Thereupon he made up a
pack and headed for the post for the sole purpose of baiting the two,
and of flaunting his prowess as a financier in their faces.
An angry flush flooded his face as he realized how completely the
tables had turned. Then the flush gave place to a crafty smile, as he
remembered the bills in his pocket. "McNabb's money, or Orcutt's," he
muttered under his breath, "it's all the same to me. Three hundred and
fifty thousand is more money than I ever expected to handle. And now
for the get-away."
Closing the door behind him he struck across the clearing toward the
northeast. At the end of the bush he paused. "Hell!" he growled. "I
can't hit for the railway. Cameron said he had wired Orcutt at the
bank, and I might meet him coming in." For some time he stood
irresolute. "There's a way out straight south," he speculated, "about
three hundred miles, and a good share of it water trail. I'll be all
right if I can pick up a canoe, and I can get grub of the Indians."
Skirting the clearing, he entered the bush and came out on the shore of
the lake at some distance below the landing, where several canoes had
been beached for the night. Stooping, he righted one, and as he
straightened up he found himself face to face with Corporal Downey of
the Mounted. For a moment the two stood regarding each other in
silence, while through Wentworth's brain flashed a mighty fear.
Pages:
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128