The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-05-02

To strike for Seattle was to throw
away all pretense of innocence. Fugi-
ttves from justice, they would have to
disappear from sight in order to es-
cape. The hunt for them would con-
tinue until at last they were unearthed.
One fork of the road led to compare
tive safety; the other went by devious
windings TO the penitentiary and per
haps the gallows. The Scotsman put
himself in the place of the men he was
trailing. Given the same conditions,
he knew which path he would follow.
Macdonald took the trail that led
down to the river. to the distant gold
creeks which offered a refuge from
man-hunters in many a deserted cabin
marOOned by the deep SHOWS.
Even the iron frame and steel
muscles of the Scotch-Canadian pro-
tested against the task he had set them
that day. 1t was time to sit snugly
inside by q stove and listen TO the
bowling of the wind as it hurled itself
down from the divide. But from day
light till dark Colby Macdonald fought
with drifts and breasted the storm. He
got into the harness with the dogs. He
broke trail for them. cheered them,
| soOthed, comforted, punished. Long
after night had fallen he staggered into
| the hut of two prOspectOrs, his parka
so stiff with frozen snow that it had
to be beaten with hammer before the
coat could be removed.
How long since u dog team passed
seven huskies and two menY was
his first question.
''NO dog team has passed for four
days" one of the men answered.
you mean you haven't seen one.
Macdonald corrected.
81 mean none has passed-unless it
went by in the night while we slept.
And even then our dogs would have
warned u.s.
Macdonald flung his ice-coated gloves
| to a table and stopped to take off his
mukluks. His face was blue with the
cold, but the bleak look in the eyes
came from within. He said nothing
more until he was free of his wet
clothes. Then he sat down heavily and
passed a hand over his frozen eye
brOws.
Get me something to eat and take
care of my dogs. There is food fol
them on the Sled" he said.
While he ate he told them of the
bank robbery and the murder. Theil
resentment against the men who haC
done it was quite genuine. There
could be no doubt they told the truth
when they said no sled had preceded
his They were honest, reliable pros
pectors. He knew them both well.
The weary man slept like a log. HI
opened his eyes next morning to dn(
one of his hosts shaking him.
'Six O'Clock. Mr.. Macdonald. You
breakfast is ready. Jim is looking on
for the huskies."
Half an hour later the Scotsman
gave the order, "Mushr % He was of
again, this time on the back trail a
far as the Narrows, from which poin
he meant to strike across to intersec
: the fork of the road leading to the di
: vide
> The storm had passed and when tn
late sun rose it was in blue sky. Fin
enough the day was overhead, but tn
SluShy snow, where it was worn thil
on the river by the sweep of the wind
made heavy travel for the dogs. Mac
donald was glad enough to reach tn
J, NarrowS, where he could turn from tn
: river and cut across to hit the trail o
the men he was following He ha
! about FIVE miles to go before he woul
reach the Smith Crossing road an
every foot of it he would have t
break trail for the dogs. This was slo1