, 1911-08-10
JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD

that he stepped on the stone and that
It rolled down and toppled him into
the chasm. They could never find his
body. and they will send down for a
new engineer in place of the lost
monsieur"
stupeied with horror. Rowland
strained his ears to catch the rest OF
the cold blOoded scheme which he was
overhearing. but the voices grew low
er. and he understood no more that
was said until Croisset, coming nearer,
called out:
Help me with the monsieur before
you go, ~Jackpine. He is a dead weight
with all those rawhides about him."
As coolly as though he were not
more than a chunk of stovewood
Croisset and the Indian came through
the bushes. seized hin by the head
and feet. carried him out into the
trail and laid him lengthwise on the
sledge.
81 hope you have not caught cold
lying in the snow. m'seur." said Crois-
Set. DOlStCtihS w tuV ChSAhCCh htuu
and shoulders and covering him with
heavy furs. I'VE should have been
back sooner. but 1t was impossible.
Hoo-la. Woonga!" he called softly to
bis lead dog. "Get up there. you wolf
houndr'
As the sledge started. with Croisset
running close to the leader. Rowland
heard the low swapping of a whip be-
hind him and another voice urging oil
other dogs. With an effort that almost
%dislocated his neck he twisted himself
SO he could look back to him A hun
dred yards away he discerned a second
team following in his trail: he saw a
shadowy figure. running at the head Of
the dogs, but what there was on the
sledge. or what 1t meant. he could not
see or surmise. Mile after mile the two
sledges continued without a stop.
CrOisset did not turn his head: no word
fell from his lips. except an occasional
signal to the dogs. The trail had
soon Rowland could make out M
sign Of it, hut knew only that they
we're twisting through the most open
places in the forests. n that the
play Of the polar lights was never over
his left shoulder or his right, but al
ways In his face.
They had Travelled for several hours
when Croisset gave a sudden shrill
shout to the rearmost sledge and halt
ed his own. The dogs fell in a painting
group on the snow. and while they
were resting the half breed relieved his
prisoner Of the soft buckskin that had
been used as a gas.
ut will be perfectly safe for you to
talk now. m'seur. and to shout as loud
ly as you please" he said. After l
have looked into your pockets l will
free your hands so that you can smoke.
Are you comfortable"
"Comfortable-be cursed!" were the
first words that fell from Howland's
lips, and his blood boiled at the soci-
able way in which Croisset grinned
Town into his face. $50 you're in 1t.
too, Ell? And that lying girl
The smile left Croisset's face.
DO you mean Meleese. M'seur How
landTp
Yes"
Croisset leaned down with his black
eyes cleaning like Goals.
do you know what l would do If
was her. m'seur?' he said in a low
voice and yet one filled with a threat
which stilled the words Of passion
which the engineer was on the point OF
uttering. do you know what l would
dor | would kill you-kill you inch by
inch-torture you. That Is what
would do"
For Gods sake. Croisset. tell me
~why-why''-
Croisset had found Howland's pistol
and freed his hands. and the engineer
stretched them out entreatingly.
81 would give my life for that girl.
Croisset. told her so back there. n
she came to me when | was in the
snow and He caught himself. add
Ing to what he had left incomplete.
There is a mistake. Croisset. 1 am
not the man they want to kill"
Croisset was smiling at him again.
Smoke and think. m'seur. 1t Is
impossible for me to tell you why you
should be dead. but you ought to know
Unless your memory is shorter than a
child's."