The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-27

Yes, yes, but that is all over You are SAFE
But how did you happen to come opportunelv?"
"BrousseauX brought word to Jeanne, and we have
been travelling ever since. He did not tell her that
they would have been storm-stayed in Cree village
twenty miles to the west but for the arrival of her
GLOW shall l thank your" she said softly, after a
"Thank Jeanne" he replied-she thought a little
coldy. And now, if you can sit alone, will take
the lines"
somewhat chastened her spirit, but the old nature
twitched under the stimulus of his GOODNESS. 'Sore"
she thought. "Well-better that than Indifference"
Then, controlling her pique, she gave Jeanne graceful
and gracious thanks-thanks which she foolishly
repeated when, half an hour LATER Sellers got out to
hunt for the trail
cutting her short "But for him-I would have left
you to your punishment at the hands of Black Gas.
pard" And Ethel shrank from the Cree who looked
out OF Jeannes and gazed anXlousy after Sellers
Just then he found the trail-to lose it an hour
later in broken, ragged country, where the wind
had banked the SHOWS OF province: Here the ponies
wallowed chest deep, pulling the sled by their heart
strings wherefore Jeanne got out and helped to break
trail for the laborng beasts-slow work, and cold
The air bitter acid, and, night drew on
frozen snow granues flew out of the dusk and stung
the face like white winged gnats
At dark, Sellers broke trail in to a poplar bluff
Good knowsl" he answered. when Ethel asked of
their whereabouts. ''We ought to have made the
Cree camp by this. However, we'll have to do the
best till morning"
The best lttle yet 1t Sufced to keep the spark
of life in and beast Building fire close in to the
bluff he pitched fly to reflect the heat upon
the women and when they snug in their blankets,
he broke off armfus of young poplar boughs for the
ponies-poor browsing. little better than nothing
Lastly he piled dry wood to his hand and lay down
to feed his fire and watch for the passing of the
But morning showed no break The drift streamed
by thick porridse and no beast will face nor
easter, there only remained to slant with the wind
on the chance of hitting Cumberland House. which lay
eighty miles to the SOUTH wherefore, Sellers made
~
stones which had served Jeanne for foot warmers
the way up, he heated them in his fire then bundling
Ethel in her blankets, he laid her flat in the sleigh
with the stones at her hands and feet. Then htching
he led out from the bluff.
Jeanne refused to add her weight to the ponies
burden, and all morning she helped him break trail
heart-tuggng, winding work. Always knee deep in
snow, they had sometimes to make a dozen traverseS
through the deeper drifts, and at they brought
up in patch of forest less than ten miles from their
last nights camp
Here Sellers loosed the ponies in a sheltered slough
where they could paw snow and crop the last year
grass; then leaving Jeanne to get with the fire, he
took his gun and struck off hunt Big game he did
not expect. Moose and elk had long ago headed for
their yards in the mountains but luck served AMI he
had three rabbits spitted the fire. The
luck held too for that afternoon the country changed
its face and they made fifteen miles in lighter
"Looks like clearing Sellers said, when, at sun
down, sickly glimmer lightened the wide
But Jeanne, who better versed in the sign, shook
her head.
And she was right. 1t was but shift of wind
They awoke in vast, white smother, and all that
day the wind tore by herding the Missing drift. Nor
there any breakfast; for not even a ptarmigan
fell to Sellers gun, he and Jeanne broke trail all
that morning empty stomachs, and at the noon
halt only brace of snowbrds rewarded his hunting
Zone apiece for you girls he said, after they
roasted
'And your" Jeanne asked. Ethel already
eating.
"Had mine' he laughed. Couldn't wait to
cook it. Perfect savage, am not?'
"Show your mits, Jeanne commanded. 81
thought So Not drop of blood. Here, you will
eat half of this And she would not touch her share
till he had eaten his
1t was but a mouthful, and aggravated his hunger
that he began the ponies with thought
full eve; but that evening fortune gave him rabbit
and the beasts saved for another day-and that