The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-04

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dragging the dog with him. Then
fastening his fingers in Babes
jaws, he pried them apart and
thrust her from him. But 1t was
too late; the dog had done her
work. With staggering lunge
the Swede hurtled dizzily for
ward into the fireplace, dead,
scattering the glowing brands
right and left.
Miss Mallabee lay senseless
where Big Dan had cast her when
the dogs body struck him. Babe
was barking and dashing at the
door that led into the second
room of the cabin. The dry, tin
der-like logs Of the cabin floor
were afire in half a dozen places
where the brands scattered by
the Swede's body had caught. In
a few moments the entire build
ing would be ablaze.
To Jensen 1t seemed an eternity
yet II could have been but a few
seconds before the door at which
Babe was furiously barking open
ed, and Peter Saint stuck out his
tousled head, inquiring sleepily:
Baby, be quiet! Why den you
don't let Sin Petair sleep, what,
eh?"
Jensen had just strength
enough left the shout.
The cabin is ablaze. Big Dan
fell into the fireplace and scat
tered the fire all over the floor;
its burning in a dozen places.
The Swede is dead; get Miss Nal
labee out, quick" Then he lost
Peter Saint laid one hand on
the dogs head as he cried:
SHOW Sin Petair de yound lady
queek, my Baby! Queek, queek,
Baby, de young lady, Niece Nal
labee!"
Babe led her master to where
the young woman lay upon the
floor. The flames had almost
reached her skirts.
Picking up her limp form in
his arms, Peter Saint carried her
outside, only to return quickly as
he cried to the dog:
Now, desc young man, Baby!
Show me where is desc young
man, my good Baby"
Blind as he was, the habitan
to accurately sense con-
ditions from the dogs cries and
actions, and to realize that it was
no use to attempt to save the
cabin; that little more than
human lives, and perhaps a few
necessities, could be rescued.
After Jensen had been dragged
outside, where the cool air quick
ly revived him, Peter Sain and his
dog returned to make what sal
wage they might of provisions,
blankets and clothing.
Cursing the fever and the
weakness that held him captive.
unable to help, Jensen lay mo-
tionless upon Peter Saints sledge.
the storm beating about his head
and the blazing cabin making the
scene appear like a dream of the
internal regions.
The funeral pyre of Big Dan,
the Swede, lacked nothing of
cruel splendor.
The biting cold soon brought a
little strength to Jensen's body.
He buried his swollen arm in the
snow and felt grateful for the
slight temporary ease it gave him
from the bitter pain. Then he
arose shakinly to a sitting posi-
ton and looked about for Miss
Mallabee. She was standing close
by. The keen outer air must
have brought quick recovery to
her as we'll as himself, he thought.
Something in the mans atti-
tude, perhaps the unmistable rec
ord of agonizing pain in his feat
ures, brought the true-hearted
woman in Kerry Mallabee to the
surface.
She knelt impulsively beside
him in the snow, lifting his swol-
len arm tenderly, as she cried in
grieved tones:
You are hurt, terribly. See
how your arm is swollen Why
didn't you tell me this before? 1t
must be blood poisoning from
Babes teeth"
Whether it was the pain re-
turning to his injured arm or an
excess of feeling at the young
woman's tender sympathy, he did
not know; but something made
Jensen crumple up backward
again. weak as a baby, as he heard
Miss Mallabee shout to Peter
Saint, who was now busying him
seft Strengthening out the duffle
he had been able to rescue from
the burning cabin:
Peter! Oh, Petxr! Bring me
your medicine case quickly. This
man is desperately i'll! He must
have quinine and strychnine inn
mediately." ~
Jensen lay supine ont Peter
Saints sledge. trying with all his
strength to fight back the night
mare of ideas that seemed closing
in on him. He knew 1t was de-
lirium, knew it meant the failure
of his mission If he allowed II to
get the best of him, for then
would come loose babblings and
talk that would be certain to re-
veal the true purport of his jour
ney into the North. Ina.