The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-03-28

another three weeks of trapping, and
there was no reason why Dumard
should forego those profits, always
the largest toward the end of winter,
before the animals shed their fur. He
himself was going south simply be-
cause he had made money enough and
could wait no longer.
Curious, he followed the tracks, and
toward noon he came up with Dumard
just where the beginnings of the tim
Der belt hang like a line along the
distant horizon.
The two men greeted each other
with the happiness that such a meet
ing always produces.
Going south, Alphonse?" INQUIRED
Emile. clapping the young fellow on
the shoulder.
The other was uncommunicative
He answered evasively. Yes, he was
tired of trapping. The bundle of furs
in his pack showed that he, too, had
made good catch. Emile questioned
him no more, and in the middle of
the afternoon they rested, and, SCOOP
ing hole in the snow, made some
tea.
Presently Alphonse lifted his eyes
to Emile's and said: Il am going
home to be married"
We'll! Why didst thou not tell me
before?" demanded the other. who
is she?"
Louise Revel," answered Alphonse.
He spoke innocently enough, and
had no idea of the death-stroke that
he had dealt the other. He contin-
ued:
Il know can trust to your discre-
ton, Emile. We have been in love
with each other for nearly a year, but
she is secretly engaged to somebody
else from another village. She will
not tell me his name, but it is planned
that | am to return early, in order
that we may be married and go away
before he returns in spring. She is
afraid Of him. He is an older man
than l."
Emile sat quite silent. At last he
said:
DO you think that is fair to the
other MANI"
Why, yes" responded Alphonse
easily. For two years he has want
ed her. She loved him for year, but
he continually put off the marriage.
Now she has turned to me-"
The sun was dipping low. At last
Emile got up. Let us go on" he said.
by nightfall we ought to reach the
Indian camp at Vallaincourt."
They rose and stepped on side by
side. Presently Alphonse stopped and
laid his hand on the others shoulders.
"Listen!" he said
Far across the waste there came the
bowling of wolf. Both listened.
Then:
1T is nothing. There are wolves
about" said Emile indifferently.
They were nearing the edge of the
timber belt when the bowling broke
out afresh. Many wolf voices took up
the cry. Now the lean forms of the
hunger-maddened beasts were to be
seen sinking among the struggling
spruce growth that formed the out
skirts of the timber.
Alphonse gripped the other by the
arm in panic 1T is three miles to
the camp!" he exclaimed.
In the light of the setting sun, which
cast long shadows across the snow,
they saw the pack bay them from
among the trees.
We must go on said Emile.
Three miles, before it grows dark"
Alphonse and he strobe on togeth-
er. The wolves shrank away into the
shadows, but their cries resounded all
about them. And among the trees it
was quite dark already.
Neither of the men had any weapon
except hunting knife. AS is custom
airy among the habitants, they had ex-
pended their store of cartridges early
in the winter, shooting their supply
OF caribou meat, and they had left
their rifles cached, rather than bear
the weight of them on the return
journey
The pack was getting closer. Sud-
denly a 1.-THE form leaped from the
shadows straight at Emile's throat |
But, swift as 1t came, Emile was
swifter. In moment he had buried
his knife deep in its throat.
Now from all sides the pack bayed
them, snarling, running forward, and
again retreating. Again wolf leaped,
and again Emile's knife flashed. That
was to save Alphonse.
But it would soon be dark, and then
the pack would pull them down. The
camD lay only little way beyond the
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