Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-09-09
LED TO FORTUNE
Pierre's Long Trail of Silver
Tip Rewarded.
Determined Hunter Traiied Bear over
Miles OF Snow, and Finally Stun
bled On and Killed Valuable
Arctic Fox.

or all fur-bearing animals, none is
patron as the silver fox of the arctic
circle. So rare are they that hunters
do not devote themselves exclusively
10 the pursuit, but the story of Pierre
Baptiste of that far country IL pc
culiarly thrilling, as II recOunts how
one of these animals fell before his
trusty rifle while he was on the trail
OF marauding bear which had been
devastating his traps. The Hunter
Trader Trapper of Columbus. o., tells
the story, as repeated by Robert +.
Hewes.
when Pierre Baptiste swOre TO trail
Silver Tip down, he did so with full
realization of what he was swearing
10 do. But the fiery blood that ran in
Pierre's veins when aroused knew no
cooling till justice was done" says
Mr.. Hewes. "And so with his lips set
firmly and q light OF determination
burning in his eyes, he took up the
trail Of Silver Tip-the sworn Nemesis
of that outlaw Of the North.
1.-TWO hours later Pierre stopped.
The last blur OF the timber line had
melted away behind him and on the
north and on all sides stretched In
tcrmlnable snow. Pierre was sweat
ing from his supereXertion and during
the momentary rest his clothes froze
10 boardiike stiffness. His legs were
dog-weary and even the weight of his
rifle seemed tons, but still the bears
trail led on and on into those God
forsaken regions.
after while. Pierre began 10 lose
sense OF time. He just plodded dog
gedly ahead. his eyes glued 10 the
bears trail. He knew he was getting
far, far into the arctic regions. That
bear should wander so far-again
he marveled
Pierre halted. dropped TO his knees
and stared NJ something. Hairs, he
saw, that the Jagged edge OF the ice
had pulled from the bear as he clam
bered over-but they were white =
white as the snow itself He, Pierre
Raptiste. was trailing bear that
knew no boundary Of snow and ice. A
chill wind began 10 creep over tie
snow wastes, and Pierre's snow
shoes seemed to be tugging 10 drag
him down. But had he not sworn 10
trail down Silver Tip?
within an eighth OF a mile, Pierre
saw something moving. a numbering
figure plOdding over the snow. a figure
brown haired and with silver nose
and a splash OF white on the belly as
the snow-dragged. 4 smile OF grim sat
lsfaction cracked Pierre's frosted fea-
lures as he slipped off his mitten and
raised his rife TO his shoulder.
AS Pierre pressed his cheek against
the stock Of his rifle ne thought he
saw something out Of the corner Of
his eve that made him turn. He low
cred his rife and scanned the snow
Geld on all sides. hut as far as eyes
could reach there stretched only the
white barrens. The only living thing
besides himself was that numbering
ball Of brown. Something. the barest
ton, but he saw no moving thing other
than the bear.
Get ees so YER funny" muttered
Pierre. and prepared 10 raise his rife
Then. on a ridge. and
the color OF the Ire II moved against
he saw something move. One moment
he stared and his keen eyes distin-
guished the silver fox from It's icy
with stcellike steadiness Pierre
raised his rife and sighted. squirt
of fame cracked the frosty air and
shattered the white silence into a mil
lion echoes. The next moment Pierre
was stumbling madly across the snow
70 where growing red hlotch showed
clearer than the fox. The trapper
fell 70 his knees by the dead animal
and examined II most rcverently. run
ming his fingers through the silky fur
with the tenderness If connoisseur.
Fortune OF fortunes There was not
even a Flemish the bullet had passed
Into the brain through the eye"
Explorers Will Travel Far.