h
I Silver
By REX BEACH
X ,COI' Y It ICIIT. luou. nY
ciiaiteh ill.
mill: girl dnrled n swift look nt
llojd. tillt liu fell In brissllng
ngulti. evidently Insensible lo
her presence. At length he
stirred himself to ttok:
"Can I hire guide hercnboul? We'll
huxe to In going on In n day or m."
"Cnnstmitlne Mill get you one. 1
suppose, of course, you Mill avoid the
Knlinnl puss?"
"Avoid It ? Why?"
"It's dangerous, ntnl nobody travel
It except In thr direst emergency U'n
lllllcll I lie shortest route to llm const,
hut It hn a record of soma thirty
deaths. I should ndvlo jou to cross
thu rouge further enst. where Ihe ill
vide I lower Tho iiinll lont louche
nt ImiIIi places."
Oil tln following morning Cherry
lull! Cnustnnllne lo hllrli up her Icmn
ntnl have It walling when breakfast
wa finished. Then "lit' liirni'il lo Km
ersou. xxlm on hid Into thu room nml
snld qulctlyi
"I hnxo something t' sboxv yon If
you will take n short ride with mo."
Tho jouug mini, Impressed by the
gravity of her manner, readily on
Rented. Cimtanilu fri'itl l In lender,
nml they went on" nt n mud run. They
skimmed over thu snow with tho flight
of n liltil.
The jouug mnn gave himself tip to
Hit- unique nml rnihrr delightful ex
perience of being irmiHiriiil through
mi unknown roiiiury to nn unkiiiixvit
destination tiy n rhnrinlnic Klrl of
wliuiu In hIo knexv iinihliiK
"Yesterday )oii seemed lo Ih taken
hy tho fishing buslnc." she flnnlly
Milt.
"I certainly win until you loM tup
there were no cannery lle left."
"There l one. When I ralne here
n yenr ngn the xxlmlr rlxer urn open.
no on mi outside clinnro I locntiil
site, thr best ono nvnlluhln. When
Willi Mnn.ll learned of It ho took tip
nil of tin remaining plneci ami. nl
thoiich nt tin limp I linil no Men what
1 won going lo do with my property.
I hung on to It."
"1 can't hoy your Rite."
"Nolxsjy asked you to." Rhe Rmllrd
"I wouldn't pcII It to you If )ou liil
rVt.
V
ToonrtirntHrir wbiiimi Tint uk ami
hUHVMMI IMK MUMIuUMil.SUfc.
I tic money, lull If jou will build n
rminery mi It I'll turn lit tho ground
for hm Interest."
I.'iihixui imnlltHlrd n moment (lien
replied. "I i-Mii'l y ) or im W
ii pretty hlK priMwoii- J'.'dO.ixMI. )ou
, iwhir'
"Ytm. U'n n lilic opimrlunliy. Von
mil vlemi up KM) per cent Hi n Jittt
I)n you think you rotild ruUe tin
money lo tmlld n ptHiiilr"
"I inlKlit." ho mi Id enuiloUNly.
"At Ii'iimi oii t'ltii iry'"
"llm I iliHi'i know Hiiythlut; ntHiui
the IiiimIiiiwh "
"I've ilmiifln of nil (lint, mid there'
n Miy lo liwke itureeM reriMlu I l
llevo you lime extviitlu uhllliy nud
CNtl liuuille lliwe men."
"Oh. yen. I've dono Hint nort of
thluic" IIU lirond Khoiililent went up
ii h he drew ii Ioiik lireulli. " Iihi'h
tj your pliiuV"
'"lUere'H n mnn down tho rn'itK.
fiiKiiiii' Hull, who known more nhout
' thufiiUNluoHH IIiiiii ituy four people In
Krtlik. He illncuveriil (lit) Knlvlk
'.Nfi,,' Imlll iho llrxt euuiiery heie nud
Mtyt lit foreuinu tint II ho ipiurieled
with Mnrxh Unit Inu't the kind of
mnn to lie dlxolplllleil, mo, not hiivliiK
ciioiikIi uioiiey lo hulld u ennnory, he
took lilt Hcnnty mpliul nud Htnrlrd n
Hitltery on hi own nccount. Mnrnli
' broke (leorKe In u yenr, rtilnetl him,
utterly wiped him out, Just nn he In
, lendM tn wlpo hut ImilKUlllrniit me.
