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"Well, you knew my dad to his loss," declared Pan. "And that's my business with you." "You've no business with me," fumed Hardman. "Reckon you're mistaken," went on Pan, slowly and easily. "I'm Bill Smith's boy. And I mean to have an accounting with you on that Texas cattle deal." These deliberate words, heard by all within earshot, caused little less than a deadlock throughout the room.
"Here's the corduroy road," said Bart, pointing to where the log highway began. "Ah, indeed," remarked Mr. Hardman. "Quite interesting. Made of little logs laid side by side. To prevent wagons from sinking down into the mud, I suppose?" "It isn't used much nowadays," volunteered Fenn. "It was built by the loggers when they were cutting some timber, but that was several years ago."
"Well of course it's possible," admitted Bart, "but I don't believe a sick person, or a well one, either, could get here without a lot of trouble. There are no paths to speak of, so I've heard old hunters say." "That's good," Mr. Hardman remarked, half to himself. "That's just what I want. Is this the only road leading into the woods from Darewell?" "The only one," replied Bart.
A few minutes after his departure, both Hardman and Herzog renewed their pleadings for mercy for at least they suspected the cause of the old miner's departure but Tim checked them so promptly that they held their peace. At his suggestion, the boys started a fire and began preparing supper. They had hardly completed the task when Jeff Graham reappeared and he brought two companions with him.
Thet's where the rub comes in. We played their game. Wasted a lot of shells on them damn broomies! So how could we fight?" "Ah-huh!" groaned Pan, appalled at the fatality of the whole incident. "Pan, I reckon you'd better swaller the dose, bitter as it is, an' bluff Hardman into leavin' us a share of the hosses." "Say, man, are you drunk or loco?" flashed Pan scornfully.
"That's so, I believe he did," the clerk answered, for he knew Frank quite well. He looked in the letter rack, and found a slip the night clerk had left, directing that all mail for Mr. Hardman was to be sent to the general delivery, Lockport. "Lockport," murmured Frank, as he left the hotel. "That is a town close to the other edge of the woods. I wonder what he can be doing there?
"I don't suppose you've had much experience in a place like this," Dr. Hardman went on. "We don't expect that. All you will have to do is to obey orders. The pay is ten dollars a week and board. Do you think you'd like it? You seem like a strong, smart young chap. Are your eyes weak? I presume they must be or you wouldn't wear smoked glasses. Never mind, that doesn't make any difference here."
"Something comes like a horrible dream." "Sure," he hurried on. "Let me get it over.... I told you he couldn't marry you when he already had a wife. You went crazy then. You betrayed Hardman.... He came rushing out of the closet. Pretty nasty, he was, Louie ... well, I left him lying in the hall! I grabbed you wrapped you in a blanket and ran out. Blink was waiting.
The fellow looked wonderingly at him, as did the others, none suspecting what was coming. "In course," was the gruff reply of Hardman; "we all stood by one another, fur if we hadn't we wouldn't stood at all." "You've got to Dawson City without it costing you a penny, haven't you?" "There hain't been much chance to spend money since we left Dyea," replied Hardman with a grin.
He knew it was loaded, and he said to his prisoner: "Lead on, and if ye think it will pay ye to try to git away or play any of yer tricks, why try it, that's all!" The threat was sufficient to banish all hope from Hardman, who led them along the trail a short way, then turned on to the pile of rocks beside which Frank had seen him standing a short time before.
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