The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-07-13
HE HEARD HER BREATHE
"GOODBY, GOODBY.

his arms, while beneath that hypocrisy
she had plotted his downfall a second
time Deliberately she had given the
signal for attack. and now
he heard again the quick. running
step that he had recognized on the
trail. The bushes behind him parted,
and in the white starlight Meleese fell
on her knees at his side. her glorious
face bending over him in a grief that
he had never seen in it before, her
eyes shining on him with a great love-
Without speaking she lifted his head
In the hollow Of her arm and crushed
her own down against it. kissing him
and softly sobbing his name.
"Goodby," he heard her breathe.
"Goodby. goodby"-
He struggled to cry out as she low
cred his head back on the snow, to
free his hands. to hold her with him,
but he saw her face only once more
bending over him. felt the warm pres
sure Of her lips to his forehead, and
then again he could hear her footsteps
hurrying away through the forest.
That Meleese loved him. that she had
taken his head in her arms and had
kissed him. was the one consuming
thought in Howland's brain for many
minutes after she had left him bound
and gagged on the snow. That she had
made no effort to free him did not at
first strike him as significant. He still
felt the sweet, warm touch of her lips.
the pressure Of her arms. the smother
ing softness of her hair. 1t was not
until he again heard approaching
sounds that he returned once more to
full consciousness Of the mysterious
thing that had happened. He heard
first of all the creaking of toboggan
on the hard crust. then the pattering
Of dogs feet and after that the voices
of men. The sounds stopped on the
trail a dozen feet away from him.
With a strange thrill he recognized
Croisset's voice.
"You must be sure that you make
no mistake" he heard the half breed
say. go to the waterfall at the head
Of the lake and heave down a big rock
where the ice is open and the water
boiling. Track up the snow with a
pair Of M'seur Howland's high heeled
boots and leave his hat tangled in the
bushes. Then tell the superintendent
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
new engineer in place of the lost
monsieur"
Stupefied with hoyror, 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 CO. Jackpine. He is 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 him 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, bolstering up the engineers head
and shoulders and covering him with
heavy furs. 1--WE should have been
back sooner, but it was impossible
Hoo-la, Woongav' he called softly to
his lead dog. Get up there. you wolf
houndv'
AS the sledge started. with Croisset
running close to the leader, Rowland
heard the low swapping of whip be-
hind him and another voice urging on
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 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 it 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
cell from his iips- except an occasional