Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-08-22
The.
y S ;SH1fIMES 88SbNEs
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS l1lA
CHAPTER XII.
TIE PURSUIT..

lance between them. but not distance
that his bullets could not cover fb the
space Of q breath. He had made up
biz mind to DIRE. deliberately and with
bis greatest skill. II Croisset made the
slightest movement toward escape. II
he was compelled to kill or wound his
companion he could still 60 on alone
with the dogs. for the trail Of Meleese
and Jackpine would be as plain as
their own. which they were following
back into the south.
mon Dieu. but you are strange
man, exclaimed the Frenchman when
he brought the dogs down to walk
after a half mile run. blessed saints,
m'seur. you are laughing. and l swear
it's no laughing matter"
''ShOuldn't q man be happy when he
II going to his wedding. Jean?" pulled
Rowland. gasping to get back the
breath he had lost
but not when he's going to his fu-
neral, m'seur."
If l 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. manY Up there where
were going Is the sweetest little girl
In the whole world. love her. She
loves me. Why shouldn't 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! I
hadn't thought Of that!"
1--WE got one Of my own to love.
m'seur. and l wouldn't trade her for
oil else In the world"
II 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 1t meanr'
That's what I'm doing, m'seur-
helping Meleese. I would have done
her a greater service If I had killed
You back there on the trail and strip
ped your body for those things that
would be foul enough to eat it. I
have told you a dozen times that It Is
Gods Justice that you die. and you
are going to die very soon. m'seur."
mo. I'm not going to die. Jean. I'm
going to see Meleese. and she's going
back into the south with me, and IL
you're real good you may have the
pleasure Of driving us back to the
Wekusko. Croisset. and you can be my
best man at the wedding. What do
you say to that?'
."That you are mad or a 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 Croisset at the Others
sharp word of inquiry. I'VE 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 hundred which
you have depends on this. m'seur. II
the other sledge has passed.
He shrugged his shoulders and start
ed the dogs into trot.
Look herer' cried Rowland, run
ming beside him. "Who is with this
other sledger'
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
sledge to examine Croisset's empty
gun. It was an automatic. and Crois-
set. glancing back over the Looping
backs Of the huskies. caught him smil-
ing. He run more frequently now.
and longer distances. and with the
passing Of each mile bis determine
ton to strike decisive blow increas-
ed. II they reached the trail Of Me-
leese and Jackpine before the cross
ing Of the second sledge he would lie
In wait for his old enemies. II they
bad preceded them he would pursue
and surprise them in camp In either
case he would possess an 0verwhelm-
Ing advantage.
With the same calculating attention
to detail that he would have shown in
the arrangement Of plans for the build
ing Of q tunnel or bridge. he drew
mental map of his scheme and its
possibilities. There would be Mt least
two men with the siedge and posi-
bly, three. IL they surrendered at the
point of his rife without fight he
would compel Jean to tie them up with
dog traces while he held them under
cover. II they made move to offer
resistance he would shoot. With the
automatic he could kill or wound the
three before they could reach their
rides, which would undoubtedly be on
the sledge. The situation had now
reached point where he no longer
took into consideration what these
men might be to Meleese.
As they continued into the north
west Rowland noted that the thicker
forest was gradually clearing into wide
areas of small banskian pine and that
the rock ridges and dense swamps
which had impeded their progress were
becoming less numerous. An hour be-
fore noon, after a tedious climb to the
top Of frozen ridge. Cr0isset pointed
down into vast level plain lying be.
tween them and other great ridges far
to the north.
THAT is bit Of the barren lands
that creeps down between those noun.
tains OF there, m'seur." he said. DO