Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-11-13

| echoes answered him.
He will get on my trail and follow
! me-" thought Paul, and began to skin
| the dead moose without feeling in
the least uneasy. Having at last COM
! cutting off some Of the choicest steaks
began to broii them over it. Paul had
| been on short rations long time, and
never steak tasted better.
Paul wrapped himself in his blank
ct and lay down by the fire to warm
himself and dry his clothing. The
night passed in troubled dreams.
When he awoke it was broad day
| light.
When 1t was noes and PauPs COM
| panion did not come he began to feel
uneasy. Could it be they were lost?
| To become separated he thought
would be fatal to both. He roasted
and packed away all the moose meat
he could carry, and after another, rest
less night, started out to return to the
| spot where he had last seen his COM
| panion.
The lowering skies portended anoth-
er storm, and before he had gone five
miles the snow was falling in blind
ing fury, completely obliterating the
trail. For hours and hours Paul stag
| gered on until he came upon a great,
high wall of stone, which barred his
farther progress and partially shelf
cred him from the driving storm.
He spread his blanket above him,
and, finding some dry pine sticks,
kindled a little fire, over which he
stretched his half-frozen fingers. His
suffering throughout that night was in
tense, and 1t is a wonder that he did
not perish.
But morning came, and, cold and
hungry AMI in despair, he crept away
from the great cliff under shelter of
which he had passed such a miser.
able night.
He reached a deep ravine in which
was a great deal of dry pine wood,
and he proceeded to make a fire. The
fire blazed and roared and gave out
generous heat. He was soon warmed,
and, wrapping his blanket about him,
slept throughout the day. Night came
and he awoke, and, building another
fire, slept throughout the night.
Next day the sky was clear, and he
started on his wandering, going in the
direction OF the Yukon. He slept that
night in the shelter of a rock, and the
next morning started again on his
| journey.
About the middle of the forenoon
he saw party of men coming toward
him, and shouted and danced for joy.
He ran to meet them yelling like
| mailman.
At last he came up with them. The
leader was tall man about his own
age. He gazed on the being whom
hardship, exposure and toll had so
completely metamorphosed that he
was unacceptable, and asked:
who are you, and what are you?"
Paul started back with an exclama-
ton of horror, and well he might. He
was face to face with his most bitter
enemy, Theodore Lakeland.
1t is necessary at this point in our
story that we take leave of Paul for
| the time being and return to the brave
girl whom we left fastening to the
dangers and wilds of the polar world
for the man she loved.
Laura kept up bravely so long as
she could discern the form of Mrs.
Miller on the dock, but when it faded
from view she fell upon a steamer
chair and burst into tears. A hand
hardened by toll and softened by love
was laid upon her shoulder and a low,
gentle voice whispered in her ear.
Don't cry, pretty one. It's hard
lot we've chosen, but there's a rich
| promise in the future for ye."
Looking up she saw the kind face
of the woman called Kate Willis bend
| ing over her.
Il know, child, it's tough on We t.
go away from friends and relations,
| perhaps, but yen find friends where
yer goin' that'll be true to ye."
81 don't doubt you, my good woman.
| don't doubt YOU" Laura declared.
Pardon this weakness and let me as
! sure you that it will not last long.
The knowledge that | shall perhaps
nGYer see the face of that dear friend
has quite overwhelmed me for the
time being"
ooh, it's nothin', my dear, after We
git used to it; but gittin' used t it's
the trouble. tell ye, Laura, I'll look
after We when We git to Alaska. Ye
shan't work. I'll do it for ye. Them
| pretty little hands sha'n't do any
thing to spoil EN-"
81 am not going to the Klondyke to
work" answered Laura.
Not goin' there { work."
THAT is, I am not going to dig
| gold from the mines"
We'll, what are ye goin' for?"
1t was a long, sad story but Laura
was a confiding creature and told her.
When she had finished tears were
trickling DOWN the furrowed cheeks Of
her companion.
"Ah, child, yer story is so like my
own l can but believe yer Twin over
my own sad life. When | was young
like you, ard some said pretty, had
lover, a gallant young sailor lad.
He always told me how he loved me
aS9 wouldn't never marry another.
We were goln' t. be married when
sack came back from the next cruise
He was tired O. the sea, and | was
tired O havin' him go away so much,
so we decided that it was to be the
last voyage. He sailed t the north in
the Arctic seas somewhere an never
came back" She sobbed a moment
in silence and resumed:
"A long time | couldn't give him up.
didn't believe that he was dead, but
al last l mad to give in that he was.