Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-12-10

ll1Cl uS SidSSOI0u 10 HIS 10NL ana went
out into the gloom.
This may be only a lull in the
storm" he said. I'VE must lose no
time. How long did you travel before
you made this Campo"
about ten hours" said Dixon. 81
made due west by compass until 1
knew that had passed Lac Balm and
then struck north"
"Ah, you have the compass! cried
Jan, his eyes lighting up. "M'seur
Dixon, we are very near to the post if
you camped SO soon! Tell me which is
north
THAT is north"
Then we go south-south and east
If you travelled ten hours, first west
and then north, we are northwest of
Lac Balm"
Jan spoke no more but got his rifle
from the shelter and put only the tea
and two pals in his pack, leaving the
remaining blanket upon the snow The
Englishman followed close behind him,
bending weakly under the weight of
his gun.
Tediously they struggled to the top
of the ridge, and as Jan stopped to
look through the gray day about him
Dixon sank down into the snow When
the other turned toward him he grinned
up feebly into his face.
"Bushed," he gasped. Don't be-
lieve l can make it through this snow,
Thoreau.'
There was no fear in his eyes, there
was even cheerful ring in his voice.
A sudden glow leaped into JAMS face.
81 know this RIDGE" he exclaimed.
cit runs within a mile of Lac Balm.
You'd better LEAVE your rife behind
Dixon made an effort to rise, and
Jan helped him. They went on slow
ly, resting every few hundred yards,
and each time that he rose from these
periods Of rest Dixon's face was twist
ed with pain.
Its the -four and water anchored
amidships.'' he smiled grimly. Cramps
ugh! | wish you'd go on alone" he
urged "You could send help
81 promised Melissa that l would
bring you back if | found you,'' re-
piled Jan. his face turned away. eff
the storm broke again you would be
lost"
Tell me-tell me- he heard Dixon
pant eagerly. Ibid she send you to
hunt for ne. Thoreau?"
Something in the Englishman's voice
drew his eyes to him. There was an
excited flush in his starved cheeks;
his eyes Sh0ne.
did she send your"
Jan struggled hard to speak calmly.
"Not in words, M'seur Dixon. But
know that if l get you safely back
to Lac Balm she will be very happy"
Something came in Dixon's sobbing
breath which Jan did not hear. A
little later he stopped and built fire
over which he melted more snow and
boiled tea The drink stimulated them
and they went on. A little later still
and Jan hung his rifle in the crotch
of a sapling.
1--WE will return for the guns in a
day or So" he said
Dixon leaned upon him more heavily
now, and the distances they travelled
between resting periods became short
er and shorter. Three times they
stopped to build fires and cook tea. 1t
was night when they descended from
the ridge to the snow covered ice Of
Lac Balm. 1t was past midnight when
Jan dragged Dixon from the spruce
forest into the opening at the post.
There were no lights burning. and he
hoJ hI11sH
to the company's store. He awakened
Croisset, who let them in.
"Take care Of Dixon" said Jan, land
don't arouse any of the people tonight.
1t will be time enough to tell what
has happened in the morning"
Over the stove in his own room he
cooked meat and coffee, and for long
time sat silent before the fire. He had
brought back Dixon. In the morning
Melissa would know. First she would
go to the Englishman, then-then-
she would come to him.
He rose and went to the rude board
table in the corner Of his room.
'NO, Melissa must not come to me in
the morning." he whispered to himself.
"She must never again look upon Jan
Thoreau."
He took pencil and paper and wrote.
Page after page he crumpled in his
hand and flung into the fire. At last,
swiftly and despairingly, he ended with
half a dozen lines. What he said came
from his heart in French:
I have brought him back to you, my
Melissa, and pray that the good God may
give you happiness. 1 leave you the old
! violin, and always when you play it will
tell you Of the love of Jan Thoreau.
He folded the page and sealed it in
one Of the company's envelopes. Very
quietly he went from his room down
into the deserted store. Without strik-
! ing a light, he found a new pack, few
articles of food and ammunition. The
envelope addressed to Melissa he left
where Croisset or the factor would
find it in the morning. His dogs were
housed in shack behind the store, and