a ag meer rerrseen = —— er rrerene Ee dete alae ser erncrreneie imran reves aan

 ” $10,000, and he won,and will receive

; The. favorites do not ‘alwaya wit. in|

od ar ea

-aeeure a plane, the firat of: “the ‘fleet’

a Ce en nee

EDITORIALS

Olof Hanson, M.P., left at the end
of last week for Ottawa where he
will take up matters of interest to
coast points. Last week he met the
Chamber of Commerce in Rupert.
As likely as’ not, the Chamber of
Commerce members wanted to know
something definite about the con-
struction of the new government
building in that city, which was
authorized by parliament Iast ses-
sion. Possibly, also, the interior
folk might desire some further in-
formation regarding «he estabiish-
ment of the experimental station in
Bulkley Valley, and there may be
other things authorized by the last}
meeting of parliament which have
not yet. materialized. To get the
expenditure of public money author-]
ized is one thing, and nat so very }
difficult, but to get the money ex-}
pended is quite another matter-——in
some parts of the country. Mr.

Hanson is going to see what the
matter is. .

tttt

Over a period of years, in fact
since the beginning of the depres-
sion when mines were forced to close
down, the mining companies and the} ,
milling companies throughout the
northern interior have suffered many
thousands of dollars loss through
theft. There are a number of people
who act on the theory that anything
they desire is their's for the taking.
Such a thing as other folk’s rights
is not admitted by those who covet
something that belongs to another,
In the past, the instant a mine or a
mill ‘censes operations the work of
stripping the plant by thieves is
started. To catch the thief is very
difficult and to prove property after
it has been stolen ig ati!l more diffi:
cult. The fact: remains, : however,
that there is something very radically
wrong. It: would pay any govern-
ment to make an effort to straighten
things out, if for no other reason
than to protect the properties that
Pay the big taxes that keep the gov-
ernments running.

trtit

The provincial legislature opened
on Monday with all the pomp and
glory of the “good: old days." ° A
surplus of over two million dollars
is predicted, and a good road ‘pro-
gram which will give good roads to
farmers as well as city dwellers. The
session is expected to be short and
everyone sent home early in Decem-
ber go ‘that the prémier and ministers
can get away to Ottawa to interview
Santa Claus: If Santa Claus feels
as good ag he ‘should, after hobnob-
bing with royalty during his recent
trip abroad, preparations. will prob-
ably be rushed for an early appeal to
the good people of the province.’

tttt

It is really a blessing that Premier
Pattullo ‘called: a fall. session, as. it
will give the daily press something],
to put in their columns ‘besides the
Enropean wer propaganda, murders,
ete. which have made the. front
pages and othér pages. so disgusting
the. Past: few months. ha

, otttt

‘A farmer on the prairie drew the
favorite horse in the Irish sweep-
stake. He gold a ‘half interest for

pother © $75,000.°; “He Wasa wise
fatmer to pick off the ten thousand. :

FE horse race,

. Mr. “Prosser has gone: to. ‘Seattle to]

to fly from, Blernes ranch, ‘ind: ‘he GEs)
pects to return | at an ‘early, date. :

jin shape,
ito git it.’’

‘|in: the ranchhouse. Johnny had pre-
| vailed.on Jim Delevan jo abandon his

a front ‘window, 'a loaded Winchester
across his ktiees and an-‘open. tox: of
ammunition at his elbow, Pink Cros-
by, similarly: -armed, : patrolled. ithe
‘{rear windows, which looked out“on
Ithe slope of the ‘plateau, whilé Doc.
McMurdo, who had gruffly announced |’: Tn:
his’ {intention of seeing: it through. with |
his friends, sat. in the dame. room:

