by Connie Mason
Maggie felt strange, as if she were detached from her body Her legs were nearly paralyzed and her wrists felt numb from constant, excruciating pain Her eyes were glued together Vague, disjointed sounds penetrated her brain, and she concentrated on the hum of words floating around her
"Who is she1?" The voice was deep, low, and soothing to her ears
"Don't know. Captain Gordon, she musta floated in dunn' the night Wally found her Is she alive1?"
"Just barely," the captain responded grimly
Tall, virile, and imposing in his impeccable uniform. Captain Scott Gordon was somewhat over thirty years old and extremely handsome, with sunbronzed skin and dark hair His keen gray eyes contrasted sharply with the swarthiness of his skin
"I'd like to know the name of the bastard who did this to her," Gordon gritted out angrily "Look at her hands, they're so swollen and blue I'm not even sure the doctor can save them "
Maggie opened her mouth to speak, but the effort proved too great and she gave herself up to the care of the man who earned her as tenderly as a newborn babe She felt safe for the first time since
she'd been taken from Chase Thinking of Chase brought an ache deeper than any she'd suffered thus far, and she welcomed the darkness that claimed her
"Careful, Scott, the pain will be excruciating when you cut away the ropes "
"I know. Doc, but it's got to be done Poor little thing I wonder who she is Even covered in dirt, she's beautiful," Gordon mused thoughtfully
"Easy does it," the doctor warned as the Mountie carefully cut away Maggie's bonds Finally she was free Then the agony began
Pain, gut-wrenching, grinding, shot up her arms to her shoulders, and Maggie screamed—and screamed and screamed
"Can't you give her something. Doc1?"
"A little laudanum might help " The doctor lifted Maggie's head and held a glass to her lips At first Maggie fought his efforts until his soothing voice calmed and reassured her, then she gulped the bitter brew almost eagerly
"That's it, honey, drink it all It will ease the pain "
Made groggy from the drug, Maggie's eyes rolled craaly before she gave up entirely and drifted off
"Who is she, Scott1?" the doctor asked, regarding Maggie with sympathy "Where's her man, and who in the hell treated her so shabbily1?"
"I won't know a damn thing until the lady wakes up and tells us. Doc," Scott frowned, anxious to get his hands on the swine who would mistreat a woman so badly "Maybe she has some identification on her "
The doctor had removed Maggie's sodden sheepskin jacket earlier, and Scott picked it up and rummaged through the pockets In one of the inside pockets, he found a thoroughly wet wallet, opened it, and learned not only Maggie's identity but her reason for being in the Yukon
"The lady's name is Margaret Afton, and she's a reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer "
"It's unlikely she'd come up here on her own," Doc replied His words left much unsaid "She'll sleep for several hours Come back this evening She should be able to answer questions by then Meanwhile I'll take off her wet clothes and make her comfortable She'll have to be watched closely for signs of pneumonia "
Maggie struggled upward through suffocating layers of thick clouds, confused and disoriented Her arms were leaded weights, her head a mass of pain and scrambled brains Her flesh felt bruised and battered, and there wasn't a place on her body that didn't ache The groan that escaped her lips alerted the man standing in the room looking out the window
"Margaret, are you awake1? Speak to me "
Licking her dry lips, Maggie whimpered softly, "Chase1?" But immediately she realized her mistake Chase never called her anything but Maggie or darling
A shadow formed before her eyes, at first vague, then slowly assuming a definite shape It was a man, tall and broad-shouldered, his big hands carefully brushing wayward strands of hair away from her temples Then he was holding a glass of cool water to her lips and she drank greedily, gratefully
"How do you feel. Miss Afton?"
Maggie frowned Where was she1? She was certain she'd never seen this man before Then her vision cleared enough to recognize the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
"I feel—terrible," Maggie croaked hoarsely "Where am I?" "In Dawson City, Miss Afton " "How do you know my name1?"
Scott smiled I found identification in your jacket Can you tell me what happened1? Who abused you1? Who is Chase, and did he do this to you1?"
