Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-06-21

To abrupt attention. On the hillside
not ten yards from him. something
stuck ont of the snow like signpost.
Ii was the foot of man.
Slowly Macdonald moved toward it.
He knew well enough what he had
stumbled acroSS-one of the tragedies
thar in the North are likely to be found
in the wake of every widespread biz
Zard. Some unfortunate traveller, blind
ed by the white swirl, had wandered
from the trail and had staggered up a
draw to his death.
With n little digging the Alaskan
uncovered leg. The man had died
where he had fallen. face down. Mac
donald scooped away the snow and
found Il pack strapped to the back of
the buried man. He cut the thongs
and tried to ease it away. But the
gunnySaCk had frozen to the parka.
When he pulled. the rotten sacking
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 had
found. by some strange freak Of
chance. much more than he had ex-
n shovel. he dug the body free and
turned il over At sight of the face he
gave cry OF establishment.
Gordon oversight. His plan had been
to reach Kusiak Mt the end Of long
days travel. but that had meant get
ting on the trail with the first CLEAN Of
light. When he opened his eyes Mrs.
Olson was calling him to rise.
He dressed and stepped out into the
cold. crisp morning. From the hill
crotch the sun was already pouring
down great. fanlike shaft of light
across the snow vista. saltwater
Pete passed behind him on his way to
the stable and called a cheerful good
morning in his direction.
Mrs. Olson had put the stove outside
the tent and Gordon lifted II to the
spot where they did the cooking.
"Good morning, neighbour" he called
to Sheba. "Sleep well?"
The little rustling sounds within the
tent ceased. A face appeared in the
doorway, the flaps drawn discreetly
close beneath the chin.
"Never better. Is my breakfast
ready YETI"
Come and help me make 1t. Mrs.
Olson is waiting on Holt"
when I'm dressed" The smiling
face disappeared. dublin Bay" sound
ed in her fresh young voice from the
tent. Gordon Joined In the song as he
lit the fire and sliced bacon from q
frozen slab of it.
The bowling Of the huskies inter-
rupted the song. TheYhed evidently
heard something that sexcited them.
Gordon listened. Was 1t in his fancy
only that the breeze carried to him the
faint jingle of sleigh-bells? The sound.
If 1t was one. died away. The cook
turned to his job.
He stopped saving at the meat, knife
and bacon both suspended In the air.
On the hard snow there had come to
him the crunch Of a foot behind him.
Whose? Sheba was in the tent. Swift
water at the stable. Mrs. Olson In the
house. Slowly he turned his head.
What Elliot saw sent the starch
through his body. He did not move an
inch, still sat crouched by the fire, but
every nerve was at tension, every
muscle taut. For he was looking at a
rifle lying negligently In brown, steady
hands. They were very sure hands.
very competent ones. He knew that
because ne had seen them in action.
The owner Of the hands was Colby
Macdonald.
The Scotch Canadian stood at the
edge Of a willow grove. His face was
grim as the day Of judgment.
Don't move" he ordered.
Elliot laughed irritably. He was both
annoyed and disguised.
"What do you want" he snapped.
"You."
"What's worrying you now? Do you
think I'm jumping my bond?"
you're going back to Kusiak with
me-to give life for the one you
| took"
whats that?" cried Gordon, sur.
prised.
Just as I'm telling you. I've been
on your heels ever since you left town
You and Holt are going back with me
as my prisoners"
Put what for?"
For robbing the bank and killing
Robert Milton. rs you know well
enough"
"Ts this another plan arranged fol
me by you and Selfridge" demanded
/ Elliot
/ Macdonald ignored the question and
/ lifted his voice. Come out Of that
! tent. Holland come with your hands
/ up unless you want your head blown
on"
Holt isn't in that tent. you idiot. II
YOU want Ia know"
come now. IL you expect to come
alive" cut In the Scotsman ominOusly
He raised the rife To his shoulder and
, covered the shadow thrown by the sun
; ON the figure within.
Carbon flung ont a wild protest and
| threw IN" frozen slab Of bacon Mt the
head of Macdonald. With the same mo.
fion he launched his own body across
! the stove. A fifth Of a second earlier
The tent flap had opened and Sheba
/ had come out.