The Huron Expositor, 1931-02-20, Page 7•i;
N i; `ji F�y,x rev +7�4 o12'f pi.sil1:
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RUPTURE SPECIALIS '
Rupture, Varicocele, Varicose Veins,
Abdoahinal W'e'alknmee, Spinal Defo eee
Rye 'Consultation free. Cali or
Terite. J. G. SMITH, British App1i,
once Specialists, 15 Downie St,, eteat-
ford, Ont. 324.52
LEGAL
Phone No. 91
JOHN J. HUGGARD
Barrister, Solicitor,
Notary Public, Ec.
Beattie Meek - - Seaforth, Ont.
R. S. HAYS
Barrister, Solicitor, Conveyancer
and Notary Public. Solicitor for the
Dominions Bank. 'Office in rear of the
Dominion Bank, Seaforth. Money to
loan.
BEST & BEST
Barristers, Solicitors, Conveyan-
cers and Notaries Public, Etc. Office
in the Edge Building, opposite The
Expositor Office.
VETERINARY
JOHN GRIEVE, V.S.
Honor graduate of Ontario Veterin-
ary College. All disease of domestic
animals treated. Calls promptly at-
tended to and charges moderate. Vet-
erinary Dentistry a specialty. Office
and residence. on Goderich Street, one
door east of Dr. 112ackay's office, Sea-
lorbh.
A. R. CAMPBELL, V.S.
Graduate of Ontario Veterinary
College, University of Toronto. All
diseases of domestic animals treated
by the most modern principles.
Charges reasonable. Day or night
calls promptly attended to. Office on
Main Street, •Hensall, opposite Town
Fall. Phone 116.
MEDICAL
DR. E. J. R. FORSTER
Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat
Graduate in Medicine, University of
Toronto.
Late assistant New York Ophthal-
pied and Aural Institute, Moorefield's
)Nye and Golden Square Throat HHos-
p tals, London, Eng. At Commercial
Hotel, Seaforth, third Monday in
each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
U Waterloo Street, South, Stratford.
DR. W. C. SPROAT
Graduate of Faculty of Medicine,
University of Western Ontario, Lon-
don. Member of College of Physic-
ians and Surgeons of Ontario. Office
In Aberhart's Drug Store, Main St.,
Seaforth. Phone 90.
DR. R. P. I. DOUGALL
Honor graduate of Faculty of
Medicine' and ,Master of Science, Uni-
versity of Western Ontario, London.
Member of College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Ontario. Office 2 doors
east of post office. Phone 56, Hensall,
Ontario. 3004-tf
DR. A. NEWTON-BRADY
Bayfield.
Graduate Dublin University, Ire -
lend. Late Extern Assistant Master
Rotunda Hospital for Women and
Children, Dublin. Office at residence
lately occupied by Mrs. Parsons.
Hours: 9 to 10 a.m.,.6 to 7 p.m.,
Sundays, 1 to 2 p.m. 2866-26
DR. F. J. BURROWS
Office and residence Goderich Street,
east of the United Church, Sea -
forth Phone 46. Coroner for the
County of Huron.
DR. C. MACKAY
C. Mackay, honor graduate of Trin-
ity University, and gold medalist of
Trinity Medical College; member of
the College of Physicians and Sur-
geons of Ontario.
DR. H. HUGH ROSS
Graduate of University of Toronto
faculty of Medicine, member of Col-
lege of Physicians and Surgeons of
Ontario; pass graduate courses in
Chicago Clinical School of Chicago ;
Royal Ophthalmis Hospital, London,
England;
England.
Office --Back e cHospital,
al
Lon-
don,of Do-
minion Bank, Seaforth. Phone No. 5.
Night calls, answered from residence,
Victoria Street, Seaforth.
4
DR. J. A. MUNN
Successor to Dr. R. R. Ross
Graduate of Northwestern Univers-
ity,Chicago, Ill. iLicentiate Royal
Colege of Dental Surgeons, Toronto.
Once over Sills' Harrdware, Main St ,
Seaforth. Phone 151.
DR. F. J. BECHELY
Graduate Royal College of Dental
Surgeons, Toronto. Office over W. R.
Smith's Grocery, Main Street, Sea -
forth. Phones: Office, 185 W; resi-
dence, 185 J.
