The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-07-13
Continued nom gsstsFaay)

He heard again the quick. runnih.
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 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 goodby7-
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 al
first strike him as significant. he st1ll
felt the sweet, warm touch OF her lips
the pressure of her arms, the smother
ing softness of her hair. It was not
until he again heard approaching
sounds that he returned once more to
a full Consciousness of the mysterious
thing that had happened, he heard
first of NIL the creakinE Of toboggan
on the hard crust. then the pattertnf
of dogs feet and after that the voices
OF men. The sounds stopped on tn
trail dozen feet away from him.
With strange thrill he recognized
Croisset's voice.
"You must be sure that you make
no mistake" be heard the half breet
say. go to the waterfall at the heae
of the lake and heave down big rocl
where the fee is open and the Watei
boiling. Track up the snow with
pair of Mseur Howland's high heelet
boots and leave his hat tangled in thu
bushes. Then tell the superintendent
that he stepped on the stone and tina
Il rolled down and toppled him int
the chasm. They could never md hi
body. and they will send dOwE for
new engineer In place OF the los
monsieur"
Stupehed with horror; Rowland
the cold bloCded scheme which he wa
overhearing, but the voices grew low
er, and he understood no more thai
was said until CroIsset, coming nearer
called out:
"Help me with the monsieur befort
you go, Jackpine. He is n dead weigh
with all those rnwhides about him"
AS coolly as though he were no.
more than a chunk of stovewoOc
Croisset and the Indian came through
the bushes, seized him by the head
and feet, carried him out into thu
trail and laid him lengthwtse on the
sledge.
81 hope you have not caught cold
lying in the snow, m'seur," said Crots-
set. bolsterng 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
AS the sledee started, with Croisset
running close to the lenyier. 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 10 MIN. A nun
dred yards away he dIscerned second
team following in his trail: he saw a
5hadowy figure running ut the head OF
the dogs, but what there was on the
sIedge, or what it meant, he could not
see or surmise. Mile after mile the two
sledges continued without stop !
did not turn his head; no word |
fell from his lips, except an occasional |
signal to the dogs. The trail had
urned now straight into the north, and
loon Rowland could make out no
ign OF it, but knew only that they |
we're twisting through the most open
places In the forests, and that the
play of the polar lights was never over
his Lett shoulder or his right, but al
ways IN his. face.
They had Travelled Tor several hours
Ehen Crolsset gave 2 sudden shElh !