Oxford Democrat., 1911-08-01
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
THE CLEAN OF THE LIGHU.
HJY1 N q single breath the face Of
E Jean Croisset became no
6Srs0J more than q mask Of what It
ESH@ had been. The taunting smile
left his lips and gray pallor spread
over his face as he saw Howland's fin
ger crooked firmly on the trigger Of
his revolver. In another instant there
came the sound Of q metallic snap.
1.-THE devil! An empty cartridge"
Rowland exclaimed. II forgot to load
after those three shots at the cup. It's
coming this time, Jean!"
Purposely he snapped the second
empty cartridge.
"The great God" gasped Jean.
"Ai'seur"-
From deep in the forest came the
baying Of the Mackenzie hound. This
time 1t was much nearer, and for a
moment Howland's eyes left the
Frenchman's terrified face as he turned
his head to listen.
"They are coming" exclaimed Crois'
set. "M'seur. swear to-
Again Howland's pistol covered his
heart
"Then it is even more necessary that
kill you." he said. with frightful
calmness. II warned you that I would
kill you If you led me into a trap.
Croisset. The dogs are bushed. There
is no way out of this but to fght-if
there are people coming down the
trail. Listen to that"
This time. from still nearer. came
the shout of q man and then Of an
other, followed by the huskies' sharp
yelping as they started afresh on the
trail. The flush Of excitement that had
come into Howlands face paled until
he stood as white as the Frenchman.
But It was not the whiteness Of fear
His eyes were like blue steel flashing
in the sunlight.
"There is nothing to do but fight" he
repeated. even more calmly than be-
fore. IF we were a mile or two back
there 1t could all happen as l planned
it. But here
"They will hear the Shots" cried
Jean. "The post is no more than a
gunshot beyond the forest, and there
are plenty there who would come out
to see what 1t means. Quick, m'seur-
follow me! Possibly they are hunters
going out to the trap lines. If 1t comes
to the worst
"What thenT demanded Rowland.
"You can shoot me a little later"
temporized the Frenchman. with Il
show of bis old coolness. Mon Dieu,
am afraid of that gun, m'seur. /
will get you out Of this If can. vii
you give me the chance, or will you
shoot?"
81 will shoot If you fail" replied the
engineer.
Barely were the words out Of his
mouth when Croisset sprang to the
head Of the dogs, seized the leader by
his neck trace and half dragged the
team and sledge through the thick
bush that edged the trail. A dozen
PAGES farther on the dense scrub open
ed into the clearer run Of the low
,, hanging banskian through which Jean
started at q slow trot, with Howland
q yard behind him and the huskies
following with human-like cleverness
In the sinuous twistings OF the trail
which the Frenchman marked out for
them. They had progressed not more
than 300 yards when there came to
them for O third time the hallooing OF
a voice. With sharp ''hup-hup" and
a low crack Of his whip Jean stopped
the dogs.
"The Virgin be praised. but that Is
luck" he exclaimed. "They have turn
ed of into another trail to the east.
m'seur."
Rowland had broken the breech OF
his revolver and was replacing the
three empty cartridges with fresh ones
There will be no mistake next
tme." he said. holding out the weap-
on. "You were as near your death a
few moments ago as ever before In
your life, Croisset-and now for lit.
tie plain understanding between US
Until we stopped out there l had some
faith in you. Now I have none. re-
gard you as my worst enemy. and.
though you are deuced near to your
friends, tell you that you were never
in a tighter box in your life. II fall
in my mission here you shall die. II
others come along that trail before
dark and run US down Will kill you
Unless you make it possible for me to
see and talk with Meleese I will kill
you. Your life hangs on my success"
II am glad that you changed your
mind. m'seur. and I win not tempt you
again. will do the best that can.
said Jean. within an hour 1t win be
showing heavily" he affirmed. If
they do not run across our trail BY
that time, m'seur. We shall be SAFE"
He led the way through the forest
again, more slowly and with greater
caution than before Half an hour
later the Frenchman halted where the
banskians climbed the side Of a slop.
ing ridge.
'Tf you could trust me I would ask
to 20 on ahead" whispered Jean.
"This ridge shuts in the p'sin. m'seur,
and just over the top Of 1t is an old
cabin which has been abandoned foE
many years. There Is not one chance
in a thousand Of there being any one
there. though It is a good fox ridge al
this season. From 1t you may see the
light IN Meleese's window at night"
He did not stop to watch the eject
Of his last words. but began picking
his way up the ridge with the dogs
tugging at his heels. At the top ht
swung sharply between two huge
masses of snow covered rock, and II
the lee Of the largest Of these, almost
entirely sheltered from the drifts pilet
up by easterly Winds they came sud
denly on a small log hut
mon Dieu. 50 far have saved my
hide" he grinned. "Now, m'seur, looi
for yourself and see II Jean CROSSE
has not kept his word"
A dozen steps had taken him through
q screen Of shrub to the opposite slop'
Of the ridge. With outstretched arm
ha noinfed down into the plain. ant