The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-10-03

80 Nh'Not "a hou
breakfast is ready. Jim Is looking out
for the huskles."
Half an hour later the Scotsman
gave the order, "Mush !" lie was OF
again, this time on the back trail rs
far rs the Nnrrows, from which point
he meant to strike across to lntersect
the fork Of the road leading to the d.
vide.
The storm had passed and when the
late sun rose It was In n blue sky. Fine
enough the day was overhead, but the
slushy snow. where II was worn thin
on the river by the sweep Of the wind,
made heavy travel for the dogs. Mac
donald was glad enough to reach the
Nnrrows. where he could turn from the
river and cut across To hit the trail OF
the men he was following. He had
nbout five miles TO go before he would
reach the Smith Crossing road and
every foot Of II he would have to
break trail for the dogs. This was slow
business, since he had no partner ut
the gcc-polc. Bnck md forth. hnck
md forth heltrudrcd. heating down the
loose snow for the II was q
hill trail. and the drifts were in most
places not very deep. But the Scots.
man wns doing the work Of two, and
nj n killing pace.
Over n ridge the team plunged down
into n little park where the snow was
deeper. Macdonald, breaking trail
across the mountain valley, found his
feet weighted with packed Ice slush so
that he could hardly move them. When
at last he had beaten down n path for
his dogs he stood breathing deep ut the
summit Of the slope. Before them lay
the main rond to Smiths Crossing
scarce fifty yards away. He gave a
deep whoop OF triumph, for along I,
ran the waverlng tracks left by a sled,
He was on the heels of his enemy a,
last.
As he turned back to his Siberian
hounds, the eyes Of Macdonald came
to abrupt attention. On the hillside
not ten yards from him, something
stuck out OF the o like n slgnpost
II was the foot of n man.
Slowly Macdonald moved toward II
Tie knew well enough what he had
stumbled ncroSs-one of the tragedies
that In the North are likely to he found
In the wake OF every widespread bliz
card. Some unfortunate traveller, blind
, ed by the white swirl. had wandered
: from the trail and had staggered up {
draw to his death.
) With n little digging the Alaskan
> uncovered n leg. The man had dlet
!, where he had fallen, face down. Mac
: donald scooped away the snow nnt
: found n pack strapped to the back o,
the buried man. He cut the thongs
: and tried to ense II AWAY. But the
= gunnysack had frozen to the parka
When he pulled. the rotten snckini
gave way under the strain. The con
!, tents OF the pack spilled out.
The eyes in the grim face Of Mac
. donald grew hard and steely. He hat
found. by some strange freak OF
, chance, much more than he had ex
pcctcd to find. Using his snowshoe ~
, n shovel. he dug the body free ant
, turned II over. AT sight of the face h,
!, gave a cry Of establishment.
a
Gordon oversight. His plan had beer
to reach Kusiak ut the end of n lon!
days travel. but hat had meant get
ting on the trail with the first CLEAN %
light. When he opened his eyes Mrs
Olson was calling him to rise.
lie dressed and stepped out into tn
cold, crisp morning. From the nil
crotch the sun was alrendy pouring
down a great, fanlike shaft of llgh
across the sno vista. Swlftwate
Pete passed behind him on his way Il
the stable and called n cheerful goot
morning In his direction.
Mrs. Olson had put the stove OUTSIDE
the tent and Gordon lifted II to tn
spot where they did the cooking.
Good morning, %ncighbor," he calle,
to Shebn. "Sleep wellf"
The little rustling sounds within tn
tent ceased. A face appeared In tn
doorway, the flaps drawn discreet.
close beneath the chin.
"Ncver better. Is my breakfas
ready yetT'
"Come and help me make It. Mrs
Olson Is waiting on Holt"
"When I'm dressed The smilinl
face disappeared. dublin Bay" sound
ed In her fresh young voice from tn,
tent. Gordon Joined In the song us h,
lit the fire and sliced bacon from
frozen slab Of II.
The bowling Of the huskies inter
rupted the song. They had evidentl.
heard something that excited them
Gordon listened. Was II In his fame.
only that the breeze carried to him tn
faint jingle Of sleigh-bells2 The sound
I II II was one. died away. The cool
turned 10 his job.
= He stopped saving ut the meat. knit,
and bacon both suspended In the air
On the hard snow there had come 4
r him the crunch Of n foot behind him
Whose1 Sheba was In the tent. Swift
Q water at the stable, Mrs. Olson In tn,
r house. Slowly he turned his head.
What Elliot saw sent the stare
Q through his body. lie did not move a
inch. still sat crouched by the fire. bu
a every nerve was Mt tension. ever
muscle taut. For he was looking ut
rife lying n~egligently In brown. stead
hands. They were very sure hand,