Philip Steele of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police

red? Was this a part of the program which the inspector had foreseen that he would play? His blood warmed at the thought and he clenched his fists. Then he began to think more calml

or the hundredth time he

ughts. The cabin door opened, people en

repeated. Hands caught hold of the box, dragged it across the floor, and then he felt himself lifted bodily, and, after a

an to move. A whip cracked loudly above him, a voice rose in a loud shout, and the dogs were urged to a trot. Again there came to Philip's ears the wheezing notes of the accordion. By a slight effort he found that he could turn his head sufficiently to look through

himself on the box, with one leg shutting out Philip's visio

Fingy?" inqu

the husky, flesh-smothered tones of the

p there, eh?" persi

evil of a hurry, ain't he, to order us up at night

is whip snapping through the a

Hodges-Wekusko!" ga

e man called Fingy jumped from the box, cracked his whip wi

se life had been attempted by the prisoner whom Inspector MacGregor had ordered him to bring down! Had F

s equally perplexing. He was certain that the beautiful young woman whom he had followed had purposely lured him into the ambush. He considered himself her prisoner.

, the ambush, and now this unaccountable ride to Wekusko, strapped in a coffin box, all combined to plunge him into a chaos of wonder from which it was impossible for him to struggle forth. However, he assured hi

s mouth would not cause him discomfort? It struck him as peculiarly significant, now that he had suffered no injury in the short struggle on the trail, that no threats or intimidation had been offered after his capture. This was a part of the game which he was to play! He became more and more certain of it

ring now. But he discarded that suspicion the instant that it came to him. That which remained with him more and more deeply as the minutes passed was a mental picture of the two women-of this woman who was fighting to save her husband, and of the other, whom he loved, and for whom he had fought to save her for her husband. It was with a dull feeling of pain that

d now and then he caught flashes of the white snow in the opens, but more frequently only the black shadows of the forest through which they were pa

" he thought. "He

ly from the opposi

t demanded. "What the d

ingy hoarsely. "Couldn't come up to-mo

door, and footsteps crunched

e again. "What's this you've

in' around useless since MacVee kem down in it Mebby you can find u

ried up a step and through a door, then with a suddenness that startled

ow certain that he was in the presence of the chief of

x that's held one. It says on that red card, 'Head-This end up,' an', s'elp me, it's going to be up, unless you put it down. I ain't goin' to be ha'nted by no ghos

of an inch wide, and six inches long, he found himself staring out into the room. The Fingy was close behind him. And in the rear of these two, as if eager for their departure, was Hodges, chief of construction. No sooner had the men gone than Hodges turned back to the table in

ing," he chuc

mirror, and rubbed his hands with a low laugh. "The little beauty has surrendered," he w

on-the face of the young woman whom he had seen but two hours before in Le Pas, the face that had pleaded with him that night, that had smiled upon him from the photograph, and

g out, and the woman turned with a low

is arms, but she evaded him with a quick movement

ried softly. "Sit

them to the box against the wall? Philip's heart was beat

ere-and I will sit here. Before-before you touch me, I want

listen!"-Philip knew

her shoulders, and took off her fur turban, so that the light of the big hanging lamp fell full upon the glory of her hair, and set off more viv

pon the man before her. "I would sacrifice my life for him-for my husband-an

erly, as if about to spea

n in Marion. You offered him work, and he accepted it, believing you a friend. He still thought you a friend when I knew that you were a traitor, planning and scheming to wreck h

of the table. For a few moments her breath seemed to choke h

rom him-until that night you came to our cabin when he was away, and dared to take me in your arms, to kiss me, and I-I told him then, and he hunted you down a

er breath brea

smiling; but, quicker than he, Thorpe's wife was upon her feet, and from his prison Philip saw the

beautiful!" he

rd the smothered cry that fell from her lips. For the first time he strained to free himself, to cry out through the thick bandage that gagged him. The box trembled. His mightiest effort almost sent it crashing to the floor. Sweating, powerless, he looked again through the narrow slit. In the s

tremor in her beautiful face she went to one side of the room, picked up a small belt-ax, and began prying off the cover to Philip's prison. There was still no hesitation, no tremble of fear in her face or hands when the cover gave way and Philip stood revealed, his face as white a

ead, listened, and held his hand under the man's waistcoat. Then he looked

d!" he sai

rother, he

e rose scarcely above a whisper. The mea

hardly knowing that the wo

rested gently for a moment upon his shoulder.

faintly, pleadingly, from that other woman at Lac Bain-the woman who had almost caused a tragedy similar to this, only with the sexes changed. He would have excused Colonel Becker for killing Bucky Nome, for defending his own honor and his wife's. And here-now-was a woman who had f

st the justice of what he had seen-against the glory of love

rought here-in this way-that I might hear

new that the world would know, through you, how he had attempted to destroy a home, and how he offered my husband's freedom in exchange for-but you sa

illed him,"

on of a man of the law, and the woman bowed her face in her hands. He put

ined?" he asked. "I will take you there

instantly. "Y

om

them, and the woman led the way to a dark, windowless bu

camp prison,"

was on guard at the door. In the moon

ing out MacGregor's letter. "I am to have charge of the

turned away Philip heard a low sobbing cry, a man's startled voice

hed and his strong teeth shone in sneering hatred as he covered the body with a blanket. On the wall hung a pair of overalls and a

path, so thickly muffled about the ears that he did not hear Philip's cautious footsteps be

!" comman

d man obeyed

ll kill you!" continued Philip threateningly.

him with the same cloth that had been used upon himself. He had observed that his prisoner carried the key to the padlocked cabin in one of his co

ck in his cot, and Philip knew that the wife had risen suddenly, for one arm was still encircling his shoulders, and a hand was resting on

e light, took off h

rpe's wife spr

, raising a hand and pointi

two men stood in this position, one smiling, the other transfixed with wonder, there came a stifled, sobbing cry from behind. Philip turned. The woman stood

nt to the table, where there was

that has happened to-night, Thorpe," he said

book from an inner p

You're going down to him as fast as dog-sledge and train can carry you, and you'll give him this note. It says that your name is Johnson, and that for my sake he's g

in his arms, and looking at him; as they were, they reminded him of a cou

lf when I make you take this. It's a little ready cash, and a check for a thousand dollars. Some day, if you want to, you can pay it back. Now hustle up and get on your clothes. I imagine that your

gered toward him, the man following in a dazed, stunned sort of way. He saw the woman's

he had opened the