New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-16
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR FEBRUARY TO- 1919

ITS old Ben Woodard, ana ne up near
the head of Wassemebi"
The doctor stopped with one arm half
way in the sleeve of his coat. Ben Wood
ard? I've heard of him. Wassemebi' Good
Lord, Man That's forty or fifty miles
| from here, isn't t?'
Canada Charley nodded his head and
something in his appearance made the doc
tor step closer. replace his glasses, and look
at him critically.
"You just got here, didn't you''
"YeS"
"How long have you been hiking through
this Storm
"Since early evenin' yesterday
| The doctor gave a long whistling note of
surprise. And you're ready to start back
and buck the storm for forty miles again
without any rest. for this friend of yours"
he asked, his tone expressing great admira-
| ton.
| Certainly"
well you'll attempt nothing OF the sort!'
snapped the doctor why, 1t would Kill
| voul We'd never get there. You've got to
have some rest. | like your nerve, and Just
because you've got it III go; but II be
hanged if I'd do it if the case was any differ
cnt. I'm not so husky as | have been. This
trip may get me; but I'll go just the same:
Now YOU 90 in the back room there, take OF
YOUR clothes, and lie down on my bed until
| / call YOU. Well move tomorrow.
"NoDel We 90 sooner'n that Charley
| asserted, and then took to pleading, and the
best the doctor could do was to get him to
promise 20 sleep four hours, and have a meal
before they started.
at must be somcthin mighty serious to
call Doc and that Teller out into the trail
such a evenin' as this, was the comment OF
the two or three men who saw them start
away in the dusk, with Canada Charley I'M
patiently in the lead and the doctors case
strapped to his back.
TT was dark almost before the first SIX
miles had been conquered. IhlS time
the night going was easier; for the doctor
| had provided one Of those Oldtlme bullseye
lanterns that we later used when we wanted
| TO "shine" moose or deer. The wind had
abated a little when they made their start;
but now. even there in the great forest, they
could hear its upper moan increasing, ana
an lev wave seemed TO sweep down through
the trees. in and out among the bare trunks,
| ike wolves gathering for the kill. The pain
Of light, tiny and struggling, showed occa-
sional whirls of snow flying like chill ghosts
| through the night across the trail Inc
drifts were soft in places, and their snow
shoes sank with wearying regularity, testing
nerve. endurance, and patience to the limit.
The wind was in their faces As they made
the turn on the divide and started down
ward II now seemed TO fill all gullicS, TO
invade all coveS, and TO rage IN every spot
where they had hoped for a lull. Charley
turned his back to it for an instant, utterly
exhausted by its persistent enmlty, to dis
cover that the little doctor had Jagged be
| hind many PAGES and was coming forward
with logged effort.
come on. Doc" he croaked encourag-
inplv. and his voice barely lifted above the
whining Of the forest and the storm. Come
| on. About a mile more, and there the
cache. Wen have some hot tea there.
But. although the doctor was gamely
STRUGGLING and attempted TO respond, his
snowshocs were barely clearing themselves
as he came on. Canada walked more slowly,
looking back every minute lest his compan-
ion su ,cumb to the desire for rest that IS
fatal when the mercury is frozen. At the
cabin the doctor lungcd in and threw HIM
| self on the old bunk. needless OF little drifts
OF snow that had filtered through Granny,
climbing. and crack, while Canada Charley
hastcned TO fill the little tin stove with
birch bark and start II into blaze. The
cabin responded with quick, generous heat,
/ and he melted snow and made the tea.