The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-04-24

while they hudd!ed ben.ath. When
one travels on. rations delay Is danger.
GUS. Each morning. dragging them.
selves out Into the .maelstror1. they
took sticks and poked into the drifts
for dogs Eapbs animal as found vas
exhumed.- sife1 aaislI aud becams
straiEhtway reburled IN the whlriins
white ithat secthedR down from tie
mountains. e
onslhe tifth. without warning. the
storm s,lit-d cand sthe- air stilled TO q
perfect silence.
.TheseSdos bad froze.r said Pierre
swearing earnestly as he harnessrd
II don like eet much. They going
play houi. I'm 'fraId," lie knelt aud
chewed FROM between their ices tile
Ice pellets that had accumulated. "A
maiamoot is hard pressed TO let his
feet mass. aud this added to the mems
uueasincss
AS they mounted the great divide
mountains rolled away on every hand.
barren. desoate. marble white. always
tue Wilderness. always the listening
silence thai oppressed lille a weight
Myriads Of creek valleys radiarcd I've
low In bewildcrius maze of twist.
Ing seams
Those are the ASS Ears, sup
pose" said Willard. gazing AT two
great fanGs thai bit deep into the sk.
line. lis ii true that no man has creI
reached tlien:'
Yes; the IliuIuu say that's were
hall the storm come from. birYuuse.
Wen the win blow trvo tlle. ass, cal.
look out: Somel9dy going sciyh ;sli :.
Dogs feet pwcar ,iuii,kly, afpI fgsezi
luz, foEcruslel SNOW cuts likcsa 9pifc.,
Spots of blQptl sboweti, ID lhrjF tracks.
growing more llenllfui III every pryn,
was a crimson. Stain; They llmpsI
pItifully on their raw dads. and yc;;;
casionully pu,. wliined Al every stop
they sank IN track. licking their iaccr.
a,ed paws. rising only. ut the cust
OF much whipping
% tue Second night, faint aud
starved. they reached tue hut. Dig.
! giug away the drifts. they crawlcd In
side TO tinJ 1t half full Of snow-snow
Which bud sIftcd through the crrrices
Pierre CROPPED among the shadows aud
swore excltedly.
whats up! said Willard.
Vocal effort Of the simplest is ex-
haustius when spent with hunger. aud
these were the irst words le had
spoken Tor hours.
by gar. she's sonc! Somebody
stole my grub!'
Willard felt terrible sinking. and
bis stomach cried for food.
How far is 1t to the Crooked River
soadhousc?"
"ouc long day drive-forty miie."
I'VE must make II tomorrow or go
hungry. Gu? Well. this isu't the first
dogilsh | ever ate, Both men
guawed a noldy dried salmon from
their precious store. ~ - 80
As Willard removed his footgcar be
groaued. -,
WAITS the mattnire"
II froze my foot two days ugo-
snowshoe strap TOO tight" He OK.
hibitcd u heel. from which. In remov.
Ing bis Inner sock, the flesh aud skin
had come away.
That's NIL right" grinncd Pierre.
You got the bees will lcf' yet. II
take the hcducate mau for stan the
col. you know"
Willard grittcd his teeth.
They awoke to the whine OF gray
windstorm that swept the curling snow
In swirling clouds aud made travel a
madness The next day was worse.
Two days OF hunger weigh heavy
when the cold weaEens. and they grew
Saunt and fell away In their features.
I'm glad we've got another feed for
the dogs" remarked Willard I'VE
can't let them run hungry, even II we
do"
81 tink she's be hall right tomor',"
vcnturcd Pierre. ''rhees amt snow-
JUS win: bimeby all blow bout. Sacre!
I'll can cat nun fore ole harmy.r
For days both men had ,lren cold,
aud the sensation Of complete warmth
had come 10 seen strauge aud unreal.
! while their faces cracked where The
spots had hcen. o., i 90
Willard felt himself on ihe'verse of
collapse. He recalled his words about
strong men. gazing the while at Pierre.
The Canadian cvinccd suffering only
In the haggard dronp OF eye aud
month: otherwise he looked strong aud
dogEed.
willard felt his own features had
shrunk 10 mask Of loose jnwcd suf.
ferln., and he set his mental siuews,
muttcring 10 himself.
He was dizzy aud faint as he strrtch.
ed himself In the still morning air
upon waking aud hohbicd painfuly.,
but rs his companion emerged from
the darkeued shelter Into the crystal
line brightness he forgot his own mis-.
cry at sight Of hin. The big inau reel.
cd rs though struck when the dazzle
from the hills reached him. aud he
mOancd. shielding his dght. Snow
blindness had found him In night.
Slowly tbey ploddetl out Of The val.