ITC
Hcilf Breed
A Story of the Great Cowboy West
By LTJKE ALLAN
(Continued from last week)
star for his mother's window. The
leaves stirred softly now and then to
Mahon's knowledge of the Hills remind him of the earth, but the in -
was confined to their western end, vetted starry vault looking up at him
where Blue Pete's assistance during from the smooth surface of the lake
thrust him back again to 't'lie new
dream -world he had built for himself.
At one o'clock he wakened Blue
Pete and sank to sleep in the curve,
of his saddle. As he drowsed off he
heard in a vague way the half-breed's
voice.
"Don't forget, Boy, the north's the
neardest way out . . . "
He wakened suddenly. He felt
something was wrong long before he
knew what it was. Broad daylight
was about him, glistening over the
lake at his feet, -lighting the cool
depths among the trees at its edge
and srofteniny, off into romantic dim-
ness in the woods beyond. Mars was
munching the luxuriant grass at the
water's edge, and acrpss the lake a-
mong the -trees a pair of deer peep-
ed -•at him with shy inquisitiveness.
But Blue Pete. and Whiskers were
not there.
the -previous ,summer --by which so
many stolen herds had been returned
to their owners -had directed it. But
here was the very heart ef the un-
known land, untracked and mystify-
ing. Mahon felt like an explorer who
has invaded places almost sacred in
their mystery.
In the interest of his discoveries
and of the strange nature about him
the im'med'iate object of their journey
had momentarily faded into the back-
ground, when Blue Pete's hand went
up warningly, and he turned aside, to
disappear down a slope into a tangle
of trees. Far into the gloom he rode
and dismounted and with a word of
explanation glided away, waving to
his companion not to follow.
'Mahon thought quickly. Something
uncanny about the whole day's pro-
ceedings determined him no longer to
leave everything to the half-breed. He
tied the horses to convenient trees
and, with every nerve alert, crept out
on Blue Pete's trail. But he had gone
-only a score of yards when his com-
panion blocked the •way.
"Y•wh've got lots to learn, Boy,"
whispered the htlf-(breed, "'fore yuh
kin trail nee on the sly, an' lots more
years to live. This thing I'm on ain't
a two -nam game. Ef you're goin' to
do it I'll drop out. Ef I'm to do it
I'll do it alone -or it won't be did."
Mahon returned to the horses. Min-
utes passed -an hour. Not a sign of
human life reached his ears. Then
a distant rifle shot struck through the,
rustling silence like a blow, and he
realized how dark it was. And pres-
ently his revolver was covering a
blacker shadow blending quietly into
the trees.
"Ss -s!"
The half-breed led the pinto up the
slope and along a ridge, and down a
steep hillside with scarcely a snap-
ping twig. Beside a small lake- they
made preparations for the night.
"Purty close shave, that," he said
at last. "They know we're here -
somehow. Won't try to take the
bunch across the border for a day or
two now . . . . Can't fight 'em
in the Hills . . . . Think I turn-
ed 'em off. . . . . Yer mother
nearly missed her next letter, Boy."
Mahon lay on his back in the ut-
ter relaxation of weary health and
momentary relief from duty. In a
few hours he seemed to have left a
decade behind him the treeless prairie
its glare and heat and uncertain winds
This was another World-ef shadow
and peace and cool green depths. The
weird call of night birds that were
new to him made hire tingle with
pleasant mystery. Across the lake a
pair of owls hooted to each other
sleepily, and over his head the lone-
some triple honk of wild geese tea -
anted the eery spaces of the air. Feed-
ing fish splashed in the water before
him.
In that dreaminess he ate, the sil-
ence of his companiorl fitting into his
romantic mood.
"Better go to sleep," said Blue Pete.
"We mustn't both sleep."
"Go to sleep," insisted Blue Pete.
"We're all right." Mahon lay back
but he did not ermit himself to sleep.
And he knew by his breathing that
the half-breed was awake.
"That won't work, Pete," he said.
"I'll take first watch."
Blue Pete settled himself. In a
moment he spoke.
"'Member how yuh came? We're
'bout two miles in the Hills -straight
in. . . . Ten the way we came.
Straight to the north's the neardest
way out. South you'd get lost in the
lakes and Mills."