'i'hlnkltiK to recoup hh forluueH, OeorKO
, ciiino Imok lulu I'ltmp. but he owiui n
vnliuihle trnp Klto whleli MnrHh mid
Ills collencueH wnut, mid before they
' would kIvo him work they tried to
ninko him minimi It to them and enn
trnct never lo go In bus I lien a on Ida
own nccount. Naturally acoro ro
fuied. IIo'r been starvlni; now for two
year.
"No mao darei to furnlib food to
Horde I
Author ol Tim Spolleri" nd
Tji llMrler"
II A It PCX t n HO Tilt It J
.,.
(Iforuo Unit: no mnn dnren to ictra
lillu n bill; no cnuuery will lt hlin
work. Il linn to luko n dory to Dutch
llnrlior lo tfPt food II" doexu't dure
lentu tfco couuiry mid nlmniliiii the
meiicer IhuiixmiiN he hint Invented In
biilldlmrii. nud every miminer when
the run Htiirm lie coinei ncrornt the
mnriheit mid rdlukN nlMiut the Knlvlk
Ihlcketii like n wrnllh. wnlcliluc from
nfnr Jnnt In order lo be near II all
Up utmiiln nlolie mid fornnkeu, InirkliiK
lo tho clunk of mnrhliivry, every IriIi
of which Ii" pluced, wnlehlliK hl
ciienilrn enrich Iheumelvini from Hint
clcnmlnix llrer army, which he con
Rider hh very own. Ik1 I Miuuued
like n leper Kotuu tllilo I belle u he
will kill Miirnh."
"llm ml Ono riimiii to be forever
croiuiliiK Ihe trull of lliln Mnmli." nn.d
llnyil. who linil llnleueil Intently.
"The man who befllN Mnrxli will
htmt done miuelhllii:." Hlie ptiuacd
Hull H Id dellbermely. "And I belle c
you tire Ihe one lo do II "
They linil renrhed Ihelr denllliiillon
-ihe moulh of n dii-p creek, up which
Cherry turned her doi:i. Iluiernon
leaped from the hIc.I miiiI. ruutlluic for
ward. m'IunI the liuder. I'UldlliK It Into
n clump of nprure. nuwilij; the bolr
of whli Ii he IiiiikIiiI the hnruewi, for
llllt li'HIll whn like n Hck of wolte
rhveiinu for triMcl uinl Intnlirniit of
the leanti.
ToBeiber they nrendii1 the bnnl: nml
nre)iil the NtirrouiidliitM. Cherry et
(hiIIhiIiik iihiii i'Iit) fcHlure with the
fen or of n IhiiiI iiceiit belli on wenv
Iiik bit npell hImiiii n priH'ilve Imjcr
And In truili tie hud choieu well, for
Ihe ti tut II Ioiim deemed Idertl.
"I'te watched )ou. mid I know you
nrp down on jour luck for koiiip ren
on." the plrl mild. "Vou'ie Imi-ii mitt
cnt mimehow. nud Juil'te Imd thr
heart tnkrn out of you. but I'm mire
lf In you lo Mircprd. for you're younir
and IntelllKPtit, cool and dcft-ruilm-d
I mn kIvIiir jou thU chnncp lo piny
Hip tdKret KnillP of J our life mid mix1
In rlcht hort inonth exery irnrp of
fnllurr. I'm not dolliK II alloKcther
iiurlfliihly. for I liellptp you'p Im-pii
nil to Knlvlk lo work out your own
nlrntlon mid inlup and that of poor
(Jrorpp Halt, whom you'vr nevrr aecn
You'rp Kotnt; to do thin thing, and
yuu'rr ciilnc lo mnkp It win."
Kmrrxio rruclird out InipuUlvcly and
cnuclit hrr tiny, inlttrun) band. IIIh
pyrti wrrp ihlnlnjr: hi facn had lout
the frilled look of drjrctlon and wa
all kIow with a urw dawn of hope.
Cvrn hi nhouldcr were llflrd nnd
thrown buck n If from omr midden
ncrr of vigor ihat llclitrnrl hi bur
den.
