The Grit-advocate., 1903-03-13

| at the lake. He reused himself in a
| moment. raised his gun. brought 1t to
! his shoulder. and without hardly tax
| ing aim, fired.
There was wild. spasmodic leap
splashing and plunging. He free
/ again and again at the struggling
/ beast. With snort of agony it made
few plunges blindly into the thick
ct and fell.
Paul reused himself in a moment
and rushed to its side. Despair quick
| ly gave way TO JOY. for here was food.
| The moose was giant in size, and
would furnish them with food for
days He cut its throat with his knife
| and then for the first time thought OF
| his companion. He called aloud, and
/ fired shot in the air, but only the
/ 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
| pleted his task, he built a FIRE. and,
| 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 it was noon and Paul's 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 oblteraung the
trail. For hours and hours Paul stag
sered 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
klndled little fire. over which he
stretched his half-frozen fingers. His
suffering throughout that night was in
tense. and it is 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 ravne in which
was a great deal of dry pine wood,
and he proceeded to make fire. The
fire blazed and reared 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 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 a
madman.
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 unrecognizable. and asked:
Who are you. and what are you?"
Paul started back with an exclama-
ton of horror, and we'll he might. He
was face to face with his most bitter
enemy, Theodore Lakeland.
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 a 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 ye T.
go away from friends and relations,
perhaps, but yell find friends where
yer goin' that'll be true to ye"
Il 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
Tho Grou-1nIoa hon rhov