E-text prepared by Al Haines

CARMEN'S MESSENGER

by

HAROLD BINDLOSS

Author of Johnstone of the Border, Prescott of Saskatchewan, etc.

With Frontispiece in Colors

Grosset & Dunlap Publishers
New York

1917

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. FEATHERSTONE CHANGES HIS PLANS II. THE MILL-OWNER III. FOSTER MAKES A PROMISE IV. THE FIRST ADVENTURE V. FEATHERSTONE'S PEOPLE VI. HIS COMRADE'S STORY VII. THE PACKET VIII. AN OFFER OF HELP IX. THE FALSE TRAIL X. THE DROVE ROAD XI. THE POACHERS XII. A COMPLICATION XIII. FOSTER RETURNS TO THE GARTH XIV. FOSTER SEES A LIGHT XV. THE GLOVE XVI. A DIFFICULT PART XVII. THE LETTERS XVIII. SPADEADAM WASTE XIX. ALICE'S CONFIDENCE XX. THE RIGHT TRACK XXI. DALY TAKES ALARM XXII. CARMEN GETS A SHOCK XXIII. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING XXIV. LAWRENCE'S STORY XXV. FOSTER SETS OFF AGAIN XXVI. THE REAL-ESTATE AGENT XXVII. THE MINE XXVIII. THE LOG BRIDGE XXIX. FOSTER ARRIVES XXX. RUN DOWN XXXI. DALY SOLVES THE PUZZLE XXXII. FEATHERSTONE APOLOGIZES

I

FEATHERSTONE CHANGES HIS PLANS

It was getting dark, and a keen wind blew across the ragged pinesbeside the track, when Jake Foster walked up and down the station atGardner's Crossing in North Ontario. Winter was moving southwards fastacross the wilderness that rolled back to Hudson's Bay, silencing thebrawling rivers and calming the stormy lakes, but the frost hadscarcely touched the sheltered valley yet and the roar of a rapidthrobbed among the trees. The sky had the crystal clearness that isoften seen in northern Canada, but a long trail of smoke stretchedabove the town, and the fumes of soft coal mingled with the aromaticsmell of the pines. Gardner's Crossing stood, an outpost of advancingindustry, on the edge of the lonely woods.

The blue reflections of big arc-lamps quivered between the foam-flakeson the river, a line of bright spots, stretching back along the bank,marked new avenues of wooden houses, and, across the bridge, the topsof tall buildings cut against the glow that shimmered about the town.At one end rose the great block of the Hulton factory, which lostsomething of its utilitarian ugliness at night. Its harsh, rectangularoutline faded into the background of forest, and the rows of glimmeringwindows gave it a curious transparent look. It seemed to overflow withradiance and filled the air with rumbling sound.

In a large measure, Gardner's Crossing owed its rapid development tothe enterprise of the Hulton Manufacturing Company. Hulton was readyto make anything out of lumber for which his salesmen found a demand;but his firm grip on the flourishing business had recently relaxed, andpeople wondered anxiously what would happen if he did not recover fromthe blow that had struck him down. Fred Hulton, his only son, andassistant treasurer to the Company, had been found in the factory onemorning with a bullet-hole in his head, and it was believed that he hadshot himself. His father gave his evidence at the inquiry with sternself-control, but took to his bed afterwards and had not left it yet.So far as the townsfolk knew, this was the first time he had shown anyweakness of body or mind.

The train was late, but Foster enjoyed the pipe he lighted. It was tenyears since he landed at Montreal, a raw lad without friends or money,and learned wh

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