The Bossier banner., 1918-04-18
Slowly Macdonald Moved Toward It.

Slowly Macdonald Moved Toward 1t.
that 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 little digging the Alaskan
uncovered a leg. The man had died
where he had fallen, face down. Mac
donald scOoped away the snow and
foand 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-
pected to find. Using his snOwshoe as
a shovel, he dug the body free and
turned it over. At sight of the face he
gave cry of astonishment.
Gordon oversight. His plan had been
to reach Kusiak at the end of long
days travel, but that had meant get
ting on the trail with the first g!eam 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 cheerful good
| morning in his direction.
Mrs. Olson had put the stove outside
the tent and Gordon lifted it to the
spot where they did the cooking.
"Good morning. neighbor," he called
to Sheba. "Sleep well?'
The little rustling sounds within the
tent censed. A face appeared in the
doorway, the flaps drawn discreetly
close beneath the chin.
"Never better. Is my breakfast
ready yet?'
"Come and help me make it. 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 a
frozen slab of it.
The bowling Of the huskies inter.
rupted the song. They had evidently
heard something that excited them
Gordon listened. Was it in his fancy
only that the breeze carried to him the
faint jingle of s'eigh-bells? The sound
if it was one, died away. The coOA
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 tt
him the crunch of foot behind him
Whose? Sheba was in the tent, Swift
water at the stable, Mrs. Olson in thu
house. Slowly he turned his head.
What Elliot saw sent the starcl
through his body. He did not move al
inch, still sat crouched by the fire, bu
every nerve was at tension, every
muscle taut. For he was looking at {
rifle lying negligently in brown, stead!
hands. They were very sure hands
very competent ones. He knew tina
because he had seen them in action
The owner of the hands was Cobb!
Macdonald.
The Scotch-C Canadian stood at tn,
edge of willow grove. His face wa!
grim as the day of judgment.
''Don't move" he ordered.
Elliot laughed irritably. He was botl
annoyed and disgusted.
"What do you want?" he snapped.
"You."
"What's worrying you now? Do 70,
think I'm jumping my bond?"
you're going back to Kusiak witt
me-to give a life for the one yo'
took"
whats that?" cried Gordon, sur
prised.
"Just as I'm telling you. I've bee
on your heels ever since you left town
You and Holt are going back with m
as my prisoners"
"But what forY'
"For robbing the bank and KILN
Robert Milton, as you know wei