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

I'm lEHIND the sledge ran How
land; to the right Of the team
90 ran Jean. Once or twice
TSa when Croisset glanced bacl
his eyes met those Of the engineer. H'
cracked his whip and smiled. and
Howland's teeth cleaned back cold!
In reply. A mutual understanding
flashed between them In these glances
In a sudden squirt Rowland knew tina
the Frenchman could quickly put dis
tance between them. but not a distance
that his bullets could not cover IN tn
space Of a breath. He had made III
bis mind to fire. deliberately and will
his greatest skill, If Croisset made the
slightest movement toward escape. l,
he was compelled to kill or wound bis
companion he could still go on alone
with the dogs. for the trail Of Meleest
and Jackpine would be as plain al
their own, which they were following
back into the south.
"Mon Dieu. but you are a strange
mani" exclaimed the Frenchman wher
he brought the dogs down to WALL
after half mile run. Blessed saints
mseur, you are laughing, and l swear
It's no laughing matter"
Shouldn't man be happy when he
Is going to his wedding. Jean" puffed
Rowland. gasping to get back the
hreath he had lost
But not when he's going to his fu
neral. m'seur."
"If i were one of your blessed saints
I'd hit you over the head with a thun,
derbolt. Croisset. Good Lord. what
sort Of a heart have you got inside OF
your jacket. man? Up there where
we're going .is the sweetest little girl
in the whole world. l love her. She
loves me. Why shouldn't l be happy
now that ! know I'm going to see her
again very soon-and take her back
into the south with meT
'The devil" grunted Jean.
Perhaps you're Jealous. Croisset,'
suggested Rowland Great Scott! !
hadn't thought Of thatr
"I've got one Of my own to love-
m'seur. and / wouldn't trade her for
oil else In the world"
81 can't understand you," cried the
engineer. You appear to be half hu.
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 II meanY'
That's what I'm doing. m'seur-
helping Meleese. I would have done
her greater service II had killed
YOU back there on the trail and strip.
ped your body for those things that
would be foul enough to eat 1t.
have told you dozen times that 1t is
Gods justice that you die. and you
are going to die very soon, m'seur."
"No. I'm not going to die. Jean. I'm
going to see Meleese. 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
Wekusko, oCroisset. and you can be my
best man at the wedding. What do
you say to that9"
"That you are mad or 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 a day by doing this"
explained -Croisset at the others
sharp word Of inquiry. 1--WE will hit
the other trail twenty miles west OF
here. while by following back to
where they turned we would travel
sixty miles to reach the same point
That one chance in q hundred which
you have depends on this, m'seur. y II
the other sledge has passed.
He shrugged his shoulders and start
ed the dogs into trot
Look herey' cried Howlahd. run
ming beside him. "Who is with this
other sledgeT
.Those who tried to kill you on the
trail and at the coyote. m'seur." he
answered quickly.
Rowland fell half dozen PAGES be
hind. His heart leaped with Joyous
hope, and he leaned forward on the
sledse to examine Croisset's empty
gun. 1t was an automatic. and Crois
set glancing back over the lopine
backs of the huskies, caught him smil
Ing. He ran more frequently now
and longer distances. and with the
passing of each mile his determine
uon to strike decisive blow increas
ed. If they reached the trail Of Me
leese and Jackpine before the cross
Ing of the second sledse he would liz
In wait for his old enemies. II the!
had preceded them he would pursue
and surprise them in camp. In eithe'
case he would possess an overwhelm
Ing advantage.
With the same calculating attention
TO detail that he would have shown II
the arrangement Of plans for the build
Ing of a tunnel or bridge. he drew
a mental map Of his scheme and 1t!
possibilities. There would be at le9s
two men with the sledge and posi-
bly, three. If they surrendered at th'
point of his rifle without fight h'
would compel Jean to tie them up Will
dog traces while he held them unde
cover. II they made a move to one
resistance he would shoot With tn
automatic he could kill or wound tn
three before they could reach thei
rifles, which would undoubtedly be ol
the sledge. The situation had nov
reached a point where he no longe
took into consideration what thes
men might be to Meleese.
As they continued into the north
west Rowland noted that the thicke
forest was gradually clearing into wid
areas of small banskian pine and tina
the rock ridges and dense swamp
which had impeded tBeir progress wer
becoming less numerous. An hour be
, fore noon, after tedious climb to tn
top of frozen ridge. Croisset pointe
down into a vast level plain lying be
tween them and other great ridges ia
, to the north
"That is a bit Of the barren land
that creeps down between those mour
tains of there. m'seur." he said. ID
you see that black forest that loos
like a charred log In the snow to th
. south and west Of the mountains
That Is the break that leads into th
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