." ‘ He returned the glasses to his chief, with* a look Which -aroused MfPele’s curiosity. “You think It’g'Davld, after all?” “I t’lnk," nodded the Indian. The two men returned to the kitch en. The man who had spent two nights and a day on the trail would appreciate a warm breakfast. When they again looked down the lake, the. familiar, tlocky figure of David was urging tlte exhausted teams from the tall of the second sled. Shortly, the dogs turned Into the post. Then the curious men who hailed with a shout the seturn of the OJIbway, saw, lashed to the pack on the rear sled, two rifles In skin coses. .. In silence the two gripped the hand of the one who had left In the night on his grim quest—faithful to an oath and a memory. To their questioning eyes he an swered : "My brudder—he sleep soun’ last night.” That was all. But Steele and Michel knew that somewhere on the Rouge river trail, two men had paid—some where, two bodies lay stiff in the snow. SW9@$sar«ii ^ r CHAPTER XIX All Walling Klver, women and chil dren, were on the river Ice to welcome the return of the men who had saved the trade. Leaving the chattering In dians, as the dogs/ brave with .bells and colored worsted, jingled down the trail. St. tinge hurried to meet his friends. “My friends!” he choked, powerless to continue. Then. “My brave com rades! I can never repay you—but I will not forget.” Steele’a eager eyes searched the rgroup at ttie shore for a straight ng- ure In fur coat and luxxl—then found her standing with the women. As the people surrounded the dog team*, con gratulating Michel and Ihtvld, the came to meet him. The sharp air had driven the blood to her cheeks. In the mink hood, her face had never so appealed to him as when she laughed up. with: “The con queror returns fur hla triumph! Wel come. Monsieur Steele!” Then* her dark eyes went grave. "We owe yon everything—ever)thing," she said, low ering her voice "Thank yon, oh. so mncti, for phut you hare done for my father” “But—for your he protested. "You enow—It was for you?” 81m* met hla gaze frankly. "I thank you—for myself.” "You have* been well?" he asked, chilled by the reserve In her level eyes ‘The violin—Jacques brought word—1 am ao sorry." "Yes. you would know what Ha loss has iiieunt But your cabbing the W Indigo—surrounding them—driving them from Ogoke through fear 1 It was wonderful, monsiehr. And David Is with you? The Indian* lidd U* he had left In pursuit of Laflamme—he—“ “Yes. David’s account Is settle'!," asld Hteele, quietly. The girl shmldered. , "The future of the poet Is safe." Steef> w ent on. “We have much to be* thankful for—finding that lout fur. Your father will show a hlg profit this year. Montreal will not allow the post to be closed now." He watched her face closely. "Father wept at the news—It was wonderful." site calmly replied, as If Ignorant of how great moment to her own fortunes was the rehabilitation of Wailing River. 8he had not changed; nothing would move her. She would go through with It, notwithstanding the assured Inde pendence of her father. 8he would keep her contract. That was clear. If she cared, she would have shown It there, on the river, when she met him. - Rut she still believed be had been disloyal—made love to another woman, on his way home In October. Her pride luid. killed forever what shs had felt for him that morning on the river shore. At the trade-house he found Michel and David, narrating In detail the his tory of the campaign against the Wln dlgo nnd Ogoke. “It Is unbelievable, my dear Steele," said Ht. Onge, “and I owe you and Michel a humble apology. I ffbuld not yelleve that Tete-Bo^le was dangerous -*•• spy. For me to lea verier here at the mercy of Laflamme was unthink- ible—and the violin! Poor girl, that waa the final blow.” - - Mlcbel glanced at David’s stole face,- nodding grimly. "Wal, dat ees paid— dat leetle debt” “It was uncanny—the way yon three men caught Pierre and paid them with their own medicine. I can’t bellere now that It Isn’t all a dream. And this far of Laflamme’s, you say It la cached up river?” Thf Frenchman waa pux- tled. ' ’ Steele nodded. “And you are to divide it among the Indiana later?” “Tea. when I return from Albany." “Prom Albany? Ton are going to Alhnnyr “Tea, David and 1 Mart The factor was frankly “But yon noed a rest, and you are apt to ran right Inks • Tnairatln north •t this tinm, monaiear." objected Vf “It Is Unbelievable, My Dear Steele," Said St Onge. “Our dogs are good for It. Well take six and go light. You can count on seeing us InMde of three weeks.” “But why not send Michel and Da vid? You do not flatter the poor hos pitality of Walling RlveV when you give us hut a night. I’ve looked for ward so to your return—and now yo« are leaving us,” protected the mystified factor. “It In u pe -venal matter," said Steele, “and Is urgent. We start at daylight." • •* »•••• ‘ After reeling off the last miles of the lower Albany on an Ice-hard trail. Hie nwlft dogs of Steele trotted up to the building of the Kevlllon Krerea et the mouth of the river, two days bet- fore New Year’y. Leaving David to protect the team, Steele entered the trade-room. At the c ounter a half breed clerk was busy with a hunter, hut lieyond, occupied at * desk, sat the man he had come three hundred miles to Fee. At Steele’s "Good afternoon, mon sieur !“ the trader looked up from hla work. Slowly, as he recognised the frost burned features of tha man to duffle capote, tha face of Laaretlee went black with anger He ro»r and fncad tha newcomer, hla mouth twitch ing la vain effort to articulate. “You remember me." went oa Steele, casually, openly amused at the surprise and discomfiture of the other. "My name is Steele. 1 met you at Walling Klver." “Yea. I remember you." espyxled tha laspertor. finding his vein 'What brings you here?" "1 came on a little matter of bosl- Sesa which wa had heller discuss In private." suggeste'? Steele, nodding la the dlre'ilwtt of the listening clerk “Come In behind the counter, then." Steele passed lo tha rear of tha counter and sat down. "Yon come from Mi'ose or Walling Klver?*' deniamted LaS'-elles. curious of the |hirjlose of lids strange call In mid* w Inter. "I come from Walling Klver. You may he interested m know what hna happened In the valley since Septem ber."" Lascellee was interested. "You brought letters for me?" Ills tone dropped Its surliness. "Oh. no! I have no letters. Made moiselle 8t. Onge and her father are wsll, however. In fact, 8t. Onge is a happy man. He’s got the fur he lost last summer at tlte big ntplda." "Got hla fur? HowV* "Why, lAifls rente had It. By tha wuy, tha trade of the valley If tn your hands. Wailing River will pay big In tha future." Hteele added pointedly: "You can't doae the i»ost now.” "But Laflamme? He stble that fur?" demanded the astonished snd mystified Frenchman.. “How did SL Onge gat it back?" “Why, Laflamme bequeathed it to him—sort of a legacy. Yon see, La- flamme dletl—with a few others.” Lascelles stared at the man across tha desk as If he doubted Steele's rea son. “Laflamme dead! What’s hap pened?" he gasped. “Well, in the first place," began Steele, lighting his pipe, "the Wlndlgo you scoffed at proved to he an Indian from Ogoks. We got him in a bear- trap—then closed in on Laflamme and picked up half Ida people on The trails. When we walked In the rest had al ready stampeded from sheer fright We misted Laflamme by minutes.” The American enjoyed the play of min gled Incredulity and amazement on the features of the man he faced. "He was found strangled on the Rouge river trail—later,” Steele added. “A private affair, I Imagine. Kxtt all com|»etitlon lif the valley for St. Onge." “It’s unbelievable—Laflamme dead. And hla fur? It wyi come, of course, to Walling River," added the trailer, with satisfaction. The moment of the American had arrived. He deliberately knocked out hla pips, as he countered: “That de pends on whether you sign this." The speaker fumbled in qn Inner pocket and produced an oifcakln envelope wfth an enclosure. Lascelles scowled aa Steele drew out the paper. “What Is this?" he demanded, hla. smell eyes shifting shspldously from dm paper to the eold gnae of the’ "Thla la year title