—Say

oe en

“Plerity,” answered Johnny suc-
einctly, ‘Had a run in with Montana
Wade an’ a jasper called. Spike back
‘at Jake Butterfield’s. Théy come a
-bustin' in Joud-mouthed an’ noisy like
an’ told Jake that Spelle wanted all
the .30-30 cartridges he had in the
-joint. Addin’ that erack to the one
‘Pink heard them dry-gulchers make
last night about rushin’ the ranch an’
cleanin’ up the whole shebang, I fig-
gered mebbe it’d be a purty good idea
to corral that ammunition ourselves,
So J] sorta argued ‘em outa it. an’
brought it along.”
“Oh-—yuh did, huh?’ rumbled Del-
evan, peering intently . at Johnny.
“Yoh musta done some damn fast
tolkin’.""
_illable—tolabe, nodded John-
HY don’t allus stutter when I got
somethin’ teal important to say.”
“Hr-umph!” Delevan cleared his
throat again, “Yuh never out-argued
Montana Wade without killin’ him, I
know that jasper too well.’
“Did I say I didn't kill him?” asked
Johnny innocently,
At this statement a squeak of joy
broke from Pink Crosby and he leap-
ed upon Johnny to belabor him joy-
fully on the back.
“Oh, dang yore miserable hide,”
chortled Pink. “Johnny, if yuh click-
ed off that danged snake-in-the-gpass
[ Jove ywh like a brother.”
“Couldn't help it,” remarked John-
ny soberly. “He went fer his hawg-
laig first. An’ then this Spike hombre
was backin’ his play, He. got out o' it
lucky. I jest smashed his shoulder. I
reckon that evens the count fer you
an’ Pod, Pink.”?
“Tl tell a man it does,” declared
Pink fervently. “Wait “till ole Pod.
hears o' this. He'll get well over
night.” :
“Hope so. By the way—mebbe we
better bring Pod up to the house
here. 1 got a hunch we're due fer a
visit from Spelle an’ his crowd. An’
say, Jitr, accordin’ to Jake Butter-
field ole Spelle offered him five hun-
dred dollars if he’d refuse to sell yuh
any more supplies.”
‘Damn him!” rasped Delevan. “An’
what did Jake tell him?”
’ “Told him to go jump in the lake,”
’ “Gotd! fer Jake. I. won't ‘fergit
that. Dunno. but what yuh'’re right
about bringin’. Pod up to ‘the house.
Can ‘he be moved, Doc?” —
“Aye,” nodded McMurdo. “If it is
necessary.”
“Looks like it’s damn necessary.
Johnny, yuh an’ Pink go down with
Doe an’ fix up a stretcher outa some
blankets. I'll’ have Chang git a bed
An’ bring all the shootin’
ivons around the bunkhouse with. yuh.
If Spelle wants an argument he's due

. Twenty minutes later Pod: Fortune,
still unconscious, was safely reposing.

beloved porch corner ‘and have: his
chair wheeled inside, Now that grim
‘old warrior was sitting at the edge of

tryin’ to clean up on all of us. I fig-
ger he’s goin’ to attack this ranch,
So does yore dad, We're jest gittin’
ready fer him, that’s oll, "

“What will the law say?”

the law to help us out o’ the mud. An’
Spelle don’t give a guss fer the law.
It’s pretty generally, waderstood’ ‘right
now that he was in ‘the back o that
bank hold - -up. To everybody ‘what
ain’t prejudiced it shore lookg that
way. An’ the law ain’t said boo to
him about it.”

ed,” wailed Ronny. | |

“Let's hope it won't be anybody in
this house, An’ when it does start-~
an’ if ‘it does—I want you to get out
o’ the way.
house ain't they?”

went out; “Johnny Clehoe, if. you
think I'm going to skulk in the cellar
while the rest of :you- fight, - you're
mistaken, ‘F,can't shoot very well, but
I know ‘how'to, load the: extra guns.
Indeed I won't hide out." |

ately, ‘Please, * ‘Ronny — please.
yuh don’t-I-amble right out. in. the
‘open: with: the; first’ phot”? Gas

” He was doing his best to keep the
gir] from suspecting the true state of
affairs, but she, with her cleverness
and intuition, would not be thwarted.

elbow, “something terrible is about.to
happen, Tell me now, what is it?”

Johnny tried unsuccessfully to
avoid both her searrhing eyes and
‘equally. searching words. He had to
capitulate inthe end.

“Well, Ronny,” he mumbled finally,
“it’s like this, Spelle’s crazy mad—
must be, We've licked him at every
turn 0’ the trail. He’s gittin’ desper-
ate. On the face o’ things it looks

“Johnny,” she said, standing at his | °

a snort.

“I na believe that mon Spelle will

come,” he rumbled, “I’m off for yon
town,”
By this time even Johnny began to
doubt the soundness of his theory,
and he offered no argument to the
contrary with the old Scotchman.

“Sorry to have kept yuh so long,
Doe,” he drawied. “Come on, I'll go
down an’ throw yore hull on yore
bronc for yuh.”

The. doughty doctor lingered for a.
moment to give Ronny some last in-
structions about the care of Pod For-
tune so Johnny strolled corralwards

like he’s goin’ to bust wide open by.

by himself. He Jed out the doctor’s

Johnny grinned. “I reckon I owe you one, Jim.” |

“Bu-but the law,” argued Ronny.

.“T dunno.. Me—I ain't figgerin’ on

“But—but somebody will be. kill-

“I reckon’! said Johnny alowly.

They's a cellar. to the

-Ronny-stiffened and her little chin

: “Aw golly,” argued Johnny desper-
If
a Rex ‘you ‘do—I amble . with you,' ”

nd. she. hed her. way, ‘and
is worty. for, her Johnny

e through

Dae’: Mette stood up with T

horse and tossed the saddle blanket
on it, He smoothed it deftly with one
hand and reached for the saddle with
the other, At that moment a single
rifle shot crashed out, coming from
the fringe of underbrush. at the edge
of the clearing to’ the north, Came
the spat: of speeding lead meeting
flesh and the luckless bronco went
down in a heap at J ohnny’s feet, The
slight leaning. twist Johnny had ¢ given
as lie reached for the saddle had sav-
ed his life, and the bullet, which ‘oth-
erwise would have torn through ‘the

center of his chest, struck the horse |

at the angle of one jaw and ranged

upward through the animal's brain. | by

‘Like a flash Johnny. whirled: and.

