Part 27 (1/2)

Fort McMurray, a ten- to fourteen-day trip under good conditions, was reached in seven days. Fort Chippewayan in three days more, and Fort Resolution a week later--seventeen days from Athabasca Landing to Fort Resolution--a record trip for a dog-train!

MacNair was known as a man of few words, but Ripley wondered at the ominous silence with which his every attempt at conversation was met.

During the whole seventeen days of the snow-trail, MacNair scarcely addressed a word to him--seemed almost oblivious to his presence.

Upon the last day, with the log buildings of Fort Resolution in sight, MacNair suddenly halted the dogs and faced Corporal Ripley.

”Well, what's your program?” he asked shortly.

”My program,” returned the other, ”is to arrest Pierre Lapierre,”

”How are you going to do it?”

”I've got to locate him first, the details will work out later. I've been counting a lot on your help and judgment in the matter.”

”Don't do it!” snapped MacNair.

The other gazed at him in astonishment.

”What do you mean?”

”I mean that I'm not going to help you arrest Lapierre. He's mine! I have sworn to get him, and, by G.o.d, I _will_ get him! From now on we are working against each other.”

Ripley flushed, and his eyes narrowed. ”You mean,” he exclaimed, ”that you defy the Mounted! That you refuse to help when you're called on?”

MacNair laughed. ”You might put it that way, I suppose, but it don't sound well. You know me, Ripley. You know when my word has pa.s.sed--when I've once started a thing--I'll see it through to the limit. I've sworn to get Lapierre. And I tell you, he's mine! Unless you get him first. You're a good man, Ripley, and you may do it--but if you do, when you get back with him, you'll know you've been somewhere.”

The lines of Ripley's face softened; as a sporting proposition the situation appealed to him. He thrust out his hand. ”It's a go, MacNair,” he said, ”and let the best man win!”

MacNair wrung the officer's hand in a mighty grip, and then just as he was on the point of starting his dogs, paused and gazed thoughtfully after the other who was making his way toward the little buildings of Fort Resolution.

”Oh, Ripley,” he called. The officer turned and retraced his steps.

”You've heard of Lapierre's fort to the eastward. Have you ever been there?”

Ripley shook his head. ”No, but I've heard he has one somewhere around the east end of the lake.”

MacNair laughed. ”Yes, and if you hunted the east end of the lake for it you could hunt a year without finding it. If you really want to know where it is, come along, I'll show you. I happen to be going there.”

”What's the idea?” asked the officer, regarding MacNair quizzically.

”The idea is just this. Lapierre's no fool. He's got as good a chance of getting me as I have of getting him. And if anything happens to me you fellows will lose a lot of valuable time before you can locate that fort. I don't know myself exactly why I'm taking you there, except that--well, if anything should happen to me, Lapierre would--you see, he might--that is---- d.a.m.n it!” he broke out wrathfully. ”Can't you see he'll have things his own way with _her_?”

Ripley grinned broadly. ”Oh! So that's it, eh? Well, a fellow ought to look out for his friends. She seemed right anxious to have _you_ put where nothing would hurt you.”

”Shut up!” growled MacNair shortly. ”And before we start there's one little condition you must agree to. If we find Lapierre at the fort, in return for my showing you the place, you've got to promise to make no attempt to arrest him without first returning to Fort Resolution.

If I can't get him in the meantime I ought to lose.”

”You're on,” grinned Ripley, ”I promise. But man, if he's there he won't be alone! What chance will you have single-handed against a whole gang of outlaws?”

MacNair smiled grimly. ”That's my lookout. Remember, your word has pa.s.sed, and when we locate Lapierre, you head back for Fort Resolution.”

The other nodded regretfully, and when MacNair turned away from the fort and headed eastward along the south sh.o.r.e of the lake, the officer fell silently in behind the dogs.