Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1905-02-10
CHAPTER XIV.
The Old Man of the Mountains.

| tie train OF porter indians, dogs ana
sleds, continued their way over the
snow. Laura protested against this
separation from her friend, but 1t was
| all in vain.
When the tents were pitched Laura
met Lakeland and asked:
Where is my companion, Kate VIII
lis, from whom you promised l should
| not be separated?"
-She is back with the sick man"
he answered. cit was our wish to
bring her, but the storm came up so
sudden that we had no time TO send
for her."
Can you not do it now?"
He shook his head and said the
avalanche had fallen in the pass be-
hind them and they were completely
shut in where there were.
"Will there be no escapes" she
asked.
Not until spring unless we can
cut our way through"
Laura went to her tent and wept.
She realized how helpless she was
and began to distrust the man who
professed to be her friend.
"Oh, Cod she groaned, ito Thee
alone can l now appeal for help! j
need expect none from these men,
Mr.. Lakeland seemed very much
distressed that she was cut of from
her female companion, and selected
four men to go back, as he said, and
bring her over the fallen avalanche
if possible. The four selected were
Ben Allen, Morris, Ned Padgett and
Tom Ambrose. When Lakeland took
them apart, to give his final instruc-
tons, he said:
Take the woman and wounded man
back to Skaguay."
What An have him hang us for
holdin' him prisoner in the noun
tains?' asked Allen.
But he is insane. You are four
witnesses to one"
Ned shrugged his shoulders and
muttered something about never want
ing to see Skaguay, especially while
their late prisoner lived.
Every well, then, start with them
toward Skaguay, but don't reach the
place. Become lost. You understand
how to do that. At least he must
not know anything of the young wo-
man here, and she must have no
knowledge that Paul Miller is alive"
His final instructions were so clear
and imperative there could be no pos
sible mistaking them, and when he
had finished they took their departure
The story about the avalanche fall
ing in their rear and blocking up the
way was all a clever invention on the |
part of Mr.. Lakeland.
Lakeland went to Laura's tent, his
white face wearing a careworn and
troubled look. The lines of his fea- |
lures seemed more deeply drawn and |
his face was expressive Of the great |
est concern.
"Laura-Miss Kean," he began, in |
his cautious, considerate manner, u
hope you will believe me when l say |
that this lamentable accident causes
me unaccountable annoyance on your |
account. When awakened in the
night with the intelligence that
storm was coming and the pass would |
be impossible, l decided that for you |
must act at once. If we were aboard /
a sinking ship and | should rescue you
and take you ashore, would you deem
it an act of hostility because l did
not wait for some. companion OF
yours?",
She bowed her head and was silent.
In argument, the subtle villain al
ways beat her, but when left to her
self to con over what he had said and
commune with her own heart, she in
felt the man was villain.
Intuition, or whatever you may choose
to call it, told Laura her lover lived.
She was conscious Of his presence
in this vast world, and
felt as instinctiyely drawn to him
as the needle to the magnet.
DAYS passed and the small party
was still in the valley, hemmed IN
by the mountains and eternal SHOWS.
Lakeland made frequent visits to
Laura after despatching the four men
to give an account of their progress
in cutting their way through the pass
Laura he said, in low gentle
tone, which would have thrilled any
other woman, Il have tried to hope
against hope for your sake. have
tried to believe your lover lived, but
[ must yield to facts. All this jour
ney, hardship and suffering, this
passing the winter in an Alaskan
wilderness is to no purpose"
us it not?"
Laura, are you very strong?"
She gave him a swift, wild look-an
mploring glance and gasped:
What do you meant"
.sCan Won hear q great ShOckI"