"I'm not fretting, Pete," laughed
the Corporal. "I can see the Hills
have few secrets from you."
"Don' trust nobody everythin'-
Some time -some time yuh may her
to do things over fer yerseif. Keep
yer head an' yer all right. Yer mother
don' need to fret."
Mahon sat listening to the night
life with thrills to which he permit-
ted his imagination full play. Dimly
through the Overhanging trees and
over the lake he caught glim'pse's of
stars among the gathering clubs,
snatches of wonderful scintilla like the
twinkling lights ef a distant city.
Welcoming the illusion he divided the
CONSULTING ENGINEER
S. W. Archibald, B.A.Sc., (Tor.),
O.L.S., Registered Professional En-
gineer and Land Surveyor. Associate
Member Engineering Institute of Can-
ada. Office, Seaforth, Ontario.
AUCTIONEERS
r
THOMAS BROWN
Licensed auctioneer for the counties
of Huron and Perth. Correspondence
arrangements for sale dates can be
made by calling The Expositor Office,
Seaforth. Charges moderate, an d
satisfaction guaranteed. Phone 302.
CHAPTER XI
MIRA'S SECRET
Had Helen Parsons expressed her-
self on life at the 3 bar -Y ranch, she
would have ascribed to it a faseina-
tion that might naturally account for
her frequent and extended visits. She
realized the ugliness of the valley,
the upset of the home, the disorgan-
ization that prevailed from ranch -
house to herds; but after her early
association with it its drabness failed
to counterbalance the kindness and
shy hospitality of its occupants, the
thrill of its opportunities for untram-
melled outdoor life, and the exciate-
ment of great herds and real cowboys.
That was as far as the utmost frank-
ness would have permitted her to go
even with ,herself.
With the advance of her ranch edu-
cation came the new wonders of the
Cypress Hills. Day after day she
spent where no legal errand had tak-
en man before; but of her trips she
spoke in detail to no one. Sometimes
Mira went with her, on which expedi-
tions she contended herself with less
intricate wanderings, Mira professing
no knowledge of the Hrilis' secrets
but leaving the lead always to Hel-
en.
This summer the two girls were
less together. A' strange shyness had
developed in Mira. She laughed less,
talked less, went about her work with
a new silence which disturbed her
cousin. Helen struggled to take her
out of herself by teaching her new
home arts, by ,helping her with herr
clothes, in which the prairie girl nev-
er failed to 'be interested. But while
Mira went out on her weld mount
more than ever, never this summer
had she been in the Hills with Helen.
She seemed to have lost interest in
them, to seek solitude into which her
anxious cousin was unable to pene-
trate.
June found Helen at the ranch. Wel-
come as she knew she was, there was
a perplexing constraint in the man-
ner of the brothers as well as of Mira.
Joe and Jim were much away from
home, 'but the spring round -ups were
in plan, and hard and continued rid-
ing was necessary. There was also
a natural anxiety about the cattle
and horses after an unusually severe
winter. Mira and Helen were thus
sometimes -alone about the ranch but
for the maid, though Mira's work on
the ranges and Helen's wanderings in
the Hills did' not bring them closer to-
gether. Helen began to pay more at-
tenteon to the housework, and to the
fostering in Mira of an evident de-
sire to ape more closely the ways of
the town women. And Mira was
grateful in her embarrassed way but
said little.
The brothers had been absent foe
two days when, late one night, long
after the girls were in bed, Joe re-
turned and Helen heard him talking
to Mira in her room. In the morn-
ing he was gone when she appeared
at breakfast, and Mira was waiting
in her riding clothes i h some im-
patience. Half an hour later she was
off, leaving Helen to look after the
house and the meal's of a few cow-
boys at work repairing the buildings
Not until darkness had fallen did
Mira return, tired, hungry, silent. But
lights into streets -with the bright at sight of the house -dress Helen
OSCAR KLOPP
Honor Graduate Carey Jones' Na-
tional School for Auctioneering, Chi-
cago. Special course taken in Pure
Bred Live Stock, Real Estate, Mer-
chandise and Farm Sales. Rates in
keeping with prevailingmarket. Sat•
%faction assurWrite or wire,
Oscar Kope 'c'hp, , 2866.e:
18-93.
