Putnam patriot., 1911-10-13
IT la he by JAMES OLIVERs v CURMOOD
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CHAPTER TX.
. nArF INTO THE NNRru


 aHe tells me l am ito take you or .,o,eY said Croisset after he had re- ni,ad to the words spoken in a patois rh,ch Rowland could not understand.
 aThey will join us again very soon"
 .sTheyr' exclaimed Rowland. How many will it take to Kill me. my dear CroissetT'
 The half breed smiled, down into his face again.
 .,you may thank the blessed Virgin that they are with 'us.' he replied softly. If you have any hope outside ., heaven. m'seur, it 'isson that sledge behind
 AS he went again ito the dogs, straightening the leader fin his traces. Rowland stared back at the fire lit .nace in the forest gloom. He could coo A man adding fuel to the blaze and beyond him. shroudesl in the deep shadows of the trees. an indistinct tangle of dogs and sledge. As he strained his eyes to discover more there was a movement beyond the fr1re over the fire. and the young engineers heart leaped with sudden thrill CroisSet's voice sounded in shrill shout behind him, and at that warming cry in French the second figure sprang back into the gloom. But Rowland had recognized it. and the chilled blood in his veins leaped into warm life again at the knowledge that lt was Meleese who was trailing be hind them on the second sledge
 When you yell like that give me little warning if you please, Jean he said. speaking as eoolly as though he mad not recognized the figure that had rome for an instant into the tirelight. It is enough to startle the life. out of pne.'
 Tt is oar way of saying goodby, n'seur." replied Croisset, with fierce map of his whip. ~Hoo-la, get along lbere" he cried to the dogs. and in half dozen breaths the fire was lost 10 view.
 Dawn comes at about 8 o'clock in the northern midwinter. Beyond tthe aftieth degree the first ruddy haze of the sun begins to warm the southeast ern skies at 9. and its glow had already risen above the forests before Croisset stopped his team again. For two hours he had not spoken a word to his prisoner, and after several unavailing efforts to break the others ,taciturnity Rowland lapsed into silence of his own. When he had brought bis tired dogs to a halt Croisset spoke for the first time.
 We are going to camp here for A few bours," he explained ~H you will pledge me your word of hon0r that you will make no attempt to escape l will give you the use of your legs until after breakfast, m'seur What do you say?'
 Have you Bible. Croisset2"
 No, m'seur. but have the cross or our Virgin. given to me by the .mls- isioDeEAt York factory"
 Then 1 will swear by 1t will swear by all the crosses and all the Bibles in the world that I will make no effort to escape I am paralNzed. Croisset. 1 couldn't run for week.
 Croisset was searching in his pock- cts.
 Mon Dieu." he cried excitedly, U have lost it An, come to think. m seur' l gave the. cross to my Mariane bef@re went into the south. But I will take your word"
 And who is Mariane. Jeanf WYE she also be in St the 'killT
 '.Mariane is epsy wife. m'seur. An ma belle Marianne, ma cheri. the dangh- ter Of an Indian princess and me granddaughter of a chef de batali- lon. mseur. Could there be better than that? And she is be-e-e-utliui. mseur. with hair like the top side ol q ravens wing with the sun shining on it. and'-
 You love her a great deal. Jean.
 Next to the Virgin-and-it may be little better"
 Crosset had severed the rope about the engineers legs. and as he ralseu his glowing eyes Rowland reached out and put both hands on his shoulders.
 And in just that way l love Me leese." he said softly. -.Jean, won you be my friend? I don't want to escape. I'm not coward. W on you think of what your Marianne might do and be a friend to me? You would die for Marianne if it were necessary And 1 would die for the girl back on that sedge''
 He had staggered to his feet ana pointed into the forests through which they had come.
 ''l saw her in the frelight. Jean. Why is she following us? Why ao they want to kill me? If you wouio oaiy give me a chance to prove tnat II Is all a mistake-that I"-
 croisset reached out and took HIS hand.
 "M'seur. I would like to help you' De Interrupted "I liked you that hisnt We came in together from the fight on The trail. l have liked you since. Aha yet if I was in their place. l woulo XII you even though I like you. It is great duty to kill you. They did not do wrong when they tied you in the coyote. They did not do wrong when they tried to kill you on the trail. bul have taken a solemn oath to tell you hothing. nothing beyond this-that so "ng as you are with me and tha' s'edge is behind us your life IS not in aahger. will tell yea nothing inore' are you hungry. m'seurT Starved" said Rowland.
 He stumbled a few steps out into tne snow. the numbness in his limos lo'e- rR nd