The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1915-02-04
rhe an.uer torsstaIled hls arrival


away from America
But Alan had more than once VIE
tied America incognito and unknown
IN Seneca Urine via a secret route Oh
his own selection.
Eight DAYS out Of London secohu-
class passenger newly landed rom
one OF the C..P. steamships, he walked
the streets OF Quebec-and oroppeu
out OF sight between dark and DAWN
to turn up presently in the distant
Canadian hamlet OF Bale St Pau, ap-
narently a very tenderfooted American
woods-traveler chaperoned by tacf
turn Indian guide picked up heaven
knows-where.
Crossing the st. Lawrence by night
the two struck of quietly into the
hinterland OF the Notre Dame range
| then crossed the Maine border
On the second noon Thereafter
trail-worn and weary, as lean as their
depleted packs, the two paused on
ridge-pole of the wilderness up back
of the Allagash country, and maue
their midday meal in a silence which.
! II normal In the Indian, was one Oh
deep misgivings on Alan's part.
Continually his gaze questioned the
northern skies that lowered porteh-
tously, foul with smoke-a country
wide confagration that threatened all
northern Maine, bone-dry Win
drought
Only the south offered fair pros
pect. And the fires were making
southwark far faster than man might
hope to travel through that grim ana
stubborn land.
Even as he stared, Alan saw fresh
columns OF dun-colored smoke spring
up in the northwest.
Anxiously he consulted the impas-
sIye 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
the meal, Alan stumbled of to whip
the little trail-side stream for trout.
Perhaps a hundred yards upstream,
the back-lash of 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 un-
dergrowth that masked the trail
found his fly, set the state Of Maine
free-and swinging on his heel
brought up, nose to a sapling, trans
fixed by a rectangle of white paste
! board fixed to it's trunk, trey OF
hearts, of which each pip had been
neatly punctured by 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 wal
not likely that the Indian had over
looked an object so conspicuous OF
the trail
So Alan waited for him to speak
and meantime determined to watcl
= Jacob more narrowly, though no othe
. suspicious circumstance had marke'
: the several days Of their association
a The first half OF the night was, a
n the day, devoted to relentless prog
ress southwark; thirty minutes O
steady jogging. FIVE minutes for rest
> and repeat.
No more question as to the need TO
T. such urgent haste; overhead the mort
= wind muttered without ceasing. Thi
= wells of smoke drifted through the fol
y est, hugging the ground, like som
n weird acrid mist; and ever the Gu
% tanned heavens glared, livid with r.
"a Elected fires.
N BY midnight Alan had come to tn
n bounds OF endurance; flesh, bone an
4 sinew could no longer stand the strail
n. Though Jacob declared that Spir
.. lake was now only six hours distan
"a as far as concerned Alan he migl
Id have said 500. His blanket once u
TO rolled, Alan dropped upon 1t like OF
| dPugged.
The sun was high when he ava
,d ened and sat up, rubbing heavy eye
m stretching aching limbs, wonderiI
-, what had come over the Indian to
an him sleep so late.
"A OF a sudden he was assailed by sic
a. eninE fears that needed only the hri'
=. est investigation to confirm. JAG,
90 had absconded with every vsluah
"a. item OF their equipment.
an Nor was his motive far to see
'r Overnight the FIRE had made Il
- mendous gains, And ever and an,
the wind would bring down the no
~ OF the holocaust. dulled by distan
he but not unlike the growing OF WI
dv animals feeding on their kill.
,ra Alan delayed long enough only
A. swAllow 4 few mOuthfuls OF raw foC
gulped water from a spring. and {
M out at a dog-trot or the trail to Spi
ad Lake.
For hours he Numbered bllndly {
holding TO the trail mainly by instin
or AT length, painting. gasping. he
n blinded. n staggered into little n
i'm ural clearing and plunged forwa