"You're rlBliir Up ld firmly. "We'll
-tnl for Hull tonlKht."
Ill Ihp dyi Hint followed Chrrry
wn nt llo)d'R cIIhiw (iniNtniilly. nld
Iiik him nt every lum In hi pl lo
ncitlre n kiiowletlKe of the rminery
.tli'm. The old rotnlctlou crew ummi
her Hint he wrh workliiK RKMltit time,
that there wnm n limit to Id ertil
of netlnll. for he teemed oIhmwhiI bl
all ever KHiWlUK HmIoii In NritimplUll
wnne end within H pleii time mid bad
no Ihoiueht for miythlnK bejnml the
t'lmriwuluic luiie Into which be Imd
plilliBcd She whh dumfounded by tit-
midden trHiufnrniHtliin mid delighted
ut Mmt. but Inter, when hIih mw that
he reirarili'd her only n n tiieflii to
mi eml. hi cool Rumumpiloti of leader
fillip phpteil her nud flie felt hurt.
founiMuilue Imd Ihh'u Kent for Itall
with luirucilotiM to keep on until he
found the iMierumu eeu If the ipnwl
earrtiMl him oter Ihe rouse OurlHK
Ihe iltiyt of Impatient WMlilna; llw.v oc
cuplcd Ihelr lime iHrttely In recouunl
let Iiik tin nearent eannery. wrtHlloH
lo k oer whleli Cherry had wenr!
from ihe wnlebtUHU, who whh ludebtisl
to her The mnn wn timid itt II rut.
but i:uifrou won1 him oxer, then pro
hi did to puiiii him dry of luform.i
lliiu, it he Imd dune with hi Inwtow
I'rHHer looketl on In bewilderment
nt the cIihuho In llmeomu
"Wlmt Imvo jou dune to 'I'nwen
Aiinler " he iiHkeil Cherry on one oc
ciinIoii. "Yon miiHi lime fed him n
Kpettl hall, for I never niiw ii guy
Ktwr up wi fHHi. Why, he wh the
durudeNt imp' ImiiKer I ever met till
jou pit hint KltiKcied up lie didn't
hnvo no more ijplrlt Itiwn n nick kit
ten." I'niRtT then eyed the Klrl keenly
"Tills Ik ii lonely plHce for u wotllHU
like you." ho wild, "and our muiintl
friend ii In' t nltoHether uuiitirncltM'.
eh"
Cherry'u cheekd limned, but her lone
wits ley. "Thin U entirely it bUHlne
mutter."
"IIiii-iii! nln't never hennl you
touted none uh ii buslueH woman,"
wild the adventurer
"Have you ever heard tm" the cob
or faded from the clrl'x fitee, nml It
wan n trllle drawn "dlHousxed In any
way?"
"You know, Umerxon tnnkes me tin
coin f mlii hie HometltueM, he Ih ho d d
moral," Kroner replied Indirectly "lie
won't maud for iiuyihliiK on color.
Ile'ti a real Hipmre uuy, Im In, tho kind
you reud nbotii."
"You didn't atiHwer my question,"
luslxtcd Cherry
AbiiIu Kroner evaded the Irruo. "Now,
If this Miii-hIi kIii! after you lu
enmeRt thin mitnnier why don't ynu let
' mo Rilvk nroutid until nprlntt nnd look.
out your crime? I'll drop n monkey
I wrench In hi earcaneor pill n Nplder
in hi dimipllNK. nnd It' morn tlinn
I an ereu hot Hint If him mid I ct
I lu know enrh other rllit well I'd own
III i-iiliiiery befoie fall."
'.'Tliunli you; enn tnlio care of my-
Ni-lf." Knld Hie Klrl.
i I. lite ono htormy iilk'lit-Coiintnnllnn
hud been K'Hie n week tho two men
' whom they wero expeclliiB blew lu
llirmiuli Hie IdlndliiK Rtnotlipr. IhiU
refiineil rent or iiourlxhinent until Im
j had learned why Cherry linil netif
for him. A briefly n ponilhle i.e
outlined Him Rltuntlon Itoyd l!mtron
'aw n liuite. bnrrul rheNted crenturo
whimo treiileudou mtlRcle blllucd bo
li en III hi uolidrncrlpt Knruieiit. wliixe
nil. upNlnudliit; hrltl of hair topped
n lenther couuieuiiuco from which
Kleniued n pair of thu inoxt violent eye
KmerRou hint eii-r Ix-beld. the domi
nant exprrioiloti of which wa tnti
III oli-o wa liiinrno with Ihe eclio
of drummliiK rnlllne. lie inlulit hum
lived forty, nlstjr yenr. but every rnr
had Ih-cii (jlvi-n to the en; It fonmlnif
violence wa In hi IiIimnI.
