The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-08-31
The;
BY JAMES OLIVER
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
CHAPTER XIII.

EsHJ had been. The haunting smil
left his lips and gray pallor sprea'
over his face as he saw Howland's fin
ger crooked firmly on the trigger o
his revolver. In another instant Their
came the sound Of a metallic snap.
"The devil! An empty cartridge!
Rowland exclaimed Il forgot TO loaC
after those three shots at the cup. It'll
coming this time. Jeanv'
Purposely he snapped the second
empty cartridge.
THE great Godr' gasped Jean
"M'seur"-
From deep in the forest came the
baying of the Mackenzie hound. This
time II was much nearer. and for a
moment Howland's eyes left the
Frenchman's terrified face as he turned
his head to listen
''They are comlng!" exclaimed Crois-
set "Mseur swear to-
Again Howlands pistol covered his
heart
"Then II is even more necessary that
/ kill you" he said. with frightful
calmness. II warned you that would
kill you II you led NE into trap,
Croisset. The dogs are pushed There
is no way out of this bat 10 fght-if
there are people coming down the
trail. Listen to thatw
This time. from still nearer, came
the shout of man and then of an
other. followed by the husiies' sharp
yeping as they started afresh on the
trail The flush Of excitement that had
come into uowlands face paled until
he stood as white ms the Frenchman.
But II was not the whiteness Of fear.
His eyes were like blue steel flashing
In the sunlight.
There is nothing to do but fight" he
repeated, even more calmly than be-
fore. IF we were Il mile or two back
there il could all happen as | planned
II. But here
"They will hear the shots" cried
Jean "'rhe post is no more than
Eunshot beyond the forest, and there
are plenty there who would come out
10 see what II means. Quick, m'seur-
follow me! Possibly they are hunters
going out to the trap lines. If IL comes
10 the worst
what then?" demanded Rowland
"You can shoot me a little later"
temporized the Frenchman, with a
show of his old GOODNESS. Mon Dieu,
l am afraid OF that gun. mseur. /
will get you out OF this II can. win
you give me the chance, or will you
shOOtY
~ will shoot-if you fail" replied the
engineer
Barely were the words out OF his
mouth when Croisset sprang to the |
head of the dogs, seized the leader by
his neck trace and half dragged the
team and sledge through the thick
bush that edged the trail dozen
PAGES farther on the dense scrub open
ed into the clearer run OF the low
hanging bansklan through which Jean
started ut slow trot, with Rowland
a yard behind him and the huskies
following with human-like cleverness
in the sinuOus twiStings of the trail
which the Frenchman marked out for
them. They had progressed not more
than 300 yards when there came to
them for a third time the hallooing OF
a voice. With Il sharp "hup-hup" and
a low crack OF his whip Jean stopped
the dogs
"The Virgin be praised. but that is
luck"' he exclaimed. They have turn
ed OF into another trail to the east,
mseur"
Rowland had broken the breech OF ,
his revolver and was replacing the
three empty cartridges with fresh ones.
There will be no mistake next
time" he said. holding out the weap- ,
on. you were as near your death a ,
few moments ago as ever before in
your life, Croisset-and now for a lit n
tie plain understanding between u.s. !
Until we stopped out there | had some !
faith in you. Now | have none. | re- :
gard you as my worst enemy. and. 4
though you are deuced near TO your +,
friends, tell you that you were never :
n tighter box In your life. II fail h
n my mission here you shall die. II n
'thers come along that trail before 4,
lark and run us down will kill you 81
Unless you make II possible for me TO n
tt anu ldlh Win MeletSe l VIII XIII N
'ou. Your life hangs on my success" n
Il am glad that you changed your II
mind, m'seur. and will not tempt you n
gain. l will do the best that can" o,
aid Jean within an hour II will be
moving heavily" he affirmed. "If T,
hey do not run across our trail by in
hat time. m'seur. we shall be safe" II
He led the way through the forest IL
gain, more slowly and with greater of
aution than before. Half an hour 81
lter the Frenchman halted where the h,
ansklans climbed the side Of a slop-
lg ridge. nc
"If you could trust me would ask 81
b 20 on ahead" whispered Jean. IN
This ridge shuts In the psin. n'seur, of
nd just over the top OF It is an old sh
lbln which has been abandoned for ne
iany years. There is not one chance in
! a thousand OF there being any one
here. though it is a good fox ridge at be
lis season. From it you may see the Al
ght in Meleese's window at night" IN
He did not stop to watch the effect If
his last words. but began picking tn