The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-01-14

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region OF frozen silence. Davidson was unable to walk
ne was big man and his weight proved a burden to
tue ooes' for two days they went on slowly On the
sns ol the second day they made their small fire
'u started 10 Drew some tea The bottom fell out of
tne pot and could not be It was the only vessel
OF any kind that they had them In it thew had
tnelr pemm1can and STEPPED their tea. That
oent apparently trifng in itself, those two men felt
might mean their death. From that time on thew ate
frozen food and had warming beverage
On, on they went and at last there came realizing
sense mat tney were lost There food which
could be spared to keep up the strength of the dogs
vincent led two of the creatures away and killed them
that they might serve food for the remaining ami
mails Both men were weak to the point of exhaustion
Vincent kept his good cheer rallied his patient
by his hopeulness Then he into the harness. TAX
Ing the place Of the animals he had slain and used
MS remaining strength to help drag the sledge onward
The two remaining dogs gave out. There would have
been the backness of despair had it some
IN the spirit OF those two men that made them
light.
Doctor" said Davidson you can't drag me further
There is no reason why both Of should die. Unen-
cumbered perhaps you make your way the old
camp. Try it."
Vincents the fitting of the harness over
his shoulders once more and the trudging onward drag
gng the sedge with its weakened burden behind him.
Doctor said Davidson once more. you'd better CO."
Vincent turned with sort OF half SMILE Davidson"
he said. tits barely possible, matter between
men, might find in my heart to desert you and leave
you here to die. You must remember however, that
am doctor and you're patient, and it would
ethical to the last degree for go away
The physician dragged his patient on through the
horror of the awful Stiffness Finally the end was at
hand Vincent ottering and Davidson, weakened
the result of the operation he had undergone coupled
with the and lack of food, practically in
faintng condition. The sedge had been brought to a
point from which swept away for mile gentle
decvity smooth with ice. Vincent sat down
the edge Of the sledge.
"Old fellow" he said I'm sorry, but I'm afraid it's
almost up with me- Then he turned his head. but
in moment his feet. Far down to the right of
the sloping plain he grmooking rock which held
his gaze Then he turned to Davidson again. Il don't
want to raise false hopes he said but that rock
looks like that stood not far from the place
the natives 1t is like thousand others prob
ably am wrong, but God knows it's last hope I
cant drag you further, but I'll not leave you Well go
together We slide down this decivity with our
sledge. We may go into a crevasse you know and
that death, but it's death anyway unless when
we pass that some huts beyond and to the
right
Then those two kissed each other but spoke not
a word.
Vincent used his last remaining strength
sledge. It went slowly with its momentum down
the barely percepble incline Occasionally the accel
Grated speed would be checked by smooth bow ice
which they rode smoothly They approaching
the rock which to Vincent had looked familiar. They
almost up to it, On what the first look the
rock should reveal the physician knew life or
death. He turned and looked at his comrade David
sons eyes closed tight in the agony between the