Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-08-08
NUMBER 80.

down. Carefully he went through his
pockets. His belt and revolver were
gone He had been stripped Of letters
and papers. Na SO much as match
had been left him BY bis captors.
he stopped in his search and listened
Family there came to him the ticking
Of bis watch. he felt in his watch
pocket. 1t was empty. Again he lis
tened. This time be was sure that the
sound came from his feet, and he low.
cred the candle until the light Of It
glistened on something yellow an arms
distance away. 1t was his watch, and
close beside It lay his leather wallet
What money be had carried In the
pocketbook was untouched. but his per.
sonal cards and half a dozen papers
that 1t had contained were gone.
He looked at the time. The hour
hand pointed to 4. Was It possible
that be had been unconscious for more
than six hours? He had left Jean on
the mountain top soon after nightfall-
1t was not later than o'clock wheti
be had seen Meleese. Seven hours!
Again be lifted his hands to his head
His hair was stiff and matted with
blood. 1t had congealed thickly on his
cheek and neck and had soaked the
top Of bis coat He had bled great
deal. so much that he wondered he was
alive. and yet during those hours his
captors had given him no assistance.
had not even bound q cloth about his
head
Did they believe that the shot had
killed him. that he was already dead
when they flung him into the dungeon7
Or was this only one other instance Of
the barbaric brutishness of those who
so insistently sought his life7 The
fighting blood rose In him with return.
ing strength II they had let him
weapon. even the small knife they had
taken from his pocket. he would sdil
make an effort to settle last score or
two. But now he was helpless.
There was. however. ray Of hope
in the possibility that they believeo
him dead II they who had flung him
Into the dungeon believed this. then be
was safe for several hours. No one
would come for his body until broad
day and possibly not until the follow.
Ing night. when grave could be dug
and he could be carried out with some
secrecy. In that time. II he could es-
cape from his prison. he would be well
on his way to the Wekusko. BE had
no doubt that Jean was still prisoner
on the mountain top. The dogs ana
sledge were there and both rifles were
where he had concealed them. 1t would
be hard raced running fight per-
haps-but he would win, and after
time Meleese would come to him.
away down ut the little hotel on the
Saskatchewan.
He rose to bis feet. his blood grow.
Ing warm, his eyes shining In the can.
delight The thought Of the girl as
she had come to him out In the night
put back into him all Of his old fight.
Ing strength, all Of bis unconquerable
hope and confidence. She had follow.
ed him when the dog yelped at his
heels, as the first shots had been fred.
She had knelt beside him In the snow .,
as he lay bleeding at the feet OF his
enemies. He had heard her voice call.
ing to him; had felt the thrilling touch
Of her arms. the terror and love OF her
lips as she thought him dying. She
had given herself to him. and she
would come to him-his lady Of the
snows-if he could escape.
He went to the door and showed
against It with his shoulder. IT was
immovable Again he thrust his hand
and arm through the first OF the mar.
row ventilating apertures. The wood
with which his fingers came in contact
was rotting from moisture and age.
and he found that he could tear
handfuls Of It. He fell to work.It d
ging with the fierce eagerness q !
animal. At the rate the soft p =
wood gave way he could win his {.
dom long before the earliest risers
the post were awake.
A sound stopped him-a hollow
cough from out Of the blackness be- 4
yond the dungeon wall. II was follow
ed an instant later by a gleam OF light
and Howland darted quickly back 10
the table. He heard the slipping OF \
bolt outside the door The door swnn3
open. and shaft Of light shot into thel
chamber. For n space Howland wasl
blinded by II. and II was not until the
bearer of the lamp had advanced half
way to the table that he recognized
his visitor as Jean Croisset. The
Frenchmans face was wild and bag
gard His eyes cleaned red and
bloodshot as he stared at the engineer.
"Mon Dieu. had hoped to 6nd you
dead" he whispered huskily.
he reached up to hang the big oil
lamp he carried to I hook in the log
ceiling. and Howland sat amazed at
the expression on his face. Either
fear or pain had wrought deep lines.
II had hoped to find you dead.
m'seur." he repeated. THAT is why
did not bind your wound and give
you water when they turned you over
to MY care. wanted you to bleed to
death. 1t would have been easier
for both Of u.s."
From under the table he drew forth
a second stool and sat down opposite
Howland. The two men stared at
each other over the sputtering sem.
nant of the candle. Before the engi.
neer had recovered from his aston.
ishment at the sudden appearance OF
the man whom be believed to be safe-
ly imprisoned in the old cabin Crois-
sets shifting eyes fell on the mass OF
torn wood under the aperture. 4
"Too late. m'seur." he said mean\ I
ingly. .'They are waiting up thert
now. 1t IL impossible for you to es
cape"
THAT Is what I thought about you.
replied Howland. forcing himself T.
speak coolly. How did you manage 1T
"They came up to free me soon aft
er they got you. m'seur. ] am crate.
ful to you for thinking Of me. for IL