Part 34 (1/2)

CHAPTER XXIV

For an hour after Joanne had gone into her tent Aldous sat silent and watchful From where he had concealed hiuard the open space between the camp and the clump of timber that lay in the direction of the nearest mountain After Joanne had blown out her candle the silence of the night seerow deeper about him The hobbled horses had wandered several hundred yards away, and only now and then could he hear the thud of a hoof, or the clank of a steel shoe on rock He believed that it was i hi, and he felt a distinct shock when Donald MacDonald suddenly appeared in the ht not twenty paces from him With an ejaculation of amazement he jumped to his feet and went to hiet here?” he demanded

”Were you asleep, Johnny?”

”I ake--and watching!”

The old hunter chuckled

”It was so still when I co had 'appened,” he said

”So, I sneaked up, Johnny”

”Did you see anything over the range?” asked Aldous anxiously

”I found footprints in the snow, an' when I got to the top I smelled smoke, but couldn't see a fire It was dark then” MacDonald nodded toward the tepee ”Is she asleep, Johnny?”

”I think so She must be very tired”

They drew back into the shadow of the spruce It was a si their thoughts, realized the significance of it Until now they had had no opportunity of being alone since last night

MacDonald spoke in a low, oin' the limit, Johnny,” he said ”They leftus

Consequently, I've hit on a scheme--a sort of siood scheme at ti that ain't a bear, or a goat, or a sheep, don't wait to change the tirimly

”If I had any ideas of chivalry, or what I call fair play, they were taken out of ht!”

MacDonald grunted his satisfaction

”They can't beat us if we do that, Johnny They ain't even ordinary cut-throats--they're sneaks in the bargain; an' if they could walk in our camp, smilin' an' friendly, and brain us when our backs was turned, they'd do it We don't knoho's with theht meet him with a chunk o' lead They're the only ones in these mountains, an' on't make any mistake See that bunch of spruce over there?”

The old hunter pointed to a clump fifty yards beyond the tepee toward the little lake Aldous nodded

”I'll take my blankets over there,” continued MacDonald ”You roll yourself up here, and the tepee'll be between us You see the systeot 'e to do in the hs of the dwarf spruce Aldous spread out his blanket a few minutes later He had made up his , sround so that the odour of tobacco would cling to the earth

Thethe valley in a golden splendour that he wished Joanneinto the west; slowly at first, and then more swiftly, its radiance diminished He looked at his watch before the yellow orb effaced itself behind the towering peak of a distantdarkness, his eyes grew heavier He closed them for a few er, and it took greater effort to force himself into wakefulness Finally he slept But he was still subconsciously on guard, and an hour later that consciousness was beating and pounding within hiripped his rifle An oas hooting--softly, very softly There were four notes He answered, and a little later MacDonald caloom Aldous advanced to meet him, and he noticed that over the eastern ray

”It's after three, Johnny,” MacDonald greeted hiet breakfast Tell Joanne I'ht I' to watch from that clump of timber up there In half an hour it'll be dawn”

Hea fire He was careful not to awaken Joanne The fire was crackling cheerily when he went to the lake for water Returning he saw the faint glow of candlelight in Joanne's tepee Five er, and the discoht of her