The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1912-06-14

the air he breathed--a note Of infinite
sadness. which held him startled and
without movement, as 1t held Jean
Croisset. And just a. he thought that
the thing had died away the wailing
came again. rising higher and higher.
until at last there rose over him a
single long howl that chilled the blood
to bis very marrow. 1t was like the
wolf howl Of that nrst night he had
looked ON the wilderness. and yet un.
like 1t. In the first 1t had been the cry
Of the savage. Of hunger: Of the unend-
ing desolation Of life that had thrilled
him. In this 1t was death. He stood
shivering as Croisset came down to
him, his thin face shining white in the
starlight. There was no other sound
save the excited beating Of life in their
own bodies when Jean spoke.
"M'seur. our dogs howl like that
only when some one is dead or about
to die" he whispered. ut was Woon-
ga who gave the cry. He has lived for
eleven years, and have never known
him to fail"
There was an uneasy CLEAN in his
eyes.
81 must tie your hands. m'seur."
'But l have given you my word.
JEAN
"Your hands, m'seur. There Is al
ready death below us in the plain. or 1t
is to come very soon. l must tie your
hands,"
Rowland thrust his wrists behind
him. and about them Jean twisted q
thong Of babeesh.
II believe | understand" he spoke
softly. listening again for the chilling
wall from the mountain top. You
are afraid that will kill you"
ut is a warning, m'seur. You might
try. But l should probably kill you.
AS it is"-he shrugged his shoulders as
he led the way down the ridge-"as it
| Is. there Is small chance of Jean Crois-
| set answering the call"
MAY those saints of yours preserve
me. Jean, but this is all very cheerful"
grunted Rowland, half laughing in
spite Of himself. "Now that I'm tied
up again. who the devil Is there to die
but meT'
THAT is hard question, m'seur,"
replied the half breed. with grim seri-
BUSINESS. perhaps it is your turn. l
half believe that it is"
Scarcely were the words out Of his
mouth when there came again the
moaning howl from the top Of the
ridge.
You're getting on my nerves, Jean
you and that accursed dog!"
"Silence. m'seur!'
Out of the grim loneliness at the
foot Of the mountain there doomed a
shadow, which at first Rowland took
to be a huge mass of rock. A few
steps farther and he saw that 1t was q
building. Croisset gripped him firmly
by the arm.
"Stay here" he commanded. II will
return soon."
For q quarter Of an hour Rowland
waited. Twice in that interval the dog
howled above him. He was glad when
Croisset appeared out of the gloom.
ut is as l thought, m'seur. There Is
death down here. Come with me-"
shrouded them as they approached
Rowland could make out that 1t was
built of massive logs and that there
seemed to be neither door nor window
on their side. And yet when Jean hest
tated for an instant before blotch OF
gloom that was deeper than the Others
he knew that they had come to an en-
trance
Rowland could feel the half breeds
hand clutch him nervously by the arm
as they went step by step into the
black and silent mystery Of the place
Soon there came fumbling of CrOis
sets hand at latch, and they passed
through a second door. Then Jea1
struck match.
Half a dozen steps away was table
and on the table lamp. CROSSE
lighted it and with quiet laugh faced
the engineer. They were in a low
dungeon-like chamber without a win
dow and with but the one doc
through which they had entered. Thu
. table. two chairs. stove and bunl
built against one of the log walls wer
all that Rowland could see. But /
was not the barrenness of what he i'm
agined was to be his new prison tina
held his eyes in staring inquiry OF
CroiSset. 1t was the look in his com
panion's face. the yellow pallor Of fea
"a horror-that had taken possession
of it. The half breed closed and bolte'
the door and then sat down beside tn
! table. his thin face peering up thrOug
| tho ci1.l,lu In mn crln,xr nt tho ON frin cor