Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-04-21

" SOlU lOC lu0 uWS VI yS0Gy SU6 0UOW,
40 often happens, had fallen before the
temperature. Under the warm white
blanket the actual freezing had been
slight. However, there seemed to be
at least eight inches Of clear ice, which
would suffice.
Four logs had been safely hauled.
The fifth was on its journey across the
lake. Suddenly without warning and
with scarcely a sound both horses sank
through the ice, which dubbed up
around them and over their backs In
irregular rotted pieces. Little Fabian
Laveque shouted and jumped down
from his log. Pat Mcclure and young
Henrys came running.
The horses had broken through an
air hole about which the ice was
strong. Fabian had already seized
Molly by the bit and was holding her
head easily above water.
''Kitch Jenny by dat he't!' he cried to
Pat.
Thus the two men without exertion
sustained the noses Of the team above
the surface. The position demanded
absolutely no haste, for 1t could have
been maintained for good half hour.
Molly and Jenny, their soft eyes full Of
the intelligence of the situation, rested
easily in full confidence. But Put and
Henrys. new to this sort of emergency.
were badly frightened and excited.
"Oh, Lord" cried Pat, clinging des-
perately to Jenny's headpiece, what
will WEI be dom? We can't niver haul
them two horses on the ice"
'"Tak' de log chain," said Fabian to
Henrys, "an' tie him around de neck Of
Jenny"
Henrys after much dmculty and
nervous fumbling managed to loosen
the swamp hook and after much more
difficulty succeeded in making it fast
about the gray mares neck. Fabian
intended with this to choke the animal
70 that peculiar state when she would
float like balloon on the water and
two men could with ease draw her over
the edge of the ice. Then the unexpect-
ed happened.
The instant Henrys had passed the
end of the chain through the knot Pat.
possessed by some Hibernian notion
that now all was fast, let go of the bit.
Jenny's head at once went under, and
the end Of the logging chain glided
over and fell plump in the hole.
Immediately all was confusion. Jen-
ny kicked and struggled, churned the
water, throwing it about, kicking out
in every direction. Once a horses
head dips strongly the game is over.
No animal browns more quickly. The
two young boys scrambled away, and
French oaths could not induce them to
approach. Molly, still upheld by Fa-
bian, looked at him piteously with her
strange, intelligent eyes, holding her.
self motionless and rigid with COM
plete confidence in this master who had
never failed her before. Fabian dug
his heels into the ice, but could not
hang on. The drowning horse was
more than dead weight. Presently it
became question of letting go or be-
ing dragged into the lake on top of the
animals. With sob the little French
man relinquished his hold. The water
seemed slowly to rise and overflm the
troubled look of pleading in Molly's
eyes.
"Assassins!" Kissed Laveque at the
two unfortunate youths; that was all.
II suppose it was good deal my
fault" commented Railway, doubtfully
shaking his head after Laveque had |
left the Office. II ought to have been
surer about the ice"
Railway was SO confirmed in his be- |
lief as to his own culpability that he
quite overlooked Fabian's just conten-
ton that the mere thinness of the ice |
was in reality no excuse for the losing
Of the horses. So Pat and Henrys were
not discharged; were not instructed to
"get their time" Fabian Laveque
promptly demanded his.
II no work wild dat fool dat no t'ink
Wit bees haidv'
This deprived the camp at once Of a
teamster and a team. When you re-
feet that one pair of horses takes care
Of the exertions of crew of sawyers.
several swampers and three or four
cant hook men you will readily see
what serious arrangement their loss
would cause.
Railway did his best. He took three
days to search out a big team of farm
horses. Then it became necessary to
find driver. After some deliberation
he decided to advance Bob Stratton to
the post, that decker" having had
more or less experience the year before.
Erickson, the Swede, while not star
cant hook man, was nevertheless sure
and reliable. Railway placed him in
STATIONS place. He remembered
Thorpe.
So the young man received his first
promotion toward the ranks Of skilled
labor. He gained at last field of APP
plication for the accuracy he had SO In
diligently acquired while roadmaking.
for now false stroke marred a saw
log; and besides, what was more to his
taste, he found himself near the actual
scene of operation-at the front, as it
were.
Here he learned why and when the