Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-04

y
is blowing up there. We dassent tackle
it."
do you mean we must lie here wait
ing for an absolutely calm day%
Exactly"
"Why. 1t may be a weekp'
eft may be two Of them; then, again.
it may be all right tomorrow"
Nonsense! That breeze won't hurt
anybody"
Breeze" Bait laughed. Its more
like a tornado up yonder. No; we've
just got to take it easy till the right
moment comes and then make dash.
It's thirty miles to the nearest stick
OF timber, and once you get into the
pass you can't stop till you're through"
The next dawn showed the mountain
peaks Imned like clean cut ivory
against the steel blue sky, and as they
crept up through the defleS the air
was so motionless that the smoke OF
their pipes hung about their heads,
while the creak of their soleS upon
the dry surface OF the snow reused
echoes from the walls on either side.
At first their progress was rapid, but
in time the drifts grew deeper and
they came to bluffs where they were
forced to notch footholds, unpack their
load and relay it to the top, then free
the dogs and haul the sled up with
rope hand over hand
Feels like wind" said Bait, with a
shake Of his head. The native began
to chatter excitedly, and as they
stood there a chill draft famed their
cheeks. Little wisps of snow vapor
began to dance upon the ridges, whisk-
ing out of sight as suddenly as they
appeared. They became conscious of
a sudden fall in the temperature and
they knew that the cold of interstellar
space dwelt in that ghostly breath
which smote them. Before they were
well aware >of the ominous signifi-
canoe OF these signs the storm was
upon them, sweeping through the
chute wherein they stood with rapidly
increasing violence. The terrible IN
seen hand of the frozen north had I'M
leashed its brood of furies. and the
air rang with their hideouS cries.
There was no question OF facing the
wind, for it was more cruel than the
fierce breath Of an open furnace scar
ing the flesh like a fame.
All the morning the air had hung
in perfect poise. but some change of
temperature away out over one of the
rival oceans had upset the aerostatic
balance. and the wind tore through
this gap like the torrent below a bro
ken reservoir.
Bait came close to Emerson and bel
lowed into his ear:
What shall we do? Roll up in the
bedding or run for it?'
How far is it TO t1mberT
Twelve or fifteen miles"
Lets run for It'll We're out OF
grub. anyhow. and this may last for
days"
There was no use of trying to secure
additional clothing from the supply In
the sled, so they abandoned their out
fit and allowed themselves TO be driven
ahead OF the storm. trusting TO the
natives sense of direction and keeping
close together. The dogs were already
well drifted over and refused to stir.
Once they had gone a stones throw
from the sled there was no turning
back, and, although the wind was be-
PLOS1CSS was NlLhS0lls 4OA
they came upon chasms which they
had to avoid; they crossed slippery
slopes where the storm had barred the
hard crust and which their feet re-
fused to grip. In such places they
had to creep on hands and knees, call
ing to one another for guidance. They
were numbed, blinded, choked by the
rage of the blizzard; their faces grew
stir and their lungs froze. At times
they fell and were skidded along
ahead of the blasts. This forced them
to crawl back again. for they dared
not lose their course.
Much has been written concerning
the red mans physical powers Of en-
duraDce, but as a rule no Indian is
the equal of his white brother, due as
much perhaps to lack of mental force
as to generations of insufficient cloth
ing and inanition. so ii was not sur
prising that as the long afternoon
dragged to a close the Aleut guide be-
gan to weaken.
Darkness found them staggering on,
supporting him wherever possible. At
length he became unable to guide them
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