Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-09-09

hoA III thC oiIpS iuOlc yet
still upward; but, at the westward, a
little canyon opened out, broad and
level at first, then narrowing until it
offered a scant passage for the river
which tumb1ed and tossed in the rocky
gorge. Everything was covered with
snow, the mountains, the slopes of the
canyon and the little plain where Will
son had pitched his camp. AS far as
the eye could see the dazzling expanse
OF white stretched away in a level
sheet whose depth was only indicated
by the little hollows around the trunks
OF the few stunted pines, and around
the tents themselves.
For the past week, the chief had
been having a touch OF snow blind
ness, and he gloomily surveyed the
scene through his black goggles. Then
he turned into the nearest tent.
Say, you fellows, what are we go
ing to do?" he asked.
It's for you to say chief" the
topogropher said, looking up from his
notes.
Next to Wilson, he was the youngest
of the party, man dear to Wilson S
heart, for he was a jovial fellow, of
the chiefs own college.
The chief sat down ON roll of
blankets and rested his chin on his
fists.
Its all very we'll to say that, Fish
err" he replied modify, but it's reach
ed the point where l ought not to
I decide the matter. OF course | don't
want to give up and back out now.
Our notes are valuable If they get to
| headquarters in time, for the Great p
| is planning to send in party as
coon as spring opens, and we've the
start of them. Still, I've no right to
| risk your lives. This is the way we
| stand: Eighteen of us, seven horses
and two boys, and grub for week.
If we find the cache where we left
the rest of the feed, we're all right.
Otherwise" He dropped his open
hands, palm upward, on his knees.
"Well?" Fisher asked coolly.
We'll, shall we go back to the
rancho up here, and live on old Gun
mar till spring; or shall we go ahead,
find the cache and get ourselves out
Of this hole?"
Mid pleasures and palaces" sang
Fisher.
Shut up, Kid growled the transit
man sharply, for his kind, brown eyes
saw farther than those of the boy
could do and he knew that the chief
was in sore perplexity. do you want
my advice, chief?" he added.
Yes, anybody's. | wish you'd ali
say what you think.
Send the animals back to the ranch,
with all the camp stuff we can spare.
The teamsters can go, too, and All
Ching. Well cook for ourselves. Sam
can take them in charge"
Take EN- yourself!' interpreted the
leveler Indignantly.
And the rest of us will chance it
on finding the cache went on the
transitman, calmly disregarding the
interruption. Il want to see this thing
through myself"
The plan WAS adopted with acclama-
ton by all but the leveler. He de-
murred:-
Pm not going to turn tenderfoot
at my time of life," he protested.
Let Jim take 'em back to the rancho.
He proposed it, didn't"
Draw lots" said the chief briefly.
Fisher held the two slips of straw
pulled from the chiefs bedding, and
the men drew. The lot fell to Jim
to go back to the rancho.
I'm sorry, chief" he said regret
fully. II wanted to see you out of
this; but l guess I'll do more good
some other way. If | don't hear from
when the thaw comes. You fellows
had better write some letters home. |
may get chance to send off mail
before you do"
He said no more at the time, and.
during the rest Of the day he was busy
with preparations for his start early
the next morning. In the night, how
ever, he crept to the side of the chief
aud stood there for a long time. AT
last, two big tears gathered in his
eyes. ran over and trickled down on
his grizzly beard. He stopped and
touched the sleepers hand; then he
clumsily tiptoed off to his own cor
rer of the telt.
The next day they parted. Jim and
the horses went away to the north
ward, the others turned to the south,
up the mountain toward cleft
in the hills where they hoped to find
IN easier passage across the divide.
Somewhere on the south slope of these
mountains was the shed where they
had left the plentiful store of provi-
! sons on which their lives was hung.
| 1t was hard to say how they missed
the spot for SO long a time; but for
two weeks they had wandered this
way and that until, tired out, they had
enomped in the river valley to rest