Argosy All-Story Weekly, January 13, 1923 — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREE TRADER. tween Mears and Allardyce, clinching the evidence against the Great North manager. Startlingly clear, diabolically cunning, so. thoroughly worked out and executed no loose ends were left anywhere, the mission- ary’s operations stood out in Alan’s mind. He leaped to his feet and started toward the door, intent only on telling Macleod and relieving Helen and her father. But when his hand struck the latch he stopped. After all, he asked himself, what could he tell them? Strong as the circum- stantial evidence was in his own mind, he understood that it would have no value whatever in a court, and probably would not convince even John Macleod. It was something he sensed or felt rather than. knew. He was without one bit of direct proof that Bicknell was in any way con- nected with the fire, the theft or the murder of Allardyce. Any evidence of who had committed the murder was hidden by the fire. The origin of the blaze was left a complete mystery in the same way. There remained only the theft of the fur. If that could be fastened on Bicknell the rest would follow as a logi- cal conclusion. As Alan reasoned this out he found the same problem in his way. He was as cer- tain Bicknell had stolen the fur as he was that the man was both murderer and incen- diary, but he was without proof. Yet the fur had not been destroyed by the fire. It was somewhere. It was the proof he needed. And. Bicknell had some fur. Alan and Madge had seen it when they had peered through the missionary’s window. dyce was there. They had looked it over together, and that fur had been taken. CHAPTER XXIII. IN THE DARK. LAN leaped to: his feet. ‘‘ The ves- . try!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Madge and ___ I saw Bicknell take it there. That is where he would hide all of it, where: no one would ever think to. look.” He went to a window. The Great North dwelling house was dark. Every one in Allar-. & The ee Soe ee ae 621 both posts: was asleep. He could not see. the mission, but he had no doubt but that. Bicknell, too, was sleeping, confident. of - the success of his: cunning plans. It was his time to act. Convinced though he might be. of the missionary’s guilt, he. knew he must. have proof, and he knew it was waiting for him in the vestry. He looked again at the dark window. of Helen’s room: He wondered if she. were asleep. He did not understand how she could sleep.. Crushed, broken, without hope, . she was probably lying there waiting for him to save her. The thought fascinated him. The dra- matic instinct of youth urged him to: im- mediate action. He took an pistol, slipped it into the waistband. of his trousers, and went out the front door. It never occurred to Alan that he should get Macleod to go with him, or even one. of He was pos-. the half-breed employees. sessed of. the: one: idea of bringing relief: to Helen as quickly as possible, and he wanted to bring: it alone.. Low, thick clouds made the night. un- usually dark. Even against the snow and the whitewashed buildings he could see- lit- tle: As. he hurried past the employees’ cabins. he: found them all dark, and, when he was beyond them, no light shone from the windows of the mission over near the edge: of. the: clearing. Alan went: straight to the church. From a corner he. watched the dwelling house for a few minutes. The windows were dark.. There. was: no smell of smoke from the: chimney.. Bicknell, tired out like every one: else at Barrier Lake, evidently had gone to- bed early.. Satisfied. that he had a clear field, Alan went at once: to the vestry, which was a log lean-to: at. the rear, no more than ten feet square. Groping about in the dark- ness, he-found the door was fastened with a hasp and padlock. Bicknell’s. woodpile was near by, and. Alan found an ax sticking in a block of: wood.. Using this as a pry, he worked at: the staple. until at last he had it loose.. He pushed against the door, but it did not move. For a moment he believed it was fastened somewhere else, and then as he COPMICLOOO KS automatic - Eom iF +o