R. T. LUKER
Licensed auctioneer for the County
of Huron. Sales attended o In all
'parts of the county. Seven leave ex-
perientee in • Manitoba andSaskatche-
wan. Terms reeaor able. Phone No.
178 r 11, Exeter, Centralia P.O., B.R.
No. L Orders left at The fli ropy
*Nor Office, Seaforth, urorep�ttl.yy.-�
'Winded toifilol�i
I �
a,.
LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON.
The First and Second Horn players in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra are
B. H. Barrow and his son Reginald. The father, who studied at the Guildhall
School of Music in London, began his career by winning a prize for viola playing,
and his son began also with strings, studying the violin when he was only six
years old. When he was ten, he won feast prize for horn playing in a Toronto
competition and a year later was awarded the Gold Medal. The Barrows play
with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra during the Sunday trans -continental
broadcast by the Canadian National Railways.
lesentee
tViAS S
�r.
49lIT
ahIi" 'dg'th
e
free .lowsf " i J ' breed,. A%t"+ ?w
'brinilutenelde' R �' t dq'r` 1 ' e"t }']re 'irsie .'it ',PA
I
rni,erer a• alta & e3W •"W5140e ' 5 ' nl0411
its na'lieeee lrekeetoeednedentelng the .site aalM t1.4,
length that rn'a p Lar' appear elder whe ' a rabble •,
and moreathr'ough the teeer
"1 leak le °.a lad r" she said, ltb." ; oro$, he led he nod,
awe in her voice* ":«:f l could o:nIy de Omen :erne a11.'eu •trainees
was fettling fa'r>tt tWete sated^ elm
though the ts'kr 47e41444. Wee bleght:.
the clear range of 14# open was Veit,.
41, to a scone 'of yards,._.As be e!le
slung his rifle a naive of nevnivex
elhotts told h'i'm ofd a fight at close,
quarters just over the fridge.
Leaving 1Vears anchored by 'the e'i7m-
ple •act of throwing the rein' loose to
drag on the ground, fele pulped himself
carefully up the rise. On the very
top lay Whiskers, Blue iPetie'e pinto,
blood oozing from a wound in the
head. But more !ominous just then
was the half-breed''s rifle lying be-
side it, and a few feet away his big
reviolver.
Wherever he was Blue Pete was
unarmed.
Instinctiveily 'Mahon picked: up the
firearms, uncoiled the lasso from the
saddle and crept swiftly back to Mars.
Where Whiskers lay dead was a spot
of more than ordinary peril. With
raced but :stealthy step he led his
horse along the slope so that the
light western .sky ;should not silhouette
him for the dangerous task before'.
him.
As he glided' °nee more up the
slope to peer into the hollow from
which the shots had come, from the
darkness down the incline came the
well-known voice, recklessly jeering
as of old.
"Come out, come out, yuh brave
fren's o' mine! Come into th' open,
jest fer a second!" Then in an ap-
pealing tone: "W1oi't, please, some -
un jes' show the tip o' yer ear?"
Even as Nikon puzzled at the chal-
lenge of an unarmed man, a flash lit
the hollow. Noting its location, he
slid his rifle forward and fired.
For a moment silence more thrill-
ing than a dozen volleys filled the
darkness with straining eyes, and
ears. Then Mahon realized the keen
sight of the men he was after. Five
shots split from before him and
whistled over his head, one spatter-
ing dust in his eyes. 'Sudden move-
ment flared in the ravine, the scurry-
ing of running men who still kept un-
der cover.
Dashing the dust from his eyes, Me -
hon, leaving Blue Pete's arms and
lasso where he had been lying, tum-
bled down the slope to his horse and
spurred up the ridge in pursuit.
Vaguely he saw the half-breed mov-
ing his arm as he passed and heard
a shout of warning -and then Mars
stiffened with braced feet. A rope
had settled over his neck and the
trained horse knew better than to
rush to a fall. Mahon shouted back
furiously, as he reached for his knife.
"What you doing, Pete? Let go!"
"Cut it an' I'll drop yer horse,"
warned the half-breed. "Yuh Jiang
fool! Yuh ain't got no more chance
with them c'yutes in thar in that
dark than ef yuh was butter. I
didn't sneak away and leave yuh back
thar to lett yuh stop a bullet here."
