The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-11-02

ing into wide areas OF small ban
skian pine, and that the rock
ridges and dense swamps which
had impeded their progress were
becoming less numerous. An hour
before noon, after a tedious
climb to the top of frozen ridge,
Croisset pointed down into a vast
level plain lying between them
and other great ridges far to the
north.
THAT is a bit of the Barren
Lands that creeps down between
those mountains off there,
NJ seur," he said. do you see
that black forest that looks like a
charred log in the snow to the
south and west of the mountains?
That is the break that leads into
the country of the Athabasca.
Somewhere between this point and
that we will strike the trail. Mon
Dieu, had half expected to see
them out there on the plain"
Who? Meleese and Jackpine,
Or"
mo, the others, M'seur. Shall
we have dinner here
Not until we hit the trail" re-
piled Rowland. I'm anxious to
know about that one chance in a
hundred you've given me hope of,
Croisset. If they have passed"
IF they are ahead of us you
might just as well stand out there
and let me put bullet through.
you, NJ 'seur."
He went to the head of the dogs,
guiding them down the rough side
of the ridge, while Rowland stead
led the toboggan from behind. For
tree-quarters of an hour they
traversed the low bush of the
plain in silence. From every ris-
ing snow hummock Jean scanned
the white desolation about them.
and each time, as nothing that was
human came within his vision, he
turned toward the engineer with a
sinister shrug of his shoulders.
Once three moving caribou, a mile
or more away, brought quick cry
to his lips and Rowland noticed
that sudden flush of excitement
came into his face, replaced in the
next instant by a look of disap-
| pointment. After this he main
tanned more careful guard over
the Frenchm.n. They had cover
ed less than half of the distance
to the caribou trail when in a small
open space free of bush Croisset's
voice rose sharply and the team
stopped.
What do you think of 1t,
M'seur?" he cried, pointing to the
snow. What do you think of
| that?"
Barely cutting into the edge of
the open was the broken crust of,
two sledge trails. For a moment
Rowland forgot his caution and
bent over to examine the trails,
with his back to his companion.
When he looked up there was a
curious laughing CLEAN in Jeans
eyes.
Mon Dieu, but you are care
! less!" he exclaimed. BE more
careful, M'seur. l may give my
self up to another temptation like
that"
THE deuce you say" cried
| y.
I'm much obliged, Jean. If it
wasn't for the moral effect of the
thing I'd shake hands with you on
that. How far ahead of us do you
suppose they are?"
Croisset had fallen on his knees
in the trail.
"The crust is freshly broken"
he said after a moment. They
have been gone not less than two
or three hours, perhaps since
morning. See this white glisten-
ing surface over the first trail,
seur, like billion needle-points
growing out of it? That is the
work of three or four days cold
The first sledge passed that long
ago."
Rowland turned and picked up
Croisset's rifle. The Frenchman
watched him as he slipped a clip
full of cartridges into the breech.
''If there's a snack of cold stuff
in the pack dig it out" he COM
manded. "We1l eat on the run,
if you've got anything to eat. If
you haven't, we'll go hungry.
We're going to overtake that
sledge some time this afternoon or
tonight-or bust"
THE saints be blessed, then
we are most certain to bust,
M'seur," gasped Jean. "And If we
don't the, dogs will. Non, 1t is i'm
possible!"
''Is there anything to eat?"
"a morsel of cold meat-that is
all. But / say that 1t is impossi-
BILE. That sledge-" 81
Rowland interrupted him with
an impatient gesture.
"And / say that IL there is any
thing to eat in there, get it out,
l and be quick about it, Croisset.
We're going to overtake those pre-
cieus friends of yours, and l warn
you that If you make any attempt
to lose time something unpleasant
is going to happen. Understand pa
Jean had bent to unstrap one
end of the sledge pack and an an
CRY flash leaped into his eyes at
the threatening tone of the engi-
neer's voice. For a moment he
seemed on the point of speech, but
cauQhf hfnca1f and In cf1apoa al