to ferty dollars' worth of fur. jm sign It and return K to me.” Mjpdfled. on the Til rend It to yam," continued 8toeie. “Madembfrelte Denise BA Onge: “I hereby reHmse you from your agreement to marry me. ‘‘GEORGES LA8CF.LI.KS, “Inspector, RevlHou Frerca, Albany District.” Y,v •Ton dare to Wanlt me la my own house!",raged the fnrloua tOlder, get ting to hla feet and shaking hla flats la tha fate of the man who ant coolly in hla chair, looking up' at him. “Why—yon Impudent scoundrel—1*11 have you thrown out of the plice^you And”your dogs! You—” Lascelles. choked with anger, wn* unable to con tinue. - “Yon forget my rnttn David," drawled Steele, “the Indian who laughed at you on the shore. You haven't got etfough Swampy Trees st your poet here to throw that OJIbway out.” The trader flinched from the threat In the wind-burned features, with the clamped Jaw. “Now, alt down!” snapped Steele. “At the Stooping River there la forty thousand dollars in fur under guard of my meu. Sign this, and It goes to Ht. Onge; refute, and it will be traded at Fort Hope, with the Hudson's Bay. Understand? Forty thousand in fur to the Hudson’s Bay!" “Did she send you with this?*’ sneered the patently worried Inspector. "We won’t discnas Mademoiselle St. Onge, but she knows nothing of this— nothing. Furthermore, you may be glad to leqrn that this release will mean nothing to me. We have both lost, Lascelles—both you and I. Let's take our medicine like men.” “You expect me to believe you?" “Believe me or not, one thing you’re going to do; that la, a^n this release." “Suppose I refuser’ “Well, read this.” Hteele handed the other man a paper bearing the letterhead of Revlllon Krerea and dated at Montreal. Lascellee' hand visibly trembled aa he took the pap* r While he road, hla high color slowly died. “You understand that ascend aen- tcnca, don't you?” taunted Steel A ” 'Any attempt on your pari to con fuse the cotupany'a bust nee* with your private affairs will be summarily dealt with.’" be quoted. "How wuuld you Uke to have the Montreal office learn that you had, for private reasons, turned over forty thousand dollan’ worth of peita to the Hudson’s Bay?” Limp In hla chair, |ha man who had plotted for Denis* St. Onge and be held hla victory "near, now stared hopelessly on defeat. To Steel a con Meat of the anewer—the answer which waa laevltaMa from (he char acter of the man be dealt with—the face of loiacelleo redacted each stags of hla men tut struggle. Deep aa had been hla obseoslon for Denis* St. Onge, Ida commercial future waa his life. After ad interval, be turned te the American. "1 could have you (Hit out of tip way easily. In spite of your man killer out aide; and get both fur aad the girl." • Steele laughed. "You think me a child? If I don't com# bark, the fur goes to Fort Hope. I’ve fixed that. I’ve also written to your superiors telling them of jour great fur haul on the Wailing. However. I'm hungry for a good flght. Say the word and III begin with you. Any mors threats?" Laarellea was dope. There waa no altarnatlva to a refusal to sign tha release but the min of hla career. 11a hurriedly wrote hla name and re turned the paper- to Steele/ ' “You’ve a clever man. monsieur.” ho said In^t voice broken with passion, “but In the future keep away from this end of the Albany. It would please me to look at you over the alghu of • rtfle." “ “Now, I don't feel that wuy about yon," flung back Steels as ho moved to the door, followed by the venomous eyes of the other. "While I havs a foof, I’ll never waste good ammuni tion—on a cur," and he slammed tha door behind him. (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.) Advertise in The People-Sentinel. tion, permits mafa Mi the blood mad whole system. Than, cm bawe a tired, languid is apt to accretions, such aa scanty or IWs, a stimulant dhvetie, la (Ida country over. A*k your rwighbort DOAN’S 'H® ,*T. | M»00» T. B. Ellis J. B. | BLLI8 ENGINEERING CO. >-* ‘ \ Land Sarreying a Specialty. Lyadkarst, & C John Sates Civil Engineer aad Barreyar JACKSON, 8. C. 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