Mahon yielded to reason with a
stifled oath. Not a sound now be-
trayed the whereabouts of the rust-
lers.
"Come in here,"
Pete peremptorily.
yet."
Mahon rode back, his irritation
turning quickly to pity as he remem-
bered the fallen pinto. Blue Pete
without Whiskers was a picture he
could not imagine.
"They got her, Pe'be," he breather
pityingly. "Thank God, they didn't
get you! She's over there across the
ravine. I''ll get the saddle 'for you.
You -you needn't come."
Blue Pete swallowed something ris-
ing in his throat.
"To blazes' with the saddle! That's
the one place they'll be watchin'. Let
'er be. She died game."
His hand went up to remove his
dirty Stetson.
"Pore ole gal!" he muttered. "Bilsy
got yuh fer keeps that time. . . .
Yee ragged li'l tail won't whistle be-
hind me in the wind no more. Never
lie down side by side no more on the
prairie o' nights. Yer through punch -
in', ole gal . . . . Yer through -
everything,"
His .voice caught, and he dashed his
hand across his eyes.
"The fust shot got yuh, Whiskers
Yuh cudn't help fallin' that way --but
yuh threw me safe from the nex' shot
---'an' a bullet through yer brain.
Guess yuh won't mind the wolves to-
night, ole gal. Wish I cud give yuh
a real funeral, hut yuh'll know I'm
after Bilsy . . . . Bilsy, too,
now!"
He straightened
clenched fists.
"Billy, yuh low-down cuss! Yuh
won't outlast 'er long ur my eye ain't
stra i ghit."
He picked up rifle and revolver and
etrode off into the woods, Mahan fol-
lowing in silence. A mile perhaps
they went, and then Blue Pete turn-
ed a projecting rock sharply and
pulled back a heavy growth of ivy.
By the 'blackness that fell about them
and the echoes of the horse's hoofs
Mahon knew they were in a cave. A
match flickered, the flame attached
itself to a candle, and Blue Pete
pointed to a recess at the back of
the cave, where it was evident a
horse had often been stabbed be-
fore.
"What was it all about, Pete?"
pleaded Mahon. "Tell me the whole
story."
Blue Pete lifted his eyes absently.
"Ambushed me, damn 'em!" he ex-
ploded. "Was makin' back fer you.
Feared yu'h'd get lost without the
sun. Guess yuh got titer 'bout in
time, Boy. I was ridin' careless.
Wasn't thinkin' •o' things."
"Why did you leave me?" It was
Mahon's affection, not his curiosity
alone, that spoke.
'Blue Pete rubbed his chin and
shrugged his shoulders.
"Ger-'swizzle, this ain't no geine fer
boys -not boys with mothers. Kind
ce reckoned •she'd want that next let-
ter
eiter . . . an' the next . . . an'
the next."
Mahon seized his hand' impulsive-
ly.
"I knew I could trust you, Pette;"
he sand, "But never again, never a-
gain. First of all, I'm a Policemen.
eee
net
re
rt
what you ladle's do -;lust as I ride a
horse and -and things! . .
I couid coek cakes And make salads,
like you de! If I could read and
write without pretty near screaming
from the strain of
"Don't call me a, lady, Mira," pro-
tested Helen lightly, "I'm a woman
-that's all T want to be -.like your-
self or anyone else' wli'o's decent. I've
more reason to be jealous of you. Ev-
erything I do that's worth while you
do, when you try and much you do
that I can't."
She sobered as Mira dreamily shook
her head.
"What have years of education and
piles of _money done for me," she
persisted, "mere than to teach me to
read and write? And here you do
both afmiostt as well, though you have
lived onthe prairie all your life and
never 'spent a day in school."
A sudden , thought came to her.
"Who has taught you -for I'm sure
Joe and Jim are too busy? You could
not have picked' it up yourself. Who
taught you?"
Mira flushed and bent her atten-
tion to the rows of braid en the edge
of the sleeves.
"I don't tell the boys," she said.
"They'd laugh at mei--¢though I guess's
they know. It way ¢him, , Corporal
Mahon-"
That one word "him" told Helen
what she had long suspected, and
she was sorry she had asked. Some-
thing about herr cousin's confused but
frank confession gave her an unfair
insight into Mira's private affairs and
opened a chapter in the Corporal's
life that should have been told only
by himself. That was her first feel-
ing, but there followed' a great sur-
prise that only later became a pang.
