The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-05-06


where the streams lag in Doggy mead
ows. and where the mosquitoes bred in
millions There was scarcely moment
when the sun shone that they did not
cover each mans face as with cloud
THE way became each day wilder.
Magnificent mountains, blazing like
armored warriors wearing helmets of
snow and breastplates of ice rose all
about the trail; but the weather was
| glorious"
A wild chase after two murderers adds
additional zest to the tale, and there is
the dramatic finding of one and a grimly
/ suggested cause for the disappearance
| of the other.
At length, the end of the trail draws
nearer, and the final days are described
! with tremendous force:
For eight days with scarcely a mo-
| mc-rts resting space, under this dripping,
| gloomy sky, through this sodden, sunless
forest of Elsewhere only writhing, diabolic
! shrubs and poisonous plants grew, they
| drove desperately, their clothing wet,
| their limbs stiff and sore. their horses
| growing each day more gannt and weak.
| Every hour on the trail was torture
| to man and to beast, but the Colonel
/ plodded on in logged silence In a land
| empty to every living thing but toads.
1 a ,
and no beast was seen to move"
After adventure and hardships, the
Klondike at length Is reached. and once
there, there is thought for nothing but
gold
Bat for a time, no chance for fortune
offers. All promising claims seem to be
secured. Money fast disappears, and
courage threatens to vanish also. Then
Jack and Mason, and a new-made friend
named Carney. learn, in their camp beside
lai.e, that a new field has been dis
covered, and they are to make their
way, through the darkness. with some
men who are aiming to secure it, but who
must remain in ignorance of the fact
that they are followed
"Stealthy they crawled out of the
tent and Joined Carney. who was wait
/ ing In the shadow Of a big rock a few
rods away. Taking Jacks hand he whis-
pered. Not a sound now, If you can
help 1t. They've landed.
1T was the moment just before the
dawn, still crisp, invigorating. Silently
Carney stole up the bank into the deep
forest, and so, by a circuit, approached
the spot where the incoming boat lay
beached. They were walking swiftly, in
single file. when they came in sight of
group of shadowy forms sitting in a
circle around faint light.
1.-THE man wearing the sombrero rose,
put out his light and turned into the
forest. silently followed by six of his
friends. Carney struck I'm after them
as silently as he could, and all Travelled
for a time in perfect silence, save for
the cracking of tvigs under their feet
an the swish of Willows as they thread
ed a creek bottom"
At once, it becomes a literal race for
gold each man needless of everything but
tn desperate Importance of first reaching
the end
With no further precaution as to noise
he started off. running in a northeasterly
direction, followed closely by Jack, whose
breath was shortened by his excitement
For a mile their way lay in thicket
of black pines. a forest quite clear of
underbrush. and they made good time.
Jack came suddenly to a valley Of
deep grass dotted with clumps of willow
and Carney nearly fell into a deep pit a
dangerous place, but was saved by the
chalky white banks of the pool which
cleaned in the faint light of dawn.
Carney made no pause. but pushed
straight for the dark forest beyond. A
small stream lay near the northern bank
an. thr ough this he splashed; but Jack,
mindful of the law that a runner is no
swister than his feet, ran up the creek
unul he found place narrow enough
to jump. This caused him to lose sight
of Carney for the moment, but he could
hear him crashing through the bushes NJ