Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-07-25

M'Seur, ] Know OF nunQreQ men
between Athabasca and the bay who
would kill you for what you have
said" Yes. she would go into the
north. Somewhere in that vast DESC
lation of which Jean had spoken he
would find her, even though he spent
half of his life in the search!
It was past midnight when he spread
out the furs and undressed for bed.
With the breaking Of day the hours
seemed Of interminable length. For
time he amused himself by searching
every corner and crevice Of his prison
room, but he found nothing Of interest
beyond what he had already discov.
cred. He examined the door which
Croisset had barred on him and gave
up all hope Of escape in that direction.
He could barely thrust his arm
through the aperture that opened out
on the plagde stricken cabin.
In no situation had he displayed the
white feather; at no time had he felt
a thrill of fear. His courage and reck.
lessness had terrified Meleese. had as
tonished Croisset. And yet what had
he done? From the beginning. from
the moment he first placed his foot IN
the Chinese cafe. his enemies had held
the whiphand. He had been COM
PEELED to play a passive part Up to
the point Of the ambush on the We
kusko trail he might have found some
vindication for himself. But this ex-
perience with Jean Croisset-it was
enough to madden him. now that he
was alone. to think about 1t. Why
had he not taken advantage Of Jean,
as Jackpine and the Frenchman had
taken advantage Of him?
he saw now what he might have
done. Somewhere. not very far back. the
sledge CARRYING Meleese and Jackpine
had turned into the unknown. They
two were alone. Why had he not made
Croisset prisoner. instead Of allowing
himself to be Gagged up like a weak
ling? He swore aloud as there dawned
on him more and more realization
of the opportunity he had lost. At the
point of u gun he could have forced
Croisset to oveftake the other sledge.
He could have surprised Jackpine, as
they had surprised him on the trail.
And then? He smiled. but there was
no humor in the smile. he at last
would have held the whip hand. And
what would Meleese have done?
Meleese loved him. He would have
staked his life on that His blood
leaped as he felt again the thrill OF her
kisses when she had come to him as
he lay bound and gagged beside the
trail. She had taken his head In her
arms, and through the grief Of her
face he had seen shining the light OF
q great love that had gloriied 1t for all
time for him. She loved him! And he
had let her slip away from him. had
weakly surrendered himself at a mo-
ment when everything that he dream
ed Of might have been within his
grasp. With Jackpine and Croisset In
his power
He went no further. Was 1t too late
to do these things now? Croisset would
return. With sort Of satisfaction 1t
occurred to him that his actions had
disarmed the Frenchman Of suspicion.
He believed that 1t would be easy to
overcome Croisset, to force him to fol-
low in the trail of Meleese and Jack
pine. And that trailf 1t would prob
ably lead to the very stronghold Of bis
enemies. But what Of that? He
loaded his pipe again. putting out
clouds of smoke until the room was
thick with 1t. That trail would take
him to Meleese-wherever she was
Heretofore his enemies had come to
him; now he would go to them. With
Croisset in his power and with none
of his enemies aware Of his presence.
everything would be In his favor He
laughed aloud as a sudden thrilling
thought flashed into his mind. AS
last resort he would use Jean as a de
coy.
He foresaw how easy It would be to
bring Meleese to him-to see Croisset.
His own presence would be like the
dropping Of a bomb at her feet In
that moment. when she saw what he
was risking for her. that he was deter
mined to possess her, would she not
surrender to the pleading Of his love!
II not he would do the other thing
that which had brought the joyous
laugh to his lips. All was fair In war
and love. and theirs was game OF
love. Because Of her love for him Me-
leese had kidnapped him from his post
of duty. had sent him a prisoner to
this death house In the wilderness.
Love had exculpated her. That same
love would exculpate him. he would
make her prisoner, and Jean should
drive them back to the Wekusko. Me
leese herself had set the pace. and he
would follow It. And what woman, II
she loved man. would not surrender
after this? In their sledge trip he
would have her to himself, for not only
an hour or two. but for days. Surely
In that time he could win. There
would be pursuit perhaps; he might
have to fight. but he was willing and
a trife anxious to fight.
He went to bed that night and
dreamed Of things that were to hap
pen. A second day, third night and
third day came. With each hour
grew his anxiety for jeans return. At
times he was almost feverish to have
the affair over with. He was confident
of the outcome. and yet he did not fail
to take the Frenchman's true measure
ment. He knew that Jean was like
live wire and steel, as agile as cat,
more than a match with himself In
open fight despite his own superior
weight and size.
He devised q dozen schemes for
Jeans undoing. One was to leap on
him while he was eating. another to
spring on him and choke him into
partial insensibility as he knelt beside
his pack or fed the fire. & third to
strike a blow from behind that would
render him powerless. But there was
something in this last that was ~
pugnant to him. He remembered that
Jean had saved his life; that In no IN
stance had he given him physical pain.
he would watch for an opportunity,
take advantage Of the Frenchman, az
Croisset had taken advantage OF him,
!, but he would not hurt him seriously.