Was Mira justified in that soft,
meaningful "him"? Helen saw no
answer than could satisfy her. Either
her innocent young cousin was fond-
ling feelings that must lead to false
hopes, or Corporal Mahon-- She
strained from completing the thought.
"Corp'oral Mahon is one of the best
of the Mounted Police," she told Mira
bravely.
"He's -grand! Sometimes
I think so, :sometimes-- -" Mira was
leaning against the window frame
looking out into the black night. "Oh,
why didn't they get the rustlers-
long ago?" she 'berst out. "If they
only had -if " She turned fright-
ened eyes to Helen, and the colour
waved into her cheeks and left thein
pale.
"It's net quite his fault, Mira. They
have only four men for the whale dis-
trict, you ,know, and they've got back
most of the stolen cattle and horses
for you. Have you lost man, that
you feel so keenly?" -
Mira shivered. "No -no," she
stammered. "We're all right."
"Even the Police are not infallible."
"If they only had!' Mira mur-
mured, and began to remove the dress
"I know it's not his fault. He's rid-
ing all hours, and he's •a 'brave man
and a gentleman. He he treats me
just as if I was a lady, a real lady."
"Don't talk that way, Mira," inter-
rupted Helen impatiently. "Why
shouldn't he? You owe him nothing
for that. We're all ladies -or women
-to him."
"All ladies? All -the same?"
Helen saw with a stab of pain the
appeal in her eyes.
"Mira, dear," she said gently, "don't
you know that the ladies you want
to imitate ..don't -don't show their
feelings so frankly? We can't afford
to. We have to wait -oto wait until
the men -the one man, shows it first
-and shows it so plainly that there
can be no misunderstanding., And
there may always be a misunder-
standing until -until he speaks, until
he tells you-"
"He has told me nothing -noth-
ing . . . . But I know -I know
down here" -she pressed her hands to
her heart -"that he -he likes me bet-
ter than anyone else-" Her wide
eyes swung suddenly to seek Helen's.
"Unflerss it's --you," she added in a
whisper.
Some prescience warned Helen to
hide her face in time.
"Don't Mira, don't think of such
things. Corporal Mahon is onto- a
good friend of mine he has never
thought of me in any other way. And
I am not thinking of him in any other
way. So you see," she finished, laugh-
ing, "you're imagining miseries for
yourself and trying to force' on nye a
man who may or may not think more
of you than of anyone else, but who
certainly thinks nothing serious of
me."
Mira caught her cousin's eyes and
held them.
"I you feed like that then he
des ... `-, ':c: .ese I believe ev-
e:••, ssenten kitse.,.
whispered Blue
"They'll spot yuh
BLUE PETE IN DANGER
Mahon stared about him, hoping
for some 'sine that Blue Pete would
return. The half-breed's lunch tied to
his own convince -d him that his hopes
were vain. And then he remembered
these last words as he was sinking
to sleep: "Don' forget, Boy, the
north's the neardest way out." With
an exclamation of angry suspicion he
threw the saddle on Mars.
In the early afternoon he brolce
through the last of the tangle into
the clearer slopes to the prairie. For
hours he had dragged himself and
his horse through an encircling net
that seemed to enmesh him wherever
he turned, a jumble of interlaced
trees, and bushes, of fallen rocks and
sharp cliffs. There was no sun but
the se 'lie of location a 'Poli'cemnan
must have held him to his course. In
an hour he was ,at the Past re -earth -1g
to the Inspector, and by six he was
back again at the western end of the
Hills. There he was more at home.
He remembered that Blue Pette had
pointed to Windy Coulee lie the route
of the stolen horses. All there was
for him to de now was to pick up the
trail and keep on its Creek. The in-
spee'Hdr was 'seeking Prit . to send
hirm south sof the H!6l'e in the faint
hope of cutting off elketeres
Ffi
and raised his
W.
pax
fFTla;ax
th'e he r ro az'n d
faund t+hr ole;Al.'f.
