The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-03-07

through the interior of Alaska, Lang
field went with them
lie was undenlably plain under
sized and over-seuaitive, and that was |
why be lelt certain that polly could |
never love him. TO be sure, he had no |
intention of loving her, bat when 8iN |
feet two of well developed manhood,
in the pera9n of Tom Perry, came down
from Circle City prospecting, Lang
field found that intentions and love
had very little TO do with each other
Va.nly he stood erect but not one GU
bio could he add to his stature, and
every morning Che square of looking
glass impressed afrcsh the rednes5 OF
his hair upon him.
Tom and Dolly had known each
other ia the STATES. and Laughed
watched with hopeless pain the re-
newal of their 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 wom-
ans love and Tom So he packed ms
flute and his knapsack and left with
scarcely a farewell.
Tho men were not fond of Lang
field. He had way of shrinking into
himself, that only shiyers the camp
mascot. a lank mongrel SiwGsh with
the stump Of a tail, understood.
Mornings, when the TOP Sergeant
gave his first call through the camp
il was the warm tongue Of Shivers that
brought Langfleld into touch with the
day. and later, when the company lined
up around the mess tent for their ra-
tons of coffee and beans, the man
would seek a secluded stump for Ia
BILE, with the dog huddled by his side.
Langfeld seldom joined the camp
fires. But when the fever broke out,
Iangfeld 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 its run, but only one,
thanks to the nursing, was borne up
TIE trail and laid away under the snow.
Langfcld planed a piece OF spruce
scantling and drove it in by the mound
but his hand was unsteady, and his
eyes were heavy and dull.
The top Sergeant on his rounds
the next mornin5 found him sitting
up in has blankets His face was swol
len and diecolored, and he was talk
ing excitedly to Shivers.
"You mustn't let Dolly get the fe
yer" he said; she's so little. No
Tom-promise me you won't let Tom
He .aaned over and looked into tn
dogs pleading eyes. Shivers whine'
and thrust his muzzle into his mas
ters palm. She couldn't help lovin
him" Langheld continued deIensively
"You know she couldn't yourself" Fl
fell back on the pillow and tosse
restlessly for moment 'Tt'll be coo
up there under the snow" ne bega
again, "and l won't be heavy to pacl
And say" He sat up, pulling the do
close to him, maybe she'll forget
that my hair was-red."
The men were very tender to Lang
field after that, and Shiyers seldol
left his bedside
When, some weeks later, he becaT
.convalescent, he seemed smaller an
slighter than ever and his hair shor
more wildly red against the pinche
white face They carried him out in
the sunshine, but his eyes wander(
regretfully up to the snow
In a month he was at the pc
again dong the work of two me
with scarcely the strength of one.
He came down the mountain o.
night an hour behind time. The tr;
was slushy and the early gray tv
light lent a soft indistinctness ever
where Suddenly he paused and sto
looking intently at line of FIRE
tracks in the path. His first thoug
was Of Shivers. He always met hi
but seldom so far from the can
Iighting match, the only one he h;
he bent closer. The prints were
.clean-cut for a dog the opposites
most overlapped each other, and Sh
.ers was broad-chested Cautiously
man crept on, peering about for
other mark he knew. 1t was ther'
a slight depression in the mud, l
the fringe of a feather. Only the eC
OF shaggy tail made that. He ste
up and looked around him. He y
not afraid of death, but he had
,cided preference regarding its medil
and a she-wolf hunting for fan
dinner was hardly to his liking.
The camp was three miles away
+be underbrush made a cross-cut