Thompson Forest Products Limited

Manufacturers and Wholesalers of Western White Spruce

P.O. Box 419

hding out in those mountains. Their
jagged rocks and canyons would pro-
vide a murderously ideal setting for
ambush.

The posse crawled out of the canyon
and commenced to portage across a
sweep:ng loop in the creek. Suddenly,
Garlund dropped to his knees, utter-
ing a hoarse exclamation. “Look!” he
cried: “He’s there!” And he pointed
ahead.

It was true. The fugitive was no
more than 400 yards away. He was
crouched behind a V-shaped barricade
atop the river bank, all but concealed
by it and a clump of snow-bent spruce.

“That's him all right,’ Riddell
nodded grimly. “He'd sure have had
us cold if we'd followed along the
creek instead of crossing here.”

Darkness was falling now, preclud-
ing any attempt to close in on their
quarry. At the first crack of dawn,
however, the posse was on the move
again. Climbing to the hogback they
crawled carefully from one bunch of
frozen willows to another.

They were still 300 yards from the
ambush when Johnson arose and
stood out in stark silhouette against
the snow. Swiftly Garlund took aim
and pressed the trigger of his rifle.

A deafening detonation shattered
the Arctic silence. Johnson threw up
his arms and toppled backwards be-
hind the breastwork.

“Think you got him?” said Millen.

“Believe I did, but he may be play-
ing possum!”

Crouching behind the rocks, the
party watched the barricade for an
hour. At last Millen turned to Riddell.
“What do you say—shall be risk it?”

“Okay. Dash from rock to rock but,

*.

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DECKER LAKE

TWENTY-SEVENTH EDITION

DECKER LAKE
GENERAL STORE

OSCAR L. ANDERSON, Proprietor

Groceries - Hardware - Dry Goods

Fishing and Hunting Supplies

BRITISH COLUMBIA

BURNS LAKE

lor God’s sake, don’t expose your-
self!”

They snaked forward slowly, mov-
ing from hummock to hummock until
they reached the creek bed. They
crawled across the bed, and up the
bank on the far side. As Riddell’s
head rose above the rim, Johnson
leaped to his feet and fired, immedi-
ately dropping back behind the barri-
cade.

Crack! Crack!

Twice more the mad _trapper’s
rifle spoke. Riddell hurled himself
down the bank. Shaken but safe, he
turned to speak to Millen. The
words died unspoken on his lips.

Spike lay at his feet, his parka torn
and bloodstained. He was dead—
shot clean through the heart! Eyes
brimming, Riddell carried the body
back to the main party.

He Could Hold Off An Army

“We'll get that dirty rat or die in
the attempt!” he cried. “Dog him to
hell if you have to, but keep out of
range of his gun. He could hold off
a bloody army up on that bank there.
You’d better take over—’” he nodded
to Garlund—‘while I hike to Aklavik,
report Spike’s death, and arrange for
more supplies. I'll send Hersey up
from the base camp. This chase has
just begun!”

Not since Corporal Doak had
been slain a few years before by
the Cogmollock Eskimos had the
Northland been as aroused as it was
by Spike Millen’s murder. Nowhere
along the Arctic coast had there
been a more popular Mountie. His
good nature and courage had _ be-
come bywords, from Fort McPher-
son to the shores of King William’s
Land.

*

Replying to a
Government sur:
veyor about the
time he spent on
his duties, a Hart-
Connecticut,
lift man said: “Up,
50 per cent, down,
50 per cent.”

ford,

*

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Station UZK broadcast an appeal
from Inspector Eames for still more
trappers and Indians to join in the
man-hunt. Soon, from all directions,
grim-faced men in _ fur-trimmed
parkas and mukluks were hitting
the trail for Aklavik. “Get the Mad
Trapper of Rat River!” became the
slogan of the North.

Casting about for some means of
transporting bulky supplies for the
posse, Eames had a flash of inspiration.
Why not have an aeroplane sent in
from Edmonton? Thus, on February
2, Captain W. R. “Wop” May of
Canadian Airways at Fort McMurray
set out on the 1,500-mile flight to
Aklavik.

With him went Constable W. S.

ENDAKO
Ome:

‘A Home Away From Home’
FULLY LICENSED

Coffee Shop in Connection

*
Good Hunting and Fishing
in Season

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Phone 1 ENDAKO, B.C.

GOODWIN
TRANSFER

R. A. GOODWIN, Proprietor
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GENERAL TRUCKING
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DAY and NIGHT SERVICE
Charter Trips to Prince Rupert

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Standard Oil Products

Body Work » General Repairs
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Phones 106H - 106Q
DECKER LAKE B.C.

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