MeieCe b'l'evr aou't the d'l
hjs *a?> d';vtd-! i ,:. •'ae'
zulg'htets ?atnxxed fol' ;;;
prey *s night, abut theme lieet.t)ir ojf
xt now and tehen theesetic eel lg hon!
of feeding wolves. • dell* n: d;'o1lpYKP!
in hvs imagination the prog'rs of 'the
half-breed. Then came the eifie elia
-end a 'aharp .howl. . A isecond••,
and howl. And then only silenee'. go
smiled. Some little revenge had .conic
bo the bereaved half-breed already. -
Mahon was very tired. Refound a
box in the cave and carried it Out-
side, and leaned his head against .the
rook • . . . . Hee was rousode by
some change in the night sounds dihat
seemed to have been struggling for
attention for a long time.
ft was voices, violent, arguaeenta-
•five. Ruining back.. to Mars • he
squeezed his nose in the way that
meant silence, and returned to the
front of the cave. He could see moths
ing, but the tramp of many horses
came on, each mounted, he knew by
their regular pace. No ,stolen horses
there. He had to make up his mind
quickly. He knew these were the
rustlers, but he also knew that to at-
tempt to stop or capture even one in
the dark was so hopeless as to kill
the suggestion instantly. And the
steadiness of their advance showed
they were on familiar •trails.
"Damn it!" growled a subdued
voice. "I sure have the flim -flims.
Messed him a mile. Couldn't do no
better than get the pinto."
Someone laughed sharply.
"You needn't laugh, •Slim," snarled
the first voice. "You didn't get any-
thing, and you had a fine chance art
the Policeman."
A third voice 'broke in and at the
first note Mahon started. About it
was something so 'bewildering fainil-
iar that he rapidly ran over in his'
mind all the rustlers he had ever
heard speak.
"Stop your rowing," it ordered.
"And you fellows got to quit this
loose shooting business, too, when
you're with us. We're after horses,
not the Pclice. No, and not Blue
Pete either. When you want to shoot
anyone just for a personal spite keep
it bill you're alone. Now shut up.
There's no knowing where they are."
"Stop talking, so loud, all of you,"
commanded another voice sharply.
Mahon knew that voice instantly
and crept forward, resting his rifle
against a tree. The riders came on
in silence, but only •a few yards away)
altered their course and mounted the
ridge. Mahon dropped his rifle. Ev-
en had they been within touch he
could have done nothing, for in the
darkness they would all look alike.
Over the ridge he crept on their trail.
nll��t
le tea
CHAPTER XIII
THE CHASE OF THE RUSTLERS
Daylight had but commenced to
outline the tree trunks, when the cur-
tain of ivy parted and Blue Pete en-
tered leading a steaming horse. Ma-
hon yawned.
"Where'd you get it, Pete?"
The half-breed began to whistle un •
musically through his teeth, breaking
at last into a rough humming as he
led the horse to the back cf the cave.
Mahon heard him- indignantly.
"Why, Pete " he began in pro-
test.
"Th' ole gal's fooled 'em," Blue.
Pete burst out, with a noisy joyous-
ness Mahon had never heard him dis-
play before. "She's as tough a bit
o' flesh as her master."
`Whiskers not dead --n'
"Divil a bit o' dead 'bout her,"
chortled the half-breed, and in the
darkness Mahon heard his 'bands rub-
bing together and broken chuckles'
coming from his lips.
"When I got up thar whar we
heerd the wolves," he explained, "I
had the shock o' my young an' inno-
cent lire. I found 'er -backed into a
clun-p o' trees, a bit silly with loss
o' blood, an' fer knees shaky, fightin'
off the wolves that ud cone up with
the smell o' blood. 'Half deed, yuh'd
say, but she'd got one hoof home --
an' the wolves was fightin' over the
one she'd struck. G'or-swizzled ef I
wasn't tempted to let 'er fight it out,
she seemed to be enj"•ying herself so."
He chuckled, a burst of almost de-
lirious joy, and Mahon laughed im-
moderately with him.
"Bruised 'er head a bit," went on
the half-breed, "but I guess thar ain't
nothin' thar t' 'urt. Lost a gallon o'
blood an' been thar unconscious long
enough to forgit what'd happened -
but she knew I'd be 'long, ef she jest
waited. She'll help me git Billy yet.
'Tain't his fault she didn't kick the
bucket."
"But where did
you have?"
"At the Post."
"You didn't ride
distance?" Malhon
the thought.