went racing for the ranchhouse. It.

was far closer to ‘the bunkhouse,. but’
even if he did reach it in safety he
would swiftly be cut off from the rest.
of the ranch defenders to ‘be eventu-:
ally wiped out ignominiously. All this
went: ‘through his'mind as he ran, and.
though he knew his chances of ever
reaching the ranchhouse alive were:
slim indeed, he did not falter, In-
stead he drew his gun as he ran and
threw shot after: shot at the treacher- | :
ous, undergrowth. -

“The answering fire was murderous,
Bullets whispered at his ‘earg. and;
plucked. at’ hig’ ‘elothes.'~ His hat’ “WES |
whisked” from -his: head.. Something

. seated across: ‘his'left: thigh Once he:
lurched and ‘went. headlong, but with:
Ronny’ 8 despairing ' scream. echoing in’

hig Gare he was |

jevan's-head to carry-on. and: -hope-
> | lessly wreck a= framed Re ington

And now a cursing figure leaped
clear.of the underbrush and sank to
ohe knee, sighting steadily along the

bobbing shoulders. Inside the big liv-

_[ing room a virulent oath fell from old.

Jim Delevan’s lips and the rifle which

his shoulder and spat fire. ‘The kneel-
ing figure at the. edge of the brush
stiffened: and:.rolled © over’. while: the
bullet that had been meant for John-
ny ripped harmlessly into the ranch-
house roof.

sanctuary of the house. Ronny had
her arms about him immediately.
“Johnny—Johnny,’”’ she whispered

you. ”
.Sohnny patted her head. “Thought
so myself fer a minute,” he panted.
“The dang bush-whackers shot the
heel plumb off'n my left boot. .Wow!
That was shore some hot sprint. Now
brace up, honey. We got work to do,”
Wohnny limped into the big room,
punching empty shells from his .465.
He caught up a handful of fat, yel-
low shells from 4 heap on. the table
and dropped them through the lond-

with his thumb.

“If you ain’t a fool fer luck, ”” ram-
bled Jim Delevan. “What yuh limpin’
about?” a

“Lost the heel o’ my boot,” grinned
fohnny. “Got a flat wheel on the left
side, I reckon E owe yuh one, Jim,”

“Huh. Fergit it. I may be glued

how to look down a Winchester, Hell,
there goes another pane o’ glass. An’

heck o’ the woods.”

. “Let 'em have their fun. It’s a
good thing yuh built this ole house
outa logs instead o’ sawed lumber.
The soft-point slugs.they'na usin’
ain’t gettin’ through worth a cent,

I reckon. They cain’t have any hell
of a lot o’ shells, seein’ as I beat ’em
to Jake Butterfield’s stocls,’*

burst of fire which had followed him
to the house and had grown to a veri-
table fusilade when Delevan had pick-
ed off the reckless marksman who had
been determined to get Johnny, grad-
ually faded to a few desultory shots,
To Jim Delevan’s profane. disgust

glass left inthe windows. After the
first. abortive attack on Johnny,

the house.: -

by’s rifle sounded, to’ be followed a

umph from ‘the: excited Pink,

one. Holy hen-hawks.— what’s that
they got out: there—a ‘cannon?’

Johnny's exclamation was. cansed
y ‘a. deep-toned. bellowing report
from down in back of the bunkhouse
and by a big bullet which tore right
through the log wall to cut a. neat
nick out of one wheel-of Jim Dele-
van’s chair, from: thera to: pass “on
and splinter one leg of the table.’

buffalo gun, |

bunkhouse.” »

again: |
through the logs not a foot from :Del-'

barrel of a’ Winchester at Johnny's _

had rested across his knees leaped to _

_- | Johnny took the porch steps in two.
long leaps end ‘burst through to the

brokenly. “'E thought they had killed *

‘ng gate, clicking the cylinder around . .

to this dang chair, but I ain’t fergot

that stuff costs like blazes in this ~

The shootin’ will stow up pretty quick |

True to Johnny's prediction’ the

there: was hardly.a sound pane of -

Spelle’s men had pretty near circled

At intervals bullets sang through .
the devastated..windows to burrow .
themselves harmlessly on the. inner .
walls.” Once the whang of Pink Cros- ~

moment later by:a shrill yell of tri- :

“Pink musta made a bull’seye that : .
clatter,” grinned Johnny ‘to Delevan.
“Shore, ’'m—wow! That was‘a‘ close -

“Sharps,” growled . Delevan. “Ole.

‘That jasper’s. danger-
ous, ‘We got to get him, Johnny, But |
he’s usin’ black powder,. See it-hang- =.
in’ down yonder at: the: commer 0 the =...

Johnny: nodded: and’ pulled back the =
hammer: on his ‘Winchester, ‘Then he
crouched at the corner of a window. Q
and watched the bunkhouse with un- ©
blinking: eyéa.; A: slow: ‘minute: iteked @
paat before ‘the. big ‘pun. thundered a
“This ‘time’. ‘the . slug’ ripped “=