Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-05-11

Turn 9tlltu dEdli.
Then Lablskwee cried out, and
Smoke felt n pricking stab on his cheek
so cold that II burned like acid.
And then shot rang out. strangely
muffled. Down the slope were the
young men. standing on their skis,
and one after another they opened
fire.
Spread out!' Smoke commanded.
And climb for IT, We're almost TO
the top. They're quarter Of a mile
below, and that means a couple OF
miles the start OF them on the down
going on the other side"
Thank the Lord" Smoke painted to
Labiskwee, ''all these suns spoil their
aim"
1T shows my fathers temper" she
said. They have orders to kill"
How strange you talk Smoke said
your voice sounds far away"
"Cover your mouth Labiskwee
cried suddenly. And don't talk. /
know what IL Is. Cover your mouth
with your sleeve. thus. and do not
talk"
From the crest, looking back, they
saw the young men stumbling and fall
ing on the upward climb.
They will never get here" Labisk
wee said. 1T IL the white death. |
know 1t, though ! have never seen it.
l have heard the old men talk. Soon
will come a mist unlike any mist or
fog or frost smoke you ever saw. Few
have seen Il and>liYed"
McCan gasped and strangled.
Skeep your mouth covered" Smoke
commanded McCan had sunk down
squattlng, on his skis his mouth and
eyes covered by his arms.
Come on, make a start" Smoke or
dered
Il can't move" McCan moaned.
let him be- Labiskwee muttered
harshly.
But Smoke persisted, dragging the
man TO his feet and facing him down
the long slope they must go. Then he
started him with a shove, and McCan,
brakng and steering with his stafi.
shot into the sheen Of diamond dust
and disappeared.
Smoke looked at IAbiskwee, who
smiled. though il was ali she could do
TO keep from sinking down. He nodded
for her to push off, but she came near
TO him. and side by side, dozen feet
apart, they flew down through the
singing thickness Of cold fire.
Brake as he would, Smokes heavier
body carried him past her, and he
dashed on alone. a long way, at ire
mendous speed, that did not slacken
| till he came 1ut on a level, crusted
| plateau Here he braked till Labisk-
wee overlook him. and they went on,
again side by side, with diminishing
/ speed, which finally ceased The leth-
argy had grown more pronounced. The
widest effort OF will could move them
no more than at a snail's pace. They
passed McCan, again crouch"d down
on his skis, and Smoke reused MIN with
his STAFF in passing.
Now we must stop" Labiskwee
whispered painfully. 'or we will die.
/ We must cover up-so the old men
said"
She did not delay 10 unite knots, but
began cutting her pack lashings.
! Smoke cut his, and. with a last look
at the fiery death mist and the mock
cry OF suns. they covered themselves
over with the sleeping furs and crouch
ed In each others arms. They felt a
body stumble over them and fall, then
heard feeble whimpering drowned In a
violent coughing fit and knew II was
McCan who huddled against them az
he wrapped his robe about him.
Their own lung stranging began, and
they were racked and torn by a dry
! cough spasmodic and uncomfortable
/ Smoke noted his temperature rising in
a fever. and Labiskwce suffered simi-
larly. Hour after hour the coughing
! spells increased in frequency and VIC
lence. and not till late afternoon was
the worst reached After that the
mend came slowly, and between spells
/ they dozed i'm exhaustion.
! Smoke awoke with lips touching his
/ lips. He lay partly in Labiskwee' 5
arms his head pillowed on her breast.
/ Her voice was cheerful and usual. The
mufiled sound Of II had vanished.
1T Is day" she said. lifting the edge
I Of the robes triie See. oh. my
I lover, ii is day. We have lived through,
I and we no longer cough. Let US look
at the world. though ! could stay here
/ thus forever and always"
II do not hear McCan." Smoke said.
"And what has become of the young
men that they have not found u.s.
He threw back the robes and saw a
normal and solitary sun in the sky. A
gentle breeze was blowing. crisp with
frost and limiting Of warmer days to
come. All the world was natural
| again McCan lay ON his back, his un-
washed face, swarthy from camp
smoke. frozen hard as marble The
sight did not affect I.abiskwee.
Look" she cried. a snowbird. 1t
Is a good sign"
There was no evidence OF the young
men. Either they had died ON the 9th
er side oil the divide OF had turned
back
There was so little food that they
dared not eat 1.-THE of what they
needed, and in the days that followed,
wandering through the lone mountain
land, the sharp sting of life grew blunt
ed, and the wandering merged half
into dream. Smoke would become
abruptly conscious TO find himself star
Ing at the never ending hated snow
peaks, his senseless babble still ringing
i'm his aarS AuI tho n.rf no xrnuII