Argosy, Vol. 112, No. 2 — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

292 when they could do us the most harm, that they must be obtaining inside informa- tion from some source. Bowers and I have talked with the men and studied them, but we cannot be sure, and it is a pretty rotten thing to hold an innocent man under sus- picion.”’ “Tell me,” Jane spoke quickly as a sud- den thought returned to her. ‘‘ Who should have been around the wharf and the ore- pockets this afternoon, an hour or so ago?” “No one but the watchman.” Hoyt glanced at her in surprise. “Is he a Russian or Slav? A thick-set man, with sunken eyes close together, and high cheek-bones?” “No. He’s Pat Culhane, a big, blond Irishman.” Hoyt’s tone had quickened, too. “ Why do you ask? You didn’t see such a man as you describe hanging about there, did you?” Jane nodded, and told him briefly of the incident of the afternoon. He listened quietly, but when she had finished he rose and began to pace the floor. “That description might fit any one of twenty men on the job,” he remarked at last. ‘“ You are sure he is one of our outfit?” ‘““Oh, yes. He has been in the store half a dozen times with the others since I came, and I think I have noticed him working over in the storage-yard.”’ “One of the bull gang, eh? Would you know him again if you saw him, Miss Peddar?” Yes, if I came face to face with him I think I should, but I couldn’t possibly point him out from among the rest,” Jane re- sponded doubtfully. ‘Of course, I may have been unduly suspicious of his ac- tions—”’ “ He had no right on the wharf, whoever he was,” Hoyt declared. ‘‘ When he comes into the store again, get his name if, you can, please. I wonder”—he eyed her quizzically—‘ | wonder if this Mr. Mac- Leod, who has your references, really sent you up here just to tend store!”’ Jane laughed frankly. ‘“ He was rather dubious about my ability to do even that satisfactorily after my rather limited previous experience, but I begged THE ARGOSY. so hard for the position that he finally en- gaged me.”’ ‘“Why were you so anxious to come?” He had halted before her, but after one flashing, mischievous glance she averted her eyes. “To see what it was like up here, of course, and then father was so wild to get to Alaska himself—’’ A deferential cough from the doorway made them both turn. Peddar had executed his mission. — CHAPTER XIII. A PREMONITION. “THE next morning when Jane came down Main Street toward the store in time for the seven o’clock shift she noticed idly that several men seemed to be patrolling the wharf, but her thoughts were busied with Pietro and his plight, and she gave little heed. Jud Pittinger met her at the door with an oddly grim look about his usually smiling mouth, and it occurred to her that his ruddy countenance had paled. “Has anything happened, Mr. Pittin- ger?” she asked. For answer he took her arm and, turning her around, pointed to the wharf. “You see them men, Miss Jane?” he demanded. “Why, of course. What are they do- ing?” ‘“‘ Lockin’ the stable door!” Jud replied cryptically. ‘“ Only this time the horse wasn’t stole first.” “What do you mean?” Jane’s mind flashed back to her conversation of the previous night with the engineer. “Them rascals was layin’ to blow up the wharf, same as they did the dynamite shack last week, that’s all!” Jud retorted. ‘“ Beats all tarnation how they manage to lay their wires right before our noses and no one gettin’ on to ’em, but last night Mr. Hoyt come down here and found ’em all fixed ready to attach the sticks. “Come dark, or what passes for dark up here between one and three, and they would have finished the job and touched GOMIGE