The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-04-05

well wrapped up IN furS.
Two miles up the road Gordon stopped
his team sharply. He had turned a
bend in the trail and had come upon
an empty stage buried in the snow.
The fear that had been uppermost
in Elliot's mind for twenty-four hours
clutched at his throat. Was it trag-
edy upon which he had come after
his long journey?
Holt guessed the truth. "They got
stalled and cut loose the horses. Must
have tried to ride the eayuses to
shelter"
$40 Smiths Crossing?" asked Cor
don.
Expect So" Then, with a whoop.
the man on the sled contradicted him
self. mo, by Moses, to Dick Fiddler's
old cabin up the draw. That's where
saltwater would aim for till the biz
card was over" ,g
"Where is it?' demanded his friend.
"Swing over to the right and follow
the little gulch. I'll wait till you come
back"
Gordon dropped the gee-pole and
started on the instant. Eagerness
anxiety, dread, fought in his heart. He
knew that any moment now he might
/, stumble upon the evidence of the sad
story which is repeated in Alaska
many times every winter. 1t rang in
him like bell that where tough,
hardy miners succumbed frail girl
would have small chance.
He cut across over the hill toward
the draw, and at what he saw his pulse
quickened. Smoke was pouring out of
the chimney of a cabin and falling
| groundward, as it does in the Arctic
during very cold weather. Had Sheba
found safety there?
AS he pushed forward the rising sun
flooded the earth with pink and struck
a million sparkles of color from the
snow. The wonder Of it drew the eyes
of the young man for moment toward
the hills.
A tumult of JOY flooded his veins.
The girl who held in her soft hands
the happiness of his life stood looking
at him. 1t seemed to him that she
was the core of all that lovely tide of
radiance. He moved toward her and
looked down into the trench where she
waited Swiftly he kicked off his
snowshoes and leaped down beside her.
The CLEAN of tears was in her eyes
as she held out both hands to him.
During the long look they gave each
other something wonderful to both of
them was born into the world.
When he tried to speak his hoarse
voice broke. "Sheba-little Sheba
Safe, after all. Thank God, you
you" He swallowed the lump in his
throat and tried again. eff you knew
God, how I have suffered! I was
afraid dared not let myself think.
A live pulse beat in her white throat
The tears brimmed over. Then, some,
how, she was in his arms weeping. Her
eyes slowly turned to his, and he me,
the touch of her surrendered lips.
Nature had brought them together by
one of her resistless and unpremedi
tated impulses.
A stress of emotion had swept heI
into his arms. Now she drew away
from him shyly. The conventions in
which she had been brought up assert
ed themselves. An absurd little fear
obtruded itself into her happiness. Had
she rushed into his arms like love
sick girl, taking it for granted that he
cared for her?
"You-came to look for us?" she
.. asked, with the little shy stiffness Of
|. embarrassment.
"For you-yes."
He could not take his eyes from her
1t seemed to him that bird was sing
ing in his heart the gladness he could
not express. He had for many hour:
pushed from his mind pictures Of hel
lying white and rigid on the snow. In
stead she stood beside him, her deli
. cate beauty vivid as the flush of /,
fame.
did they telephone that we wer'
lost?"
"Yes. I was troubled when tn,
storm grew. / could not sleep. So
called up the roadhouse by long dis
lance. They had not heard from tn,
stage. Later I called again. When
"Not on foot?"
"No, with Hollis dog team. He L
back there. His leg is broken. 4
snow-slide crushed him this mornin,
where we camped."
Bring him to the cabin. will tel
the others you are coming"
"Have you had any food?' he asked
A tired smile lit up the shadows O
WEAKNESS under her soft, dark eyes
"Boiled oats, plum pudding and choco
lates," she told him.
"We have plenty Of food on the sled
I'll bring 1t at once"
She nodded. and turned to go to tn
cabin. He watched for moment tn
Tilt in her walk. An expression from
his reading jumped to his mind. Me
lodious feet! Some poet had said that
hadn't he? Surely 1t must have bee
Sheba of whom he was thinking, thi
girl so virginia. Of body and Of mind
free and light-footed as caribou o.
the hills. @G
. Gordon returned to the sled an
drove the team up the draw to tn
cabin. The three who had been ma
s rooned came to meet their rescuer.
e "You must "a come right throug
the storm lickitty split" Swiftwate
said. "a,
d "You're right we did. This side pari
ner of mine was bent on wrestling wit
a blizzard" Holt answered dryly.
"Sorry you broke your laig, Gid"
h "Then there's two of us sorry, Swift
l. water. It's one Of the best laigs Nv
got" +
]. Sheba turned to the old miner i'm