A the nlKiilfleniiro of Cherry' word
ink Into hi mind Iho rIkii of an uu-
nvitw.
"I l.t. OIVI! MT l.irK T'l IT"
holy Joy oterpreil Ihe fluhertnRn'R
tlHHKe. mid hi liulry n coutluueil
lo open ntnl iliwe huuxrtly.
Mid )ou nuwtn blilllew7" Iip bellow,
iil hi i:inerou. "Can jou nuhtV
-y e "
"ThU cans won't atop nt nnytlilnt:."
nnrniil ItulL
"Neither will I," nUlrtned the other,
with n ncowI and n dnuecrou down
draw Iiik of hi lip corner. "I've cot
to win. ro don't wato any time won
derlug how far I'll pa. What I want
lo know I If you will Join my enter.
prl "
"I'll kIv my life to It."
"I knew you would." flashed Cherry
"And If wp don't bent Willi Manh.
by clory. I'll kill hlmr Halt shouted,
fully cnpnblo of enrrytne out hi
threat, for hi bloodbot eye were
tit with btlter hatred. Turn In to the
Klrl, he nld:
"Now clve me oturthloir to eat I've
been Urine on dusfliu till my belly
I full of (Mine."
Lour nfter Cherry Imd pne to bel
he hrnrd the murmur of ihelr voice.
"If nil nrrnnccd." they advlm-d her
at Ihe brenkfnt table. "Wo leave to
morroxv "
"Tomorrow T' nhe echoel blankly.
"We Mart lu the morntnj;. Wo have
no time to wate."
She felt ii midden dread nt her heart.
What If I hey failed ami did mt re
turn? What If Mime untoward peril
leuitd oxertake them uu the outward
trlp It wit n uauinlmt Jiwrimy. ami
Ceorite Hull xxii., the IlloNt rctkleM
iniin on the HerlHB cimt. I'merMin'
uet word adileil to her nlarm:
"We'll ettlcli the mall boat nt Knt
mnl." "Kalinni:" he tiroke lu Rhnrply.
"You Mild jou were uoltiK b.v the Ilium
na rente " ShV tunu-d uu Hull nnrt
ly. "You kuow iN'ttrr thau to iiKit
Rtich n thliiK"
"I didn't Kiiiniixl It." Mid Halt. "Il'x
Mr. ICuienMu'H imii Ideti; he limUtH."
"I kh.ill ! dreadfully wurriiil unlit
I know jou ar itafely over." mM tUe
Ctrl, a new note of xvUtful teudcriuw
lu her voice.
"NoniuMine! We've all taken blicner
rUk- before."
"Ihi jou Isnow," she lMBan hwdint
ItiKly. "I've Im-cii thluklUK that ht
Imp juu'il better not tuko up thU
euterprie after all."
"Why noli" he naked, with hii In
crediiloii htnro. "I HiouKht you xvora
cnihUNlitNtk' on Hie ubjevt."
"I mn I believe lu the proposition
thoroimhly." Cherry IIiiiiuhI on, "but
well, I WHf entirely Kclllxh In m'ttltHJ
jou vtarted, for It pomtlhly iihkiii my
OWIl KtlVHllOII, littt"
"It's my hiht ehmice nlo," lloyd
broke In
"A few days nao you were it Rtraniter:
now jnu nre-n friend," who nnld nteitd
Hy "One'rt likes and dislike uroxv
rapidly when they nre not choked by
convent Ion. I like you too well to neu
j-ou do till. You nre too pHxl u mnn,
lo become the prey of llioso penple
Itememlier CeorKu Hall."
"Ikilt liHMn't htartel yet. I'or tho
llrt time he U n nml menace to WIIIU
Miindi."