Scott didn't know who Chase was, but obviously he was someone close to the woman, for she had called out his name many times as she struggled toward consciousness
"Oh, no. Chase would never hurt me," Maggie supplied quickly "He was—is—my guide We were attacked at Windy Arm by two men named Bandy andZeke They hurt Chase and earned me away Chase," she gulped tearfully, was left for dead Oh God, I don't know what happened to himl"
"Miss Afton, I'm Captain Scott Gordon of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and I'll do all in my power to find your—companion, but I have to know more Are you up to talking1?"
"Fifteen minutes," snapped a voice from the rear of the room "My patient needs rest"
The speaker approached the bed, and Maggie immediately recognized the kindly voice that had soothed her during her worst hours
"I'm Doctor Thomas, Miss Afton You were brought to my office more dead than alive Fortunately, you've a strong constitution Your lungs sound clear despite the long hours you spent in the water "
"Thank you, doctor," Maggie said, managing a weak smile
Middle-aged and plump, the doctor's lined face broke out in a weary grin "It's not every day I get a beautiful woman as a patient Fifteen minutes, Scott,' he cautioned as he left the room
"Now, Miss Afton, tell me what happened as briefly as possible If I'm not out of here in fifteen minutes. Doc Thomas will toss me out on my ear " Maggie began her tale, slowly at first, gathering strength as she went on She revealed her reason
for being in Dawson City and that Chase McGarrett was her friend and guide She recounted the attack at Windy Ann and what happened afterwards "I—I killed Bandy," she whispered, her voice sad and haunted
"It was self-defense. Miss Afton," Scott countered, appalled by the suffering Maggie had been subjected to "Do you have any idea why those two men attacked you1?"
"Have you heard of Soapy Smith1?"
Scott's well-shaped eyebrows angled upwards "Who hasn't1? Even in Dawson his shady deeds are well-known How did you get involved with a disreputable character like Smith1?"
"He was angry at me for writing unflattering words about him for my paper Then he suddenly reversed himself and offered me escort to the Klondike if I altered the articles to reveal him in a more favorable light I was so anxious to reach Dawson I unwisely agreed to his conditions "
"Chase McGarrett is Smith's man?"
"Oh, no. Chase is a—friend," Maggie was quick to add "He was angry at me for accepting Soapy's offer and volunteered to bring me to Dawson himself Evidently Soapy didn't like it when I chose Chase over Soapy's toughs "
"Just one more thing. Miss Afton," Scott said "Can you describe the two men who attacked you1? And Chase McGarrett, too I'll alert my men to keep an eye out for them I think it highly unlikely, though, that Smith's men will show themselves in Dawson after what they did to you Dawson isn't a lawless town like Skagway The Mounties keep law and order in Yukon Territory, unlike Alaska where anything goes "
Maggie provided the information Scott requested and then he left, telling her he'd look in on her the next day Maggie smiled wanly and immediately drifted off to sleep
Maggie awoke the next morning feeling amazingly well Except for swollen hands and bruised wrists, she'd suffered no lasting effects from her harrowing ordeal When Doctor Thomas brought her breakfast, she learned she was in his combination office and sleeping rooms, and she had probably occupied his bed last night
Maggie was ravenous, wolfing down every morsel of the hearty fare the doctor provided, though
eating was made difficult by the swelling in her hands and fingers
"Well, young lady," the doctor twinkled, "you seem to have recovered remarkably well You're very lucky, you know "
"I know," Maggie beamed in reply "But I am desperately worried about Chase—my traveling companion I have no idea how badly wounded he is or if he's still alive"
"Captain Gordon is a good man, I'm sure hell help you Do you feel strong enough to get out of bed1?"
"Yes, I do," Maggie replied gratefully, "thanks to you Is there a decent hotel in town1?"
