Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-01-14


CHAPTER XII.
H FTER Wallace left them the
two men settled again into
lA their customary ways Of life.
S Up to the present Thorpe had
enjoyed clear field. Now two men
came down from above and established
temporary camp in the woods half
mile below the dam. Thorpe soon sat
isfied himself that they were picking
out route for this logging road.
The two men, of course, did not both
err themselves with the timber to be
travoyed, but gave their entire atten-
ton to that lying farther back. Thorpe
was enabled thus to avoid them entire
ly. He simply transferred his estimnt-
ing to the forest by the stream. once
he met one of the men, but was fortu-
nately in country that lent itself to
his pose Of hunter. The other lie did
| not see at all.
But one day he heard him. The two
up river men were following carefully
but noisily the bed of n little creek.
Thorpe happened to be on the side hill,
so he seated himself quietly until they
should have moved on down. One Of
| them shouted to the other, who, crash
ing through thicket, did not hear.
$1,000, Dyer" the first repeated.
"lIeres that Internal conner over here"
"Yop." assented the other, Coming"
Thorpe recognized the voice instantly
as that of Railways scaler. His hand
| ori in, Of ho
man had always been obnoxious to
him.
Two days later he stumbled on their
camp. He paused in wonder at what
he saw.
The packs lay open, their contents
scattered in every direction. The fire
had been hastily extinguished with a
bucket of water, and n frying pan lay
where it had been overturned. If the
thing had been possible, Thorpe would
have guessed at hasty and unpre-
meditated flight.
He was about to withdraw carefully
lest he be discovered when he was
startled by touch on his elbow. 1t
was Injun Charley.
''Dey go up river" he said. 81 come
see what de row."
The Indian examined rapidly the con-
dition Of the little camp.
! "Dey look for somethin'," said he,
making his hand revolve as though
rummaging and indicating the packs.
Il t'ink dey see you in de woods" he
concluded "Dey go camp get 'um
boss. Boss he gone on river trail two
tree hour"
You're right. Charley" replied
Thorpe, who had been drawing his own
conclusions. zone Of them knows me.
They've been looking in their packs for
their notebooks with the descriptions
Of these sections In chem. Then they
piled ont for the boss. If know any
thing Mt al, the boss II make tracks for
Detroit"
"W'ot you do?" asked lnjun Charley
curiously.
81 got to get to Detroit before they
do; that's ALL"
Instantly the indian became oil ac-
ton.
"You come" he ordered and set out
at a rapid pace for camp.
There. with incredible deftness, he
packed together about twelve pounds
of the jerked venison and u pair Of
blankets, thrust Thorpe's waterproof
match safe in his pocket and turned
eagerly to the young man.
You come" he repeated.
Thorpe hastily unearthed his "de-
scriptions" and wrapped them up. The
! tn, a.,
placed articles in such n manner as to
relieve the camp of its abandoned air.
1t was nearly shutdown. Without Il
word the two men struck off into the
forest. the indian in she lead. Their
course was southeast. but Thorpe ask
ed no questions. He followed blindly.
Soon he found that il he did even that
adequately he would have little atten-
ton left for anything else. The In
dian walked with long. swift strides.
his knees always slightly bent, even
Mt the finish Of the step, his back hol-
lowed his shoulders and head thrust
forward. His gait had queer sag in
1t. up and down in long curve from
one rise to the other. After time
Thorpe became fascinated in watching
before him this easy, untirlng lope.
hour after hour without the variation
Of seconds fraction in speed or an
inch in length
At first Thorpe followed him with
comparative ease, but at the end of
three hours he was compelled to put
forth decided efforts to keep pace. His
walking was no longer mechanical, but
conscious. When it becomes so man
soon tires. Thorpe resented the in
equallties, the stones, the roots, the
patches Of soft ground which lay in
his way. He felt duly that they were
not fair. He conld negotiate the dis
lance. but anything else was gratui-
tous insult.
Then suddenly he gained his second
wind. He felt better and stronger and
moved freer
At midnight Injun Charley called a
halt He spread his blanket leaned
on one elbow long enough to eat strip
of dried meat and fell asleep. Thorpe
initiated his example. Three hours
later the Indian reused his companion.
and the two set out again.
From 3 o'clock until they walked
continually without n pause, without
an instant's breathing spell. Then
they rested half an hour, ate a little
venisQn and smoked a pipe.