Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1913-02-21


more swiftly. his brain rstSIE- wfh the
madness OF his desire 10 reach the
sledge. to drag from II the man VINO
had struck him. to choke life from the
face that haunted that mental picture
Of his. grinning at him and gloating al
ways from the shadow world, just be
yond the pale, sweet loveliness OF the
woman who lived In It
He did not Neel the soft. sun packed
snow under the beat OF his feet lie
received the iash Of low hanging bush
es without experiencing the sensation
OF their sting. Only be knew that be
wanted aIr--more and more air-and
to get II he ran with open mouth.
struggling and gasping for II and get
not knowing that Jean dc Gravois
would have called him a tooi for the
manner IN which, he sought II
lie heard more and more faIntIy
the run of the sledge. Then be beard
II no longer. His heart swelled 10
final bursting effort, and be plunged
on until at last his legs crumpled
under him and he pitched face down
ward In the snow. like a thing stung
by sudden death.
II was then. with his scratched and
bleeding face, lying In the snow, that
reason began to return to him. After
a little while be dragged himself weak
ly TO his knees, still panting from the
mad effort he had made TO overtake
the sledge. From a great distance be
heard family the noise OF shouting, the
whispering echo of half hundred
voices, aud he knew that the sound
came from the revelers at the post
II was proof TO him that there had
been no interruption TO the carnival
and that the scene at the edge of the
forest had been witnessed by none. HG
turned again on the trail.
Where the forest broke into an open
lighted by the stars. he found blood
In the footprints of the leading dog
Halfway across the open be saw whert
the leader had swung out from thu
trail and the Others of the pack nae
crowded about him. to be urged OF
by the lashings of the mans whip
Other signs of the packs growing ex
haustion followed close.
The man now travelled beside tht
sledge where the trail was rongh anC
rode where II was smooth and hard
The deep imprints of his heeled boot
In the soft snow showed that he raj
for only short distance at time
a hundred yards or less and that aft
er each running spell he brought tn,
pack to a walk He was heavy ant
lacked endurance. and this discover.
brought low cry OF exultati0n t
JAMS lips
He fell into a dog trot. Mile afte
mile dropped behind him. Other mile
were ahead of him, an endless wilder
ness OF miles. and through them tn
pack persisted. keeping always beyon
sound and vision.
The stars began fading ont of tn
, skies. Jan followed more and NOR
slowly. There was hard breathing et
fort now In his running-effort ths
, caused him physical pain and discou
, fort. His feet stumbled occasionall
In the snow. His legs from thigh
, knee began to ache With the gnawin
|, torment that centers In the marrow
bone. and with this beginning Of tn
runners cramp" he was filled with
new and poignant terror,
Would the dogs beat him out? Slougl
Ing in his trail, bleeding at every fOu
would they still drag their burden h
: yond the reach of his vengeance? Tt
fear fastened itself upon him, nrgiu
: him to greater effort and he calle
upon the last of his strength in spu
that carried him to where the thiC
!, spruce gave place to thin bush and Il
: bush to the barren and rocky side of
!. huge ridge. up which the trail cllmht
: strong and well defined. For fe
= PAGES he followed 1t, then slipped at
' rolled back as the fatal paralysis dea
ened all power Of movement In b
limbs. He lay where he fell. moanil
out his grief with wide staring ey
turned straight up into the cold gri
Of the starless sky.
For a long time he was motionles
s. Then he began slowly to crawl mp Il
: trail. Some of the dull paralvtic acl
. was gone from his limbs, and as
" worked his blood began to warm the