"Won't you take my ndvlce nnd re
NuislderJ" ursed the jjlrl
"I.Uteu." mi Id the youtiK mnn. "I
cttmo lo thin country with n deflulto
purixeio lu mind, nud I had three yenm
In which to xvork It out. I needed
uiouey-Ood. how I neiHlwl money!
They tuny talk about the emptiness of
riches and tell you Hint men labor
not for the kill,' but for the pursuit;
not for Ihe score, but for the contest.
Maybe Rome of them do, but with me
It was Ktild I needed, cold I had to
hiive, nud I didn't care much hoxv I
cot It bo Ioiik na 1 roi It honestly I
focused every power ukiu my desire,
but a cups' was on me it curse,
iioHiIiik les At first t look mlfor
tunc phlloRophlcnlly, but when It came
nud slept with mo I beRnn to mo nt
It. It wa terrlfyliiR Iicciuiro my lime
wn slinrteiiliii. nml ihe lnt lny of
KMre wn rushlUK lownrd mo.
".lust to shoxv you xvlmt luck I piny-
ed lu. ill iMWRfill I found It liroHpcel
Hint would hnve made moil men rich,
nnd. nllhoiiuh riicIi a lliluc had never
hnppeiicd In Hint locality before. II
pinched out. I tried mrnln nnd fiRnln,
nnd ll'inlly found nnother mine, only
lo be roblH-d of It by the Cnnndlnn
law In such n mnnner thnt there wn
not thr fnlritet hope of my ever re
rorrrlnu the property I finally Rhlfted
from mtuliiff to other teuturc. nnd
the town burned. I nwoke In n mid
lilnlit bllranrd to see my chance for a
fortune licked up by tliime. while tho
hi of Ihe water from the firemen'
hose Reemcd directed nt inn, nnd Ihe
voice of the crowd Rounded like Jeer.
"I wn ninoiiK the first at Nome and
staked ttloiiKslde the dlscoxl-rcr who
undertook to put me In rluhl for onco;
but. nllhoUKh the fellow iiround me
mnile fortuiHit In a dny. my ground
wn barren nnd my bedrock sxvept
clean by that unseen bund which I
nlwiiy fell, but could never avoid
Onco n broken Rtiowshoe In a rncp
to the recorder' oilieo lost me n for
tune: nt nnother time n corrupt Judge
plunged mo from certnlnly to desimlr.
mid nil Iho xvhlle my lime wn rtoxv
Iiik shorter nnd I was growing issiri-r
Two hour nfter tho Topknk strike
wns iiiflde I drove past the shaft, but
Hie one psrtticr known lo me Imd gone
lo the inlilii lo build n fire nud the
other one lied to me. thinking I wn
n stranger. I heard nflcrxvnrd thnt
Just n I droxe nwny my friend cniiw
to the door nnd culled nfter me. but
the day xva bitter, nnd my enr xvere
niuftli-d with fur. xvhlle the dry smur
IsMienlh the runnera ahrlekeil so Hint
It drowned hi crle. He chasjil mo
for half n mile lo tnnku me rich, but
the timid of fain lashed my dog faster
nnd faster, while that hellish screech
ing outdlnncd Jd voire. Klx hour
Inter Topkuk xvn history. Y'ou've aeon
MtmnHles jnn understand.
"My name became n byxvord nml
rntiMsl pisjplo to laugh, though they
lirntik from me. for miners nml Mil
iar are equally superstitious. No man
ever had more opKirtuullle than I.
nud no man wa ever so miserably
unfortunate In missing them. In time
I lieeame ulilppnl, utterly without
hope. Yet almost from habit I fought
on mid on xvlth my ears deaf to the
voices that mocked me.
"And something tell me thnt I hnve
left that III omened thing behind nt
last, nnd I mn going to wlnl"
"Hut you're too late." suggested
Cherry. "You nay your time wn up
tome time ago."
"Perhaps." he returned, staring Into
tho distances. "Tbnt'a what I waa
going out to ascertain. I thought I
might have n few dnya of grace allow,
nl rue. That'a why I enn't quit, now
that you've set roe in motloo ngaln.
now that you've given me another
chance. That'a why we leave tomor
row and go by way of the Kattual
pass."
CnAPTKIt IV.
