Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-01-13

he noticed that for time she ana neI
father talked m tow tones
II know en- now shorty toin
Smoke Hes old Louis Gas'eli. an
the real goods That must be his MD
lie come into this country SO long NJ"
they amt nobody can recollcct. an ne
brought the Girl with him. she oniy y
baby"
II don't think wen try 20 pass them.
Smoke said Were at the head of
the stampede. aud there are only -four
| Of us
Another hour OF silence followed
1 during which they swung steadily
along AT O'Clock the blackness was
broken by last display of the aurora
borealis. which showed 10 the west
broad opening between snow clad
mountains
''Sauaw creek" Joy exclaimed.
"Goin some" shorty exuited
II was az this point that the Dyen
trail. bafiled by ice Jams. swerved ab
ruptly across the Yukon 10 the east
bank And here they must leave the
hard packed main Travelled trail mount
the Jams and follow a dim trail hui
slightly packed that lowered the west
bank
Louis Gasten leading. slipped In the
darkness on the rongh ice and sat nn
holding his ankle IN both his hands
He struggled 10 his feet and went on
but al slower pace ana with a per
ceptible limp After few minutes NJ
abruptly halted
ITS no use nc said to his daugn
ter I've spraincd tendon You 20
ahead and stake for me as well a.
Yourself"
cant we do something?' smok'
asked
Louis Gasten shook his head Ssh
can stake TWO claims as well as one
III crawl over 10 the bank. start fir.
and bandage my ankle. I'll be al
right. Go on. JOY Stake ours above
the Discovery claim It's richer high
er up.
Here's some birch bark" Smoke
said. dividing his supply equally
Wen take care of your daughter"
Louis tiastel laughed harshly
Thank YOU Just the same" he said
but she can take care OF herself Fol
low her and watch her
DO you mind II lead?" she asked
Smoke as she headed on. Il know
this country better than you
Lead on" Smoke answered gallant
~. though agree with you it's a darn
SHINE all us chckakos are going to
beat that Sea Lion bunch to it. Isn't
there some way TO shake themT
She shook her head we can't hide
our trail and they'll follow IL Ike
sheep
After "A quarter OF a mile she turned
sharply 10 the west Smoke noticed
that they were going through unpack
ed snow. but neither he nor Shorty Oh
served that the dim trail they had
been on stil led south Had they wit.
messed the subsequent procedure OF
Louis Gastel the history Of the Klon
dixie would have been written differ
entity. for they would have seen that
old timer. no longer limping. running
with his nose 10 the trail like hound.
following them. also they would have
seen him trample and widen the turn
to the fresh trail they had made TO the
west and finally they would have seen
him keep on the old dim trail that still
ted south
trail did run up the creek. but SO
slight was il that they continually lost
II In rhe darkness After a quarter OF
an hour Joy Gastell was willing TO drop
TO the rear and let the TWO men take
turns IN breaking a way through the
snow This slOwness Of the leaders en-
abled the whole stampede TO catch up.
and when daylight came at o O'Clock
as far hack as they could see was an
unbroken line of men Joys dark eyes
sparkled at the sight
How long since we started up the
creek she asked.
Fully two hours. Smoke answered
And two hours back make four.
she laughed. The stampede from Sea
Lion is saved
A faint suspicion crossed Smokes
nlnd II don't understand" be said
You don'tf Then III tell you This
Is Norway creek Squaw creek is the
1ext to the south