Adventure, August 1917 — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 and would attempt to defeat it. Not only had his plans been kept secret, but if there had been opposition, or an attempt to be first on the ground, such methods would not have been adopted. Since his arrival five days before, he had not seen a person, with the exception of the Indians a few miles below the falls, until he had met Joan Malloch the night before. In the four days that he had spent in choosing his secluded camping spot, in looking over the falls, taking measurements and making a. thorough preliminary survey, he had kept a careful lookout. But he had seen no one and he believed that no one had seen him. Except for his visits to the top of the gorge each evening after supper, Frank had been with him constantly, and as Frank had camp duties after supper, and he himself had taken the canoe, there was no oppor- tunity for the half-breed to get away. Frank, of course, must understand some- thing of what was being done, but noone at the railroad had been informed of his plans or even of his destination. He had depended upon a map made by his father to find the lake and the falls, and Frank had never been at the place before and did not know the Indians who lived near it. There remained only Joan Malloch and Stanton Bancroft. Wallace Searles did not think for an instant that either was con- cerned in the theft of hisnotes. He had been with them during most of his absence, and nothing about the young missionary or the girl could ever lead any one to believe that they would be a party in such an undertaking. ~ Wallace’s only thought of them was that Bancroft might be of assistance to him. The young man knew the country and its people thoroughly. He could tell if any one living in the vicinity might-be a tool of an outside interest, of some one who knew of the falls and was planning on a later conquest. After an absence of three hours Frank re- turned in the canoe, an Indian paddling an- other and a squaw a third. Wallace paid the ten dollars asked for the canoe to the man and sent bim and his wife off down river. Then he gave Frank these instruc- tions: “Take the birch-bark canoe and go to the railroad. Mail the letters in this bundle in the post-office and send these two messages by telegraph at the station. Wait therea Adventure day and a half until there isa reply. When it comes, start back at once and come to the lake across the portage at the head of this slough. I'll be there.” Frank made up a pack of a small tent, his blankets, a couple of dishes and some food and placed it in the canoe. Then he asked Wallace for his wages. “When you get through with the job,” answered the engineer sharply. As soon as Frank had disappeared around a bend, Wallace began to pack up his duffel and strike his tent. Loading everything into his canoe, he paddled up the slough to the end, where a portage led on northward to the big lake, reaching it at a point half a mile west of the big falls. It was the middle of the afternoon before he had packed across his outfit and the canoe, pitched camp on the lake shore and cooke@his midday meal. He worked hard and as soon as his lunch was finished,.- shoved off his canoe and paddled eastward, past the falls and into the bay on which the mission stood. Bancroft saw him coming and was at the beach in time tomeet him. The young mis- sionary was entirely self-possessed on this occasion. His greeting was sincerely cordial and he expressed his regret that Joan was not there to help entertain his visitor “T am just as glad she is not just now,” said Wallace as he took the chair Stanton placed for him. , ‘I came to see you on a matter of considerable importance to me and wanted a little talk with you. I'll explain. “T am an engineer. My mission in this district is being kept secret, but I know that I can trust you.” “Certainly,” interrupted Bancroft. “Any- thing you tell me will be confidential. Ministers are trained for that, you know.”’ “It wasn’t because you are a minister,” said Wallace frankly. ‘In fact, I didn’t think of your being one. I simply thought that you were a man in whom one can trust, and that you might be able to help me with your knowledge of the country. ‘The point is this. Curtain Falls, as you perhaps have often thought, is a beautiful cataract. It is also what is probably one of the best water-power sites within a thou- sand miles. Other falls may have more power, but none that I ever heard of pos- sesses the natural advantages of this site. “TI don’t believe a power-plant could be cComiclook CO S}