Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-12
~ The.... TT
By REX BEACH,
+ j. + + 4 + j. + + T. i j. j
Copyright, 1909, BY Harper 6 Brothers

ply question of how the other Eel
low will separate easiest He stopped
and frightened his snow-shoe thong
then rising gazed curiously at the
listless countenance of his travelling
companion. feeling anew the curiosity
that had fretted him for the past
three weeks; finally he observed with
trace of Impotence:
We'll, if you amt one of us, you'd
ought to be. You've got the best
poker face l ever see; it's as blind
as plastered wall. You amt had 3
real expression on it since you hauled
me off that ice-floe in Norton Sound
He swung ahead of the dogs; they
rose reluctantly, and with crack OF
the whip the little caravan craWled
noiselessly into the gray twilight.
An hour later they dropped from the
plain, down through gutter-like
gully to the river, where they found
trail, glass.hard beneath its doWny
covering. A cold breath sucked up
from the sea; ahead they saw the
ragged ice appended by the tide, but
their course was we'll marked now, so
they swung themselves upon the sled,
while the dogs shook off their lethargy
and broke into their pattering, tireiess
wolf trot.
At length they came to point
where the trail divided, one branch
leading off at right angles from the
shore and penetrating the hummocks
that marked the tide limit. Evidently
it led to the village which they knew
lay somewhere on the farther side.
hidden by a mile or more of sitting
snow, so they altered their course
and bore out upon the river.
The going here was so rough that
both men leaped from their seats and
ran beside the sled, one at the front,
the other guiding it from the rear. Up
and down over the ridges the trail led,
winding through the frozen Unequal
tiles, the dogs never breaking their
tireless trot. They mounted a
swelling ridge and rushed down to the
level river ice beyond, but as they did
so they felt their footing sag beneath
them, heard a shivering creak on
every side, and, before they could do
more than cry out warningly, saw
water rising about the sled runners.
The momentum of the heavy sledge,
together with the speed of the racing
dogs, forced them out upon the
treacherous ice before they could
check their speed. Emerson shouted,
the dogs leaped, but with crash the
ice gave way, and for moment the
water closed over him.
Clinging to the sled to save himself.
his weight slowed 1t down, and the
dogs stopped. "Fingerless" FRASER
broke through in turn, gasping as the
icy water rose to his armpits. Slowly
at first the sled sank, till 1t floated
half submerged, and this spot which a
moment before had seemed so safe
and solid became now churning tan
gle of broken fragments, men and
dogs struggling in liquid that seem
ed dark as syrup contrasted with the
surrounding whiteness. The lead ami
mails, under whose feet the ice was
still firm, turned inquiringly, then set
tied on their launches with loll1ng
tongues. The pair next ahead of the
sledge padded frantically, straining
to reach the solid sheet beyond, but
were held back by their harness. EN-
erson used the sled for a footing and
endeavored to gain the ice at one
side, but 1t broke beneath him and he
lunged in UP to his shoulders. Again
he tried. but again the ice broke under
his hand, more easily now.
Fraser struggled to get out in the
opposite direction, each man aiming
to secure an independent footing, but
their efforts only enlarged the pool.
The chill went through them like thin
blades, and they chartered gaspingly.
fighting with desperation, while the
wheel dogs. involved in the harness.
began to whine and cough, at which
Emerson shouted:
"Cut the team loose. quick!' But
the other spat out mouthful of salt
water and spluttered:
"I-I can't swim!'
Whereupon the first speaker half
swan half. dragged himself through
the slush and broken debris to the
end OF the sled, and seeking
out the sheath knife from beneath
his parka, cut the harness of the two
distressed animals. Once free. they
to safety, shook them
selves. and rolled in the dry snow.
Emerson next attempted to lift the
nose of the sled upon the ice. shout
ing at the remainder OF the team to
null but they only wagged their tails
and whined excitedly at this unusual
form of entertainment. Each time he
tried to lift the sled he crashed
through fresh ice, finally bearing the
next pair Of dogs with him, and then
the two animals in the lead. All OF
them became hopelessly entangled.
He could have won his way back to
the permanent ice as Fraser was
doing, but there was no way of get
ting his team there and he would not
sacrifice those dumb brutes now grow
ing frantic. One of them paved the
sheath knife from his hand. He had
become almost numb with cold and
despair when he heard the jingle OF
many small bells. and sharp COM
mand uttered in new voice
Out of the snow fog from the direc-
ton in which they were headed broke
a team running full and free. At q
word they veered to the right and
came to a pause. avoiding the danger
- r...,, sro,,o hia haSfy glance En-