The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-09-02
The answer forestalled his arrival

But Alan had more than once WIS.,
tied America incognito and unknown
to Seneca Urine via a secret route OF
his own selection
Eight days out of London, a second
class passenger newly landed from
one of the C.-P. steamships, he walked
the streets Of Quebec-and dropped
cut of sight between dark and dawn,
to turn up presently in the distant
Canadian hamlet of Bale st. Paul, ap-
parently very tenderfCoted American
woods traveller chaperoned by a tacl-
turn Indian guide picked up heaven
knowsWhere.
Crossing the ST. Lawrence by night,
the two struck Off quietly into tho
hinterland Of the Notre Dame range,
then crossed the Maine border.
On the second noon thereafter,
trail-worl and weary, as lean as their
depleted packs, the two paused on a
ridge-pole of the wilderness up back
Of the Allasash country. and made
their midday meal in a silence which.
If normal in the Indian. was one OF
deep misgivngs on Alan's part.
Continually his gaze questioned the
northern skies that lowered porten-
tously, foul with smoke--a country
northern Maine, bone-dry with
drought
Only the south offered a fair pros
pect. And the fires were making
southwark far faster than man might
hope to travel through that grim and
stubborn land.
Even as he stared, Alan saw fresh
columns OF dun-cclored smoke spring
up in the northwest.
Anxiously he consulted the impas-
sive mask of the Indian, from whom
his questions gained Alan little COM
fort. Jacob recommended forced
marches to Spirit lake, where canoes
might be found to aid their flight;
and withdrew into sullen reserve.
They Travelled far and fast by dim
forest trails before shutdown, then
again paused for food and rest. And
as Jacob sat deity about preparing
tho meal, Alan stumbled Off to whip
tho little trail-side stream for trout.
Perhaps a hundred yards upstream,
the back-lash of 4 careless cast by his
weary hand hooked the state of Maine.
Too tired even to remember the ap-
propriate words. Alan scrambled
ashore. forced through the thick I'M
dergrowth that masked the trail,
found his fly. set the state of Maine
free-and swinging on his heel
brought up, nose to sapling, trans
fixed by rectangle of white paste
board fixed to its trunk. q trey Of
hearts, of which each pip had been
neatly punctured by a 22-caliber bull
let.
He carried 1t back to camp, mean
ing to consult the guide, but on sec
ond thought. held his tongue. 1t was
not likely that the Indian had over
looked an object so conspicuous on
the trail.
So Alan waited for him to speak
Jacob more narrowly, though no other
suspicious circumstance had marked
the several days Of their association.
The first half Of the night was. as
the day, devoted to relentless prcs-
ress Southwark thirty minutes of
steady jogging, five minutes fer rest,
ard repeat.
No more question as to the need for
such urgent haste; overhead the north
wind muttered without ceasirg. Thin
wells of smoke drifted through the for
est, husging the ground, like soae
weird acrid mist: and ever the cur
tanned heavens glared, livid With re-
uected fires.
BY midnight Alan had come to the
bounds of endurance; flesh, bone and
snew could no longer stand the strain.
Though Jacob declared that Spirit
lake was now only six hours distant,
rs far as concerned Alan he might
have said GOO His blanket once I'M
rolled, Alan dropped upon it like one
drucged.
The sun was high when he awak-
ened and sat up. rubbing heavy eyes.
stretching aching limbs, wondering
what had come over the Indian to let
him sleep so late.
OF sudden he was assaulted by sick
ening fears that needed only the brief.
est investigation to confirm. Jacob
had absconded with every valuable
item OF their equipment
Nor was his motive far to seek.
Overnight the fire had made ire
mendous gains. And ever and anon
the wind would bring down the roar
of the holocaust, dulled by distance
but not unlike the growing Of wild
animals feeding on their kill.
Alan delayed long enough only TO
swallow few mouthfuls of raw food.
gulped water frCm 4 spring, and set
out at /. dog-trot or the trail to Spirit
Lake.
For hours he Numbered blindly en-,
holding to the trail mainly by instinct.
At length, painting, gaspng, half
blinded, ho staggered into a little nat
ural clearing and plunged forward
headlong, so bewildered that he could
not have said whether he was tripped
or thrown: for even as he stumbled
heavy body landed on his back and
crushed him savagely to earth.
In less than minute he was over
come; his wrists hitched together, his