"You'll be pleased to know that there is The Dawson Arms is new and comfortable enough for a lady I'll take you there whenever you're ready "
Maggie was up and dressed a short time later when Scott Gordon arrived If he thought her beautiful before, now—cleaned up, her hair combed, her body rested—she was stunning She was not a fresh-faced innocent, but a woman possessed of a mature beauty very young women would have difficulty duplicating Yet under no circumstances could Margaret Afton be called old or spinstensh She was vibrantly alive, magnificently fashioned, and beautiful with honey-blond hair and warm amber eyes She was independent, resourseful, feisty, and had proved herself capable of coping with any situation
"Do you think it' wise to be up so soon. Miss Afton1?" Scott asked, concern coloring his words
"I feel fine. Captain Gordon," Maggie smiled, "and I don't want to deprive the doctor of his bed any longer than necessary I was getting ready to move over to the Dawson Arms And please call me Maggie All my friends do "
"Only if you call me Scott" It was obvious that the Mountie was extremely taken with Maggie "Something has to be done with the raft. Miss—Maggie," he continued "It's in pretty bad shape and in danger of sinking with all the supplies aboard "
"I don't own it," Maggie replied
"Nevertheless, it's yours I seriously doubt that Bandy, if he's alive, or Zeke, will show up in town They will assume that you eventually reached Dawson and reported their crime Everything on the raft is yours I've already dispatched two men upnver to look for those outlaws "
"What about Chase1?" Maggie asked worriedly
'We'll certainly do what we can, Maggie Have you decided what you want done with the supplies'?"
"No, I—" Suddenly a thought occurred to Maggie The main reason Chase allowed her to grubstake him was because of a man named Sam Cooper Sam was ill and needed help What would happen to poor Sam if Chase didn't reach him in time Did Sam need supplies'? Or a doctor1? Was he still alive1?
"Scott, Chase and his partner own a claim on Gold Bottom, Eleven Above A man named Sam Cooper is up there now waiting for them But Sam is sick and sent a message for Chase to get up there as quickly as possible If Chase doesn't show up in a day or two, I'd like to take the supplies up to Sam and check on him "
Til see to it, Maggie There's no need for you to go to the goldfields That's no place for a woman "
Maggie flushed She'd gotten this far against everyone's advice, and she could damn well go a little farther "You don't know me very well if you think I'm going to allow someone to stop me now, Scott My purpose in coming to the Yukon is to report on conditions in the goldfields I would appreciate it, though, if you'd buy a couple of horses and have the supplies stored somewhere until I'm ready to leave "
Maggie searched her jacket for her wallet and retrieved some bills Chase had insisted she keep whatever money remained in the unlikely event that something should happen to him on the trail He didn't want her left without funds
"Maggie, you're being foolish about this Women don't go to the goldfields "
"Is there a law against it1?"
"No, but—"
"Then it's settled I'm a reporter, Scott, and I'm not going home without seeing the goldfields and claimsites It's the reason I'm here "
"You're a stubborn woman, Maggie Afton "
"I've been called worse," she grinned impishly
"Come along, I'll take you to the hotel Doc is busy with a patient"
"I want to pay him first," Maggie objected
"Later He's setting a broken leg "
"Will you help me get to Eleven Above1?"
Scott regarded Maggie with wry amusement, his gray eyes definitely admiring, though somewhat cautious "Is there no way I can talk you out of this1?"
