Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-04-13

no otumpieo upon sHTee SEeS0s'
snow had concealed his course from
him, and he knew not In what drec-
ton lay behind.
The storm had passed, and 1t had
turned clear and cold. The creek be
was on was natural in appearance and
trended, rs it should, toward the south
west. Half days journey down the
creek brought him to the valley OF a
larger stream, which he decided was
the McQuestlon. Here he shot a
moose, and once again each wolfdog
carried full fifty pound pack of meat.
As he turned down the McQuestlon
he came upon a sled trail. The late
SHOWS had drifted over, but under
meath 1t was well packed by travel.
His conclusion was that two camps
had been established on the McQues-
ton and that this was the connecting
trail. Evidently Two Cabins had been
found, and 1t was the lower camp. 30
he headed down the stream.
It was 40 below zero when he camp
ed that night, and he fell asleep won
dering who were the men who had re-
discovered the Two Cabins and II he
would fetch It next day. At the first
hint Of dawn he was under way. easily
following the half Obllterated trail.
And then It came, the unexpected,
leaping out upon him on bend Of the
liver. 1t seemed to him that he heard
and felt simultaneously. The crack OF
the rifle came from the right. and the
bullet, tearing through and across the
shoulders of his drill parka and wool
en- coat, pivoted him half around with
the shock Of its impact. He staggered
on his twisted snowshoes to recover
balance and heard n second crack or
the rife. This time It was clean
miss. He did not wait for more. but
plunged across the snow for the shell
tering trees of the bank a hundred feet
away.
He climbed the bank, the dogs foun-
dering behind, and lodged In among
the trees and brush Slipping out OF
his snowshoes. he wallowed forward
at full length and peered cautiously
out Nothing was to be seen. Whoev'
er had shot Mt him was lying quiet
among the trees Of the opposite bank
"If something doesn't happen pretty
soon," he muttered at the end OF hall
an hour, "I'll have to sneak away and
build fire or freeze my feet"
He crawled back few yards, pack
ed down the snow. danced Jig tha'
sent the blood back into his feet anf
managed to endure another half hour
Then from down the river he hearc
the unmistakable Jingle OF dog bells
Peering out, he saw sled round the
bend. Only one man was In 1t. strain
ing at the gee pole and urging the
dogs along.
The effect on Smoke was one o'
shock, for it was the first human he
had seen since he parted from Short!
three weeks before. His next though
was of the potential murderer conceal
ed on the opposite bank.
without exposing himself Smoke
whistled warningly. The man did no
hear and came on rapidly. Again anf
more sharply Smoke whistled. Ih'
man whoaed his dogs. stopped ana nae
turned and faced Smoke when the rifi'
cracked. The instant afterward Smoke
fred into the woods In the direction o.
the sound.
The man on the river had peei
struck by the first shot. The shoci
OF the high velocity bullet staggered
him. He stumbled awkwardly to tn
sled. half falling. and pulled rifle OIL
from under the lashings. AS he strov'
TO raise It to his shoulder he crumplet
at the waist and sank down slowly q
a sitting posture on the sled. Thel
abruptly, as the gun went on aimless
". he pitched backward and across tn
, corner OF Tue sieu ioau' ~ eh"'
could see only his legs and stomach.
From below came more jinglini
bells. The man did not move. Aroun'
/ the bend swung three sleds. accompa
MED by half dozen men. Smok
cried warningly, but they had seen tn
condition of the frst sled, and the.
f, dashed on to 1t.
No shots came from the other bans
and Smoke. calling his dogs to follow
emerged into the open. There wer
exclamations from the men. and tw
Of them, finging of the mittens Q
their right hands. leveled their rifle
at him.
"Come on, you red handed murdere'
you" one Of them, black bearde
man, commanded. "An' jest pitch tha
gun Of yourn in the snow"
Smoke hesitated. then dropped h
rife and came up to them.
"Go through him, Louis. an take b
weapons" the black bearded man o
! dered