Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1913-02-21
Copyright. on.
hp the bobbs Merrill Co
ntinued from page 81

ne could make no sound, except gasp
ING Ike that which came from between
the gaping jaws Of the man whose life
his body aud soul were lighting TO
smother.
There was death In each OF the two
grips. but the mans was stronger, and
his neck was larger aud tougher, so
that after time he staggered TO his
knees and then to his feet. while Jan
lay upon his back. bis face and hair
red with blood, his eyes wide open and
With a lifeless glare In them. The mis-.
sioner looked down upon his victim in
horror. As the life that had nearly
cbhed out OF him poured back into his
body he staggered among the dogs,
fastened them TO the sledge and urged
them down the mountain into the plain.
There was soon no sound Of the sledge.
Half a mile down the ridge. where It
Sloped up gradually from the forests
and swamps OF the plain. team of
powerful malemutes were running at
tue head OF n toboggan. On the sledge
was u young half Cree woman. Now
beside the sledge. now at the head Of
the dogs, cracking his whip and shout.
ing joyously. run Jean de Gravois.
he was bringing back with him a
splendid young woman with big lus-
trous eyes and hair that shone with
thn ,,ine. 80 N ea,.an'a yrIpg In tho eun
she laughed at him proudly as he
danced aud leaped beside her, reply
ing softly In Cree. which ls the most
beautiful language In the world, tc
everything that he said.
Jean leaped and ran. cracked his
caribou whip and shouted and sang
until he was painting and red ln the
face. Just as Iowaka had called upon
MIN to stop and get second wind the
maIemutes dropped back upon their
launches where Jan Thoreau lay,
twisted and bleeding, In the snow.
What is this?" cried Jean.
He caught JAMS limp head and
shoulders up In his arms and called
shrilly to Iowaka. who was disentan.
Cling herself from the thick furs In
which he had wrapped her.
1T is the fiddler told you about
who lives with williams at Post Lac
Raln:" he shouted excitedly in Cree.
He has been murdered. He has
| been choked to death and torn to
pieces In the face as II by an animal"
Jeans eyes roved about as lowaka
kneeled beside him. What a fight"
he gasped. See the footprints-a big
man and small boy. and the muir
derer has gone on sledge"'
He Is warm" said Iowaka. at
may be that he Is not dead"
Jean de Gravois sprang to his feet.
his little black eyes flashing with a
dangerous fire. In a single leap he
was at the side Of the sledge throw
ing of the furs and bundles and all
other objects except his rife.
He is dead. Iowaka. Look at the
purple and black In his face. 1t is
Jean de Gravols who will catch the
murderer and you will stay here and
make yourself camp. Hio-o-o-o"'
ne shouted to the malemutes.
The team twisted sinuously and
swiftly IN the trail as he sped over the
edge Of the mountain. Upon the plain
below he knelt upon the toboggan, with
his rifle in front Of him. and at his low,
-. -.
kissing commands, which reached nc
farther than the dogs ears, the team
stretched their long bodies In pursuit
Of the missioner and his huskies.
Jean knew that whoever was ahead
of him was not far away. and he
laughed and hunched his shoulders
when he saw that his magnificent
malemutes were making three times
the speed Of the huskies. 1t was
short chase. 1t led across the narrow
plain and into dense tangle Of swamp
where the huskies had picked theiI
way in aimess wandering until they
came out In thick balsam and Bank
sian pine Half a mile farther on, ant
the trail broke into an open which
led down to the smooth surface OF
lake. and two-thlrds across the lak'
was the fleeing missioner.