, 1911-08-10


tnat they are with US ne re'n.'
softly. 'If you have any hope OUTSIDE
of HEAVIER m'seur. 1t IL on that siedS"
behind"
AS he went again to the dogs.
Strengthening the leader in his traces
Rowland stared back nj the fire III
space in the forest gloom. He could
see n man adding fuel to the blaze
and beyond lin. shrouded in the deep
shadows of the trees. an indlstinct
tapgle of dogs and sledge. AS he
strained his eyes 10 discover more
tbere was a movement beyond the
6pure over the fire. and the young
engineers heart leaned with a sudden
thrill. Croisset's voice sounded In a
shrill shout behind him. n at that
warning cry in French the second
figure sprang back into the gloom. But
Rowland had recognized 1t. and the
chilled blood in his veins leaped into
warm life again at the knowledge that
It was Meleese who was trailing be
hind them on the SECOND sledge.
when you yell like that give me a
little warning il you please. JEAN" he
said. speaking as coolly as though he
had not recognized the figure that had
come for an instant into the freight.
"It is enough to startle the life out of
one."
"It is our way of saying goodby
rn'seur," replied Croisset, with a fierce
SNAP of his whip. "Hoo-la, get along
ALarat'' h. oriaI tn tho dogs and In
half a dozen breaths the fire was lost
to view.
Dawn comes at about 8 o'clock II
the northern midwinter. Beyond thu
f1ftieth degree the first rudy haze VI
the sun begins to warm the southeast
ern skies at ., and its glow had already
risen above the forests before CROSSE
stopped his team again. For TIVE
hours he had not spoken a word to hi
prisoner, and after several u%navailint
efforts to break the others t%aciturnity
Rowland lapsed into a silence of hi
own. When he had brought his tiret
dogs to a halt Croisset spoke for thu
first time.
1--WE are going to camp here for
few hours he explained. IF you will
pledge me your word of honor that 20,
will make no attempt to escape | will
give you the use of your legs unit
after breakfast, m'seur. What DO 20,
sayT'
"Have you a Bible. CroissetT"
mo, m'seur. but l have the cross O.
our Virgin. given to me by the mis-
sioner at York factory"
.aTl,a, -in a,,a,- INV a. yvfI
swear by all the crosses and all the
Bibles in the world that 1 will make
no effort to escape. l I'M paralyzed
Croisset. / couldn't run for a week"
Croisset was searching in his peck
cts.
mon Dieu," he cried excitedly, az
have lost It! All. come to think, m'seur
l gave the cross to my Mariane before
i went into h south. But l will take
your word"
"And who is Mariana, Jean? VII
she also be in at the 'kill?'"
"Mariane is my wife, m'seur. All
ma belle Mariane. ma cheri. the daugh
ter Of an Indian princess and thu
granddaughter of a chef de batail
Ion, m'seurl Could there be bettel
than that? And she is be-e-e-utiful
m'seur. with hair like the top side OF
a ravens wing with the sun shining
on 1t, and
you love her a great deal. Jean"
"Ne1t to the Virgin-and it may be
a little better"
Croisset had severed the rope about
the engineers legs, and as he raised
his glowing eyes Rowland reached out
and put both hands on his shoulders.
"And in just that way l love Me
leese," he said softly. Jean, won't
you he my friend? l don't want to
escape. I'm not n coward. Won't
you think of what your Mariane might
dc and be n friend to me? You would
die for Mariana II 1t were necessary
And ! would die for the girl back on
that sledge."
He had staggered to his feet and
pointed into the forests through which
they had come.
81 saw her in the freight. jean.