The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-08-24
The;
BY JAMES OLIVER
- CURWOOD
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER XII.

e HIS tlfN NIT Nlb5t VI tut tllElllffls ~
q cracked his whip and smiled, and
Howlands teeth CLEANED back coldly
q In reply mutual understanding
flashed between them I'm these glanceS
In sudden squirt Rowland knew thai
the Frenchman could quickly put dis
lance between them. but not distance
that his bullets could not cover In the
/ space Of breath He had made up
his mind to fire, deliberately and with
his greatest skill, If CrOisset made the
slightest movement toward escape. II
he was compelled to XIII or wound his
companion he could still 20 on alone
with the dogs. for the trail OF Meleese
aud Jackpine would be rs plain as
their own. which they were following
back into the south.
Mon Dicu. but you are strange
man." exclaimed the Frenchman when
he brought the dogs down to walk
after half mile run Blessed saints,
m'seur you are laughing, and ! swear
us no laughing matter"
Shouldn't Il man be happy when he
IS going to his wedding. IeanY puffcd
Howiand. gasping 10 get back the
breath he had lost.
But not when he's going TO his fu
neral m'seur"
III were one Of your blessed saints
| ia hit you over the head with a thun-
| derbolt Croissct Good Lord, what
| sort OF heart have you got inside Of
/ your jacket, MANI Up there where
[ we're going Is the sweetest little girl
! In the whole world | love her. She
loves me why shouldn't | Ice happy
now that I know I'm going to see her
again very soon-aud take her back
into the south with meY
The devil" grunted Jean.
Perhaps you're Jealous, Croisset,"
suggested Rowland. Great Scott! I
hadn't thought OF that"
"I've got one of my own to love.
m'seur. and | wouldn't trade her for
all else IN the world"
II can't understand you" cried the
engineer. You appear to be half hui
man: you say you're in love, and yet
you'd rather risk your life than help
out Meleese and me What the deuce
does Il meanY
That's what I'm doing, m'seur-
helping Melrese | would have done
her greater service If | had killed
You back there on the trail and strip
ped your body for those things that
would be foul enough to eat IT,
have told you dozen times that II Is
Gods justice that you die, and you
ure going to die very soon, mseur."
mo. I'm not going to die, Jean. I'm
going To see Meeese. and she's going
back into the south with me. and If
you're real good you may have the
pleasure Of driving us back to the
Wekuslo, Croisset. and you can be my
best man at the wedding. What do
you say to that"
"That you are mad or n fool" retOrted
Jean, cracking his whip viciOusly.
The dogs swung sharply from the
trail heading from their southerly [
course into the northwest
I'VE will save day by doing this .
explained CrOlsset at the others .
sharp word Of inquiry. 1--WE will hit
the other trail twenty miles west OF
here, while by following back 10
where they turned we would travel
sixty miles to reach the same point.
That one chance I'm a hundred which
you have depends on this, m'seur. If
the other sledge has passed.
He shrugged his shoulders and start
I'd the dogs into trot.
look here" cried Rowland run
ming beside him. "Who is with this
other sledgcT
Those who tried to XIII You on the
trail and ut the coyote. m'scur," he
answered quickly.
Rowland fell half dozen PAGES be
bind His heart leaped with Joyous
hope. and he leaned forward on the
,lcdge 10 examine CroiSset's empty
gun IL was an automatic, and Crois-
;et CHANGING back over the Looping
packs of the buskics. caught him smil-
ng He ran more frequently now,
lud longer distances, ana with the
'assiug OF each mile his determine
ION 10 strike q decisive blow ipcreus-
"a n they reached the trail Of Me.
ecsc ANA JacEpNne before the cross.
ug Df the second SlcdGu he would lie
n wait for bis old enemies II they
,ad preceded them he would pursue
md surprise them In camp In either
ose he would possess an overwhclm-
NJ advantage
With the same calculating attention
o detail that he would have shown in
be arrangement OF plans for the build
lg OF tunnel or p bridge hc drew
mental map OF his scheme and its
There would he at least
wo men with the sledge and possi- |
ly three If they surrendered at the
olut OF his rihe without fight he
,ould compel Jean TO tie them up with
og traces while he held them under
over Ii they made a move TO oCfer
esistauce he would shoot with the
Gtomatic he could Kill or wound the
lree before they could reach their
.fes, which would undoubtedly be on '
he slcdge The situation had now |
cached point whore he no longer
)ok into consideration what these
lcn might be 20 Meleese.
AS they continued into the north Z
rest Rowland noted that the thicker