"None "
"Then I'll take you to Gold Bottom myself I'm due to make the rounds anyway We'll wait a few days in case your Chase McGarrett shows up and to give yourself sufficient time to recuperate "
The hotel certainly wasn't up to Seattle standards, but acceptable except for the price During the walk
to the hotel Maggie learned that Dawson City was virtually a boomtown, occupying a narrow strip of beach less than one mile wide on the east bank of the Yukon River just north of its confluence with the Klondike River In late June there was almost continuous daylight, and temperatures averaged sixty degrees but could go up to eighty degrees In winter only four or five hours of murky daylight prevailed
"Days are getting shorter," Scott informed her, "and snow could fall any day now Sometimes temperatures drop to fifty below zero in January Most stampeders winter in Dawson, but many choose to remain at their claimsites if their cabins are snug Before snow falls, I usually make the rounds to see if everyone has sufficient supplies to last the winter
Maggie wasn't prepared for the sight of thousands of tents, shacks, and cabins at Dawson, of wharves lined with boats, of streets crowded with half-built structures The roar of the Klondike River pouring in from the east was muffled by the high scream of saws, the rat-a-tat of hammers, snorting horses, shouting men, and the tinkling of music from saloons Many dazed, exhausted men were sampling their first decent meal since leaving home in Dawson's restaurants, which were geared toward the appetites of miners Scores of rumpled, sunburned, whiskered men turned up in the Klondike hauling their goods on boats, mules, horses, or their backs The only thing that distinguished the town from Skagway was the presence of the uniformed Mounties, who kept Dawson from becoming a lawless hellhole
Scott spread the word at the hotel that Maggie was a newspaper reporter under the protection of the Mounted Police before he left her to settle in, not that there was much to settle All her clothes and equipment remained with Chase
Thinking of Chase brought a tug to Maggie's heart How she missed him, all six-feet-four of magnificent male She missed his teasing, the twinkle in his blue eyes when he looked at her in that special way, his loving He was so good at it, she thought dreamily—not that she had that much experience Where are you, Chase? she asked in silent supplication Are you hurt? Oh, Chase, what did my recklessness bring you to? Whatever you suffered is my fault He just couldn't be dead He was too strong, too vital to suffer an ignominious death at the hands of ruffians like Bandy and Zeke
But despite all Maggie's optimism. Chase did not appear in Dawson After several days had elapsed, she knew she had to get to Eleven Above and Sam Cooper She owed it to Chase Scott had been more than generous with his help, alerting his troopers and sending men upnver to investigate One day he informed Maggie that Chase McGarret had been placed on the missing list
"I'm sorry, Maggie, I know McGarrett must have been more to you than mere guide," Scott said as Maggie fought to hold back her tears "He could still show up, you know Perhaps he returned to Skagway "
"No I I—Chase wouldn't go back, not when he needed desperately to get to his claim and Sam I just have to face the fact that Chase might not be coming back "
"There's something else, Maggie "
"Go ahead, Scott, I can take it"
"A murder was reported at the check-in station at Lake Tagish "
"A murder? Whose?"
"No one seemed to know The man earned no identification
"Oh, God," Maggie sobbed, "it can't be Chase "
"It could be the man you said you killed," Scott suggested
"Yes, it very well could be," Maggie agreed, brightening "But if that's so, where is Chase1?
Why has no one heard from him1?"
"I don't know, Maggie," Scott admitted, wishing he could take Maggie in his arms and comfort her properly "Do you want me to make arrangements to return you to Skagway before ice closes the waterways and passes'?"
"No, Scott, my mind is made up I'm going to Eleven Above It's something I have to do," Maggie said with firm conviction "When can we leave1? Or did you change your mind about taking me1?"
"I'll take you, Maggie, if you still insist on going I've already bought horses with your money They can be loaded tonight and well leave in the morning if you'd like The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll return "
"Thank you, Scott, you've been a real friend when I needed one most"
"That's myjob"
"No, you've gone beyond that and I appreciate it I'll be ready in the morning "
Maggie had already purchased a few articles of clothing to replace those she had lost, but she needed more, especially winterwear She also needed to replenish the implements of her trade left behind when she was abducted Accordingly, the next couple of hours were spent shopping On the way back to the hotel, she had an uncanny feeling that someone was following her Whirling abruptly, she saw nothing or no one suspicious Still the feeling persisted, and when she turned again, she caught a glimpse of a face she hoped never to see again Zekel Spinning on her heel, she ran nearly the entire distance to the Mountie station
Rushing inside, she found Scott sitting in his small office making out one of the tedious reports required by headquarters He looked up as Maggie burst into his private office, her face was flushed and she was shaking like a leaf
"Maggie, what happened1? Are you all right1?"
"I saw him, Scottl I saw Zeke," Maggie exclaimed in a rush of words "He's in town "
"Calm yourself, Maggie Who did you see1?"