Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-03-21

island In the swamp.
Elliot travelled next day by the COZ
pass. He had food for three dan
more, but he knew that no living ma
had the strength TO travel for so lor
In such II morass. II was near mt !
day when he lost his horse. The ~
NAL had begged down several tins
and Gordon had wasted much time Al
spent a good deal OF needed energy b
dragging IL To hrmcr footing. This liz,
the pony refused To answer the VII,
It's master unlondcd pack and sadt.
He tried coaxing he tried the whip
Come, Old-Timer. One plunge. al
you'll make II yet" he urged.
The pack-horse turned upon NJ
dumb eyes Of reproach. struggled
r It's limbs from the mud. and Nj
down helplessly. II had Travelled D
last ynrd on the long Alaska trails.
After the sound OF the shot had "a
away. Gordon struggled with the pa
To the nearest hummock. lie cut hoe
In n gunny-sack 10 ut his shoul6a
and packed into IL his blankets 0
saucepan. the beans. the coffee. ~
the diminished handful Of -four. Il
IL went, too. the three slices Of bsu
that were left.
He holsted the pack 10 his back a.
slipped his arms through the sll, ,
hnd made. Painfully he lnb0red q
ward over the q~uivering peat. Sea-
times he stumbled and went down lr
the oozing mud. minded 10 stay thc
hnd De done with the struggle. B.
the urge Of life drove him to his r.
again. 1t carried him for weary ne
nfter he despnired OF Ever coyer1
another hundred yards.
With old. half forgotten signals M
the football field he spurred his VI
Perhaps his mind was already beg
ming to wander. though through III
ne held steadily to the direction u
alone could save him.
when Mt last he went down 10 sttyl
was In an exhaustion so complete ~
not even his indomitnhle will COS
lash him to his feet ngnin. For
hou he lny In n stupor. never stiri
ever to fight the swnrm OF mosqulie
nat buzzed about him.
Toward evening he sat up and unt
the pack from his back. The match
IN a tin box wrapped carefully vi
oiiskin. were still perfectly dry. 50
ne hnd a fire going and coffee boIli
IN the frying-pnn. From the tin cupi
chrried strung on his belt he dni
the conee. II went through him D
strong liquor. He warmed some bef
una Tried himself a slice OF bsc
sopping up the grease with a cold
cult left over from the day before.
Again he slept for n few hours. :
i"n wound his watch mechanically
II showed him four O'Clock when }
look up the trail once more. In Seat
"nu san francisco people were $
hsieep and darkness was heavy o.
,he land Here It had been day To-
,ohg time, ever since the summer
ninnen Tor n while behind the low
tnnt hills, had come blnzing forth 80
a saddle between two peaks.
Gordon had reduced his pack by5
cnrdlng a blanket. the fryine.pan.
the clothing he n NOT weari
ms riie lay behind him in Tho sws-
nau cut to a minimum OF SAT-
,nane was carrying. ACCORDING toi
,"us'"en'. But before long his
Ne, was flung aside. He couldi
aliord to carry an extra pound. for
'" ne was running a race. the stb
OF which were life and death.
Afternoon found him still Singer
Forward. The swamps were now
una MIN. He had won through ats
~ ,ne nnrrowest margin possible. y
,,ounn was rising sharply toward
Across the range 500
vhere lay Kamntlah. But he was
y. win his food almost gone, a.
=, supply uncertain, reserve strenf
Nn"usted the chances of getting
ne uivide to safety were practic
lie had coma 90 ,ds