The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-10-08

QdQ Dee0 VdutdSe punt VI Jul poic-
ward trip and prepared to stay there
/ until she was some recovered. We
knew nothing of her struggle nor why
we had found her alone Her mind
was gone temporarily.
was worried. and had been for
some time. about Arters. His gaunt
face had metamorphosed into
| pinched, weird caricature of its for
mer leanness. and If l spoke to him
suddenly he started curiously nor
deigned an answer. Occasionally he
broke out into babble Of meaning
less sounds apropos of nothing what
ever in our arctic world. He would
sometimes catch himself at this and
flush shamefacedly.
Arters was now again back In the
rickety chair across the table from me,
mumbling incoherently and with his
great knotted hands clinching and un-
clinching restlessly.
This deserted shack. erected by some
forgotten voyager who. Providence
knows how. had got timber enough
together for that same purpose, was
the point of our first food cache We
had now eaten down to almost the
last of our pemmican. Tomorrow we
would dig up our treasure. enough to
last us until we reached not too dis
tant civilization
Arters suddenly ceased his mad jum-
BILE of words. He pillowed his head on
his arms and slept. | yawned. and,
despite my resolve to stay awake and
guard my mad comrade, the rhythmic
breathing of the two sleepers lulled
me to an unconscious condition.
was awakened by gentle shake
of the arm. The frightened eyes of
Ruth Proctor stared into mine. All i'll
ness seemed to have vanished from her
"He Is dead" she gasped and point
cd an eloquent finger at the still form
opposite ME.
An investigative hand touching the
iced flesh Of him testified to the truth
of this.
With infinite tact Miss Proctor came
forward and placed soft little hand
in my own. II will be little bother to
you," she said simply. "The snow
sickness has left me. What-what
shall we do with The tears sprang
from the black depths of her eyes, and
she turned her head away, unable to
complete the sentence.
1--WE must leave him here" / an
swered. I'VE have only one sled you
know. Later | will return for him."
ITO think" came brokenly from the
lips of the maid explorer. "that he gave
up his life in his effort to save mine."
Woman-like. she Graded her pretty
face in her arms and abandoned her
self to her grief.
1t devolved upon me to still the wall
in my own heart and be practical.
Don't" whispered. so close to her
that felt her fragrant breath brush
my cheek as she raised pathetic eyes
to me. What is done cannot be un'
done"
: In what would be the morning In
the United States l went forth and
dug for our reserve food supply and
, dug. in vain! Some vandal had pirated
it during our absence.
With heavy heart returned to thu
shack. The girl staree interrogatively
at my empty hands.
Looted" ventured briefly. Whai
good for me to put of the truth
e Eventually she would have to know.
: II am sorry for your sake" she an
swered. and again an inexplicable lool
came into her eyes.
I'VE must go at once" l warned
I'VE have only enough provisions TO
: about two days"
Q After a meager meal hitched tn
dogs (Arters had long since been lai'
> at rest) and went back for the girl
: who was donning her heavy arcti
coat and mittens. A noise caused m
: to leap to the door of the hut just Il
time to see my huskies. mad. lith
streaks of gray. speeding across tn
:. snow in pursuit of that .rara avis. a
Z arctic hare.
Yelping excitedly. they refused to re
:. spond to my cries--in fact, 1t is doubt
r. full If they heard me. With heav
4 heart remembered that everythin
! was packed in the sledge.
n turned despairingly. The dogs wer
gone They might return: more likel
q they would not. The arctic husky
,e more wolf than dog-is an unknow
II quantity.
I. In the open door. as l raised IN
q eyes. saw the girl. knew from tn
1 a