The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1905-12-23

settled.
Three days later came storm o.
sleet. followed by freezing weather.
which put strong crust on the SNOW
Seeing Letters frolic over this cruz
gave Ben an idea.
IF could send message for help
by the dog! Why not? He's used to
being sent on errands' SO he heated
the tongue OF . buckle. and burned on
chip these words
Xmas mail stopped ct Whitewater
broken leg. Send help, Garry"
Paper might get wet This CHG
could neither tear nor fade. He tied II
to Letters neck. Then he tried patient
ly all day to start Letters. But Letters
could not understand. although he EVIL
IDENTIFY tried hard. He was wanted to
go somewhere; so he went, down the
gulch. up the gulch, out on the trail.
forward and back mile or SO. and re-
turned.
i Finally. near night. Ben ostentatious
ly tied up the chip In rag. put the
package In Letters mouth, and or
dered: 60. Letters! 90 TO SCOTS!
Take 1t to SCOTS! Col"
Scott was the name of. tfe postmas-
ter where the mail was duA Letters
knew him. He looked grieve1, 1t was
such long way OF. He seemed to
think for moment: then he laid down
the rag and put out his paw for .
good-by shake.
Ben shook, then said: "Good-by!
Now go. sir. Go TO Scott's!" Letters
picked up the rag. whined mournfully.
and trotted away over the edge Of the
gully.
One hour-two-three- dog did
not return. He was gone. Would he
keep on the whole 43 miles? Would
he get through In spite Of the dangers
by the way?.
When two more days and nights
had passed with no rescue. Ben feared
that Letters was dead. and resolved 10
start himself the next morning.
Bones knit all right" he thought,
after dressing his leg. "Darent try
any weight on 1t yet, but reckon !
can travel on one foot. Guess I can
draw the mail sledge, few rods at .
time. quite piece in all day. This
mail has got to 60 on somehow"
Thus resolved, he slept soundly. In
the night he was awakened by .
pounce upon his body. He started up.
grasping his revolver.
| why. Letters!"
The dog barked, pranced. rolled over.
oAa L. Ia ch ho H.
and manifested delight in every dog.
gish way. But Ben noticed that no
did 1t lamely and with nice care. Max.
ing his fire blaze. he saw that Letters
was badly scratched with sore scars.
besides being very tired.
No doubt the dog had been in fight
with some wild beast day or two ago
But the chip was evidently Let
tiers had lost It.
Ben fed the dog literally, and the
two lay down together. They would
; start In the morning, and Letter,
would help him.
Just after daylight Letters leaped
up, barking, and ran out Of sight alons
the trail. Ben heard him barking I
long way on. Soon a clear "Hello!'
sounded above his bark. and presently
Letters reappeared at the brow Of TIN
gulch, proudly leading three stalwar
settlers.
Hello, down there!" one cried. "Al
. alive and clipper Ell? That's good'
We feared-How's this? We expected
to find Dick Garry! Well. well! And
you're getting on fine. Boy. you've
done big thing: mighty. few me1
could have managed so WELL"
Ben shook hands all round. Their
came reaction. He buried his fact
in his hands and sobbed for several
minutes.
"Don't. now!" "sho!" "Your hard
times are all over now, youngster!"
take 1t easy!" with such assurances
the men soothed him until he becams
calm.
One Of them, busy getting breakfast,
broke out: well. II the younxster
hain't kept camp neater'n a well msn!
Meat hung up. eevrything clean and
handy. no litter. And he most too lame
to stir!"
"Sho! SO he has. But see this hers
, leg, BILL II there's doctor can do NJ
a broken limb In handler job than
this don't know him! Ben. you're Z
buster!"
n While eating, they told Ben how Lei
J, tiers appeared at SCOTS. torn AMI
bloody. They inferred he had met nal
fought on wildcat. The chip which
he carried was read. and three meg
, started as soon as they could gel
ready. Letters wounds were dressed:
he was fed and given bed BY ths
. fre; but he soon started after the men
| and kept with them until they were
about dozen miles from Whitewater
. when he dashed ahead alone.
After breakfast one Of the men 81
on with the mall. The other two riggst
vi = litter OF two poles. with skins lAshst
: across them. on which Ben lay co.'s
{ |fortabty, while the men shouldsred TN
poles and carried him.
: The mail reached SCOTS on tn
, morning Of the day before Christmas
! what Christmas eve the settler
; made for hint
| - 1870. .x~~s-s.- ..