The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-10-01

Of timber, and once you get into the
pass you can't stop till you're through"
The next dawn showed the mountain
peaks limned like clean cut ivory
against the steel blue sky, and as they
crept up through the deflles 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.
1t was early in the afternoon when
the Indian stopped and began test
ing the air.
"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
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 I'M
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 flame.
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 aerostatdc
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 timberY'
"Twelve or fifteen miles"
Lets run for it! 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-
hind them, progress was difficult, for
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
stiff 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-.
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 it 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. Al
length he became unable to guide then
farther. and Bait. who had once made
the trip, took his place. while the 9th
ers dragged the poor creature along a,
the cost of their precious strength.
They had long since lost all track o.
time and place, trusting blindly to {
downward course. The hurrican'
still harried them with undated fury
when all at once they came to anothe
bluff where the ground fell away
abruptly. Without waiting to. invest1
gate whether the slope terminated II
a drift or precipace, they flung them
selves over. Down they doundered
the two half sensible men tangled to
gether as If In a race for total oblivion
only to plunge through q thicket o
willow tops that whipped and stun,
them. On they went, now vastly heart
ened. over another ridge, down an
other declivity, and then into a grow
Of spruce timber, where the air sud
denly stilled, and only the treetops toll
of the rushing wind above.
It was well nigh an hour before Bal
and Emerson succeeded in starting
fire, for it was desperate work gropfn
for dry branches, and they themselve
were on the verge Of collapse befor
the ttmid blaze finally showed tn
q two more rnfortnna tn onas hnd dlod r.