The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-06-23

SuuueA lAdI we Aau no tlme 10 SEM
for her"
Can you not do 1t now?"
He shook his head and said tn,
avalanche had fallen in the pass be
hind them and they were completed,
shut in where there were.
will there be no escape?" sh,
asked.
mot until spring unless we car
cut our way through"
Laura went to her tent and wept
She realized how helpless she wa:
and began to distrust the man who
profassed to be her friend.
"Oh, God" she groaned, "to Thee
alone can l now appeal for help!
need expect none from these men.
| Mr.. Lakeland seemed very much
distressed that she was cut off 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 Siaguay, especially while
their late prisoner lived.
very we'll, 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 installing 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 clever invention on the
part of Mr.. Lakeland
acllland went to I.aura'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. Il
hope you will believe me when | say
that this lamentable accident causes
account. When awakened in the
night with the intelligence that a
storm was coming and the pass would
be impossible, | decided that for you
| must act at once. If we were aboard
sinking ship and should rescue you
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
stinctively 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
somewhere in this vast world, and
felt as instinctively 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 a low gentle
other woman, Il have tried to hope
against hope for your sake. 1 have
tried to believe your lover lived, but
l must yield to facts. All this jour-
ney, hardship and suffering, this
passing the winter in an Alaskan
wilderness is to no purpose
rs it not?"
Laura, are you very StrOnS!
She gave him swift, wild look--an
imploring glance and gasped:
What do you mean?"
Can you bear great shock?"
What shock-what is it-sreak our,
beseech yor!"
Paul is dead"
1T is false"
1T is true!"
what evidence have you?"
The evidence of men who saw him
die. He died three weeks ago!"
His face was so white, he expressed
such concern, that sac was strongly
impressed with his manner, yet she
cried:
What you say can't be tire! MY
heart tells me he lives
Nevertheless, her eyes grew dim
with tears. which trickled ad;,wn her
damask cheeks. Lakeland, FOR sew
eral moments overcome with his own
emotions, at last said:
Laura, it's your noble Sanguine ma