The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-20


Fine targets we'd make on the snow
by the light of a burning shack If We
can see to shoot we'll go tonight Hell
10, What's that?"
Outside came the howl of malamoots
ana the cry of men. Leaping to the
WINDOW. George rubbed il free and
stared INTO the sunshine
Too late, Too later he said Here
ne comesl It's time I killed him." He
years u
On the bright surface of the oppo-
s sile hillside sled bearing a muffled
n s: uIe appeared silhouetted against the
S''eh OF the crust. Its team, mad
Gehed by the village scent. poured
uoM the incline toward the river bank
anu me guide swung onto the runners
peIililu' Wnlle the voice of the people
ioSe W their priest. In Whirl of soft
Sho" 'ney uroVe down onto the treach-
cry or the Ice. The screams of the ma
tives frenzied the pack and thew rioted
out onto the bending sheet while the
long sledse, borne by its momentum.
shot forward till the splitting crv of
the ice sounded over the LAMENTATIONS
1t slackened. sagged and disappeared
in a surge of congealing waters. The
wheel dogs were dragged into the OMEN
ing and their mates ahead jerked back
ward onto them. In a fighting tangle
all settled into the swirl.
Orloff leaped from the sinking sled.
but hindered by his fur swaddling
crashed through and lunged heavily in
his struggles to mount the edge of the
film. AS he f1oundered onto the caving
surface it let nim back and the waterf
covered him time and again. He pitched
oddly about, and for the first time they
saw his eyes were bound tightly with
bandages. which he strove to loosen.
my God! He's snow blind" cried
George, and i'm a moment he appeared
among the frantic mob fringing the
shore.
The guide broke his way toward a
hummuck of old ice forming an islet
near by. and the priest half swan, half
scrambled behind. till they crawled out
upon this solid footing. Here the win
try wind searched them and their drip
ping clothes stiffened quickly Oroff
dragged the strips from his face. and
as the sun glitter pierced his eyes he
writhed as though scared by the naked
touch of hot steel.
He shouted affrightediy in his blind
ness. but the hooking voice of Big
George answered him and he covered
at the malevolence in the words.
Here I am. Orioff. It's help We want
is it? I'll shoot the man that tries to
reach We. EIa, hai You're freezin', Ell?
George will talk to keep We awake
A dirty trick of the river to cheat me
so. I've fattened for years on the hope
of stampin' your life out, and now it's
rob bed me. But I'll stick till ye're safe
in hell"
The man cried piteously, turning his
bleared eyes toward the sound.
Shoot. why don't you, and end it?
stood up in his carapace of .stiffened
clothes. shivering palsiedly.
THE truest thing We ever said" cried
George, and he swung his Colts into
view. It'll favor you and I'll keep my
VOW" He raised the gun. The splash
ing of the distant dogs broke the 81
lence. A native kneIt stiffly.
George! GeOrge." Captain had STUN
bled down among them and plucked at
his arm, peering dimly into his distort-
ed face. Great God. are you a muir
derer? They'll be dead before we cana
save them"
Save 'em?" said George. while rea-
son fought with his mania. Whose
goin' to save 'em? He needs KILN.
I'm hungry for his life
He's a man. George. They're both
human, and they're dying in sight of
us. Give him chance. Fight like a
man."
AS he spoke the fury fell away from
the WhaIer and he became the alert,
strong man of the frontier knowing
the quick danger and meeting it.
He beloved at the natives and they
fed backward before his voice, storm
ing the cache where lay the big skin
canoes. They slid one down and, seiz-
ing paddles, crushed the ice around it
III HnataA then summarized nv the
PROV, George stamped the ice into frag
ments ahead, and they forced their way
slowly along the channel he made.
Soaked to the armpits. he smashed a
trail through which they reached the
hummock where the others lay, too
Iistless for action.
At the shore they bore the priest to
their shelter while the guide was
snatched into a nearby hut They
hacked off his brittle clothes and sup
ported him to the bed. AS he walked
his feet clattered on the board floor
like the sound of wooden shoes. They
were white and solid, as were his
hands.
He's badly Frozen" whispered Cap
tain, "can we save him." They rubbed
and thawed for hours, but the sluggish
blood refused 10 flow into the extremi-
ties and Captain felt that this man
would die for lack of amputation.
Through all the Russian was silent,
gazing strangely at George.
Ills no use" finally said the big
man, despairingly. I've seen too many
of 'em; we've done our best"
He disappeared, and there sounded
the jingle of harness as the dogs were
hitched. As he entered for the camp
outfit Orloff spoke:
George Brace, I've harmed you bit
terly these many years. and you're a
good man to help me so. It's no use.
We have both fought the Cold Death
and know when to quit. | came here
to kill you, but you will go out across
the mountains free. while l rave in
madness and the medicine men make
charms over me. When you come into
Bethel Mission I'll be dead. Good bye"
Good hell! We're takin' We to Beth
ell, and a doctor in ten minutes. A
weeks travel as the trail goes, but
we'll save a chunk of We yet, old man."
Five days later a broken team
crawled over the snow TO the Mora
Wan Mission. urged by two men gaunt
from the trail and blistered by the cold.
From the sledge came shrieks and
throaty mutterings, horrid gabblings
of post freezing madness and DR.. For
rest, lifting back the robe, found Orloff
dashed into his couch.
Five days from Togiak. Two hun
dred miles i'm heavy trails explained
4. I'll ba ne