Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-06-08
NUMBER %

that Is near to death until once more
she aroused him.
Put your lips on mine" she said Il
VIII die co."
I'VE viii die together. sweetheart"
was bis answer.
"No." A feeble nutter Of her hand
checked him. and 20 thin was her voice
that scarcely did he hear It. yet did hs
hear all Of II. Her hand fumbled and
groped In the hood Of her parka, and
she drew forth a pouch that she placed
In his hand. "And now your lips. ny
lover. Your lips on my Lips and your
hand on my heart"
And in that long kiss darkness came
upon him again, and when again hs
was conscious he knew that he was to
die. he was YEARLY glad that hs was
to die.
he found his hand resting on the
pouch. With an inward smile at the
curiosity that made him pull the draw
string. he opened 1t. Out poured q
tiny food Of food. There was no par.
ticle Of it that he did not recognize. III
stolen by Labiskwee from Labiskwee-
bread fragments saved far back; strips
and strings of caribou meat, partly
gnawed; crumbles of suet; hind leg
of the snowshoe rabbit. untouched; q
hind leg and part Of fore leg Of the
white weasel; wing. dented stn by
her reluctant teeth. and leg Of the
snowbird-pitiful remnants. tragic re-
nunciations. crucifxions Of life. NOR
sells stolen from her terrible hunger by
her incredible love
With maniacal laughter Smoke dung
1t all out on the hardening snow crust
and went back into the blackness.
He dreamed The Yukon ran dry.
In its bed. among muddy pools Of wa
ter and ice secured rocks, he wandered.
picking up fat nugget gold. The
weight Of It grew to be burden to
him till he discovered that 1t was good
to eat. And greedily he ate. After
all, of what worth was gold that men
should prize It 80. save that 1t was
good to eat?
He awoke to another sun. Bis brain
was strangely clear. No longer did his
eyesight blur The familiar palpita.
ton that had vexed him through ell bis
frame was gone. The juices OF bis
body seemed to sing as II the spring
had entered It. Blessed well being had
come to him. He turned to awaken
Labiskwee and saw and remembered.
he looked for the food flung out on the
snow. 1t was gone. And he knew that
In dellrium and dream 1t had been the
Yukon nugget gold. In delirium and
dream he had taken heart of life from
the life sacrifice Of Labiskwee. who
had put her heart in his hand and
opened his eyes to woman and wonder.
He was surprised at the ease Of bis
movements. astounded that he was
able to drag her fur wrapped body to
the exposed thawed gravel bank. which
he undermined and caved upon her.
Three days, with no further food. be
fought west In the mid third day b.
fell beneath q lone spruce beside
wide stream that ran open and that
be knew must be the Klondlke. Ere
blackness conquered him he unlashed
his pack, said goodby to the bright
world and rolled himself In the robes
Chirping. sleepy noises awoke him.
The long twilight was on. Above him
omong the spruce bows were ptarmi'
gan. Hunger bit him into instant ac'
ton. though the action was Infinitely
slow. Five minutes passed before he
was able to get his rifle to his shoul-
der, and a second five minutes passed
ere he dared. lying on his back and
aiming straight upward. to pull the
trigger. It was a clean miss. No bird
fell, but no bird few. They rufled
and rustled stupidly and drowsily. his
shoulder paIned him. A second shot
was spoiled by the involuntary vince
he made as he pulled trigger.
The ptarmigan had not flown. Hs
doubled and redoubled the robe that
had covered him and bumped 1t In the
hollow between his right arm and his
side. Resting the butt Of the rife on
the fur, he fred again. and bird fell
he clutched 1t greedily and found that
f, he had shot most Of the meat from It
The large caliber bullet had left little