The diamond drill., 1919-06-07

clustered together upon the ground.
were the bodies Of our dogs. All were
dead.
Jacqueline sank down upon the
ground and sobbed as though her heart
would break. I stood there watching,
my brain paralyzed by the shock OF
the discovery.
Then ! went back 10 the sleigh, on
the rear Of which the frozen fish was
piled. I noticed that II had faint,
slightly aromatic odor. / flung the
hard masses aside and scooped up
powdery substance with my hands.
Mycology had been a hobby OF
mine and II was easy TO recognise
what that substance was.
II was the emanita, the deadliest
and most widely distributed OF the
fungi, and the direst Of all vegetable
poisous 10 man and beast alike. The
alkaloid which IL contains takes effect
only some hours after its ingestion,
when II has entered the blood streams
and begun its disintegrating action
upon the red corpuscles. The dogs
must have partnken Of II on the pre-
ceding afternoon.
knew This was Leroux's work. He
had tricked me again. was mad with
anger. meant TO kill the man now,
and without mercy. would be as un-
scrupulous as he. He would be In this
place by the afternoon; would wait
for him outside the trail. My pistols
Jacqueline was looking up into my
face In terror. The sight OF her re-
called me TO my senses. Leroux after
ward-first my duty 20 heri
paul What is the matter. PaulT
she cried. ~ never saw you look like
that before"
calrned myself and led her away.
and presently we were standing before
the fire again.
"Jacqueline," said, "it is easier to
60 on than TO turn back now."
She watched me like lip reader.
sYes, Paul; let us 90 on" she an-
swered. - '''''~----
SO we went on. But our journey
was TO be very different now. There
was no possibility OF taking much bag
gage with US. We took a few things
out of our suitcases and disposed them
about us as best we could.
We must have covered at least a
dozen miles or more. when we stopped
for n brief midday meal. I was little
fatigued from carrying the pack and
my ankles ached from the snowshoes;
but Jacquelne. who had evidently been
accustomed 10 their use, was as fresh
as when she started.
Suddenly we emerged from among
the trees upon an almost barren pia-
tenu, and there again we halted for
breathing spell.
resolved 10 take my bearings accu-
rately. and telling JacquelIne 10 wait
for me n few minutes at the base OF
Hill and setting down my pack. began
the ascent alone. The climb was
longer than ! had anticipated. My
eyes were aching from the glare OF tho
snow. ! had left my colored glasses
behind me In the tent and gone on,
saying nothing. though had realized
my loss when l was only mile or so
away.
However, hoped that the night
would restore my sight, and so, dis
missing the matter from my mind.
struggled up until at last l stood upon
the summit OF the hin. Far away, like
a thin, winding ribbon among the hills.
l saw the valley OF the Riviere dor.
Beneath me l saw Jacqueline wait
Ing. tiny figure upon the snow.
cast my eyes beyond her toward the
mist-wrnpped tops OF the far Lauren
tians and the plains.
And a sense of an Inevitable fate
came over me as I perceived far away
a ting, crawling ant upon the SHOWS
Simon Leroux's dog sleigh.
l went back TO the little. patient h6s
ure that was waiting for me. and I
took up my pack. again and told her
nothing. She stepped bravely out be-
side me- frozen. faugued. but willing
because ! bade her. She did not ask
anything OF me-
~The sun dipped lower. nnd far away
/ heard the iowl oS the solitary wolf
agnln.
] grippcd my pistols as we strobe
sippg.
We tvcnt On -ttrnl on. The afternoon
ads wc1ffng gtgy the sun was very
sow nov gnd. an jas strength had gone.
Courage Jacgecipe,w ] said, pattine
ber .arJh. "The flnx ought 10 be here"
Hcr ccahagc. wds greater than my