Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-01-03


W left Valdez to build the mill
AS tary lines through the interior
of Alaska, Langfield went with them
He was undeniably plain, undersizeC
and over sensitive, and that was why
he felt certain that Dolly could never
love him. To be sure, he had had nc
intention of loving her, but when six
feet two of well-developed manhood
in the person of Tom Perry. came down
from Circle City prospecting, Langtield
found intentions and love had nothing
to do with each other.
Tom and Dolly had known each other
in the States, and Langfield watched
with hopeless pain the renewal of thei1
friendship. She had grown shy with
him since Perry came, and there could
be but one reason, he argued. He did
not blame her; there was nothing in
him to inspire a wOman's love, and
Tom. SO he packed his flute and
his knapsack and left with scarcely a
farewell.
The men were not fond of Langtield.
He had a way of shrinking into him
self that only Shivers, the camp mas
cot, lank, mongrel Siwash with the
stump of tail, understood.
Langfield seldom Joined the camp
fires, but when the fever broke out
Langfeld was the first to offer his SER
vices. He was not afraid of contagiOn,
he told the sergeant, and anyway there
was no one at home who needed him.
After that he and Shivers took up their
quarters in the hospital tent.
The fever had it's run, but only one,
thanks to the nursing, was borne up
the trail and laid away under the snow.
Langfeld planed a piece Of spruce
scantling and drove it in by the mound,
but his hand was unsteady, and his
eyes We're heavy and dull.
The top sergeant, on his rounds the
next morning, found him sitting up in
his blankets. His face was swollen
and discolored, and he was talking ex-
citedly to Shivers.
You mustn't let Dolly get the fever, "
he said, 'she's so little. Nor Tom
promise me you won't let Tom" SHY
his masters palm. "She couldn't help
loving him." Langfield continued de-
fensively. You know she couldn't
yourselfy' He fell back on the pillow
and tossed restlessly for a moment.
It'll be cool up there under the snow,
he began again. land l won't be heavy
to pack. And say" He sat up, pull
ing the dog close to him. maybe she'll
forget-that my hair was-red."
The men We're very tender to Lang
field after that, and Shivers seldom left
his bedside.
When, some weeks later, he became
convalescent, he seemed smaller and
slighter than ever, and his hair shone
more vividly red against the pinched,
white face. They carried him out into
the sunshine. but his eyes wandered
regretfully up to the snow.
In a month ne was at his post again,
doing the work of two men, with
scarcely the strength of one.
He went down the mountain one
night an hour behind time. The trail
was slushy. and the early gray twi-
light lent soft ndistinctness every
where. Suddenly he paused. From
somewhere there came a faint cry,
weak and indistinct, but undeniably
human.
Langtield made a trumpet of his
hands "Hel-lo"' he shouted, and
strained his ears for the reply.
Some ten feet down the trail gla-
cier stream had quilted out the bank.
Its icy, slate-colored waters fell almost
perpendicularly over the rocks. Creep
ing to the slippery edge, he peered over
and called again. A faint voice an
swered
A steep, shelving path was just Wis
ible, and he clambered down to it,
scratched and torn by the brambles at
every step. A little further on a roll
of blankets impeded his way, and he
knew that somewhere in the rayine be-
low he Mould find a prospector.
The man proved to be a big fellow.
but the light was too dim to see his
one leg between the crevices of rock.
and 1t took Langfeld's entire strength
to extricate him. He pressed his can
teen to he strangers lips, and rubbed
him vigorously.
Its no use" said the man at last.
Il can't make it, and he sank Imply
on the bank.
The night wore on. Slowly the gray
skirts of dawn swept across the east
ern sky. The prospector could not see
Langtield's face, but the slight, droop-
ing shoulders seemed familiar. The
pain was growing unbearable, and he
groaned.
Langfield started. Yes, yes" he an
swered abSently. I'D forgotten" and
jumped TO his feet
The morning light was flooding ev-
erything, and it fell upon the two men,
as they looked into each others eyes
Langfield drew in his breath with sud
den sharpness. The other muttered
an oath and leaned weakly back to-
ward him. YOU
The man nodded.
The lines on Langfeld's face We're
tense and drawn, and he steadied him
self with an effort. Well" he said at
last, its three miles to camp, and we'd
better be moving"
H.