The Bossier banner., 1916-01-06


tion hay behind ~ = ~
Inc storm had passed. and it had
turned clear and cold. The creek he
was on was natural in appearance and
srended. as it should. toward the south
west. Half Il days journey down the
creek brought him to the valley of a
larger stream, which he decided was
the McQusstion Here hefg shot
moose. and once again eachswofdog
carried full fifty pound pacs of meat.
As be turned down the MsQuestion
he came upon u sled trail 1.-THE late
SHOWS had drifted over, bus unde--
meath it was well packed 81 trayei.
His conclusion was that two camps
had been established on the sMcQues-
ton and that this was the connecting
trail. Evidently Two Cabins had been
found. and it was the lower camp. 60
he headed down the stream
It was 20 below zero when be camp
ed that night. and he fell asfsep won
dering who were the men who had re-
discovered the Two Cabins and if he
would fetch it next day. Atsthe first
hint of dawn he was under WY, easily
following the half obiterated trails
And then it came. the unexpected.
teaping out upon him on bend Of the
river. It seemed to him that be heard
and felt simultaneously. TAeherack Of
the rifle came from the right. and the
bullet. tearing through and across the
shoulders of his drill parka and wool.
Ell coat. pivoted him half ar6hhd with
the shock of it's impact. He Staggered
| on his twisted snowshoes to recover
balance and heard second crack OF
the rife This time it was a clean
miss He did not wait for more. but
plunged across the snow forsthe shell
tering trees of the bank n huusIred, feet
| away IL:
He climbed the bank, the dogs foun-
derng behind. and lodged tn among
the trees and brush. Slipping out Of
| his snowshoes. he wallewed forward
at full length and peered cautiously
| out. Nothing was to be seem. Whoev-
| er had shot at him was lying quiet
among the trees of the opposite bank
IF something doesn't happen pretty
soon.' he muttered at the ehd of half
an hour. 'Ill have to sneak Away and
build.a fire or freeze my feet'
He crawled back few yards, pack
| ed down the snow. danced e Jig that
sent the blood back into hisS feet and
managed to endure another half hour.
Then from down the river he heard
the nnmistakahle jingle of dog bells.
Peering out. he saw sled round the
bend. Only. one man was in it, strain
ing at the gee pole and urging the
I dogs along
The effect qn--SpaekSz4s uaR0szof
h;Id Seen since he parted from Shorty
three weeks before. His next thought
was of the potential murderer conceal
ed, on the opposite bank.
Without exposing himself Smoke
whistled warningly. The man did not
hear and came on rapidly. Again and
more sharply Smoke whistled. The
man whoaed his dogs. stopped and had
turned and faced Smoke when the rifle
cracked The instant afterward Smoke
fred into the woods in the direction OF
) the sound
The man on the river had been
struck by the first shot The shock
of the high velocity bullet staggered
him He stumbled awkwardly to the
sled. half falling, and pulled rife out
from under the iashings. As he strove
to raise it to his shoulder he crumpled
at the waist and sank down slowly tc
sitting posture on the sled. Then
abruptly, as the gun went off aimless
. ly, he pitched backward and across the
corner of the sled load. so that Smoke
could see only his legs and stomach.
From below came more jingline
. bells. The man did not move. Around
the bend swung three seds. accompa
, MED by half dozen men. Smoke
cried warningly, but they had seen the
{ condition Of the first sled. and they
t dashed on to it
! No shots came from the other bank
and Smoke. calling his dogs to follow
. emerged into the open. There were
r exclamations from the men. and two
of them. finging off the mittens oi
their right hands, leveled their rifles
I at him.
"Come on, you red handed murderer
you." one of them, a black bearded
r man. commanded. AN jest pitch thai
gun Of yourn in the snow"
: Smoke hesitated. then dropped bis
] rifle and came up to them.
I go through him, Louis, an take his
d weapons" the black bearded man or
dered
a Louis was a French Canadian voy
T. ageur. Smoke decided, as were four %
u the others. His search revealed only
= Smokes hunting knife. which was ap
propriated. ,.....-.-.
Il "Now. what have you got to say Fl
Yourself. stranger, before | shoot yq
t dead?" the black bearded man df
manded !
.'rhat you're making mistake
you think killed that man." Smoh
answered.
A cry came from one of the Fol
ageurs He had luestn along tn
trail and found Smokes tracks Whei
he had left ii to take refuge on II
. bank The man explained the, natlli
# of his tinl ~a
k "What'd you kin Joe kinade FORT
he of the black beard asked.
! u tell yon | didn't" Smoke began,
a "Aw, what's the good of talkin: w
II got you red handed. Right mp therel
X where you left the trail when w