1 CIIINO the evening Hmerson
I J I left the txx-o other men In Ihe
III store, and. seeking Cherry out
J In the little uirlor. nuked tier
to piny for him. Again the blend
ing of their volet- brought them
closer, ids aloofnpss wore off, and ho
twetnne an agreeable, neeompllshed
comiMiilon xvhoe merry wit and boy
tli symitflthy stirred emotions In the
slrl that threatened her peace of
mlml. It xxas their Inst hour together
U'fore embarking on his perilous Jour
ney In search of the golden tleece. mid
hi starved affection clamored for
rymiMthy. xvhlle the Iron In hb IiIwhI
felt the magnetic propinquity of sex.
for her tart. she lay awake far Into
lite morning hours, now bllfully
Moating on the current of lint f formexl
desire, noxv vaguely fearing wine
dread thnt clutched her.
The giMHlbys xxere brief and com
monplace. There was lime for noth
ing more, for the dints were straining
to bt off and the December Mir bit
fiercely. Hut Cherry called Kmersou
aside nnd Ih n rnilier iromulou xolce
bi-ggiM lilm again to consider xvell till
enterprise before Anally eotiiuilitlug
himself to It "If this were nny other
coiititrj'. If there xvere any law up here
or any certainty of getting a square
deal I'd never say n wonl; I'd urge
you to go the limit. Hill"
lie w r about to laugh off her fears.
ns he had done ttefore. xvheu the plain
ilvu xvrlukle between her broxvs nud
"OOODDYl THAT'S MV ANBWKn."
tho forlorn droop of her lips stayed
him. Without thought of conse
quences and prompted largely by his
Icnplng spirits, ho stooped and, before
she could divine his purpose, kissed
her
"Ooodby." ho laughed, with dancing
eye. "That's my answer!" And the
next second ho wn at tho sled. Tho
dogn leaped at hi shout, and tho cnviil
cade xvns In motion.
Hut the girl stood wllltmit Round or
gesture, bareheaded under Ihe wintry
sky, n Rtnrtled. wondering light In her
eye which did not fade until tho men
wero lost to view tnr up the river trail.
Then she breathed deeply nnd turned
Into the house, oblivion to Constan
tino mid the young squnxr, who held
the lck bnby up for her Inspection.
The hazards of winter travel In the
north are manifold nt best, but th
country which Kmerson and hi con
(Minion had to trnverso wns purlieu
Inrly perilous- owing to ihe fnct that
their course led them over tho back
bone of the great Alaskan rnnge. thnt
desolate, skyscraplng rampart which
Interposes Itself between the hnte of
Ihe arctic sea and the tossing wilder
ness of Hie north I'acinc.
A week of hard travel found the
party camped In the last fringe of
Cottonwood that fronted the glacial
slope, their number augmented now
by a native from a Itusslan village
with nn unpronounceable name, who,
nt the price of an extortionate bribe,
had agreed to pilot them through. For
j three day they Iny Idle, the tnut walla
of their tent thrumming to an Inces
sant fusillade of Ice particle that
whirled down ahead of the blast, while
Kmerson fumed to be gone.
Tho fourth morning broke still nnd
quiet, but after a enrcful scrutiny of
the peak the IndUn shook hi head
nnd spoke to Hult, who nodded In
agreement.
"What's tho matter?" grow hi Hm
erson. "Why don't xve get under way?"
Hut Ihe other replied:
"Not today. Them tip nre smok
ing, see!" lie Indicated certain gauzy
streamers that floated like vapor from
tho highest pinnacles. That's snoxv,
dry snow, nud It shoxvs thai Hie wind
Is bloxxlug up there. We dtiMcnt tackle
It."
"Do you mean we roust lie here wait
ing for nn absolutely calm day?"
"Hxactly."
"Why. It may be n xreck!"
"It may be txvo of them: then, ngaln.
It may be all right tomorroxv "
"Nonsense! Tbut breeze xvon't hurt
anybody."
"Hri-ezer Halt laughed. "Iff more
like n tornado up yonder. No; we've
Just got to take It easy till the right
moment comes and then make a dasb.
It's thirty miles to the nearest stick
of timber, nnd once you get Into the
pass you can't slop till you're through."
