The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-07-20
grasp. With Jackpine and Croisset in

grasp. win Jackplne and CrOlSSet in
his power
He went no further. Was it too late
to do these things now? Crosset would
return. With q sort of satisfaction it
disarmed the Frenchman of suspicion
He believed that it would be easy to
overcome CroisSet. 20 force him to fol-
low in the trail of MeleeSe and Jack
pine And that trail: 1t would prob
ably lead TO the very stronghold of his
enemies But what of that! He
loaded his pipe again. putting out
clouds of smoke until the room was
thick With it, That trail would take
him to MeeeSe- 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 q sudden thrilling
thought flashed into his mind. AS
last resort he would use Jean as 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 Il bomb at her feet. In
that moment. when she saw what be
was rsking for her. that he was deter
mined 10 possess her. would she not
surrender to the pleading of his love?
If not he would do the other thing
tbat which had 30 ioyo1lS
laugh to his lips All was fair in war
and love. and theirs was a game of
love. Because Of her love for him Me-
leeSe had kidnaped him from his post
OF duty. bad sent him Il prisoner to
this death house in the wilderness.
Love had exculpated her That same
love would exculpate him He would
make her Il prisoner. and lean should
drive them back to the Wekusko. Me-
leese herself had set the pace. and he
would follow it. And what woman. If
she loved man. would not surrender
after this: In their sledge trip he
would nave her 10 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 fGnt, but he was willing and
a trjfla anxious to SIGHT
He went to he'd that night and
dreamed Of things that were to hap
pen. a second day, ii third night and
d third day came With each hour
grew his anxiety for Jeans return II
times he was almost feverish 10 have
the affair over with He was confident
of the outcome. and vet be die not fail
to take the Frenchman's true measure
ment he knew that ie&n was ike
live wire and steel. is agile as q cat
more than match with himself in
open fight DESPITE his own superior
weight and size
He devised dozen schemes for
jeans undoing Chs was to leap on
him while be was, eating. anotaer &C.
spring on nina and choke t5n into
partial inseasfbility as he knelt beside
his pack or fed the fire Il hrd to
strike blow from behind tha. wanIa
render him nowerless. But there was
something il this las, thar was re
pugnant TO him. Re remembered that
Jean had saved his life; that in no i'm
stance had be given him physical pain
He would watch for an opportunity.
take advantage Of the Frenchnan, rs
Croisset had taken advantage Of hiTa,
but be would not hurt him seriously
Tt should lie as fair str g,e as
Jean had offered him. and wi,h the
in his favor the best man
would win
On the morning Of the fourth day
Rowland was awakened by a sound
that came through the aperture in the
wall. 1t was the sharp yelping bark
of deg. followed an instant later by
the sharper crack Of Q whip and a IA
miliar voice
Jean Croisset had returned.
With single leap he was out Of
his bunk. Half dressed he darted to
the door and crouched there. the mus
cles of his arms tightening. his body
tense with the gathering forces with
in him.
The spur of the moment had driven
him to quick decision. His opportu-
nifty would come when Jean Croisset
passed through that door.