Part 8 (1/2)
”Let o on,” he whispered ”You won't take offence--because it's necessary She looked like an angel to ood, or----You knoe think of women who come in here alone That's why I ask”
”She's what you thought she was, Stevens,” replied Aldous ”As pure and as sweet as she looks The kind we like to fight for”
”I was sure of it, Aldous That's why I sent the kid for you I saw her in your cabin--after the outfit went to hell When I come back to camp, Quade was here I was pretty well broken up Didn't talk to hi Then he went on down to your place He told uessed it soon as he come back I never see him look like he did then I'll cut it short He's irl I played the sympathy act, thinkin' of you--an' _her_ He hinted at some easy money
I let hi to take money most any way, and that I didn't have any particular likin' for you
Then it come out He made me a proposition”
Stevens lowered his voice, and stopped to peer again about the bush
”Go on,” urged Aldous ”We're alone”
Stevens bent so near that his tobacco-laden breath swept his companion's cheek
”He said he'd replace my lost outfit if I'd put you out of the way some time day after to-morrow!”
”Kill me?”
”Yes”
For a few mo
Aldous had found the packer's hand He was gripping it hard
”Thank you, old man,” he said ”And he believes you will do it?”
”I told him I would--day after to-morrow--an' throw your body in the Athabasca”
”Splendid, Stevens! You've got Sherlock Holmes beat by a ave him a crack on the jaw?”
”Not a bit of it!” exclaier and alone You've taken an interest in her With you out of the way, she won't be missed Dammit, man, don't you know his syste in his life he wants her She's turned that poison-blood of his into fire He raved about her here He'll go the liet her He's so crazy I believe he'd give every dollar he's got There's just one thing for you to do Send the girl back where she corate Ain't got a dollar now, so I et a job on a ranch Next winter I guess me 'n the kid will trap up on the Parsnip River”
”You're wrong--clean wrong,” said Aldous quietly ”When I saw your outfit going down a the rocks I had already ht hasn't made any difference I would have helped you anyway, Stevens I've got ht now
Roper has a thirty-horse outfit for sale Buy it to-morrow I'll pay for it, and you needn't consider yourself a dollar in debt So trip, and that willon to Tete Jaune to- at hiloom ”You don't think I'm sellin' myself, do you, Aldous?” he asked huskily ”That ain't why you're doin' this--for me 'n the kid--is it?”
”I had ht,” repeated Aldous ”I've got lots of money, and I don't use but a little of it It sometimes accumulates so fast that it bothers me Besides, I've promised to accept payot a hold on ood o on to Tete Jaune, you ain't,” replied Stevens, biting a huge quid fro
Aldous had risen to his feet Stevens stood up beside hier fool than I was in tryin' to swim the outfit across the river to-day,” he added ”Listen!” He leaned toward Aldous, his eyes gleaged out of the Frazer between Tete Jaune an' Fort George You know that The papers have called 'e' Mebby a part of it is Mebby a half of them forty died by accident The other half didn't They were sent down by Culver Rann and Bill Quade Once you go floatin' down the Frazer there ain't no questions asked Somebody sees you an' pulls you out--mebby a Breed or an Indian--an'
puts you under a little sand a bit later If it's a white ate floaters over-particular in the wilderness Besides, you git so beat up in the rocks you don't look likeI know, because I worked on the scows three , not even a scrap of paper, in the pockets of two of 'em! Is that suspicious, or ain't it? It don't pay to talk toothe Frazer Men keep their mouths shut