The next dnwo showed the mountain
peaks limned like clean cut Ivory
against the steel blue sky, and as they
crept up through the defiles the air
was so motionless that the smoke of
their pipes hung about their heads,
while the creak of their soles upon
the dry surface of the snow roused
echoes from ihe walls od either side.
At first their progress was rapid, but
In tlmo tbe drifts grew deeper and
they came to bluffa where they were
forced to notch footholds, unpack their
I load and relay It to tbe top, then free
me dog and oaul trie sled up wan a
rope hand over band.
It wns early In the afternoon when
the Indian stopped aud began test
ing the air.
"Keel like wind." said Halt, with a
shake of his head. The native begnn
to chatter excitedly, and as they
stood there a chill draft funned their
cheek. Little xxIm of snoxv vapor
' begun to dance upon ihe rklgea. whisk
Ing out of sight as suddenly as they
appeared. They lMmue con c Ions of
n sudden fall In the temperature and
I they kuexv that the cold of Interstellar
j smce dwelt Jn that ghostly breath
xvhh-h smote "them. Hefure they xvere
; xvell nwure of the omlnou slgtiltl-
canee of these sign the storm xvus
Uhiu tin-in, sweeping through the
chute xx herein they stood xvlth rapklly
j Ini-riHtslug violence. The terrible un
j seen Imnd of the frozen north hud tin-
leashed Its brood of furle, nud the
1 ulr rung with their hideous cries.
There was no question of facing the
4 wind, for It was more cruel than the
lleree breath of nn uien furnace sear
lug the tlesh like u Hume.
All ihe morning the air Imd hung
In ierfect polne, but some change uf
teniernture tixvuy out' over one of the
rival ocean bad UnsC the uurostHtU
b I u nce. mid the wind tore through
this gnp like the torrent beloxv u bro
ken tvtervotr.
Halt cttirie close to Kmersen nud .bel
lowed Into his ear:
"What shall-we do? Holl up in the
bedding or rnu'for It?"
"How far Is It'to timber?"
"Txvolve prjtlfteen miles."
"Les run for It! ' We're out of
grub, anyhow, und this may last for
day a."
There xvns no use of trying to secure
Additional clothlug from the supply lu'
J lie sled, so they abandoned their out
fit uud allowed themselves tn be driven
((lhend of the storm, trusting to the
native's sense of. direction and keeping
close together. The dogs xvere already
well drlfu-d over mid refused lo stir.
Once, they had gone it stone's throw
'from ihe slcil there was uo turning
back, mid, although the wind was be
Jdijd them, progress xvns dlillcult, for
they came upon chasms which they
hud to avoid; they crossed slippery
slopes where the storm bad bared the
hard crust nnd which their feet re
fused to grip. Iu such places they
had to creep on hands nnd knees, call
Ing to one nnother for guidance. They
were numbed, blinded, vGoked by the
rage of the blizzard; their faces grew
stiff nnd their lungs froze. At times
they fell nnd were- skidded along
abend of the blasts. This forced them
to crawl back ngaln, for they dared
not lose their course.
Much has been written concerning
the red man's physical powers ;of cn
durnuce, but as a rule no Indian Is
the equal of his jwblte brother, due as
j much perhaps to lack of mental force
! as to generation of Insufficient cloth
. Ing mid Innnlllou, so It wn not sur
' prising thnt a Ihe long nflrrooon
1 dragged to n lose the Aleut guldo be
gan lo weaken.
I Dnrknes found Ihetn staggering on,
t upKirtlng t) 1 in wherever polble. At
length he became unable lo guide them
farther, and Halt, who had onco mndo
fhe trip, took his place, while the oth
' ers dragged the xxir creature nloug at
Hie rosi of their precious strength.
They hnd long since lost nil trnck of
time nnd plnre. trusting blindly to a
, downward course The hunrlcnno
' still hurried them with unnbnted fury,
when nil at once Hii-y came to another
bluff where Hie ground fell away
abruptly. Without waiting to Investi
gate whether Ihe slope terminated la
a drift or a prerlpnre. they flung them
selves over. Down they floundered,
the two hnlf sensible men tnngled to
gether n If In a race for total oblivion,
only lo plungo through a thicket of
willow top thnt whipped and stung
them. On they went, now vastly heart
ened, over another ridge, down an
other declivity, nnd then Into a grove
of spruce timber, where the nlr sud
denly stilled, nnd only tho treetops told
I of the rushing wind nbovo.
j It wn well nigh nn hour before nlt
j and Kmerson succeeded In starting a
I tire, for It wa desperate work groping
, for dry branches, and they themselves
I wero on Ihe verge of collate beforo
1 iho timid blaze finally showed tho
i two moro unfortunate ones huddled to
gether.