Blue Pete turned on him indignant-
ly.
"Wet d'yuh take me fer? She fol-
lowed me-same's ever . . An'
she had to do some sprintin" to keep
you get the horse
00,
eour;
gr“ at44 tili:i4u,'r'
Way'alt° as e
Just as a' g'1??j
toed Of th+e .
up ':and listened, and
was . tearing: i tlee
heard. fan ,..wel, n; v b1z
ehraugh the index ue4
minutes latter Blue-
"We've
lue "W1e've get 'een,en5 #+
dully. "They're '014K1n;,
Big start, but„mebbe WO
As they emifeged font the` tees f?
to the 'puffy wend of the oPeeeeeeAeee s
they saw, far ahead; a bund p x t
loping horses, led by a 'large w t
stallion, a 'half dozen cow'bbpy+sr
ring them on with . vaoice •anti quinces;•,
One of the riders glanced.' +back, cauggit!.'
sight of them, and the r eeblerr
doubled their efforts. '
(Continued next'' week;) ,
'}ori ' ..o.
Whiskers all that
asked, shocked at
TREES IN
FEBRUARY
By
Molly Bevan
The Blue Bell
Poetess
Loveliness never forsakes a tree
No matter what the season be:,
Verdant summer, autumn gold,.
Springtime's rapture manifold; , -
Even winter's fingers trace
Lines of silhouetted grace.
Buds are the promise of leaves to be,
Bursting their sheaths in ectasy;
Leaf -laden boughs are harps to play
For winds that are sad, winds that are. gay;
Qown falling foliage spreads ¢pall
For earth whom winter, holds in thrall:
But trunk and branch and swaying bough
Are naked, weird and elusive now.
Comes the snow on a listening night,
Soft, persistent and sequin -bright,
Clothes each twig with a frosty flower,
Light as a feather -gone in an hour;
Warms the heart with remembering
April petals that drift and cling.
LONDON AND WINGHAM
Wingham
Belgrave
Blyth
Londesboro
Clinton
Brucefield
Kippen
Hensall
Exeter
Exeter
Hensall
Kippen
-ape,
Miahon smiled' incredulously. "Are
you trying to make me believe you've
been on foot to the Post? Make it
Medicine Hat. No use spoiling a
story for a matter ef fifty miles or
so. Let's see, the Posit is eighteen
miles from here. Four and a half
hours, walking one way-" He shook
his head.
"Took an hour to git th' Inspector
on the 'phone," Blue Pete said, half
apologetically. And Mahon knew he
told the truth.
"Why get the Inspector?"
The half-breed shuffled uneasily.
"Don't like the.game-now."
"Scared?"
"When Bilsy said that," comment-
ed the half-breed, "I made the: Smile.
• "T'n smiling, Pete. I'm sorry. But.
South.
North.
Brucefield
Clinton
Londesbaro
Blyth
Belgrave
Wingham
Goderich
Holmesville
Clinton
Seaforth
C. N. R.
East.
St. Columban
Dublin
West.
Dublin
St. Columban
Seaforth
Clinton
Holmesville
Goderich
a -m.
6.45 2.50
7.01 3.10
7.12 3.22
7.19 3.30
7.38 3.53
7.56 4.13
8.03 4.21
8.09 4.2S
8.23 4.43
10.59 5.42
11.13 5.57
11.18 6.01
11.27 6.0S
11.58 6.27
12.18 6.45
12.28 6.52
12.40 7.02
12.55 7.20
a.m.
6.35
6.50
6.58
7.12
7.18
7.23
11.24
11.29
11.40
11.55
12.05
12.20
C. P. R. TIME TABLE
East.
Goderich
Menset
McGaw
Auburn
Blyth
Walton
McNaught
Toronto
West.
p.m.
2.30
2.46
2.55
3.11
3.17
3.22
9.42
9.55
10.09
10.18
10.33
a..
, 6.50
6.53
6.04
6.1:1
6.25
6.40
6.82
10.26
Toronto t
McNaught 11.,i
Walton
Blyth .........
Auburn .11.11.4,6.1{`
D+Ii60111V .... , .......,
I eilett'et... 4 r 3: r,
Gode oohs
iy.
iT1
ib
ye
'r.
5�X
sfr
Ale