Cherry bnd given Hmerson n Cask;
of liquor before starting, and this ho
noxv divided between I'raser and Uio
guide, having wisely refused It t
them until shelter was secured. Then
he melted snoxv tn Halt's tin cup and
poured pints of hot water Into the pair
until the adventurer began to rally,
but tho Aleut xvns too fur gone, mid
an hour before the laggard dawn cams
he died.
Tho day was well spent when they
struggled Into Kntmal and plodded up
to n half rotted log store, A globular
quarter breed Ituslan trader took them
In nnd administered to their most cry
ing needs.
As soon as Emerson was able to
talk be Inquired concerning tbe mall
boat
"She called here three days ago,
bound west." said the trader.
"That's all right. She'll be back la
about a week, ebf
"She won't stop coming back."
"What!" Emerson fell himself sick
ening. "No: she won't call here till next
month, and then If It's storming shell
go on to tbe westward and laud on her
way baik."
"Uow long will that be?"
"Maybe seven or eight weeka,"
In bis weakened condition ibe youn
man groped for the eouuter to support
himself. So tbe storm's delay at the
foot of the pass bad undone hi ox I
Fate. In the pilse of winter, bad usv
furled those floating snow banaera
from the mountain peaks to thwart
him once more!
Out of consideration for hi compan
ions Emerson did nut acquaint them,
with the evil tldlncs until the next.
1 morning; moreover, be wu swallowedt
i up In black despair and bad uo heart
, left In him for any further exertion.
, He bad allowed tbe Itusslan to show
him to a bed. ukiu which he dung him-
; self, half dressed, while the others fob
lowed suit.
Emerson fell Into a deep sleep, and
It was late tn the day w!hh be awoke,
' every muscle. selling, every Joint stitr,
every step attended with pain. He
found hi companions up and already
breakfasted. Htg Oeorge me the worse
. fur his ordeal, while Fraser, bandaged
I aud smarting, was his okl shrexvd self.
"Have you heard about the mall
boat?" asked Emerson.
, "No "
"We've mltwed her."
( "What d'ytm menu?" demanded Dig
I Course Waukly.
"I mean that that storm delayed us
j Just hug enough lo ruin us."
I "Why er-tet's wait till the next
. trip." offered the nbernian.
I Eiiktmiu shook hi bead. "She may
n( be back here fur eight week. No!
I We're done for."
I Halt wu like a big boy In distress.
Ills face wrinkled ns If be were about
to burst Into loud lamentations. Theu
a thought i-elied him.
"Where lu blazes la tnli steamer?"
he cried.
"Out to the westward somewhere."
"Well, she's a mull Ikmu, ain't sjie?
Then why don't she stev here comlug
back? Ansxver tint"
The rotuud wan sbranied bis fat
shoulders. "She's exit to call at UyaU
bay going east." ,
Kihwmiu looketl up quickly. "Whuro
Is I'ynU bay?"
"Over on Kudiak Island."
"When Is the boat dtje at Uyak?"
Emerson usked.
"Most nny time Inside of a weok."
"How .far k that from bare?"
"It nln't 'so fur-only nlwut fifty
miles." Then, catching the light that
tlumeil Into the miner's evits. Pulitlllii
I hastened to .observe; "Hut you can't
I get there. It 'a across the straits Suet-
Ikof straits.'1
"What of that! Ve.can hire a sail
boat und"
"1 alu't got nny sailboat. I lost my
sloop last year hunting sea otter."
"Wo can hire a small boat of some
sort, can't we. aud get the natives to
put us across? There must be plenty
of boats here."
"Nothing but skin boats, kyaUs and
bldarWa, you know. AnyhowV you
couldn't crosa at thU tlmo of year
It'a too stormy. These straits la tho
worst piece of water on tho coast.
No; you'll have to wait;"
(To bo continued.)
' -
jfiaV
Wfn'"v
4